The oldest and the standard type of brake for most bicycles is the ‘V-Brake’. V-Brakes are light, cheap and take no time to install but aren’t really suitable for most off road riding as they are prone to rusting and hardly work well once introduced to water or mud. But most mountain bikes usually use the ‘Disc Brake’ as they are the most efficient and work well under the harshest of conditions and aren’t hindered by water or mud. Although they are a lot more expensive and heavier, they are probably the most reliable type of braking mechanism.
The wheels on a mountain bike are another essential part. Most mountain bikes usually have a wheel size of around 26″, although this term is not precise as the you change the size of the tyres and the rim used, but on most mountain bikes you would have a 22″ rim with a 4.2″ tyre but this can vary depending on what tyre you uses and what terrain your riding on. Other types of mountain bikes can have a wheel size of 24″ or 29″. The tyre on the bike should be a tyre that can take a lot of stress and should be able to glide smoothly and safely on a road, even during the rain but perform well on off road tracks.
To steer a mountain bike you use a steering mechanism called a handlebar. Handlebars are usually made out of steel, aluminium alloy or even carbon fibre, and can come in a wide variety of types and size to meet the specific needs of a rider. There are many different specifications of handlebars and each have a positive and negative side to them. A wider handlebar can give you greater control and more leverage while a more small and narrow handlebar offers comfort and more control while taking corners. There are many accessories you can add to a handlebar to give extra comfort and grip, such as grips and bar ends.
The most common mountain bikes are the Hard-tail and the Soft-tail versions. Both of these mountain bikes have a special part that is called a ‘shock absorber’. A shock absorber is mechanical device that is designed to smooth out rough surfaces to make it a more comfortable experience for the rider. Although the Hard-tail has only one shock absorber at the front, the Soft-tail has one at the front and another at the back of the bike. Most mountain bikes have about 80-130mm of travel but can go up to around 210mm for extreme rough terrain. Travel is the distance the absorber has to travel before it can’t do its job anymore, the more travel the smoother to ride, but the less comfortable it is.
A Hard-tail mountain bike is type of bike with a shock absorbers attached to the front forks of the bike. Hard-tail bikes are the most common as they are cheaper than the Soft-tail type. Although they are just as comfortable but easier to maintain. A hard-tail bike has a simpler construction, “old school” look and feel and weighs less than a Soft-tail. Hard-tails aren’t suitable for long distance riding and overall have a rougher ride then the Soft-tail. The Soft-tail on the other hand is a smoother ride and has better handling, more comfortable and is great for long distance riding. Although it costs a lot more to build and is more complex to design and construct.
Mountain bikes are used in a great range of sports and hobbies, and while mountain biking you may need to carry a wide range of equipment and tools or even food and drinks. To do this people attach panniers to their bicycles. Panniers are like suitcases that are attached to a pannier rack that is attached to your bike. Panniers can hold all sorts of things such as food, drinks, swags, tents etc… They come in many different types of sizes and materials. Panniers can be attached to both sides of the rear wheel, under the saddle, over your handlebars, or simply on your back. Panniers are good for people that love to go mountain bike riding for long periods of time and need to carry a large amount of essential items, they are tough and durable and therefore the best thing to hold your items in while riding in harsh environments.
The most essential piece of equipment you should carry while mountain bike riding is a piece of safety equipment called an EPIRB. An EPIRB (Emergency Position-Indicating Radio Beacon) is an emergency distress beacon that sends out radio beacons or ‘distress signals’ that, when detected, can be located by search and rescue. If carried and used correctly, when mountain bike riding and you eventually become lost, badly injured or in a very dangerous situation, you can activate your EPIRB you can be instantly located by SAR (Search & Rescue). EPIRBS are widely used by mountain bikers and many other hobbies and even in jobs, they save thousands of lives a year.