Home > Learning Center > Mountain Bikes

Mountain Bikes

Mountain bikes are designed for off-road use – they need durable construction and large, wide tires with a lot of traction. Almost every mountain bike features some kind of suspension in order to smooth out the bumps inherent in off-road travel.

A bike with only front suspension is called a hardtail. Hardtails are suitable for most situations and they are significantly cheaper and easier to maintain than a full suspension bike. Many riders prefer the hardtail mountain bike because some bikes with rear suspension, especially older models, tends to flex a little under normal pedaling, robbing power from every stroke, especially when climbing.

Full suspension is often seen in downhill mountain bikes, as they are often intended for traversing rougher terrain than standard cross country trails – but some cross country bike have a light rear suspension called a soft tail – this has no moving parts and, while it is less effective than a full rear suspension it has fewer drawbacks and is more suited for general use.

Bike Frames | Tandem | Learning Center | Site Map | Links | Contact | Home

Copyright © 2010