There are 4 main categories of mountain bikes. These include the cross country (XC), the trail bike, all mountain or Enduro as well as the downhill (DH). Each type of mountain bike is specific to a certain type of ride. Trail bikes are a good all-round bike for cyclists.

There isn’t a one-size fits all approach to mountain biking. Whether you are new to mountain biking or an experienced rider, there is a lot to consider when choosing the right bike for your needs.

The biggies are suspension, wheel size, fork, shock, frame size and materials, gearing and brakes. Aluminum alloy is the most commonly used material for mountain bike frames. Other frame materials include steel, titanium and carbon fiber.

A “rigid” mountain bikes don’t feature any suspension. Hardtail bikes have a suspension fork in the front to help absorb impact on the front wheel, but the rear of the bike has no suspension—ergo a hardtail. There are many variations of full-suspension bikes, but the general idea is for the front fork and rear shock to absorb the impacts of the trail.

The number of gears can vary and it seems like no one number is best. The number of front chainrings multiplied by the number of sprockets on the cassette determines the number of gears. Mountain bikes are available with everything from a single speed to 30 or more gears. Disc brakes have replaced rim brakes on all but entry-level mountain bikes.