Have you ever tried to dive deep into the oceans of life, searching out for the meaning of your existence? Have you ever tried to understand what passion, practice, and perfection mean altogether?
To enjoy Biking, to enjoy mountain biking, to get the best out of mountain biking, you first need to identify which type of MTB is best for you. That’s why I have mentioned all types of mountain bikes in this article. So that you can select the best one.
Life is an uphill journey full of hurdles and obstacles. You will roll in speed, you will fall, you will get up, and again, despite the failures, you would achieve and succeed with double zeal and enthusiasm.
Perhaps you would fall back again, but this time you know how to get on the trail effortlessly. At the other shore of the sea, that is Mountain Biking for you.
What is Mountain Biking?
On the philosophical ground, the sport, Mountain biking, is purely the epitome of the life that we lead. Accompanied with the well-suited best Mountain bike, you always look ahead to conquer the highest mountains through the rocky trails and terrain off-road or dense forests.
These Mountain Bikes are also suitable for cruising purposes either beside the beach or across the city.
Mountain Biking is a fun-filled adventurous sport that teaches individuals how to balance themselves while riding the bike and make the best out of it.
Besides, it is an excellent way of staying fit and healthy. Mountain biking is precisely the best means of cardiovascular exercise, keeping your joints, muscles, and bones flexible and robust. It also prevents you from severe diseases and significant health issues.
Hence, overall, Mountain Biking is all that an individual ought to adopt while seeking a healthy mindset and physical persona.
If you are one passionate soul ready to embark on adventures living up to your passion, you ought to get on the journey of mountain biking. The best part is this sport is beyond the limitations of age, sex, height, weight, or any other factor.
You simply need an illuminated mind, passion, dedication, and a well-suited Mountain bike, and voila, you’re all set to see a significant change in your life and yourself.
The Common Factors To Be Considered While Buying A Well-Suited Best Mountain Bike
As you look forward to buying the best Mountain bike, you need to be specific and clear regarding several factors, which include the following:
Budget:
The budget holds a vital role while making any kind of purchase. Specifically, for the Mountain Bikes, there is a wide variety of price range available in the markets or online according to the convenience of the bikers.
Various models under specific brand names are highly affordable, cost-efficient, and highly pocket-friendly. And when it comes to luxury and plush, again, certain eye-pleasing types and models are available for the adventure-loving souls out there.
Decide on your purpose:
Before you lookout for a suitable mountain bike, you must always be clear about the purpose of buying it. Whether you need the mountain bike for adventure and fun, fitness, or general urban cruising, the wholesome motive of your purchase is very important to be known.
That would eventually help you decide on the budget and the further specifications of the components and technology.
Look out for a Durable Frame:
The bike’s frame is a crucial component as it gives your Mountain bike the desired durability and strength and provides you the best comfort and safety.
The mountain bikes are available with different types of frame sizes and frame materials, depending on the requirement and fit of the rider.
The eminently used frame materials are Aluminum alloy, Steel, Carbon Fiber, and Titanium. Out of these, mountain bikes with Aluminum frames are mostly preferred due to their properties like lightweight, durability, and less expensive.
On the contrary, Steel is also used in the frame construction of mountain bikes, majorly for beginners, due to its strength and more efficiency than that Aluminum frames.
But the Steel frames are comparatively heavy and much expensive. Carbon Fiber made frames are incredibly light in weight and durable but are very costly and lack the desired strength.
Last but not least, Titanium is majorly considered in the construction of frames of Mountain bikes. Still, despite them being super strong and lighter in weight than steel, they are less popular because they are costly.
The Best-suited Wheel Size:
Generally, the wheels of the mountain bikes are available in three sizes, viz., 26”, 27.5”, and 29”. Out of these, the 26-inch is the standard size that is always considered.
Still, many riders preferably choose the larger wheel size. As they say, the bigger, the better. Hence the 27.5” size wheels carry the rider efficiently along with providing him more comfort over the rough trails.
Besides, the 29” wheels, commonly called the 29ers, are perfect for taller riders, who need more balance and control while exploring the terrain with their taller legs and heavy body.
But to add, they are a little tough to handle and thus not suitable for riders or the fat guys. Hence, the wheels with 27.5” size are considered the best choice, as they are a perfect balance between the 26” and the 29” wheel size.
A Powerful Braking System:
All the Mountain bikes available these days are equipped with technology. The braking system is not out of the list.
For the extreme comfort and safety of the bikers, the mountain bikes are designed with Disc brakes that are eminently either Mechanical or Hydraulic.
The Mechanical Disc Brakes are the ones using cable for the actuation of the caliper. They are easy to maintain and work efficiently in any weather conditions.
On the contrary, the Hydraulic Disc Brakes are fluid-dependent for the actuation of the piston. Although, they provide an effective and controlled stopping on rough terrain.
The Perfect Fit:
A biker could be able to ride the mountain bike that fits him the best comfort. Hence this is an essential factor you must check before making out the final decision.
The fit or size of the mountain bikes are commonly referred to as Small, Medium, and Large. There are various ways to check on the perfect fit, including the personal trial of the bike while purchasing.
But in the case of online purchases, that is quite inconvenient. Hence, The brand manufacturers provide a valid size chart with every bike type and model for your reference and convenience.
These size charts are made according to the individuals of various physical characteristics. Hence it is always advised to refer them before buying the mountain bike for a perfect fit.
Types of Mountain Bikes
Practically there are different types of bikers depending on various factors like age, height, gender, weight, choice of terrain, the purpose of biking, etc.
Hence, to satisfy all these bikers’ practical demands, many types of Mountain bikes are available across the stores and online.
These bikes are designed to avail the desired biking comfort in certain weather conditions and land environments like rains, storms, dirt, mud, sand, and snow.
The various types of Mountain bikes are categorized mainly based on their geometry and variations in their components. They are called several names based on their weight, frame material, frame size, wheelset size, type of tires, suspension, braking system, saddles, handlebars, pedal material, and whatnot.
So if you are the one who is looking forward to embarking on the journey of mountain biking with style and comfort, you ought to choose the best suitable Mountain Bike for yourself.
Let me be a part of it, help you out with the initiative, and guide you throughout this article. So let’s begin with a deep understanding of the types of best Mountain Bikes available for the best comfortable biking experience.
Based on the Type of Suspension
A significant factor in terms of Mountain Bikes is Suspension. The reason being the Mountain bikes are categorized initially on the basis of their suspension.
Hence depending on that fact, Mountain Bikes are grouped into three major categories which are:
Full Suspension Mountain Bikes
The full-suspension mountain bikes are also commonly known as dual-suspension mountain bikes. They have a suspension in the front and the rear that provides extreme comfort and control over the rough rocky terrains.
These bikes are majorly preferred by extreme riders on usually more technical landscapes, choosing preferability over affordability, either while racing or leisure.
Thus despite them being more expensive and heavy in weight, they are a number one choice for the many experienced bikers globally.
Front Suspension or Hardtail Mountain Bikes
The Front Suspension bikes are also popular as Hardtails amongst the bikers groups. The Hardtail bikes have suspension shocks only in the front and not on the rear fork.
These bikes are comparatively less expensive, affordable, and easy to handle than the Full Suspension MTBs. The hardtail bikes are also lighter in weight with many lightweight components that are equally durable.
Hence that ultimately makes them a better choice for teenagers, beginners, or those in their older ages.
These are the all-rounder mountain bikes, best suitable for uphill climbs, downhill descents, or even comfortable biking over flat trails.
No Suspension or Rigid Mountain Bikes
As the name depicts, the No Suspension or Rigid mountain bikes have suspension neither on the front nor on the rear forks.
These bikes are highly pocket-friendly, low in cost, easily maintained, and preferable for beginners.
If you are the very entry-level beginners and even wish just to give a mere try to mountain biking to test your selves, then these Mountain bikes are for you.
They are very light in weight, easy to handle, and suitable for riding over paved, smooth, or less rigid surfaces.
Based on the Type of Terrain
Before you think of buying a Mountain bike, the most basic question is where you would be riding it? Precisely, the terrain is a significant factor that comes with a simplified classification of the types of bikes.
Even this is a common aspect that most brand manufacturers look into while designing the MTBs, that most bikers would prefer. Thus based on the choice of terrain, the Mountain Bikes are categorized as follows:
Trail Mountain Bikes
The Trail Mountain bikes are incredibly suitable for entry-level bikers. They are very lightweight, durable, and have a very effective geometry.
These bikes are perfectly ideal for uphill climbing, downhill gliding, and cruising over off-road or pavements. Hence this is a complete all-rounder mountain bike with a more extended suspension range for greater efficiency.
The Trail bikes are compatible with 27.5” and 29” wheel sizes. These bikes are overall experts in handling short and long biking expeditions.
That makes them best suitable for beginners who look forward to getting into Mountain biking with full enthusiasm and comparatively taller riders.
Cross Country (XC) Mountain Bikes
The Cross Country/XC bikes are perfectly suitable for city rides and rough mountains or hills. They are lightweight, efficient, and gives a wholly demanded pedaling experience.
These bikes are available with either full suspension, front suspension, or rigid suspension with compatibility to wheel sizes 27.5” and 29”.
The Cross Country bikes are majorly designed for longer rides. Hence they are incredibly comfortable and capable enough to absorb all the bumps and obstacles that come along the terrain.
The bikers prefer these bikes who look forward to the fitness regime with a powerful pedaling experience. These bikes are also given importance as they are much comfortable in uphill climbing rather than downhill biking.
All Mountain or Enduro Mountain Bikes
The All Mountain or Enduro Mountain bikes are considered to be the most advanced version of MTBs. The term “Enduro” is from the bike racing format, where climbing up a hill is easy, but the downhill descent is countable.
These bikes are best suitable for either uphill climbing or downhill gliding with a technical twist but are preferably much efficient in descending.
These bikes are primarily full-suspension bikes with 27.5” wheels and rarely hardtails and available with 29” wheels as well. Due to its high efficiency with bold specifications, this bike is majorly preferred by extreme or experienced riders globally.
Downhill Mountain Bikes
Going by the name, the Downhill Mountain bikes are perfect for riding down off-road. These bikes are full-suspension, heavy, and challenging and therefore unsuitable for all-day or long biking experience.
They are ideally suited for steep downhill gliding because they are specifically designed to handle all the obstacles across off-road downhill biking providing maximum traction and robust control. These bikes offer the rider utmost comfort while pedaling at a higher speed.
The Downhill Mountain bikes are always full-suspension with a usual 27.5” wheels, which are fat or knobby. The other 26” or 29” are rarely adopted with these bikes.
Fat Mountain Bikes
As they are generally termed by the bikers globally, these fat guys are best suitable to ride on exceptional terrains like sand and snow and even on wet surfaces.
As we get from the name, these bikes are equipped with fat tires that are extra wide and knobby, but the fat Mountain Bikes are usually light in weight and provide excellent comfort over bumpy trails. Due to their specific engineering, these fat knobby tires provide a better balance to the rider over any rugged terrain.
The generally available wheel size in these bikes is 26,” but they are similar to the 29” ones due to their width. These bikes come mostly with Rigid suspension but give the rider n extremely comfortable biking experience with additional controlled speed and traction over the rough and extremely rocky terrains.
Electric Mountain Bikes or E-Bikes
These mountain bikes are another name for comfort and ease with great fun and adventure. These bikes are accommodated with a high-power motor or battery that is rechargeable and easy to access. These bikes are best suitable where high speed, long-distance, and comfort are the desired factors.
These E-bikes are majorly full-suspension with a mid-drive motor setup. These and certain other advanced factors make the E-bikes efficient yet expensive.
However, some less costly variants with hub motors are also available in the markets. These bikes are available with 27.5” and 29” wheels and are incredibly suitable for senior riders and those associated with forest ranges and hunting.
Based on Freeriding or Stunt Riding
Some extreme bikers are into a constant practice of Mountain biking and the stunts related to the sport. These stunts are performed under strict vigilance and by the bikers who look forward to the expertise in the jumps, flips, and other tricks associated with mountain biking over custom-made terrains in the mountains or remote areas.
Hence there are mainly two types of mountain bikes related to this practice that are mentioned below. They are also categorized under Freeride Mountain Bikes:
Dirt Jump Mountain Bike
The Dirt Jump Mountain Bikes are extraordinarily fascinating and preferred by the extreme bikers who look forward to learning various tricks of jumping and other stunts.
These bikes are majorly suitable for bikers who are either practitioners or trained stunt performers and are into the practice of jumping, landing, uphill, downwards gliding, and several other tricks.
The Dirt jump MTBs are compatible with the trails that are either hard and stiff or custom-made specifically for the practice. These bikes provide the biker an extreme range of speed, control, and safety while performing the stunt practice.
Because of these excessive requirements, these bikes are constructed with super-strong components like wheels, frames, hubs, etc.
The Dirt Jump Mountain bikes are primarily available with either front suspension or rigid suspension. Moreover, these bikes have a single-speed option accompanied by a wheel size of 26”. These bikes are available with a lightweight Aluminum alloy frame or a much more robust and durable steel frame.
Trial Mountain Bikes
The Trial Mountain bikes are rare yet eminent types of mountain bikes. These kinds of mountain bikes are usually preferred by most extreme bikers involved in the stunts practice related to the sport.
These bikes are for expert bikers or cyclists capable of controlling the mountain bike even at the utmost speed and momentum. These mountain bikes are specifically designed for activities that involve jumping at a maximum height or gap without touching the feet to the ground.
The stunt begins with the well-trained mountain biker standing still on the mountain bike and concluding with jumping on the other end remaining in the same position.
The primary requirement for handling these mountain bikes is that the individual must be physically efficient and a maestro in bike balancing and handling skills.
Because of the extraordinary demand, the Trial mountain bikes have powerful and challenging specifications. The engineering and technology associated with these bikes are very detailed and beyond perfection.
All the mountain bike components are premium and designed and fitted with a proper concern for the safety and handling of the rider.
Hence the details studded are incredibly durable and light in weight. These mountain bikes are visible, straightforward, and ordinary in design, but they are extraordinarily premium and pricey. The wheel sizes available are 20”, 24”, and 26”.
Conclusion
Mountain biking is a practice that can make an individual master the art of life. It is truly the essence of what exactly life and its teachings are.
There are various skills that an individual can learn while mountain biking. The art of balancing the bike while staying at ease is what it demands.
If you have a well-suited perfect mountain bike, all you need is just to stay focussed and follow the trails on the challenging, rough terrains.
Hence Mountain Biking is always the best to opt for if you are looking for the real-time experience of fun and adventure. As these bikes are equipped with hi-tech components with strength and durability, they are capable enough to take you off through any kind of rough rocky terrain with ease.
Either you are a teenager, an entry-level beginner, a man, a woman, tall, short, overweight, or a senior citizen in their late 60s but wishes to explore the terrains with the same zeal and energy. Exactly, you are just a Mountain Bike away.
I hope that today you have learned something new about Mountain Bikes. I hope that you will find out the best mountain bike from these types of mountain bikes
Now you must be sure about which type of MTB you are looking for.
Then what are you waiting for?
Go and select the Best Mountain Bike and conquer the mountains.
“Life is anyways better on a Mountain Bike,” as quoted by Sacred Rides Motto, is what we see are a divine thought and the concrete reality..!
Enjoy Biking 🙂