As with most sports the best equipment and machinery is defined by what you want to do with it. There is little or no point in owning a top of the range Gary Fisher mountain bike for occiasional bikes rides at your local park. Admittedly though, you will look the part!

If you are serioius cyclist looking for a great mountain bike to get you over your first trials or just something reliable to get you to and from work then consider bikes from Rocky Mountain, K2, Gary Fisher, Scott, and Klien. I've got some great reviews on this site so please follow the links and check them out.

Arguably though some of the best mountiain bikes I've seen or had the privilege to ride have been hybrids of top quality frames and components to match. Whilst this approach might be a little off putting for the newbie it's really not when you break it down. It's also a great way of controlling your costs as you can adjust your budget to suit. So if you fancy a great frame you can spend most of your budget on that and then spend less on components which you can upgrade at a later date.

So if I was looking a putting a great bike together I would consider the following:

  • Frames: anything from Rocky Mountain, K2, Gary Fisher, Scott, Klien, and Santa Cruz
  • Forks: RockShox SID’s. If you are looking at alternatives consider how much travel the forks have, their rebound and damping.
  • Gears: XT, XTR, SRAM, or Shimano Rapid Fire
  • Brakes: hydraulic brakes from Hayes, Pace or Magura. If these are too pricey then stick to V-Brakes then upgrade later when you have more money
  • Carbon handle bars, stemm seat pin with a light weight race saddle
  • Peddles: Time or Shimano SPD clipless
  • Tires: buy tires relative to the type of ground you intend to cycle or race on

More great reviews:

Gary Fisher HiFi Pro 29 Gary Fisher HiFi Pro 29 Review
Gary Fisher is known for crossing boundaries when it comes to big wheels. The frame of the bike is tweaked in it components and angles in order to make the big wheels fit well.
Gary Fisher HiFi Pro 29 Gary Fisher Supefly Review
If you are all pro, the Gary Fisher Supefly is just for you. More and more bikes are coming out with better bike technology and, not to mention, bigger wheels.
Rocky Mountain Element 70 Rocky Mountain Element 70 Review
The Rocky Mountain Element 70 is an exceptional bike designed for riding across the toughest terrain and the most challenging courses.
Rocky Mountain ETSX-10 Rocky Mountain ETSX-10 Review
The Rocky Mountain ETSX-10 mountain bike is an excellent option for any avid cyclist who wants a powerful, well-designed mountain bike while on a budget.
Rocky Mountain Slayer Rocky Mountain Slayer Review
The Rocky Mountain Slayer is a good mountain bike for bikers who prefer a cross-country riding style, as opposed to a high-impact downhill or freeride style.
K2 Apache 6.0 K2 Apache 6.0 Review
The K2 Apache 6.0 is the ultimate cross country machine. Not only does this bike look good, but it comes with a ton of advanced features.

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