Nowadays mountain bikes are bristling with technological bits and bobs, all designed to make riding easier and more accessible. This means you can take on harder trails, higher risk and a hell of a lot more fun.

Gears
With up to 27 gears available even the steepest of hills can be taken on.

Suspension
Your bike’s suspension lets you tackle those tricky obstacles with less effort and more control. Most mountain bikes have at least front suspension – great for uneven descents. Full suspension is the best option if you’re riding really rough terrain, but if all your cycling is smooth and leisurely you’ll find you just don’t need it.

Frames
Improved suspension makes harder rides more fun, so your bike gets puts through its paces and this increases the strain on you bike’s frame. Your frame has to be tough enough to take the hammer it will get on route, so needs to be made from the strongest possible alloys. A mountain bike frame is designed to take all the stress you put it through and still be light enough to drag up those unforgiving ascents.

Brakes
All good mountain bikes are fitted with disc brakes to the front and rear wheels. Positioned near the wheels rim they are well away from the tyre and the mud, so are less likely to become clogged up making them more responsive even in the muddiest conditions.

Tyres
Road bike tyres are very smooth and slim when compared to big, thick mountain bike tyres. These bigger tyres provide better grip and greater stability particularly when travelling at high speed. Many serious mountain bikers will use different tyres for different conditions.

Women-Specific
Women’s bikes are tailored to a woman’s size and shape. These bikes are much more suited to the smaller size and shape of women as they have reduced frame sizes and better saddles. There’s a fantastic range of women’s mountain bikes from many manufacturers – our advice is to try out both women’s and non-specific bikes and see which fits best.

Mountain bikes with both descending and climbing ability are usually ideal for cross country riders. 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.

If you are a more technical mountain bike rider you will probably need a trial bike as they are a little more robust. Trial bikes typically move a little more and you can expect the movement of the suspension to be between 4 and 7 inches. Uphill pedalling will be more difficult but you will in general get a much smoother ride. A decision will need to be made as to which way you want to go, a smoother ride with an uphill struggle or not. Additional information can be found online at Trek Track Bikes.

Mountain bikes which are specifically designed for going downhill can have up to 8 inches of movement in the suspension. These type of bikes are generally design for downhill racing. 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.