Technology evolves year on year, new standards emerge and old ones swiftly become outdated. An ever-growing dictionary of jargon means the mountain bike market can be a confusing place, even for seasoned riders.<\/p>\n
Highly specialised bikes sit side-by-side with machines that claim to excel at everything. And they\u2019re all spread over such a vast price range that it can be hard to know where to start.<\/p>\n
Our objective with this guide is to set out all the factors you should consider when looking for a new ride, from wheel size to the level of suspension travel, bike category and how to choose the right size.<\/span><\/p>\n As well as helping you work out what sort of bike will work best for your riding, we\u2019ll explain the pros and cons of many of the common choices you\u2019ll face, and what you should expect at each price point<\/p>\n You can use the links below to skip to the relevant section \u2013 or read on for every last detail to help you find the perfect bike.<\/p>\n It\u2019s important to establish early on what sort of trails you intend to ride and on what terrain you want your bike to excel.<\/p>\n This will help you decide what category of bike you need, from short-travel, lightweight cross-country rigs to robust, chunky downhill race bikes.<\/p>\n We\u2019ll cover each of these in detail later \u2013 you can skip ahead to our section on the different types of mountain bike<\/a> \u2013 otherwise, let\u2019s start at the very beginning.<\/p>\n Humble hardtail or full-suspension mountain bike \u2013 which is best for you?<\/p>\n A hardtail mountain bike has a suspension fork at the front, while a full-suspension bike pairs a suspension fork with rear suspension.<\/p>\n There are certainly pros and cons to both. For a fixed budget, you\u2019ll certainly get a better-specced hardtail for your money, although an entry-level full-suspension bike might still be more capable on rougher trails.<\/p>\n Again, it comes back to what kind of riding you enjoy. In a game of hardtail vs full-suspension<\/a>, a hardtail tends to win for climbing, with a direct connection from crank to axle giving a more efficient response to pedalling, as well as being a little lighter.<\/p>\n Hardtails are easier to maintain too, needing less intensive servicing, as well as tending to be more budget-friendly.<\/p>\n Some people recommend hardtail mountain bikes<\/a> for beginner riders, as they\u2019ll teach you about the importance of line choice.<\/p>\n Affordable beginner bikes will often have quite conservative geometry and basic kit, while more specialised \u2018hardcore\u2019 options will have longer and slacker geometry, along with burlier parts to help them handle better at speed and in the rough.<\/p>\n However, full-suspension mountain bikes really excel when things get rougher, so if you think you\u2019ll be wanting to tackle more technical trails and features, then you might want to consider one.<\/p>\n You can read up on mountain bike rear-suspension systems<\/a> before you buy to check out the different options and how they work.<\/p>\n However, the good news is that, these days, the vast majority of rear suspension designs work pretty well. Shortlisting bikes based on their linkage doesn\u2019t make sense unless you\u2019re after a specific ride characteristic.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re just starting out, don\u2019t get too bogged down in the nuances of different suspension designs.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a frequently asked question: how much suspension travel do I need<\/a>?<\/p>\n Less suspension travel usually means a lighter, faster bike uphill. More travel equals better downhill capability. If you\u2019re new to the sport and want to try a bit of everything, then a mid-travel trail bike is the best all-rounder.<\/p>\n Within this broad category, there\u2019s still a lot of variation though. If you want to rack up big miles on all-day epics, lean towards shorter travel.<\/p>\n Or, if progressing your skills and tackling technical terrain is what gets your blood pumping, consider going for more bounce.<\/p>\n The same rule of thumb is true for electric bikes too, although with a motor to help on the climbs, it\u2019s on flatter trails that a shorter-travel ebike is likely to excel.<\/p>\n The amount of suspension travel is also a good indicator of what category a bike falls into, although, as ever, it\u2019s not always a hard and fast rule.<\/p>\n Roughly speaking, with 60-110mm of travel, you\u2019ll get a cross-country race bike, which excels at climbing and rapid acceleration on fast-flowing and smooth trails.<\/p>\n Moving up to 110-130mm of travel, you can cover distance fast on a cross-country, downcountry or short-travel trail bike, taking in both man-made loops and less technical natural trails.<\/p>\n A trail bike with between 130-160mm travel will be able to take on more technical tracks, including some larger features, and will be equally capable up and downhill.<\/p>\n When you move up to the 160-180mm bracket with enduro bikes, you sacrifice some of the pedalling efficiency to be able to excel on steep, gnarly off-piste trails, rocky tech and bike park tracks.<\/p>\n Forget pedalling back up to the trailhead when it comes to downhill race bikes. With around 180-200mm of travel, these are designed purely for going downhill, taking in the fastest and roughest descents.<\/p>\n For a long time, 26in mountain bike wheels<\/a> were the standard, but with the exception of dirt-jump and slopestyle bikes, they\u2019ve been phased out in favour of larger, faster-rolling hoops.<\/p>\n Any new adult bike will likely come with either 27.5in (also known as 650b<\/a>) or 29in-diameter wheels. If our local trails are anything to go by, the market is now split roughly 50\/50.<\/p>\n 29er wheels<\/a> have the advantages of carrying momentum better, rolling over obstacles more easily and providing more traction (due to the longer contact patch of their tyres).<\/p>\n The disadvantages are that the bigger wheels accelerate slower, take more effort to slow down and are harder to initiate a turn with. This isn\u2019t a problem in most scenarios, but if you have quite a dynamic riding style or like to ride trails that are tight, twisting and steep, then 650b can be preferable.<\/p>\n Early 29ers had some handling quirks, but modern geometry means they now ride as well as smaller-wheeled bikes.<\/p>\n The extra height of 29in wheels is a factor to consider though, especially if you\u2019re not very tall. Summed up in one line, we\u2019d say 650b is fun, 29in is fast \u2013 which, of course, can also be fun\u2026<\/p>\n Finally, mullet bikes<\/a> use different sized wheels at either end of the bike, most commonly a 29in front wheel for speed and rolling over obstacles, and a 27.5in back wheel for sharp handling at the rear.<\/p>\n You have four main options when it comes to frame material for bikes<\/a>.<\/p>\n Aluminium is the most commonly-used frame material for mountain bikes because it offers a good balance of strength, weight and cost.<\/p>\n Steel is a popular choice with smaller boutique brands, not only because it\u2019s widely available and easy to work with, but also because the same strength can be achieved with thinner-walled and smaller-diameter tubes, resulting in a desirable amount of bump-absorbing \u2018compliance\u2019 (flex). This is particularly applicable to hardtails.<\/p>\n Titanium does the same with less of a weight penalty but expect to pay upwards of \u00a31,000 for a Ti frame.<\/p>\n Carbon has long been one of the buzz words used to \u2018upsell\u2019 to bike buyers. To some extent, this is justified, because carbon fibre gives designers near-limitless control over frame shapes and ride characteristics, as well as the potential to build an incredibly light and strong chassis \u2013 important if choosing a featherweight XC race bike.<\/p>\n Cheaper carbon frames aren\u2019t necessarily laid up with the same care and attention to detail, though. Also, be aware that at lower price points, brands will often spec cheaper build kits to prevent the complete bike looking too expensive compared to the next (aluminium) model down.<\/p>\n A better-specced aluminium bike will almost always ride better than a carbon frame decked out with cheap kit.<\/p>\n The geometry of a mountain bike is largely dictated by what discipline it\u2019s made for, whether that\u2019s a fast and responsive cross-country bike, a slack downhill race rig for gnarly trails or anything in between.<\/p>\n For the sake of simplicity, we won\u2019t go into the specifics of geometry here \u2013 it\u2019s another complex area of mountain bike tech.<\/p>\n However, you can check out our ultimate guide to mountain bike geometry<\/a> if you want to learn more.<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> <\/section> Complete bikes can be roughly divided into seven price brackets, from under \u00a3500 to more than \u00a35,000.<\/p>\n Your budget will dictate what bikes are available to you, whether that\u2019s hardtail or full-suspension, different frame materials, drivetrain options and braking systems.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s what you can expect to find in each of these price brackets.<\/p>\n Consider the \u00a3500 mark the rough starting point for a \u2018proper\u2019 mountain bike. At this sort of money, you should steer well, well clear of any full-suspension bikes.<\/p>\n Spend much less and you\u2019re likely to find that compromises have been made with key components (fork, gearing, tyres, brakes) in order to keep the cost down, making for a fairly unpleasant ride on anything more than a gentle gravel track.<\/p>\n Whatever you do, look for a frame that\u2019s made from lightweight aluminium rather than heavy steel. You should also look for a bike that comes fitted with disc brakes rather than rim brakes, because they\u2019ll keep working in the wet and provide more consistent power.<\/p>\n As you spend more, you\u2019ll get a bike with a lighter frame and more refined equipment.<\/p>\n At this price, you\u2019ll often encounter double and triple chainsets, although it\u2019s not uncommon to find 1x drivetrains \u2013 which offer reduced maintenance, complexity and, in many circumstances, improved performance over multi-chainring setups.<\/p>\n The tyres fitted should have a pronounced tread profile that\u2019s designed for proper off-road use and should be made from a softer rubber compound than basic tyres, giving better grip in the wet.<\/p>\n A suspension fork with a smooth and controlled action should also be fitted. To test this, give the fork a good bounce and it should compress easily and return smoothly. If it makes nasty noises or returns rapidly \u2013 like a pogo stick \u2013 give it a wide berth.<\/p>\nWhat to consider when buying a mountain bike<\/h2>\n
What type of riding do you do?<\/h3>\n
Hardtail or full-suspension?<\/h3>\n
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<\/picture><\/div> How much travel do I need?<\/h3>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>60-110mm: Cross-country race bike<\/h4>\n
110-130mm: Cross-country\/trail bike<\/h4>\n
130-160mm: Trail bike<\/h4>\n
160-180mm: Enduro bike<\/h4>\n
180-200mm: Downhill race bike<\/h4>\n
What wheel size should I choose?<\/h3>\n
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<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Which frame material is best?<\/h3>\n
A quick word about geometry<\/h3>\n
How to choose a mountain bike by price<\/h2>\n
What\u2019s your budget?<\/h3>\n
Best mountain bikes under \u00a3500<\/h3>\n
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