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The Mountain Bike

The sport or pastime of cycling has come a long way from it's original concept, bikes have become bigger, tougher and a lot more expensive. Today's modern bicycle bears few similarities with cycles of the past. Nowadays the specialized road bike has replaced the ordinary touring cycle that seemed so commonplace at one time. Terms such as Disk (Disc) Brakes, or front and rear suspension have become easily understandable and standard when discussing most forms of bike today.

As is the way in most walks of life certain names are more easily recognizable than others, names such as Cannondale, Kona and Marin are amongst the most well known of bike manufactures.

The first Cannondale mountain bike was introduced to the cycling world in 1984, although they had been involved in the cycle industry since 1971, today Cannondale are one of the leading names in the manufacture of mountain bikes.

Another well known name is Kona, founded in 1988 Kona bikes have become a firm favorite of enthusiasts especially in the field of competitive mountain biking. The Kona mountain bike manufacturer also produce racing and touring bicycles but are more widely known for specializing in high-performance mountain bikes. The Kona bikes company name is taken from a district of Hawaii, Kailua-Kona.

An equally well known and respected name is that of Marin, established in 1986 in California, Marin bikes all carry the names of areas located within Marin County, California, USA. Marin bikes have been manufactured with full suspension since the latter part of 1990.

Mountain biking has become a very popular sport and choosing a bike can be quite a confusing task, especially as there are so many different bikes to choose from. The style of bike you eventually choose will most likely depend on the type of riding you like.

Listed below are tips on the different types of bikes available and a brief explanation of their uses.

1. Cross country - Practically all mountain bikes are suitable for this category. Cross country mountain bikes need to be light weight for riding over differing terrains, including rough country and hills. These are probably the most common of mountain bikes and are the standard bike used for pleasure riding or commuting to and from work. They are perfect for both on and off road use.

2. Slalom and jump bikes - These need to be very strong as they are designed primarily for jumping, slalom and street racing. Equipped with front suspension and made from stronger than normal parts, these bikes are something of a hybrid with elements of design from both downhill and trials bikes.

3. Downhill bikes - These are generally better suited to the more adventurous riders who wish to push themselves and their bikes to the limit. Downhill bikes come with disk/disc brakes, full suspension and are more sturdily made, using stronger than normal parts. These bikes are generally not readily available straight off the shelf as most riders prefer to build their own.

4. Trials bikes - These bikes require a great deal of skill to handle to their full potential. Trials riding is an extreme test of precision bike handling over obstacle courses, both natural and man-made. Again most trial bike enthusiast prefer to build their own bikes as they need to be very strong but light weight.

So, as you can see, quite a bit of thought needs to go into purchasing your first mountain bike so that you can get the right bike for your needs and, possibly, your budget.

 

 

 

 


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