Which type of bicycle?

The bike you buy should reflect the functions you require it to perform. There are basically a few different groups of bicyles and they vary in ride confort, height and manoevreability. Here's the low down on what you need to know.

Rigid Framed Mountain Bikes

These include models such as the Fusion shown on the homepage and usually fulfill all basic riding needs. For occasional riders and those who would like an affordable bike for the weekends, these would be a good choice.

These bikes do not have any shock absorption and therefore the rider will not get as smooth a ride as the dual suspension bikes can offer. However, the rigid frame allows all the rider's energy to be transferred into forward motion and therefore these bikes are conducive to quick acceleration.

* No dampening
* Light and quick acceleration
* Jumps and tricks easier
* Competetive pricing

Dual Suspension Mountain Bikes

These bikes do what they say. They have front and back shock absorbers, such as the Polaris or Comet.
The back shocks act as pivots with the rider's seat positioned above the shocks thereby giving the "floating on the road" feeling.

These bikes are really quite comfortable and for older riders who wouldn't like to feel every bump in the road these are ideal models. Riders for whom acceleration is not paramount find these bikes fit in with their requirements.

* Good all round dampening
* Slower acceleration
* Harder to do tricks and jumps
* Ideal for constant comfortable riding over distances

Front Suspension Mountain Bikes

These bikes have all-round capability. They have front absorbers and rigid rear frames, such as the Bad Attitude.
The rear rigid frame allows quick acceleration as well as reducing the bumps felt through the front handlebars. These bikes are made for downhill riding and offroading, and most have extra chunky tyres with excellent grip. They have the highest gear ratios and so can go from very easy to tiring depending on the gear selected. Their extra heavy duty frames are thick and powerful looking.
Tricks and jumps are much easier on these frames. We love them!

* Superstars of the bike world
* Fast acceleration
* Made for tricks and jumps
* Ideal for racing and downhill riding
* Offroad specialist models
* Less shoulder jarring