Over the past 10 years, mountain biking has become more popular than ever with many more people partaking in the activity than ever before. It seems that everywhere you go there is someone with a bike rack on their car hauling their bike to the next ride destination. And with the growing popularity of mountain biking came the increased numbers of manufacturers and types of bikes along with the price ranges.
Now you really have to do your homework when it comes to choosing a new mountain bike so you don’t get stuck with something that doesn't suit your riding style or the trails you will be riding on. And you also need to make sure you get one that can take the punishment you plan on dishing out without breaking the bank.
The first thing to consider will be your riding style. There are many types of trails and riding styles including cross country, all mountain, free ride and downhill among others. Cross country is the most basic type of riding where there are easy flowing trails without anything too crazy such as jumps, drops or rock gardens. All mountain riding is more dramatic with steeper downhills and more technical riding such as rocky terrain and maybe some small jumps. Free ride involves more jumps and obstacles as well as bike parks where there are custom made trails to test your skills. Then of course downhill riding is where you most likely get shuttled to the top of a steep mountain and ride down it as fast as you can while taking on whatever gets in your way.