The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Perfect Mountain Bike
No matter where you are in your mountain biking journey, this is something that everyone struggles with. There are always newer and “better” bikes coming out, and the lines between categories become blurrier every day. So, what is the perfect mountain bike? At the core, it all comes down to who you are as a rider and what you like to ride; other than that, there are a few details to figure out before you can make an educated decision on the perfect mountain bike for you.
I have worked in plenty of bike shops, and as the resident cyclist in my family, I am constantly being asked bike-related questions, so I have had a lot of practice advising on what bike others should get, although I can't seem to decide for myself. Ah, the paradox of choice.
How To Choose a Mountain Bike
What type of riding do you do? This is the base of the quest because as soon as you know what kind of riding you are most interested in, it will be easier to narrow down the nearly endless options available.
How long have you been riding bikes? Is this your first mountain bike? Are you looking for general trail riding, and don’t you care much about jumps and drops? The best bet is to start your mountain biking journey on a hardtail. A hardtail will give you the best platform to learn on because it requires you to be a lot more engaged and in tune with what the trail, the bike, and your body are doing while riding. It will allow you to focus on technique and control much more consciously than if you were to start off on a full-suspension bike.
Another pro in the hardtail column is the cost. A hardtail bike will likely be cheaper than a full suspension option, making the bullet a little easier to bite if you are uncertain if mountain biking is your cup of tea. You might not love it, and bikes aren’t cheap, so it will sting less if you decide to hang up the helmet and knee pads and sell the bike a few months later. And that's okay! This sport is not for everyone and is inherently kind of scary.
I’m not saying starting on a full-suspension bike is wrong at all. It’s just a slightly less efficient way to build the skills required to advance onto more technical trails and riding. If you already have a lot of experience with riding and feel comfortable on trails, I’d say a full-suspension bike is an appropriate place to start. Expect to spend a bit more money on a full-sus bike with decent parts, though.
Different Types of Bikes
This is a can of worms, but I’m going to open it up. There are essentially four categories that traditional mountain bikes will fall into, but the lines between these categories are becoming pretty blurred. So, for simplicity's sake, the four categories are cross-country, trail, enduro, and downhill.
Cross-Country Bikes
Cross-country bikes will be less comfortable for the average rider and are for riders looking for peak efficiency on climbs and long days on the trails without a lot of jumps and steep technical downhill features.
Trail Bikes
A trail bike is designed to do almost everything, won’t be as harsh and stiff as a cross-country bike, and will have a bit more suspension travel to absorb jumps, drops, and technical trail features.
Enduro Bikes
An enduro bike is similar to a trail bike, but it will be designed more for going downhill faster and hitting bigger jumps and drops. It will also have geometry and suspension travel numbers, making it much more capable of aggressive trails.
Downhill Bikes
As the name suggests, the downhill bike is designed to go downhill as fast as possible. It will have tight gears, lots of suspension travel, and pretty slack geometry angles, making it a nightmare to ride on anything slightly uphill.
Photo: CannondalePhoto - Deven McCoyPhoto: Marin Bikes
To summarize all the categories:
- Cross-country (XC) bikes: Fast on the uphills, gearing for speed on all terrains, lightweight 90mm–120mm of travel, skinnier, less aggressive tires.
- Trail bikes: A do-it-all option, 130mm–150mm of suspension travel, room in the frame for more capable tires, geared to climb well and descend well.
- Enduro bikes: A blend of trail bikes and downhill, longer travel at 150mm–180mm, more aggressive geometry that is more downhill biased, gearing to climb a lot.
- Downhill bikes: Made to go fast downhill, 190mm–210 mm of travel, slack geometry for handling well on descents, gears for going downhill only.
Budget
The almighty dollar will ultimately dictate what you can get for yourself, and it’s important to set a limit as bikes can hit astronomical prices these days, and it's not uncommon to see five-digit price tags on some top-end bikes. If you can narrow down the type of riding you are into and how certain you are about giving mountain biking a serious go, you should be looking to spend anywhere from $1,500 to $4,000 for a bike worth keeping around. If prices seem too good to be true, they usually are.
Going the used route is an excellent option if you want to make your dollar stretch. Honestly, most of my bikes have been secondhand, and I will likely continue to buy them secondhand in the future. There are a few caveats to buying used that you need to pay attention to, but you can often save thousands of dollars if you don’t mind a secondhand ride.
New vs. Used and What To Look Out For
While a new bike will require less attention and inspection when purchased, there are still a few key things to look out for before buying. Unless you are handing over upwards of $6k, some components have likely been specced on a new bike to keep the cost down, but depending on the type of riding you do, they might not be exactly what you’re looking for.
A used bike will likely require a bit more inspection before you purchase, as you will need to check for wear on a handful of components rather than just the overall spec of the components. This means scrutinizing the suspension, drivetrain, and frame condition to ensure you aren’t buying a lemon.
What To Look For in a Used Bike
Check to ensure there are no significant flaws in the frame, wheels, or tires and that the suspension is in good condition. You should also plan and budget for a few small items that might need replacing when buying used. I always expect to replace brake pads, chain, a brake bleed, and possibly the tires and sealant if the bike hasn't been ridden in a while.
A cracked linkage
Photo: Bike Mag
Frame
Make sure the paint is in good condition and there are no major wear spots in the headtube, seat chainstays, or downtube near the bottom bracket. These areas are the most common spots for the paint and material to wear down, and if the frame is carbon fiber, it can indicate a much larger problem that could compromise the frame's integrity.
Wheels and Tires
Tires are consumable, and they're not the worst thing to replace. However, replacing them can cost a pretty penny, so you should be ready to do so when purchasing a used bike. On the other hand, the wheels take a lot of abuse, and the rims should be inspected thoroughly to ensure there are no major imperfections or cracks that would result in catastrophic failure down the road. It is also smart to check the hubs and bearing condition if the previous owner was lazy with service intervals.
Suspension
Suspension is a vital component and an expensive one to replace, so I always give the stanchions a good look to make sure there are no scratches or points of excessive wear. Check the seals and lowers for weeping suspension fluid as well; this can indicate a need for a suspension service or a larger issue.
You don't want it to look like this—clear signs of worn seals.
Photo: Deven McCoy
Other
If the bike you are looking at has any carbon components, inspecting them for anything that could look like a crack or imperfection, just as you would with the wheels and frame, is always wise.
Shifting and brakes should also be inspected, and this can be done easily with a quick test ride to run through the gears. The brake pads should also be checked, but these are also consumable and not terribly expensive to refresh after you make the purchase.
What To Look For in a New Bike
This process is much less involved than with a used bike, and the most important things to look out for depend entirely on how and what you ride and your budget.
If you are buying a complete bike, chances are the brand has specced the bike to offer the most bang for the buck. Still, I suggest looking into the component details to analyze whether or not there are things you will end up changing or needing to replace to better suit your riding style.
Resources
If you are looking into a new bike or are just getting started, there are plenty of resources out there to compare bikes, get input on components, and get answers to any questions you might have.
If you are looking for a used bike, here are a few trusted places to check out:
