Tips to choose a perfect mountain bike

There are a lot of important points which needs to be considered carefully before purchasing a mountain bike. There are several mountain bikes available in the market with different designs and accessories. However, you need to make sure that you pick the best bike which is perfectly suitable for you. In this article we will be discussing about a few important points to be considered before purchasing a bike.

Mountain bike type

First of all, you should choose a specific mountain bike type. You need to choose a specific mountain bike type that will meet all your expectations. Cross country, hard tail, full suspension, free ride and downhill are some of the common mountain bike types.

• Cross country bikes are quite lightweight and are specifically designed for outdoor use.
• Any mountain bike can be a hard tail bike. In hard tail bikes, no suspension is used which makes riding a bit bumpier.
• Full suspension mountain bikes come with a front suspension fork. These bikes are well known for bumpy trail riding.
• Downhill bikes are specifically designed for long slopes and hills. These bikes come with the superior quality braking system and chain guards, which makes downhill riding easier.
• Free ride mountain bikes can be used for all mountain biking styles. These bikes are quite popular among the buyers because of versatility.

Choose bikes according to your budget

One of the common mistakes committed by many riders in choosing a bike is that they try to pick a bike that is out of their budget. You should always try to choose a mountain bike that is well within your budget as you also need to spend money on bike accessories such as gloves, water bottle and many more. If you have already spent a little extra in buying a mountain bike, then it will become extremely difficult for you to buy bike accessories. So, it is important that you do not cross your budget to purchase a bike.

Take help of a bike sizing chart

A mountain bike comes in different sizes and designs. So, before making a purchase you need to make sure that your height is compatible with the bike you have selected. If you do not consider this point, then you will not feel comfortable in riding a bike. If you are not comfortable in riding, then it might cause an accident, which will put you in serious trouble. So, do consider this point before making a purchase and if you are having problem in finding a bike according to your height, then you should take the help of a bike sizing chart.

Frame material

Mountain bike frames have a direct impact on the strength and weight of a bike. Moreover, frame material also affects the price and durability. Mountain bike frames are usually made up of steel, aluminium, titanium and carbon fibre. Steel is considered as the lowest quality bike frame, whereas carbon fibre is considered as the best. So, choose the best bike frame in order to ensure maximum strength and durability.

Bike features

Apart from the budget and frame material, you should also consider the features of a mountain bike as it is mainly responsible for the bike performance. You need to carefully check the brakes, suspension, saddle, shifting system and wheels. Once you are satisfied with the features of a bike, then only you should finalize it as a bike with poor features will not allow you to enjoy a smooth ride.

These are some of the important points that must be kept in mind while buying a mountain bike. These points will help you to get the best bike with utmost features, which will further help you to get the most out of mountain biking.

Mountain biking is quite difficult as compared to riding around the city. If you are planning to step into mountain biking, then you need to master your riding skills and also learn some advanced tricks as it will help you to deal with the bumps and obstacles. So, let’s have a look at some of the important bike tricks, which must be mastered before stepping into mountain biking.

The Bunny hop

he Bunny hop will help you to deal with the logs and debris on a trail. In order to perform the bunny hop, you need to first lift the front tire off the ground and then the back tire off the ground within few seconds. In order to perform this trick, you need to practice a lot as it will require time and practice to master this skill. Once you have mastered this skill, you can easily deal with the logs and other minor obstacles.

Track stand

This trick helps the riders to allow the fellow riders to go ahead of him on a trail. This bike trick is quite useful and can be mastered in a quick period of time. In order to perform this trick, you need to first put your bike saddle in a lower position. The next step is to slow down your bike speed and stand up on the pedals. Hold your balance for a few seconds, until other rider’s crosses you.

Drop offs

This mountain bike trick is helpful in getting low on the trail. In order to master this bike trick, you need to start practicing small jumps and then go higher with the time. When you are about to jump you should bend your arms and knees slightly, get your chest low and put your weight on the pedals. As you are about to fall, you should extend your legs in order to soften the impact. This is the simplest method to learn drop offs and if you are able to master it, then mountain biking will prove out to be more fun.

Endo turn

In order to master this technique, you need to first out your weight towards the front of the mountain bike and then apply the front brake. The next step is to use your hips for balancing and releasing the front brakes slowly to make sure the front wheel keeps on rotating.

These are some of the advanced level mountain bike tricks, which must be mastered before going out for a ride on the trails. These tricks will help you to deal with difficult situations, which will make mountain biking easy. Apart from these tricks, you should also try to learn manual, unweighting and wheelie drops bike tricks.

The best way to master these tricks is to practice them in the parks. Practicing these tricks in the parks will not hurt you badly even if you fail to perform it perfectly. Moreover, while practicing these tricks makes sure you have worn protective gears as they will make sure your skin doesn’t rip off in case you fall on the ground.

Mountain biking can be fun, but can also put you in serious trouble. In order to get the most out of mountain biking without putting yourself in danger, you should follow the safety tips mentioned below.

Carry the correct tools

Before going out for a ride, make sure you have carried all the correct tools to repair your bike. You should also carry a pump and spare inner tubes with you. Carrying these tools will put additional weight on your bike, but will certainly help you in critical situations such as accidents.

Carry water and energy food

Mountain biking is not at all easy as you need to deal with rough trails and bumps after regular intervals. After a certain period of time, you might feel thirsty as well as hungry. So, you should always carry plenty of water and energy food with you as it will help you to regain your energy.

Watch your speed

You need to adjust your bike speed according to the track in order to avoid an accident. Moreover, if you are planning to go out for a ride on a new trail, then you should drive slowly. Once you became familiar with the new trail, then only you should increase your speed as you know when to increase and decrease the bike speed.

Stay in your limit

In mountain biking, you will come across some extremely rough trails. If you are not confident enough to ride them, then you should cross it by walking instead of riding it. Do not get intimated by the fellow riders as it is your life. If you try to cross your limits, then you can lose your life too. So, stay in your limit and ride safely.

Wear protective gears

Last but not the least; you should always wear protective gear before going out for a ride. Protective gears such as helmet, gloves, knee pads, elbow pads and many more will make sure you don’t get hurt badly in case you fall from your bike.

These safety tips will make sure you enjoy a smooth and safe ride. So, do follow the safety tips mentioned above and enjoy a safe ride.