What is the best mountain bike for you? This page will help you find a mountain bike that fits your needs. I am not going to suggest any specific brand ... but I will help you determine which features you might want on your mountain bike. There are many excellent brands that offer comparable bikes. Use this page to determine what type of bike you are interested in.

Cross Country or Downhill?

The first question you have to ask yourself is, "Do I want to be a Cross Country rider or a Downhiller?"

As a Cross Country rider I pedal up hills, down hills, and across level terrain. I will typically cover from 3-to-30 miles on a ride. A Downhiller typically takes a lift to the top of a mountain ... and then rides down the hills, off jumps, and over natural and man-made obstacles to return to the lift for another run.

Bikes are designed differently for different purposes. The best mountain bike for "Downhilling" is probably a Downhill bike. Bikes designed for Downhillers usually are heavier, with large shock absorbers on the front and back.

The front forks of a downhill bike are frequently tilted forward more than on a Cross Country bike, much the same way as a "chopper" motorcycle. So ... which type will be the best bike for you?

Although I have done some Downhilling, my experience lies in the Cross Country field. The discussion below is for the person who wants to become a Cross Country rider.

Front Suspension?

Will the best mountain bike have front suspension? I am not sure if I have ever seen a true mountain biker on a trail without front suspension (I ran across some boy scouts in Brian Head without but ...) Department-store "shocks" are frequently just a set of springs, with no dampening (the property of slowing the rebound of an action). A biker can lose control as these springs violently shoot the front of the bike back up.

The best mountain bike shocks are filled with air to give you a cushion on compression, and are designed to slow the rebound on extension. Most mountain bike shocks have buttons or small levers to adjust for stiffness and rebound speed. After my horrific crash in 2008, I seldom take my shocks off of maximum stiffness.

In conclusion ... the best mountain bike for you should probably have quality air shocks for your front suspension.

Rear Suspension or Hardtail?

Are you 56 years old? I am, and ... any bike I ride will have rear suspension. I have seen a recent trend for bikers to ride "Hardtails," which means no rear suspension.

One advantage to a Hardtail is less moving parts. Less moving parts means less maintenance and fewer parts to wear out. Another advantage to the Hardtail involves climbing. Any time a shock compresses and expands there is a loss of energy. If some of the energy (provided by your legs) is lost compressing the shocks, then less energy goes toward riding. This effect is most noticeable when climbing a steep hill, when our body weight falls more to the rear wheel, and when energy is usually at a premium. One last advantage of the Hardtail is less weight. Suspension means more parts. More parts means a heavier bike.

The advantages of rear suspension can be summed up in two words ... comfort and control. One of the riders on my tremendous 4-day Tabeguache trip rode a hard tail. However, Nate's bike frame was made of titanium, a springy compound made to "soak up" the rough stuff (his bike was custom made and cost him $9,000). Jens Jensen, an engineer who has been riding mountain bikes for over 30 years says, "With the high quality and light weight of rear suspension these days, I can see no reason why anyone would not want to have it."

Once again, the rear suspension offered on the department-store bike is nothing more than a spring.

Dropping off a ledge and instantly rebounding back up at the same speed can cause a loss of control. A good quality air shock will soften the landing and slowly return your bike to a normal riding position.

Does the best mountain bike (for you) have rear suspension? That will have to be your call.

26" or 29"

For years most all mountain bikes were made with 26" wheels. However, the past few years I have noticed a steady influx of 29" bikes. Why? I am not exactly sure. When I see people riding 29'ers I always stop and ask them how they like the bigger wheels. Every one of them says their bike is great. My next question is always, "What makes it so great?" Every one I've asked says, "I love the way I can ride right over rough sections of trail." My last question is always, "Is there anything you don't like about your 29'er?" Every single person I have asked said something like, "I don't feel as comfortable turning" and, "I don't think my balance is as good." I have never ridden a 29'er so I can't tell you my personal opinion.

From my physics and sports background I have to say the comments from the 29" riders all make sense ... except the ones saying their bike is "great." To me, balance and turning control are the two most important factors to feeling comfortable on a bike.

Does the "best mountain bike for you" have 26" or 29" wheels? I think, as a beginner, you would be much more comfortable on a 26" wheeled bike.

Components

Components are the equipment attached to the bike frame, such as brakes, wheels, derailleurs, shocks, seats, etc. Department-store bikes

often come with brand-name components. The buyer sees "Shimano" or "Sram" and might think they are getting good quality. The problem is, companies like Shimano make components at many different levels. The components on these department-store bikes are typically at the very bottom level.

When looking for the "best mountain bike for you," take time to look at the most expensive bikes. What components are on those bikes? Ask bike shop dealers the difference between components on the cheaper bikes versus ones at the top of the line. Many times you can find a cheaper bike with many of the same exact components as the more expensive one.

To read about the strategy I used to shop for my bike click: "How I Got a Great Deal on a Bike."

Want some additional advice on selecting a bike or mountain bike gear ... try the Mountain-Bike-Zone.

Subscribe to Mountain Bike News? First Name E-mail Address I keep this private The Mountain Bike News is a newsletter I e-mail monthly...letting you know what I have been doing lately, and what is new to the web site. I will not give, sell, lend, trade, etc. your e-mail address and I will only send you something once a month.

Like Mountain Bike Diaries? You can set yourself up to receive non-intrusive updates of my newest rides by liking the MBD Facebook Page, or subscribing to the YouTube channel, RSS feed, or our monthly newsletter ... the Mountain Bike News.