Mountain bikes, also known as MTBs or mountain bikes, are quite popular because of their adaptability, toughness, simplicity, and control. These bikes are suitable for riding on dirt and asphalt roads, parks, forest trails, and mountainous terrain. Long bike rides are best suited for this option.
You can quickly make a mountain bike your best buddy. Because of the wide tires with a strong, sticky tread and the shock absorber, it is not scared of rough terrain or off-road situations. You may go on short bike rides or lengthy bike trips with a mountain bike, and it will also help you meet new people. Enjoying a bike ride in the open air with friends can fill you with happiness and help you stay in top physical condition.
Although novices voluntarily choose mountain bikes "for all occasions," it's crucial to realize that they are also unique. As a result, a certain model may fit one rider well while being utterly inappropriate for another. Everything is dependent on the riding style, terrain, length, and frequency of the visits. When selecting a mountain bike, these factors need to be considered; the type and class of the bike will depend on them as well as your budget. You need one bike for everyday travel and another for weekend excursions. The same is true for the terrain: you can get a less expensive option for good roads, but you will need to purchase a more expensive one for off-road or damaged roads.
MTB bikes are classified into two subspecies based on purpose: hardtails and dual suspension, which differ in the quantity of shock absorbers. It is important to note that cross-country hardtails are the ideal choice for most riders because they are more affordable, lighter, and more adaptable. As such, they will be the primary subject of this article, though we will touch on other types and subspecies as well.
The primary distinction with a hardtail is that it has a single shock absorber, housed in the fork. The term "hard tail" refers to the fact that they lack a rear suspension integrated into the frame. There are two subspecies of hardtails: cross-country and extreme.
1. Cross-country hardtails.
The steering wheel is broad, straight, and either slightly elevated. The riding position falls between the road bike's horizontal and city bike's vertical positions.
For adult models, the hardtail wheels' diameter can be 26, 27.5 or 29 inches; for teenage versions, it can be 24, 26 inches. While a smaller diameter improves control and mobility, a wider diameter allows for greater rolling and a gentler way over obstacles.
Typically, the wheels have an aggressive tread pattern with spikes, are broad, and are 2-2.5 inches thick. The better the tires, the better their traction on different types of terrain, and the longer their service life, the more expensive the bike. Tires come in both standard and Kevlar varieties, with or without puncture resistance. The price and class of the bike also affects the thickness and quality of the spokes, the strength of the rims, the quality of the bearings used, and the bushings.
All of this has an impact on dependability, efficiency, and user-friendliness, particularly on bad roads. For instance, you should select a model with sturdy rims and thick stainless steel spokes if you are hefty, and especially if you intend to transport stuff and attach a luggage rack to the back.
The greater the bike's equipment, the higher the price and class. This primarily affects the brakes, transmission, and shock absorber fork. Usually, the fork's shock absorber stroke measures between 80 and 100 mm.
Mountain gearboxes, which come with 10–30 gears and a broad variety of gear ratios to enable you to tackle significant altitude variations, are the standard equipment on cross-country bikes.
The bike's price will vary based on its manufacturer and class. This brand's benefits include affordable prices, excellent manufacturing and assembly quality, and high-quality parts made in-house, such as frames, forks, columns, handlebars, stems, carriages, and saddles. Concurrently, top-tier transmissions from the bicycle industry are installed, primarily from the Japanese brand Shimano, which is excellent.
You need a better body kit, at least average amateur, and better high if you want to ride fiercely off-road and embark on lengthy bike tours in the mountains or forests. We advise selecting the Czech brand AUTHOR in this category because its cost is commensurate with its quality.
2. Extreme hardtails.
These bikes are designed expressly for extreme cycling sports, such as leaping and stunt riding. With a few tips and tricks under your belt, you'll be able to climb stairs, leap off curbs, and more.
Features of extreme modifications:
a powerful frame of small dimensions with a lowered top tube for easy tricks;
the frame is made of chrome molybdenum steel or aluminum;
a stiffer shock absorber in the fork or a rigid fork;
small wheels with a diameter of 24 or 26 inches.
3. Dual suspension.
These bikes, as their name implies, feature two suspensions (shock absorbers), one in the front fork and one in the back frame. These bikes are meant for off-roading at high speeds on steep descents. These bikes often have 100–200 mm of shock absorber travel, which is longer than that of hardtails. These bikes aren't appropriate for cycling in cities.
If you have opted for a dual suspension, be aware that the equipment for it is highly costly; a typical bike can cost over 100,000 rubles, however choices from prior years often come with significant savings. Therefore, don't even consider dual suspensions if your budget is less than 60,000 rubles. Of course, you may find so-called dual suspensions for a lot less money on the market or at a hypermarket, but you should never purchase them!
The two types of dual suspensions are light for cross-country riding and extremely powerful for fast downhill riding.
3.1. Cross-country full-suspension bikes.
These unique dual suspension bikes are made for intense off-road riding and cross-country events. Because speed and ease of climbing are key factors here, these bikes are lighter than other dual suspension models and feature a fork travel that is between 100 and 130 mm shorter.
3.2. Full suspension trail bikes.
Trail biking incorporates aspects of both light freeride and serious cross-country riding, such as singletracks, boulders, steep climbs and descents, minor drops, and blinkers. Compared to a cross-country bike, a trail bike is heavier and stronger, although it is lighter than a freeride bike. There are prepared trail tracks. The travel of the shock absorber is between 140 and 160 mm. That is how AUTHOR PATRIOT EVO TEAM and PATRIOT EVO bikes are.
3.3. Full suspension for freeride.
The term "freeride" refers to free riding. Natural terrain is used for freeride tracks instead of ones that have been developed beforehand. The tracks chosen are rather complicated and allow for aggressive riding, including jumping off hills and pulling off numerous airborne acrobatics. The travel of the shock absorber is between 160 and 180 mm.
3.4. Full suspension for downhill.
The most powerful and heavy dual suspension bikes, whose element is extreme high-speed downhill. The shock absorber travel is about 200 mm. The AUTHOR NINJA DH TEAM and NINJA DH bikes are perfect for downhill.
4. Choosing a budget mountain bike for weekend rides.
If money is tight and you're not planning on riding every day, entry-level amateur mountain bikes from reputable brands are typically the most affordable option for beginners. Even if it is considerably cheaper, we strongly advise against purchasing any unknown Chinese, as you run the chance of suffering a catastrophic injury when riding. After all, the poor quality of the welds on these bikes' frames can cause them to collapse while you're riding. The bodywork is obviously the least expensive because it breaks easily. The gear shifting mechanism breaks down quite rapidly and is only good for one season.
We do not advise selecting steel motorcycles, particularly in light of the availability of excellent low-cost aluminum alternatives. Remember that a bike with a steel frame weighs a lot, so you will need to expend more energy to accelerate; this is particularly obvious when riding uphill. A heavy bike is also more difficult to drag into the elevator.
You should be aware that a cheap bike, even one from a reputable brand, will have the most basic bodywork possible, intended for a leisurely, silent ride on reasonably smooth roads free of big potholes.
Indeed, it will use a ratchet type MF-TZ21 rather than a cassette for the transmission of the simplest group, like the SHIMANO Tourney. However, the parts of such a bike will last for several seasons if you ride it carefully, on decent roads, and only make short journeys (once or twice a week). Gear shifters may need to be adjusted multiple times, and the SHIMANO Tourney group itself occasionally needs to be adjusted. The gear shifters and ratchet will wear out after a few seasons and need to be replaced. Swap them out for something better, such a SHIMANO Altus with an HG200-8 cassette. It's not too pricey.
Even entry-level HORST MTB cycles come with disc brakes, which increase braking dependability in inclement weather when snow or mud may adhere to the wheel rims.
5. Choosing a budget mountain bike for daily commutes and forest walks.
A dependable transmission is essential for daily cycling, particularly for the back gear. For daily rides, then, if money is tight, we suggest cheap bikes with cassettes instead of ratchets for the rear sprockets. Because of the qualities in its design, every cassette is more dependable than any ratchet. The cheap cassette SHIMANO HG200-8, which is a member of the Altus transmission group, is an example. The derailleurs should be SHIMANO Altus rather than Tourney. Typically, there are 24 gears—8 front and 3 back sprockets.
An oil cartridge, even an entry-level one, would be an excellent addition to the shock absorber fork. While this alternative is better than a spring-elastomer one, it comes with a hefty price premium, which is particularly apparent in cooler brands. But even so, spring-elastomer forks are typically inexpensive on entry-level bikes.
Within this particular category, we also suggest the HORST brand, specifically the 27.5-inch MESSER and LOTUS variants, along with the 29-inch MESSER 29 and CROSSMAX 29ers. They all fully satisfy the above-mentioned standards (fork with oil cartridge, Altus transmission with HG200-8 cassette). Additionally, the hydraulic brakes on the LOTUS and CROSSMAX disc brakes enable them to be recommended for use in high terrain in addition to everyday commuting and forest walks. Particularly on steep mountain descents, the hydraulic drive enhances braking smoothness and reliability even more.
6. Choosing a mountain bike for long bike trips.
An amateur hardtail of moderate skill would be the ideal choice for lengthy bike rides. When traveling far from home, it's crucial to have a dependable bike, and these models surpass entry-level bikes in terms of weight and fork and bodywork. Naturally, these bikes are also great for walks on different types of terrain and daily commutes to work. The fork and transmission on these bikes are specifically made for mild off-road riding, and you can even ride on poorly maintained roads.
The motorcycles' low weight can be attributed to the frame's hydroforming technology, which also makes the bodywork marginally lighter than on entry-level models.
Mid-range versions frequently have shock-absorbing forks made of spring and oil. This type of fork uses an oil cartridge as a damper, which works far better than an elastomer, and the same spring, albeit of a higher caliber, as a shock absorber. This means that the cyclist's spine and arms are subjected to less shock and vibration load, and all the bumps on the road are better cushioned. This is crucial for lengthy travels.
7. Choosing a mountain bike for aggressive off-road riding.
You will need to get a more expensive bike, a high-end amateur hardtail, for intense off-road riding. These bikes are lighter and feature even better, more dependable bodywork. These bikes are perfect for lengthy rides, everyday commuting to work, and walks on different types of terrain, of course. Although amateur cross-country competitions can also employ them, the semi-professional category is still superior for these uses.
Typically, they are put together on aluminum frames that are made lighter by butting and hydroforming techniques. With the latter method, pipes of varying thicknesses are present in various locations.
8. Choosing a versatile mountain bike for cross-country competitions and aggressive off-road riding.
Select semi-professional models if you're searching for a model that can be used for both aggressive riding in mountainous and forested areas and amateur cross-country contests.
Semi-professional models are typically built on triple-butted aluminum frames and have an elite air suspension fork that is lightweight and adapts effectively to road irregularities.
9. Choosing a professional cross-country hardtail.
Selecting models with expert bodywork is essential if you want to win as many cross-country races as possible, ideally on a carbon frame. The branded carbon frame springs nicely, is extremely light, and lessens the stress of vibration on the cyclist's spine. Because carbon frames are made using far more sophisticated technology than aluminum or steel, they cost a lot more.
A professional cross-country bike needs to have a very good, light fork. Since top air forks are the lightest, contests frequently employ them.
