Whether your a beginner or experienced cyclist make sure you take all the below points into consideration to help you choose the right mtb for you.
What sort of cycling will you be doing?
If like most people you want a bike for light commuting use, mostly on tarmac and a few weekend trails your best choice would probably be a hardtail. A hardtail mtb only has travel on the front forks, the main benefit of a hardtail is weight. If you are on a low budget a hardtail should be your only choice, full suspension bikes are just too heavy in the lower price ranges.
Benefits Of A Hardtail include better power transfer, good for commuting, you will use less energy and can therefore cycle longer distances, lighter, faster and they are usually cheaper to maintain (no rear shock to service).
Make sure you choose a bike with lockout on the front forks especially if your going to use the bike for commuting too.
Full Suspension
Full suspension mtbs have front and rear shocks, full suspension bikes offer increased comfort on longer rides and on downhills, a full suspension gives you better control.
Look for lockout on the front and rear shocks, this will save you a lot of energy on uphill climbs.
29er
Quite a new idea in the mtb marketplace. 29″ wheels offer reduced rolling resistance, making the bike quicker with less energy expended, increased stability, quick handling and a greater ability to roll over obstacles.
The 29er’s aren’t currently available in low budget ranges.
Material of the frame
Mountain bikes frames are made out of various materials these include:
Steel – the original mtb material, steel frames offer great power transfer, are affordable and easy to repair.
Aluminium – Aluminium frames are often lighter than steel frames and they don’t rust.
Titanium -Titanium is as light as carbon fibre and as strong and stiff a steel, Titanium frames are rust resistant, and they don’t scratch easily. They usually are polished and not painted.
Carbon Fibre – Carbon fibre is an extremely light material, carbon fibre frames are strong (but not as strong as the above materials) and easy but not cheap to get repaired.
Size
Choosing the right size bike is essential, for both safety and comfort. Different manufacturers measure frame sizes in different ways. Check the reviews on this site for size information.