Mountain Biking

As the season finally begins to change I begin to see the number of bikers in town beginning to increase. Bozeman is full of cycling enthusiasts and many of them are eagerly awaiting the overdue season. Many riders may even decide it’s time to upgrade to a new bike. Today there are almost unlimited options in the world of bicycles. One of the first questions you will likely be asked after entering a shop is mountain or road. This is usually one of the easier decisions as most people already had some idea of what kind of riding they want to do. The next few steps are where most people end up uncertain. There are hundreds of bike manufacturers in America and each of them has a lineup of bikes for several different purposes. Take Specialized for example, they have 4 full suspension bikes that are designed for the average male mountain biker. Most quality bikes these days are made in either aluminum or carbon depending on how much someone is willing to spend. Add to this different componentry and the recent trends in different wheel size and each bike can have several variations. Luckily for consumers, these different variations come in at a number of different price ranges. We may admire the full carbon frame with top of the line components, but we are usually not willing to pay $10,000 for a bike. Each company offers a similar lineup of products and with all the possibilities it seems impossible to make sure you make the right choice.

After working in a bike shop and riding several models from multiple brands I can honestly say it does not matter very much. If you’re out there to have fun, then the brand of your bike should have a minimal effect on the enjoyment of the sport assuming you purchased the bike with the right amount of suspension for the intended riding. Most companies offer similar products with the same componentry. The real difference is often in the suspension design. They will all have several reasons why their design is superior but in the end they all perform fairly similar and it is difficult for most riders to tell. So how do you make a choice out of all this? I believe it is simple. Find the bike you are looking for and several bikes from the competitors that are very similar and see who will give you the best price. If you are not convinced on this method as most racers who have some sort of sponsorship. The reason they ride the bikes they do is many times because they were given the best deal on the bike.

In terms of mountain biking, upgrading a bike is easy. Find a price you are willing to pay, find a few bikes in that price range that have what you’re looking for, then compare and see which one comes out with the best components for the least amount of money. These are simply a few tips to help guide you in the search for your perfect bike and are not rules for purchasing. I hope you find them helpful!