Mountain bikes have come a long way since they appeared in the 80's. The sheer freedom that a solid set of wheels on a frame with a sensible geometry gave those early riders was amazing.

Soon came lighter materials, which allowed the rider to do less - remember, however light the bike is, you are still pedalling your own weight. Each year, manufacturers develop new technology which, as with all fashions, sell products.

These days even Mountain bike frames are being built from Carbon, creating some very comfortable machines with very little weight. As long as the brand is good, much like cars, there is no such thing as a bad bike these days. As long as you are happy not to be riding the latest.....carbon/titanium.....high spec model, there are some great frames with plenty of satisfaction to give.

Front suspension gives a softer feel over bumpy ground, taking the shock out of the hands and arms. Later developments allow riders to make the suspension softer or harder depending on the ground conditions.
 

Rear suspension was developed for the real off road rider. Although fantastic for bumpy down hill, they added a huge amount of weight, which was clearly not so fantastic for the uphills. These days light weight technology and adjustable rear suspension has meant that you can almost have what suspension you want, when you want it with out too much weight disadvantage.
 

Gears have all developed over the years. Shimano have clearly led the way in the derailleur world on mountain bike gears. These days weight/smooth operation and predictability have all moved on. The more you pay, the better they are, but in truth, there is not really a Shimano gear set which doesn't work.
 

Wheels come generally from a broad spectrum of manufacturers. They are all rugged and mostly survive against unbelievable punishment.
 

Tyres come in a variety of forms to suit all circumstances. Some mountain bikers change their tyres for slick or semi slick tyres for the road. This gives a whole new feel to the bike reducing friction and making the bike feel a whole lot more like a hybrid. Properly set tyre pressures are essential - read the tyre wall and feel the difference!!!

Mountain bikes have come a long way since they appeared in the 80's. The sheer freedom that a solid set of wheels on a frame with a sensible geometry gave those early riders was amazing.

Soon came lighter materials, which allowed the rider to do less - remember, however light the bike is, you are still pedalling your own weight. Each year, manufacturers develop new technology which, as with all fashions, sell products.

These days even Mountain bike frames are being built from Carbon, creating some very comfortable machines with very little weight. As long as the brand is good, much like cars, there is no such thing as a bad bike these days. As long as you are happy not to be riding the latest.....carbon/titanium.....high spec model, there are some great frames with plenty of satisfaction to give.

Front suspension gives a softer feel over bumpy ground, taking the shock out of the hands and arms. Later developments allow riders to make the suspension softer or harder depending on the ground conditions.
 

Rear suspension was developed for the real off road rider. Although fantastic for bumpy down hill, they added a huge amount of weight, which was clearly not so fantastic for the uphills. These days light weight technology and adjustable rear suspension has meant that you can almost have what suspension you want, when you want it with out too much weight disadvantage.
 

Gears have all developed over the years. Shimano have clearly led the way in the derailleur world on mountain bike gears. These days weight/smooth operation and predictability have all moved on. The more you pay, the better they are, but in truth, there is not really a Shimano gear set which doesn't work.
 

Wheels come generally from a broad spectrum of manufacturers. They are all rugged and mostly survive against unbelievable punishment.
 

Tyres come in a variety of forms to suit all circumstances. Some mountain bikers change their tyres for slick or semi slick tyres for the road. This gives a whole new feel to the bike reducing friction and making the bike feel a whole lot more like a hybrid. Properly set tyre pressures are essential - read the tyre wall and feel the difference!!!