Mountain Bike

Dirt Jumping and StreetMountain Biking:     

This area of the cycling market has exploded since early in the new millennium with multiple bicycle manufacturers striving to create the best value and best quality street/jump/play bike to satisfy the demand.

Mountain bikes of this denomination generally employ front suspension forks with a rigid frame (no rear suspension), and more commonly now, do not feature gears. Steel and aluminium are the materials of choice for frame construction, with the former metal now becoming more common. Frame design is very simple with a short rear triangle (rear wheel area) to assist quick direction changes and a longer main frame to give the rider space to move about the bike as they perform a whole array of manoeuvrers, both on the ground and mid-air. 

Dirt/street bikes are commonly used by the younger generation, but can be great fun for riders of all ages willing to give new things a try, or wishing to boost their riding skill and overall bicycle control.

This area of the market is one of Ride's main focus lines.

Cross CountryMountain Biking:

Now a prominent Olympic sport from 1996, cross country ('XC') mountain biking involves a fine balance of endurance, stamina and bike-handling skills. It is, without doubt, the most common mountain biking discipline, both recreationally and competitively worldwide.

XC trails generally involve an eclectic mix of terrain, meaning the bicycles used for this discipline must be very versatile, whilst also remaining lightweight. The use of aluminium and composite materials is very common due to their lateral stiffness, longevity and lightness.

Suspension systems have gone through many phases of evolution due to XC riders' demands for less weight and increased durability. XC bicycles are often 'hard tails' (front suspension only), but many full suspension (front and rear suspension) options are available. At the upper end of market, XC suspension systems will rely on air dampening for bump absorption, which naturally avoids the weight of springs and oil - often found on motor cycles.    

Though, if you are just starting out mountain biking, or even cycling in general, an XC mountain bike is a sound starting point as it is the perfect lightweight all-rounder. Come in and have a chat with us and we can discuss which of the many options will suit you best.

Not for the feint of heart, downhill mountain biking ('DH'), is at the extreme end of the cycling spectrum. As the name suggests, DH courses involve top-to-bottom descents, and these are generally covered at great speeds over exceedingly rough and adverse terrain. The only point a DH rider slows down is at the end of the course, to crash unwillingly, or to cross extremely technical sections of track - often natural terrain, such as rocks, roots and boulders. Common downhill races generally last two to six minutes and the winning rider is he or she with the shortest overall time.

Given the level of stress and strain received by DH bicycles, their manufacturers place a great focus on strength, reliability and durability. Given the high level of engineering required to meet these goals, and commonly featuring up to 10 inches of suspension travel, DH bicycles are often the most extraordinary to look and marvel at.

The need to employ full-suspension designs (front and rear shocks) has created a lot of diversity between models from competing manufacturers. The Ride staff will help you decide which DH bicycle suits your body shape, riding terrain and experience.