Different Types Of Mountain Bikes
It is very important for a mountain bike to have a proper shock system including a full suspension. This is important as it helps with a smoother ride when going over difficult terrain. You will find that full suspension bikes have both a front and back suspension. If a mountain bike has a solid rear fork and a suspension at the front they are often called hard tailed. If the bike is a lower end bike and relatively inexpensive it probably will not have a suspension at all.
If you are a cross country rider you will need to make sure that your bike has both descending and climbing ability. The movement in the rear suspension system is only about 4 inches so that it does not cause a problem when trying to climb hills. When travelling over different terrain a greater number of gears are require to make it easier to navigate, because of this most cross country mountain bikes have 28 gears.
Trial bikes are a little more robust from your standard mountain bike and they are intended for use by more technical mountain bike riders. The movement in the suspension can be between 4 inches and 7 inches. Uphill pedalling will be more difficult but you will in general get a much smoother ride. Riders of mountain bikes have to weigh up whether they need a smoother ride against decreased pedal efficiency. There is loads of information, news and resources to be found online at Trek Track Bikes.
If you will mainly be using your bike for going downhill you can expect up to 8 inches in suspension movement. It is these type of mountain bikes which are specifically designed for racing downhill. With more travel in the suspension they are easier to control over harsh terrain at high speeds but are more difficult for pedalling uphill.
A dirt jump bike is another version of a mountain bike. These only have a front suspension and are used for flying over jumps. These type of bikes are built for speed and usually come with 16 gears.
