How to Buy a Mountain Bike

So the adventurous side of you has come roaring out—you’ve decided that you’re going to get in shape and have a blast all at the same time by purchasing a mountain biking. Good for you! Follow the steps below for buying a mountain bike, and you’ll be on the go in no time flat.

1. Know your level of expertise, and know how much money you have to spend. Mountain bikes can range in price from anywhere between $300 to $5,000. You’re probably not going to be using yours to do daring leaps off the sides of hills in competitions, though. So go for something basic and no-frills, as well as something’s that’s relatively light in weight.
2. Go to bike stores and check out the selection, as it’s absolutely necessary that you inspect a bike in the flesh before purchasing. If you see something that looks good to you, ask the salesperson if you can take it for a test spin.
3. Talk to bike store salespeople about the kind of mountain bike you want. Tell them how often you plan on using the bike, and tell them if you’re going to be taking it off road (on dirt trails) a lot, or if you’ll mainly be using it for commuting purposes.
4. Be sure you get a mountain bike that is of a size that’s makes sense for your height. Bikes usually come in small, medium, large and extra large sizes. Tell the bike store salesperson what your height is and he will be able to tell you which size bike will work for you.
5. You may find a mountain bike you like that is simply too expensive for you to purchase. Write down the bike name, year, and model number, then go home and get online to see if you can find it at a cheaper price (also check the classifieds in your local newspaper). You’ll find a solid list of online bike shops at Mountain Biking Online.

If you are going to buy a mountain bike, it is absolutely necessary that you buy a helmet to go along with it! While style is important in selecting a helmet, you should be most concerned with quality and durability.

Below you'll find links to some of the best spots on the Web for purchasing a mountain bike and related accessories.

Enter the Sports & Outdoors section of Amazon.com, click on Cycling, and you’ll find an extensive array of complete and disassembled mountain bikes for sale. You can narrow results by brand, category and price.

Jenson USA offers online and by-phone sales of complete mountain bikes, plus mountain bike parts, clothing and accessories. Be sure to visit the closeouts and hot specials sections for great deals.

The popular outdoors store REI has a great selection of full suspension and hardtail mountain bikes from a wide range of manufacturers, including K2 and Novara. Also find sales of helmets, cycle trainers, shoes, gloves and car racks.

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