How To Buy A Full Suspension Mountain Bike

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2009-01-28 Word Count: 393 Category: Motorcycles

How to Buy a Full Suspension Mountain Bike

Imagine flying down the rough terrain paths at Sugar Bush in Vermont. All you need now to make this dream a reality is a good mountain bike. But how do you choose the right bike?

If you have your heart set on a full suspension mountain bike then some of the things you really need to consider when choosing are your budget, bike design, and maintenance costs.

Determine your budget and stick to it. Consider buying the best bike you can afford within your budget. Many riders suggest that if you have less then $700 to spend on a bike you might want to consider a hardtail because full suspension bikes are more costly. However you could consider buying a used full suspension bike at a good price on a mountain bike classified site.

Buy the best bike that you can afford within your budget. After you determine your budget buy a bike that meets your needs and has the best components that you can afford. Buying a base bike and upgrading later might sound like a good alternative but it will be more costly in the end.

Consider the different full suspension mountain bike frame designs. Single-pivot, sweet-spot and horst-link are a few popular designs and each has their advantages and disadvantages. The best way to truly understand the difference is to go to a few bike stores and test ride the different designs. The bike store guy will be more then happy to explain and point out the pros and cons of each design.

Test ride as many bikes as you can. The bike shop will let you test ride their bikes to help you determine which one is right for you. Take advantage of this option and ride as many bikes as you can. Test riding will help you measure different bike specifications and help you pick the right bike.

Also keep in mind the maintenance needs and costs of a full suspension bike. Many people often choose a full suspension mountain bike for its durability. However, although they are durable, they most often need more maintenance than your standard hardtail mountain bikes. What this means for you is a higher cost when bringing your bike in to get serviced.

Good luck and see you on the trail.

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