Getting a new bike can be intimidating at times. When buying a mountain bike, or any bike, there are several questions you should ask yourself as a precursor to shopping around. The last thing you want is to make an uninformed purchase and be stuck riding an uncomfortable bike that doesn’t fit your needs or meet your expectations.

So, in order to ensure a pleasurable shopping experience as well as a thrilling, lasting relationship with your bike, take time to ask yourself some questions to shed insight into your mountain biking needs.

More on Mountain Biking

• Mountain Bike Basics
• Mountain Biking and Trails

Key Questions to Ask about Mountain Biking

Why do you mountain bike? Are going to be leisurely riding around town, commuting, building fitness, or racing?

What type of riding do you want to do? Know the terrain around you. Are you looking for downhill riding, single-track trails, gravel trails, or town riding?

How big is your wallet? Some people will buy the world if it means having the best bike; others are willing to pay for the bare minimum. Who are you? It’s a good idea to have a ballpark estimate in mind when you go to your local bike shop.

What Type of Mountain Bike is Right for You?

Now that you’ve inquired within, it’s time to find the mountain bike that fits all of your needs. Depending on the type of mountain biking you want to do, different bikes may be better suited for you than others. Mountain biking can generally be divided into three categories: Downhill/Freeride, Cross-Country, and All-mountain.

Downhill/Freeride: Quickly rising in popularity, this type of riding is often what people envision when they think of mountain biking. The best bikes for this type of riding are those designed to take punishment while bombing down hills at high speeds.

These very durable, heavy bikes can weigh as much as 40-50 pounds. They are usually equipped with full suspension, incorporating maximum amounts of travel (6-10 inches) and tend to have a limited selection of gears, with only 1 front gear (7-9 total).

Downhill riders are generally looking for a bike that will enable them to go big, spending most of their time in terrain parks or gunning down hills. The bikes are not designed to ride uphill for any length of time and are among the more expensive mountain bikes sometimes costing several thousands of dollars.

Cross-Country: The most traditional, versatile, and well-known style of mountain biking. Cross-Country bikes, designed for all types of terrain, incorporate a full selection of gears (generally 27) and are the lightest mountain bikes (20-30 lbs.). They can be rigid (no suspension), hardtail (just front suspension), or full suspension.

Compared to the needs of a Downhill rider, a Cross-Country rider needs much less travel in the suspension (about 4-5 inches). Cross-Country bikes are well suited for the average mountain biker who is looking to ride mountain bike trails, climbing and descending. Prices usually range depending upon suspension, components, weight, etc.

All-Mountain: Bikes that fall under this style of riding combine the best of the Downhill and Cross-Country worlds. Usually they come with full suspension offering a medium range of travel (5-6 inches). They also have a full gear set and are slightly heavier than Cross-Country bikes. The All-mountain bike is ideal for a rider who spends equal time barreling downhill and riding on rolling trails.

Most bike manufacturers keep these three categories in mind when designing and building their bikes. Occasionally companies will invent their own names for the categories such as backcountry, gravity, or out of bounds.

Things to Keep in Mind when Buying a Mt. Bike

Don’t let looks deceive you in your quest for a new mountain bike. Just because one bike may be equipped with appealing full suspension does not mean it’s any better than one with just front suspension or even a rigid frame. If you have a fixed budget, then you’ll face a choice between a bike with all the extra components in one class and a less-well-equipped bike in the next class. For a thousand dollars you could get a very decent hardtail or a bargain full suspension that you might not even really need.

For some types of riding even a top of the line full suspension isn’t always the best choice. If you want to climb and descend, a hardtail or a rigid bike will out-perform even the best full suspension on the climbs.

Finally, if you’re new to mountain biking, a hardtail or rigid bike will make sure you develop trail skills from the ground up (literally). On moderately technical trails a full-suspension bike can be flattering to ride but if you don’t learn the skills and riding technique it can only take you so far.

While shopping online may be easy and convenient, buying a new bike is something that should be done in a shop. Don’t be afraid to ask the salesperson at your local bike shop what types of riding particular bikes are better for. The more questions you ask in the shop, the better you’ll feel about your bike once you’re out of the shop.