Tips For Buying the Right Mountain Bike

Mountain bike riding has become more popular than ever these days among people looking for cheap and fun ways to get physical exercise and work up a sweat while getting to take advantage of the great outdoors and local wilderness trails. It is no surprise, therefore, that more and more people have begun to look into the process of purchasing their own mountain bikes for weekend getaways or daily rides out in the woods and off the beaten paths. It is true that mountain biking is one of the most enjoyable sports a person can engage in without spending a large sum of money at the onset and throughout the process, but if you have never bought or ridden a mountain bike before, you may be daunted at where to begin when you start searching for a bicycle of your own. The process can easily become frustrating when you find yourself confronted with the seemingly limitless purchasing options in front of you, and it is easy to lose track of time when trying to learn everything about every bicycle and component you come across. This guide will help put the process into perspective before you hand over your hard earned dollars so the process of purchasing the right mountain bike for you can hopefully become a little bit easier.

Perhaps the first step to buying the right mountain bike for you is to determine the amount of money you have available and are willing to spend on the bicycle. There is not really a solid limit on the amount of money you can potentially spend when buying a brand new mountain bike, as there are manufacturers willing to offer products to consumers at nearly every price point you can imagine, and at all levels in between. Unless you have an unlimited budget, however, you will probably be interested in keeping the amount of money you spend under some threshold. To help you with this process, you should first determine the amount of money you might be willing to spend when it comes to taking home that new bicycle and then focus on only looking at bicycles that fall within the price range you set ahead of time. It is best not to purchase a bicycle from a mass market store like Costco or Wal-Mart, as they are not likely to offer quality bikes that will stand up to the rigors of anything beyond the mildest and flattest trails. Rather, you will probably be better off by going to your local bike shop, where you can find a number of bicycles that will last you years without too much trouble, as well as significantly better service that you simply will not be able to find outside of a dedicated bicycle shop.

The next step to buying the right mountain bike for you is to determine your riding style; this requires thinking about the kind of riding you would like to do once you officially have your bicycle. There are all sorts of bicycles that are designed for all sorts of riding conditions and terrains, and mountain bikes are no exception. There are bikes that are actually designed to go downhill and are not meant at all to work on level or uphill surfaces. There are bikes that are designed to handle a variety of conditions on the trail. There are bikes that are not able to handle severe conditions but are designed to be lightweight and easy to repair so you can travel long distances on and off the trail. To find the right bike for you, you will need to think for some time about the type of riding you expect to do the majority of the time you are on your bicycle. If you prefer riding on smooth trails, you might want a different kind of mountain bike than you would if you were interested in racing cross country trails. Similarly, if you are interested in mountain cruising, you will be after a different kind of bicycle compared to if you are interested in downhill racing with lifts back to the top of the track. Be sure that the bicycle you choose fits your style and not the staff’s.