Front travel is big — think mm — and so is rear travel, around —mm. Geometry : Slack head angle to shift your weight back where you can navigate aggressive lines and huck in the bike park. Shop downhill bikes. Wheel sizes : 26in. Geometry : Depends on the bike and brand.
Trail geometry is becoming more common. Shop fat bikes. How to find the right size bike Each bike has a list of specs and a rough sizing chart on mec. Bottom line: try before you buy. Demo some bikes to see how they feel and what you like best. Understanding suspension and wheel sizes.
Pros: absorbs a ton of bumps and shocks over rough terrain. Cons: rear suspension adds extra weight. Hardtail : A front fork and no rear suspension. Pros: efficient at climbing, more lightweight than full suspension which makes it appealing for XC , usually cheaper and easier to maintain.
Cons: rougher ride or a lot of walking involved when the terrain gets gnarly. Rigid : No suspension at all. Pros: maintenance is simplest.
Cons: no suspension to absorb bumps. Wheel sizes When it comes to wheel size, the most important thing is how you like the way they feel underneath you. Pros: Generally seen as light, strong and quick to get moving or snap around corners. Tyres will also improve having a better tread profile for proper trails whilst providing improved ride quality and performance. You may be able to find a dual-suspension mountain bike at this price point, but they will still be far heavier and less durable than a good hardtail, so it's worth holding off until the budget can stretch a little further.
For those looking for a dual-suspension mountain bike, this is the place to start. The welcome addition of suspension front and back does come at the cost of quality parts. A hardtail at the same price will typically be far lighter and have better quality componentry, but obviously sacrifices the rear suspension. So the question at this price point becomes which do you favour, a dual-suspension for greater control when it gets rough, or a hardtail with higher quality components that is going to perform better on less technical trails.
Hydraulic disc brakes are almost standard as is an aluminium frame. One thing we haven't spoken about is thru-axle fork vs a quick release hub system. Thru-axle forks have a larger diameter axle which improves stiffness and steering at the wheels as a result. You'll find them on bikes at the upper end of this price point, and more commonly above it.
An extra gear or two should be on offer, now speed is common and most likely still paired with either a double or triple crankset. It's a great upgrade to your bike and so it's worth asking about. Things really start to become interesting at this price point with many features becoming accessible such as dropper posts , 1x drivetrains , and we start to see carbon frames. Bikes become distinctively split between disciplines at this stage, and you'll begin to see specific drivetrains for downhill events that don't require the range that cross-country bikes do.
Hardtails become available in carbon creating a lighter, stiffer and more responsive ride. The decision now will be between a carbon hardtail with quality components over a dual-suspension alloy bike with lesser components. No doubt the extra comfort and support on rough trails would be welcome, but a good quality hardtail may do just as good a job depending on the type of riding you have planned. You'll begin to see many 1x drivetrain options where the front derailleur is removed to reduce weight and simplify the shifting process without sacrificing too much gear range.
Having a 1x drivetrain reduces the amount of moving parts and the amount of potential mechanical issues as a result. It also allows manufacturers to experiment with frame design, creating bikes with greater tyre clearance and shorter chain stays which helps create a more nimble bike with better traction and control.
If the budget will stretch, this is where you get almost everything a mountain bike has to offer; lightweight frame, high quality components, tubeless-ready rims, dropper post, hydraulic disc brakes, thru-axles front and rear, and either a SRAM x1 or Shimano XT drivetrain. Suspension systems become highly sophisticated allowing you to adjust the feel with external adjusters and an air pump known as a shock pump. Brakes are likely to provide a perfect balance of modulation and power for extra confidence.
Gear ranges are likely to be much larger in this price range to cater for a variety of trails and make even the steepest climbs manageable. At this price point mountain bikes go Gucci and highly specialised. Expect a lightweight carbon fibre frame from a desirable brand, light and strong carbon fibre wheels, top-tier components, Shimano electronic drivetrain or SRAM x1 with 12 gears.
Splitting performance at this price range becomes difficult as the difference between one bike and another is often minimal, so it really comes down to rider preferences or desires.
Getting the right size bike is crucial. If you are comfortable on the bike it will provide a more enjoyable experience and you will want to ride it more; plus comfort equals speed.
Conversely, the incorrect sized bike will lead to discomfort, potential injury and a negative riding experience. Finding the right frame size is the first step. If your frame is too small or too big it will be virtually impossible to make it fit you perfectly. Moving the seat position and adjusting the handlebars are all easy adjustments to make, but are band-aid solutions if the frame size is incorrect.
The measurement you see on a mountain bike refers to the distance from the centre of the bottom bracket to the top of the seat tube.
Stack and reach are another two key measures worth knowing. The stack relates to the height of the bike measured vertically from the bottom bracket to the top of the head tube. The reach relates to the length of the bike measured horizontally from the bottom bracket to the head tube. If you know these two values you'll always be able to find the appropriate sized bike regardless of manufacturer or frame description.
Seat height can be less important in mountain biking than other cycling disciplines because it can change dramatically depending on your chosen type of riding.
Bikes that are built to go downhill will generally also require the rider to have a lower seat height. This is why 'dropper' seatposts are becoming so popular in mountain biking, offering the best of both worlds. For more on geometry and how it affects a bike, check out our guide to geometry charts and what they mean.
Imagine buying a car without taking it for a test drive first. It's just a given that you test drive a car and a bike should be no different. Only by taking a bike for a ride will you get a feel for it's characteristics, size, geometry and intricacies. When taking a bike for a test ride, don't just go around the block and make a decision. If possible try to get it for the weekend, or at least try to simulate the type of riding you plan to do.
Some brands offer demo shows, where they'll bring an entire fleet of bikes to a trail for you to test ask your shop. Other shops may have their own demo fleets of popular models to test. Not all shops allow this though, and so you may need to buy a bike based on the advice from trusted resources. As we've mentioned, the different types of mountain bike riding varies so greatly, the bike you chose must be able to cope with what you have planned. There's no point testing a hardtail mountain bike if you only intend on riding downhill.
And testing a cross country bike on flat roads around the shop will tell you nothing about how it will handle single track or steep climbs. And don't be dazzled by a new shiny bike. Look at it constructively and make an informed decision as to whether or not it meets your needs.
If you have doubts at the time of purchase, they will only compound over time. It's important to know that once you've purchased a bike, the job isn't over. Additional purchases in the form of specific pedals, shoes and helmet will likely be required.
It's worth either putting some additional money aside for these items or trying to get them included in the price of the bike. Other common accessories that are essential for riding your mountain bike are spare tubes, a hand pump and multi tool. Facility to carry water and your spares in the way of a bottle cage or hydration pack are important too. Padded cycling shorts are a great way to improve your riding comfort, with most mountain bikers preferring the casual look of 'baggy' shorts.
To help you make an informed decision, create a list of your top five bikes and do some research. Check out our guide to the best enduro bikes for more information and some recommendations.
As the name suggests, these bikes are about doing one thing; going down steep and technical tracks very, very quickly. Again, aluminium is the choice for cheaper bikes, while pro-level machinery will be carbon. Buy if: you just like going downhill fast on the hardest terrain and biggest jumps you can find and are happy to push or get a lift to the top.
E-bikes incorporate a motor and battery which provide a boost to your pedalling input. These bikes are significantly heavier than their non-motorised equivalents but can make light work of climbing up the steepest of gradients.
While that might seem like a lot of different kinds, there are even more niches in the world of mountain biking. Here are a few more that you might run across…. These use hugely oversized tyres, that are run at very low pressures in order to give traction on snow or sand. They use tough frames that are easy to move about in the air, short-travel forks and often only have one gear for simplicity. They can be very cheap but many are also expensive, exotic bikes built by niche custom framebuilders.
If possible, try to arrange a test ride so you can see how the bike feels on the trail. Many brands have demo days where they bring their entire range along for potential customers to try. Above all, remember to check our reviews to see which bikes we rate and why, plus loads more. Home Advice Buying Guides Best mountain bike how to choose the right one for you.
Russell Burton. It has a well-balanced, nippy feel, giving crisp handling from turn to turn. The Nucleus 29 is trail-ready straight out of the box and wants for nothing.
An e-bike in disguise? Dirt jump bikes will generally use smaller wheels and a compact frame for optimum manoeuvrability Jonny Ashelford. Jon Woodhouse. Most frames tend to have plenty of places to attach water bottles, racks and luggage in a nod to their long-distance racing roots. Buy if: You want to go adventuring on sand or snow, or just fancy something extremely different. The electrically assisted mountain bike, or e-MTB, has really taken off in the few years. With the rough, tough image of an off roader and all the gung-ho attitude that goes with it, the addition of a battery and motor on the bike seems less of an issue.
And unlike the early days of e-bikes, when everything looked a bit bolted together, the styling of current e-MTBs is really on point, with the e-bits well camouflaged by the frame and clever use of integrated graphics. The e-MTB bike choices begin with a question of suspension, you can get e-hardtails and e-bikes with full suspension.
E-hardtails have a suspension fork at the front and a rigid frame — fairly conventional like a regular hardtail. These are cheaper and usually lighter than comparable specification full-suspension models.
Full-suspension e-bikes are heavier, more expensive and complex to set up, they will have front and rear suspension similar to trail and enduro bikes with travel typically of mm. If you think your mountain biking is going to be the lighter towpath and forest parks, with loops of well graded trail centres, then the hardtail is a great choice.
Frames come in both carbon and alloy and you'll find e-bikes with both The motor on any e-MTB with serious off-road intentions is positioned at the cranks. This is called a mid-motor design for obvious reasons. Some e-bikes have their motor located in the front or rear hub but these motors are much less effective for off-roading as they compromise the handling of the bike at the rear or the performance of the suspension fork at the front.
Expect a high performance w motor with sensors for torque and cadence to supply the data it needs to know how much electrical assistance you need and when you need it. Major manufacturers are mostly using the same three or four motors and batteries, and providing you buy from a major, recognised mountain bike brand — generally those who are already famous for standard mountain bikes.
Some brands now have a lighter e-bike with a less powerful motor, these are bikes designed to ride more like 'normal' bikes but still with some, more intuitive, power assistance.
The battery for an e-MTB is usually located on the down tube, or increasingly built into it. Most batteries are about wh but some bikes come with bigger capacity ones or wh for a longer range. Jon was previously the editor here at off. Whether it's big days out on the gravel bike or hurtling down technical singletracks, if it's got two wheels and can be ridden on dirt, then he's into it. He's previously been technical editor at BikeRadar.
Yes, he's been around the houses. Skip to main content. Log In Register. What all the different types are and how much you need to spend.
Jon Woodhouse.
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