Newbies guide to buying a mountain bike.

When Michael and I started out MTB last year we thought that it was really unnecessary to buy more expensive bicycles than our cheapie Chinese models bought from Game.

After 2 months Michael had to replace the pipe leading to his bicycle seat, it completely buckled. The next one buckled in a day.  (He was now riding harder).    He sorted this out by sawing off the barrel of his broken pellet gun and sealing it in the pipe with resin.  I kid you not my husband was riding on a barrel of a gun.  We were now getting faster and more daring and we started to realise that cheap Chinese models do not cut it.

Everybody will advise you not to buy a bicycle from a non bicycle shop and I agree except when you are new and on a very tight budget.  I advise all newbies on a  tight budget to start with the cheap MTB's.  You more than likely are going to end up loving Mountain biking and will end up buying an expensive mountain bike.  If you are on a budget buying an expensive one to start will be a waste if you find MTB is not for you.  Also you don't completely know yet what you want out of your mountain bike and you might end up with the wrong bicycle.

If you are well off by all means go and buy an expensive bike but only buy it from a proper bicycle shop and get an expert to tell you what is going to suite your body type.

Never buy a cheap mountain bike with rear shocks!!!!.

Front shocks are wonderful even on cheap bicycles but rear shocks are unnecessary for newbie MTBers and on cheap bicycles you cannot lock them for normal trails.  That rear shock keeps you constantly bouncing.  You can get sea sick on you bicycle!

Your derailleur must be metal not plastic.  I bought my second MTB still cheap but a bit more expensive.  At this stage still inexperienced all I wanted was front shocks for those rough downhills.  The derailleur was plastic.  It snapped right off, it was replaced and a few days later it snapped off again.  The manufacturer then sent me a metal one.  I realise now I was in too much of a hurry to get a better bicycle.  Take your time and speak to the experienced mountain bikers and go to proper bicycle shops.

Gear shifters that turn by your handles are awful.

Click gear shifters are the best.