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Buying A Mountain Bike
It can be a bit frustrating as well as time consuming when you
buy a mountain bike. Below, you'll find some tips and things to
be aware of before you lay down the cash and buy a mountain
bike.
Determining your price
There is really no limit as to how much money you can spend on a
new mountain bike. To help you keep your spending under control,
you should figure out what your price range is and how much your
willing to pay for a new bike. When you buy, you shouldn't buy
from
mass merchant stores such as Wal-Mart. You should instead
support your local bike shop and get a much better bike and much
better service.
Finding your style
All mountain bikes are designed with several different riding
styles and terrain types in mind. You'll need to figure out what
type of riding you will be doing the most. Smooth riding, cross
country racing, mountain cruising, or lift accessed downhill is
something you need to figure out. Make sure that the bike you
select fits your personal style and not
that of the sale's staff.
Full suspension or hard tail
If you can afford it, a full suspension mountain bike is always
worth the purchase. A hard tail, without rear suspension, is
much lighter weight and pedal more efficiently, although full
suspensions offer more comfort and overall better control.
You'll want to make that decision based on your price range,
riding style, and the type of terrain you'll be riding on the
most.
Finding your favorites
Comparing mountain bikes component to component is nearly
impossible, as there are far too many combinations available.
The best way to go about doing this is finding a few components
that are the most important to you and making sure the rest or
the minimums fall within your price range. You can start with
the fork then look at the wheels and rear derailleur.
Sales and seasons
During the year, the prices of mountain bikes can fluctuate
quite a bit. Spring through summer is the main buying season. If
you can wait until the right price pops up, normally in the fall
and winter, you can save a couple hundred dollars. Many bike
shops will also offer discounts or other accessories if you buy
from them.
Finding a good dealer
Finding a good bike dealer is more important than finding the
best price. You should always find a dealer that cares more
about selling you a great bike than selling you a high priced
one. A great dealer will have a clean repair shop and give you
the impression that you can really trust them.
Test ride
You should test ride as many bikes as you can within your price
range and riding style. You'll find that some bikes will feel
right, while others won't. The more bikes you can test drive,
you better you'll understand what works and what doesn't.
Doing the research
Product reviews and bike reviews are some of the best ways to
find out about a mountain bikes reliability and overall
performance. You should always look at what other owners and
reviews think about a bike before you make that final purchase.