Welcome to the “What Mountain Bike Guide”

Why Did I Write This Guide?

There’s one question I’m asked more than any other on this site: What Mountain Bike should I buy? I suppose it’s pretty inevitable. Mountain Biking is a sport that gets you hooked pretty quickly, and a lot of folk just borrow from a friend for their early adventures. But, when the hook bites, and the trails make their way into your daydreams, there’s nothing quite like your own shiny steed.

What mountain bike should I buyOnce you’re on that path, your wallet will never be as full again. There are so many shiny bits out there, all blinking at you, whispering about how much they’d improve your riding. And there are so many variations – just keeping up with the different sizes of wheels is hard enough these days!

Who is the ‘What Mountain Bike Guide’ For?

This guide aims to answer all the questions you ever had about buying a mountain bike. If you fit in any of the following categories, you’ll find something useful here:

  1. The Total Beginner, looking to buy their first mountain bike.
  2. The Serial Upgrader, buying a better bike every year.
  3. The Discerning Buyer, looking to make sure they choose a quality ride.

So, whether you’re just starting out, or you’ve been riding for years, hopefully I can help you find out what mountain bike is best for you.

How Much of the Guide Should I Read?

To get the full picture it’s obviously best to read the whole guide. But, I’ll admit, it’s pretty big so that might not be ideal right here and now. If you’re short of time, you might want to go straight to the categories. They show you what mountain bike is best for certain budgets, which is usually the main constraint we have. Or, if you’re a total beginner, you might want to find out which type of mountain bike will suit you best first. This depends on the type of riding you plan to do.

I’m hoping you’ll find the guide useful enough to come back whenever you’re buying a new bike, or upgrading an old one. But, start with whatever chapter seems to fit your needs right now, and we’ll take it from there!

Part 1 of the “What Mountain Bike Guide”

This is the… well… the guide, to the “What Mountain Bike Guide!” I  know, even the guide has a guide, don’t say I’m not treating you well. Browse through the chapters below, choose where to start, and get reading.

This guide is split into two parts – part 1 deals with figuring out what type of rider you are and what level you’re at. If you’ve been biking for a while you’ll find this pretty obvious. Even if you’re not a beginner, though, you might pick up a few tips in the latter chapters of part 1, so have a browse through. Have a look at Part 2 for the technical buying advice – that looks at what particular mountain bikes are best and where to buy them.

1.

Is a Mountain Bike Right for Me?

To find out what mountain bike we need, we first need to understand what we’ll be doing with it. This is a guide to mountain bikes, and they’re only one niche of a pretty wide range of cycling machines. So, what is a mountain bike good for? Let’s make sure you want a MOUNTAIN BIKE in the first place.

Read Chapter 1: Mountain Bike or Road Bike: Choosing the Right Ride

2.

Which Mountain Bike Type is Right for Me?

A mountain bike is a mountain bike, so people think. Well, these days, they couldn’t be more wrong. It seems new categories of mountain bike are being invented every week, and all for very different purposes. In this chapter we’re going to look at what types of mountain bike are on the market, and what type of rider goes with each of them.

Read Chapter 2: Which Mountain Bike is Right for Me?

3.

The Mountain Biking Lifecycle

Even if you’re just starting out in mountain biking, it pays to think ahead. If you’re hooked on the sport, sure as eggs are eggs, you’ll want to upgrade to a better bike before the year is out. In this chapter we’ll look at the normal path for a mountain biker. This means what mountain bike you should get to start out with, and then what route you’ll take through the models as you get better.

Read Chapter 3: The Mountain Biking Lifecycle: The Best Mountain Bike For Your Level – From Beginner to Expert

4.

Mountain Bike Wheel Sizes

It wasn’t that long ago that wheels weren’t a consideration in mountain biking. But now is the era of the 29er. And, just for good measure, 700c wheels have made the jump from the road bike world. In this chapter we’ll look at the pros and cons of each wheel size and which one should suit you best.

Read Chapter 4: Mountain Biking Wheel Sizes

5.

Mountain Bike Parts Guide

Here we’ll talk about what mountain bike components to upgrade first, and what to upgrade to. We’ll rank them by expense, and by importance, so that you know what to go for, balancing cost against the effect it’ll have.

Read Chapter 5: Mountain Bike Parts Guide: Quality Brands and Models

Part 2 of the “What Mountain Bike Guide”

The second half of this guide is dedicated to the specifics. In the early chapters you’ve found out what type of a biker you are, and what level of bike you should be going for. Now, I’m going to look at the specific bikes that are best suited to you. If you want to take all the stress out of finding the best mountain bike for your situation, read on!

6.

Popular Mountain Bike Brands

There aren’t many things more confusing than walking into a bike shop for the first time, and trying to make sense of the array of brand names and models. Here I talk about what mountain bike brands are worth looking at, and what their main models are.

Read Chapter 6: Popular Mountain Bike Brands <Coming Soon!>

7.

The Best Mountain Bikes, by Category

And now we get down to the dirt – what mountain bike should you buy for any given situation. I’ll narrow it down by budget, and I’ll narrow it down by bike type. If you have a certain amount of money in your pocket, I can give you a list of the best mountain bikes to look at in your category.

Read Chapter 7: The Best Mountain Bikes On the Market

8.

Where to Buy a Mountain Bike

It used to be pretty simple – you’d wander down to your local bike shop, talk to the trusty owner, and walk away with a mighty fine steed. These days the options are slightly more complicated. With a range of local, national and international chains out there, competing with numerous online bike outlets, it’s pretty tricky to figure out what mountain bike shop to buy from. Here I’ll give you the run-down and help you find out where to go.

Read Chapter 8: Where to Buy a Mountain Bike <Coming Soon!>

9.

Used Mountain Bikes: Buying Second Hand

The second hand bike market is huge, and there’s nowhere better to get a great bike for a bargain price, but only if you know what you’re looking for. Second hand bikes can be a money-pit of worn components and expensive repairs, but I have a few tips on how to spot the good ones.

Read Chapter 9: Used Mountain Bikes: Buying Second Hand <Coming Soon!>

10.

Mountain Bike Sizing

To add to the complications, mountain bike sizing is one more layer of confusion. Do all manufacturers use the same conventions? Of course not… Here I’ll break down the sizing conventions from all the main manufacturers, and help you to figure out what mountain bike size you need. This is pretty key if you’re shopping online and need to know you’re getting the right steed.

Read Chapter 10: Mountain Bike Sizing <Coming soon!>

Help me Improve the ‘What Mountain Bike’ Guide

If you’ve ever pondered and swithered over what mountain bike to buy, then this guide is for you. But, if I’ve missed anything out, just drop me a line. I’d love to keep developing this guide so that it become the go-to place for anyone looking to buy the bike that’s perfect for them.

You can get in touch via a number of ways. Either drop a comment in the space below, send an email via the contact page, hit me up on Twitter, or you find me on Google+. Whatever way you fancy, drop me a line and let me know what you think!

Image Credit: JohnONolan on Flickr

Colin

Colin started mountain biking in the early 2000s and has haphazardly, and with barely increasing skill, dragged his bike around the majority of Scotland's trail centres since then. Colin has oodles of hard earned experience in how NOT to do things - listen, be warned and don't repeat his mistakes...   More about Colin... Google+ Colin