Mountain Bike Brands and Links

Updated July 2011

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Page: 5 of 6

In this report

Introduction
Budget Mountain Bikes{3 mentions}{4 mentions}{1 mention}{1 mention}{2 mentions}{8 mentions}{5 mentions}{6 mentions}{3 mentions}{1 mention}{1 mention}
Best Mountain Bikes{2 mentions}{9 mentions}{1 mention}{1 mention}{6 mentions}{3 mentions}{1 mention}{5 mentions}{4 mentions}{4 mentions}{4 mentions}{1 mention}{2 mentions}{1 mention}{1 mention}{1 mention}{1 mention}{1 mention}{1 mention}{1 mention}{1 mention}
Women's Mountain Bikes{3 mentions}{2 mentions}{2 mentions}{2 mentions}{1 mention}
Useful Links
Our Sources

Other types of bikes

If you have no intention of venturing off-road, consider a road bike designed for speed and fluidity on street and paved tracks. See our separate report on road bikes for more information. We also cover comfort bikes designed for commuting or urban riding in a separate report. Urban commuters may also be interested in a folding bike.

Additionally, many kids' bikes are styled after mountain-bike specs, with fat tires and compact frames. Most, however, lack the suspension and off-road prowess that set mountain bikes apart from other categories of bicycles. Teens will easily be able to find the right fit in an adult mountain bike. You can find information on bikes for younger kids in our separate report on kids' bikes, which even includes tricycles for toddlers.

Mountain bike buyer's guides

ConsumerReports.org doesn't review mountain bikes, but the magazine's website has an easy-to-read buyer's guide that is available for free.

The Guardian has a buyer's guide for women in "How to Buy a (Women's) Mountain Bike."

The About.com guide to bicycling, David Fiedler, has a good overview of mountain bike components. (Note: ConsumerSearch is owned by About.com, but the two don't share an editorial affiliation.)

TwentyNineInches.com is a good source for news and reviews on 29ers, or 29-inch mountain bikes.

BikeRadar.com has an excellent overview of mountain bike suspension, which covers most of the jargon used by bike experts.

If you're new to mountain biking, you may not be familiar with some of the terminology. SheldonBrown.com offers definitions of components and slang so you'll know your derailleur from your down tube.

If you want to find reviews on freeride or downhill mountain bikes, Bicycling magazine's review finder is a good source.

We also recommend visiting Bicycling.com to find a local bike shop in your area.

VeloNews and Bike magazine are good review sources for mountain bikes not covered in this report, including freeride and downhill bikes. They also cover many high-end bikes over $5,000.