Full Suspension Mountain Bikes

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Every year bicycle manufacturers make better, lighter and cheaper mountain bikes which make them more attractive to consumers. Do you want to buy a full suspension mountain bike? If you do below is a list of items that you might want to considered before buying a new mountain bike.

It is usually best to strat your search for a new mountain bike by considering the sort of riding you will be doing - what type of terrain will you cover? For typical cross country (XC) riding a full suspension mountain bike may not be necessary and the extra weight could slow you down. A hardtail bike (no rear suspension) could be a good alternative. However for downhill riding or over very rough terrain a full suspension bike would be the preferred choice.

Define you budget for the purchase of a bike and try to stay within it. Ideally, you should aim to buy the best bike that meets your budget. If you have less than 500 pounds (750 dollars) to spend on a bike you might be better to consider a hardtail bike as full suspension models are more costly. Another option would be to consider a used full suspension bike at a knock down price.

If you decide that a full suspension mountain bike is the right choice for you, you will then need to consider the alternative frame designs. Single-pivot, multi link and cantilever are some of the popular designs and each has their advantages and disadvantages. The best way to truly appreciate the difference is to go to a few bike shops and test ride the different choices. The bike store staff will be more then happy to explain and point out the benefits of each design.

Full suspension bikes are more complex and can be significantly heavier than hardtail bikes. Full suspension frames are also a little heavier and will require more effort to pedal along the trail.

Read some of the online forums to determine what other riders like and don't like about their bikes. You can learn a lot from other rider's opinions.

Remember make an allowance for maintenance costs. Full suspension bikes will require an increased level of maintenance due to the more complex system. If you are a DIY type you will need a few extra tools as well.

Finally, test ride as many different mountain bikes as you can before buying. And remember you can also test ride a full suspension mountain bike with the front and or rear shock locked out, to simulate the effect of a hard tail.

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For a lot more information about selecting the best MTB, visit Roue VTT, a really great website full of great articles on all aspects of mountain bikes and related accessories. Also take a look at Roue VTT which has a further selection of useful facts and figures.