Mountain Bikes

When you walk into a bike shop you see a huge range of different styles of bicycles. There may be bikes with enormous suspension systems, little things with ribbons sticking out, bikes that are light with very thin wheels, and big monsters you think King Kong couldn't lift. There are three main types of bicycles you'll see in your local bike shop--mountain bikes, road bikes and kids bikes.

Mountain bikes are usually the bigger bikes with wider but smaller diameter wheels. As other bikes they come in many varieties. Cross-country mountain bikes are bikes the lightest weight modern mnt bikes, with only front shocks or with low travel full suspension; the intended use being riding long distances over unpaved paths through medium terrain, like hiking on a bicycle. For more aggressive mountain bikers, all-mountain, freeride, or downhill mountain bikes exist. They are for going down steep slopes at high speeds, over big drops. They are extremely strong, but heavy, and not designed to be pedaled for much distance. In many places they are taken up ski lifts in the summer, or driven up in a automobile, and only ridden down hill.

Cross-country Mountain Biking

Pros:

• Very challenging
• Very good exercise.
• Scenery is usually better than road biking.
• Facilities and Trails accessible.

Cons:

• Hard.
• Can be tiring.
• Facilities not as easily accessible as road biking.
• Also dangerous!
• This type of riding is for die-hard individuals, and people who like hiking.

Freeride Mountain Biking

Pros: