What To Look For In A Mountain Bike

Choose The Best Mountain Bike

There are several things to consider when looking for a mountain bike that will help you get the best bike for your buck. While not  comprehensive, the following six points should be considered when looking for the best mountain bike.

6 Points:
1.  Price
2.  Frame
3.  Brakes
4.  Shifters
5.  Tires
6.  Size/Fit

Price:
It will cost several thousand dollars to get the best mountain bike. Set a price limit for your new bike and then find the best quality bike for the price. You can expect to pay somewhere between 300 and 800 dollars for an entry level mountain bike. I’m sure you may be able to find a less expensive mountain bike at your local Walmart but the question you have to ask yourself is will it hold up. I see this mistake being made when people buy a mountain bike. In the long run you would have been better off getting a more expensive mountain bike and keeping it for years rather than buying the cheap mountain bike and replacing it every year. The Iron Horse Mountain Bike is a great example of a quality mountain bike at an affordable price.

Brakes:
The best brakes can be found on the best mountain bikes. The decision you have to make is whether to use disk brakes or rim brakes. The cost of disk brakes are higher but the braking power is superior. Rim brakes offer a lighter, lower cost alternative but you will sacrifice some performance particularly in wet conditions. The Diamondback Overdrive Mountain Bike is a good example of a well designed mountain bike that has dual disk brakes.

Shifters:
Rapidfire and Gripfit shifters are the two main types of shifters on the market today. Similar to a motorcycle the Gripfit shifters are designed into the hand grips and the Rapidfire shifters are positioned just under the brake lever. The more experienced riders seem to like the Rapidfire shifters better but ultimately it will be a matter of choice.

Tires:
If you will be riding primarily off road then you will want to make sure that you get the more aggressive off road tire with the large knobs. This will give you more traction and control on uneven terrain. The smaller knobs on the tires will allow for a smoother ride on a paved surface. There are mountain bikes that are designed for off road and on road riding and have specific tires that compliment this style.

Fit
For the mountain bike to suit you well it must fit you well. While straddling the bike try and maintain a two to three inch clearance above the top tube. It does matter what terrain you will be ridding on. If you are going to be riding a bit more aggressively you can increase this to four to six inches of clearance to allow for ease of operation over very uneven surfaces. As you are sitting on the bike and your feet on the pedals try and maintain a 30 degree angle with the leg at the bottom of the apex. Generally speaking 30 degrees of knee bend is a good place to start.

These are just a few of the basics when deciding on the best mountain bike for yourself. Choose wisely when starting out and you can expect to get many miles out of your mountain bike. If you are looking to purchase a great mountain bike that exceeds the highest qualifications of many advanced riders than you must checkout the Smith & Wesson Custom Police Mountain Bike

 

So what did you think? Is this information useful? Did you agree with it? Let me know!