Enjoy Your Riding Because A Mountain Bike Is Meant For Rough Riding

By: Tim Gorman
Submitted: 2007-01-17 16:26:22
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If you're planning to give your bike a hard time, by riding on dirt tracks, across hairpin bends and on steep, gravel inclines, then you're going to need a mountain bike. This type of bike is designed for rough riding conditions, and they're very rarely ridden on paved roads. Mountain bike enthusiasts love to cycle along narrow, unpaved trails. Their bike however, suffers high levels of wear and tear in those conditions, which is why cycle manufacturers developed mountain bikes.

For starters, mountain bikes have tires that are much bigger and fatter than standard bicycles, and they're made of stronger rubber. This makes it easier for the bicycle roll smoothly over obstacles and run freely on pebbled tracks. They also provide better traction.

Good suspension is another critical part of mountain bike design. Strong suspension is essential, and more recent designs can have both front and rear suspension, to help deal with heavier thuds. There are a number of different suspension styles available, and depending on the type of trails you plan to ride along, different ones might be suitable. They are:

  • Hard tails - front suspension fork, some have a rigid fork
  • Soft tails - the rear suspension rests on the frame rather than pivots
  • Dual Suspension - front suspension fork, rear suspension, rear shock absorbers and linkage
  • Fully Rigid - rigid front and rear suspension

    • If you're more interested in traveling cross-country, rather than necessarily sticking to heavy-duty mountain trials, then you might find a cross-country mountain bike is more suitable. These are usually made of lightweight, resilient materials, and can weigh as little as 20 pounds, although some can weight up to 40 pounds. This is in comparison to all-mountain or enduro bikes, which usually range from 30-35 pounds. Cross-country mountain bikes have better suspension, specifically for uphill climbs or steering over hairpin bends.

    You can also buy free ride mountain bikes, which are built of stronger, heavier materials. These are mainly designed for easier pedaling, but can still be maneuvered around dangerous obstacles and steep turns. They're not as efficient as a cross-country bike because of their weight, which is generally between 40-50 pounds.

    If you expect to be doing lots of riding on downhill tracks and racecourses, then a downhill mountain bike might be for you. They're not as strong as free ride bikes, but have better traction than most of the other types of mountain bike.

    For short distances, you are probably best with a trial bike, which doesn't have any suspension. They don't have a proper seat or a vestigial pad, and generally only weight around 15-20 pounds.

    There are also dirt jumping, urban and street mountain bikes, which are all hybrids of trial and mountain bikes. They're very strong, and usually have a chain guide for front and rear gears, and have anywhere from one to nine gears.

    For more information on mountain bikes to include mountain bike reviews try visiting ShoppingForBikes.com loacted at http://www.shoppingforbikes.com where you will also find information on pocket bikes, folding bikes, dirt bikes and BMX bikes.

    Article source: Expert Articles

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