Beginner Mountain Bike Buying Guide

Mountain bike buying can be tricky. There are an overwhelming number of categories, brands and build options. How do you know where to start? Upcycle's buying guide will help you break down what type of mountain bike suits your riding style best. Within mountain bikes there are two main types, full suspension and hardtail. A hardtail mountain bike is defined by a bike with no rear wheel suspension and typically front suspension only. A full suspension bike will have suspension on both the front and rear wheels.

Hardtail Benefits

• Better pedaling efficiency
• Easier maintenance
• Lower cost (though hardtails can also be very high end and expensive)

Example photo of a Moots Womble Hardtail Mountain Bike

Full Suspension Benefits

• Easier to handle over rough terrain
• More forgiving when landing jumps and drops

Example photo of a Santa Cruz Blur CC Full Suspension Mountain Bike

Hardtails are full suspension bikes are not mutually exclusive, most hardtails and full suspension bikes can be ridden on the same trails and will generally echo the benefits outlined above. Ultimately buying a mountain bike is a big decision and while reading articles and watching videos can be helpful, the most helpful thing is getting out and riding! Upcycle lets you rent bikes to see what suits your riding preference best, sample some bikes before you pull the trigger on a new ride. Stop watching videos on how a bike feels and start using Upcycle to make informed purchasing decisions! Rent a bike with Upcycle

If you want to learn more about mountain bikes past hard tails and full suspension bikes, check out ourIntermediate Mountain Bike Buying Guide