Skip to main content
eBay
Write a guide | My Guides |  
New! Learn all about eBay Guides

The Ultimate Mountain Bike Buying Guide

The Ultimate Mountain Bike Buying Guide

Mountain biking is an exhilarating sport that allow cyclists to test their limits in a variety of settings. Consisting of riding a specialized bike through rough terrain, mountain biking is an activity that challenges riders both mentally and physically as they attempt to navigate through hills, valleys, rocks, ravines, and anything else that nature puts before them.

Mountain bikes can be ridden through a multitude of terrain types, with many bikes excelling in a particular setting. It’s therefore important for a rider to know what type of terrain he or she will be primarily faced with before purchasing a mountain bike. It’s also important to consider materials, components, and budget when selecting the perfect mountain bike.

History of Mountain Biking

While the first known event of "off-road" cycling occurred when the Buffalo Soldiers tried to carry gear over rough terrain in 1896, mountain biking as it’s known now is a relatively new sport, with the first mass-produced mountain bike appearing in 1981. People began to take interest in the idea of off-road cycling in the 1970s and early 80s, sparking the company, "Specialized," to create the first readily-available bike, the "Stumpjumper," now a model that has been around for decades. Through the 1990s and 2000s, mountain biking became increasingly popular as it moved from a niche hobby to a mainstream activity. Today, mountain biking is popular in many areas of the world, with many countries having specialized trails designed with mountain biking in mind.

Types of Mountain Bikes

As mountain biking has become more and more popular, new trends and focuses have emerged within the culture. Certain people prefer general cross-country riding, while other people prefer going downhill, or doing tricks, or riding on specific terrain. To accommodate the variance within mountain biking, manufacturers have produced many different types of mountain bikes. When riders are deciding which bikes are right for them, they must first consider which type of mountain bike is best suited for their needs. The following information will therefore be quite important.

Cross-Country Mountain Bikes

These bikes are the most common type of mountain bike available. Also referred to as XC bikes, cross-country mountain bikes are an all-around bike designed for minimal to moderate obstacles and challenges. They are ideal for trails that have many facets to them, as they are designed to be multi-purpose mountain bikes capable of performing in a wide range of settings. They are typically made of the lightest cycling material available to allow for fast speeds across different types of terrain. Cross country mountain bikes are divided into two categories: full suspension and hardtail.

Full Suspension

Full suspension bikes are ideal for any type of riding. They are not designed for one particular terrain type, which means that they are a very versatile choice. Unfortunately, it also means that they don’t excel in any particular category as much as some of the speciality bikes do. Full suspension bikes have both front suspension and rear suspension, allowing for a smoother and more comfortable ride. This makes them better suited than hardtail bikes for rocks and other uneven terrain, as well as big jumps and downhill trails. Although they are better suited for a larger variety of terrain types, they are also heavier because of the back suspension.

Hardtail

Hardtail mountain bikes are ideal for climbing hills and making small to medium jumps (generally up to 4 feet in height). A hardtail bike is a mountain bike that has a front suspension fork at the front of the bike, but has no shock absorber at the back. Hardtail bikes are fast, responsive, and quite light, and are a smart choice when faced with terrain that’s not too rugged.

Comfort Bike

As the name implies, these bikes are quite comfortable and are equipped with bigger seats. Some models also come with a front suspension, making for a smoother ride. Comfort bikes are generally seen as entry-level mountain bikes. While they are ideal for paved roads and smooth dirt trails, they are not suited for rugged terrain.

Hybrid

Hybrid bikes are a combination of a road bike and a mountain bike. Because of this, they are ideal for people who primarily ride on the road, but still want to keep their options open when it comes to trail riding. Hybrid mountain bikes usually have a front suspension, and generally have taller frames and narrower tires. Like comfort bikes, these bikes are generally seen as entry-level mountain bikes, as they are largely designed to be ridden in light terrain that doesn’t involve steep climbs or big jumps.

Singlespeed

These mountain bikes should be reserved for people who know what they’re doing and desire to test their limits. Singlespeed bikes generally have no suspension and have a single front and back gear. They are very minimalistic and should not be a rider’s first mountain bike.

Freeride

A freeride bike is an interesting combination of a mountain bike and a BMX. These bikes were designed with an urban area in mind and are ideal for stairs, ledges, and other concrete obstacles. They are a touch too heavy for many trails, but can be used if necessary.

Trials

These bikes are highly specialized and are not designed for normal riding. These bikes are fine-tuned for balance and are designed for obstacle courses that involve jumping from object to object, or situations where the rider needs to balance on various ledges.

Downhill

Downhill bikes are very heavy full suspension bikes that are almost solely for downhill biking. Don’t expect to ride this bike back to the top again; they are specifically made for carrying a rider from point A to point B, where point A is at a significantly higher elevation than point B.

Mountain Bike Components

Mountain bikes have a vast number of components, each of which can greatly vary between specific mountain bike models. Because of this, it’s not possible to give detailed information about every possible component, as the number of component combinations is virtually infinite. That being said, there are three key components that are of greater importance than the rest: the frame, the forks, and the brakes.

Mountain Bike Frames

There are a few different types of materials that mountain bike frames are made from. Generally speaking, the lighter the material, without compromising strength, the better.

Steel

Steel bikes are generally quite a bit cheaper than most other mountain bikes, but are very heavy and not very durable. While the price may be attractive, the quality of these bikes isn’t.

Alloys

Alloys are a step up from steel bikes, and are a combination of steel, chromium, and molybdenum. These bikes are commonly referred to as "Cro - mo" bikes and are quite durable. They are a little heavy, but deliver a nice and smooth ride.

Aluminum

Aluminum bikes are quite light and are surprisingly strong. They are one of the most common types of mountain bikes available due to their good balance between strength and weight. That being said, they are a little stiff and don’t tend to absorb much of the vibrations produced by riding on rough terrain.

Titanium

Titanium bikes are a very attractive choices due to their versatility and many strengths. They combine the comfort and durability of alloy bikes with the lightness of aluminum models. These bikes are seen as high-end mountain bikes, but their price tends to reflect this.

Carbon Fiber

Carbon fiber bikes are extremely light, yet are quite durable. They are ideal for light to medium terrain, but are not the best choice for exceptionally rugged trails. A quick note: while solid carbon fiber bikes are very durable, some bikes are sold with hollow carbon fiber frames. Unlike solid carbon fiber, hollow carbon fiber is quite fragile; so while it may seem like a nice bike due its light weight, it can be easily dented by steep drops or punctured by sharp rocks.

Forks

Forks are incredibly important when it comes to absorbing shock and maintaining stability. There are two main types of forks: coil sprung forks and air sprung forks. The primary difference between these two types is weight and durability. Coil sprung forks are much heavier than their air sprung counterparts, but make up for this in durability. If a rider wants something that doesn’t need to be fixed too often, coil sprung is the way to go; if he or she wants to minimize weight as much as possible, air sprung forks may be the right option. Note that this is only applicable for bikes with a front suspension.

Brakes

Brakes, while important, are not as critical as a rider might think when he or she is shopping for a mountain bike. This is because brakes are easily replaceable, and are therefore not as much of a factor as one would imagine. The best brakes are disc brakes, with hydraulic disc brakes being better than mechanical disc brakes. Disc brakes are more expensive than rim brakes, but are worth the money if a rider is going to be riding through damp and muddy trail conditions.

Mountain Bike Equipment

Apart from the bike itself, it’s also important to pick up the necessary safety equipment. The following three items are crucial to mountain biking. There are other items that may add to comfort or performance, but these three items are not optional if one wants to ride safely and securely.

Helmet

A helmet is essential no matter which course a rider finds him or herself on. It can be important to invest a lot of money in a good helmet, both for quality and ventilation, especially if a rider is planning on riding in warmer climates.

Gloves

Gloves are excellent at protecting a rider’s fingers, palms, and wrists from cuts, scrapes, and joint trauma. Because it’s instinctual for people to put their hands out in front of them when they fall, gloves should be quite thick and should be padded to assist a rider in avoiding injury.

Tools

A basic toolkit is essential to carry around while riding, especially if the trail is long. At the very least, a rider should possess the tools and knowledge to change a flat tire on the go. A rider should therefore have tire levers, a patch kit, and, if possible, a spare tube. It’s also helpful to have a set of Allen wrenches and a chain tool, as well as anything else that a rider’s particular bike may require. To find out what that "anything else" is, a rider will need to scour his or her bike in order to identify the tools needed to remove any nuts and bolts.

The Prices of Mountain Bikes

When it comes to mountain bikes, budget is a very important factor. The more money a rider spends, the better quality the bike will be. Generally, more money translates to a lighter bike, except in cases where heaviness is needed, such as with downhill bikes. It’s important to have a sizeable amount of money saved up in order to buy a good quality mountain bike, as discounted bikes usually mean discounted quality.

When shopping for mountain bikes, it’s generally a good idea to stay away from mass merchant stores that sell things other than bikes or sporting equipment. When shopping offline, consider heading to a local bike shop and talking to a professional. Be sure to also test drive the bicycle in the parking lot outside before making a purchasing decision. When shopping online, be sure to check out customer reviews of the product to ensure that the bike is of high quality.

Components can be quite expensive; because of this, it is much more economical to purchase a high-end bike than it is to purchase a low-end bike and upgrade it. It is therefore important to have a fair bit of money saved up before going shopping, as an "upgrade later" attitude isn’t the wisest when it comes to mountain bikes.

Generally speaking, if a rider is interested in an entry-level bike, it’s best to start in the "cross-country" category. Within that category, riders can choose hardtail bikes to save money, as full suspension bikes cost quite a bit more.

Most brands typically use similar components in their mountain bikes; because of this, the frame is oftentimes the most important aspect to look for when buying a bike, next to the specific type of bike.

Buying Mountain Bikes on eBay

If you’re ready to search online for the mountain bike that’s right for you, head to eBay’s Sporting Goods section and start browsing around the Bicycles & Frames subsection. You can further narrow down your search by visiting the Mountain Bikes section and by browsing by a variety of search modifiers including: brand, framesize, condition, suspension, model year, frame material, and price.

When buying a mountain bike, it’s important that you choose the right size. The right size completely depends on the model of the bike in question. Because of this, it’s important to consult the bike’s sizing chart in order to find out what bike is right for you. This chart will be provided by the manufacturer, but may also be provided by the eBay seller.

While you’re shopping, remember to also check out mountain bike accessories, especially the vital ones mentioned above.

Conclusion

There are a wide variety of mountain bikes to choose from, and selecting the right bike is generally a matter of deciding what type of bike the rider needs and what his or her budget is. It’s therefore very important to carefully consider what kinds of trails the bike will be used for, how often it will be ridden, and how much money can be allocated to its purchase. After considering these factors, riders should have a strong idea about what type of mountain bikes are right for them.

Author information
eBay
Was this guide helpful?

Related Categories :

Choose a template