Mountain Bikes – Which Type Is Best for You?

Mountain biking has risen in popularity in the recent years. This can be partly attributed to the awareness of people about health and the environment. Many people choose this activity as their regular exercise routine, because it’s also enjoyable and helps you experience nature. It also doesn’t use any fuel so it helps you save energy and the environment. If you’re thinking of trying this activity, you can choose from various bike types for this, such as cross-country, freeride, and even electric mountain bike, among others.

The cross-country type is the most common among all this type of bikes. Versatile and lightweight, this type is best when you’re not going into any challenging terrain. The race sub-type of this bike is built for speed and doesn’t always come with full suspension. There’s also the trail sub-type that’s a bit heavier than the race bike. Built for long rides, the trail bike comes with full suspension.

An all-mountain bike is almost the same as a cross-country bike in terms of function. It’s manufactured also for riding going uphill and downhill, but more comfortable as it has better suspension than a cross-country type. Lately, this has also been made in an electric mountain bike version. This gives more convenience to the not-so-adventurous rider and those who’d need occasional help when going uphill. The electric version can run on traditional pedaling and with battery power. All-mountain bikes are generally slightly heavier than cross-country bikes.

The freeride type, on the other hand, is not your standard bike. It’s heavier and has better suspension than cross-country bikes, but just enough so it can still be maneuvered very easily. It is, after all, made to perform jumps, stunts, and almost anything possible for a bike. That’s why it was named as such.

A downhill type is, as the name says, literally created for downhill riding and definitely not recommended for climbing. To have the best experience riding this vehicle, you have to have another vehicle take it with you to a peak. Once you get to the top, that’s the only time you ride it and enjoy your ride down to the base.

There are still other types of mountain bikes that you’d consider as custom-made for your riding style and environment. You’d find that there are even bikes made specifically for women, for those who travel more challenging terrain and conditions, and for other requirements. If you’re looking for one, always check the details carefully, so you’d find the one that would best suit your needs and preferences.