Rating of the best mountain bikes

Mountain biking is a real dream for a person who does not imagine his life without pedal two-wheeled vehicles. This is useful even in the city: it doesn’t take forever to drive along perfectly even sidewalks - sometimes you want to ride along the park path or even get out into the village. At the same time, the longevity and comfort of the vehicle strongly depend on how thoughtful and responsible the owner's choice was. Before such a purchase, you should delve into the topic and figure out how to choose the right model.

Millions of consumers around the world have adopted a specific tactic for choosing any goods - they do not so much delve into the technical characteristics of a particular model as they trust a well-known manufacturer. On the one hand, this approach, of course, has a right to exist, because the leading brands have not become known in vain - they care about their own reputation and produce high-quality products, which is confirmed by millions of users.

On the other hand, blindly trusting only this criterion is pure madness, because even top brands produce relatively weak models. In addition, when choosing a bicycle, you need to focus not only on the good name of the manufacturer, but also on the characteristics that you personally need - you never know, suddenly the company does not produce a particular type of bicycle at all or simply does not specialize in them.

Therefore, we urge the consumer not to focus only on the company, but at the same time recognize that ceteris paribus, it may well be a weighty argument for making a purchase. Our list does not have distributed places, because in the rating in this case there is no sense - too much depends on the needs of the buyer and the specific model, therefore we would not be able to achieve objectivity.

It should be noted that the world's leading mountain bike manufacturers are located in only three countries and they do not need to be especially represented - if a model is produced by any of these companies and suits you in all respects, you can safely buy it. We will name these countries and brands representing them:

• american bicycles Cannondale, Felt, Specialized;
• German firms Wheeler, Cube, BMW M Bike;
• taiwanese company Giant

The above manufacturers have existed for many years and have long been presented even in the domestic market, therefore they do not need special recommendations. However, there are several brands that are in the status of promising, but so far not so recognizable. Curious that all of them also represent the three above-mentioned countries and they should be considered closer: perhaps in the coming years they will be officially accepted as a unique leader.

German athletes have already fallen in love with European athletes Bergamont, although her story is relatively short. Cyclists could hear about the brand’s products due to the fact that Western European professionals are actively using such vehicles. But recently, the company has been expanding the range and its presence in our country. This means that now you can try yourself in a serious sport, first you get a decent bike for training.

American brand GT You can’t name young, but in our country he is known relatively little. Apparently, the long and complicated delivery affects it, because such a unit does not have any design flaws - the manufacturer is so confident in his brainchild that he gives him a lifetime warranty. Needless to say that the frame and the whole structure have increased strength and wear resistance, and such a transport is able to withstand any test.

Taiwan is also expanding its presence in the global bicycle market, and one of the main trump cards of this country's bicycle industry is a young company with a Spanish name Merida. It is very likely that in Russia, bicycles of this brand will be deafening success - the reason is the price, which can be considered divine even by our standards, because the typical price range is in the range of 350-1600 dollars.

Low cost is not the only reason for rapid sales growth - Numerous cycling enthusiasts around the world note that Taiwanese mountain bikes, even if they do not reach the level of top-end, but still They are distinguished by very decent rigidity and reliability, delighting the owners for many years.

It should be noted and more budget brands, because even a modest 350 dollars is not the limit of cheapness for a mountain bike. Of course, the question arises whether a high-quality mountain bike can cost a penny and the answer to it is obvious - there is nothing to hope for outstanding indicators if you voluntarily saved on them.

At the same time, even in the lower price segment, several manufacturers are singled out for the better, who, with significant cost savings, were able to not completely ignore the quality of the products. These include firms located close to the Russian consumer, and therefore able to save on logistics - it is primarily about the domestic manufacturer Stels and Ukrainian Azimut.

When choosing a bicycle, a significant factor is the cost of transport. Everyone has his own concept of an inexpensive bike - it all depends on what you want to get and how much on average there are mountain bikes with such characteristics.Nevertheless, we will try to identify worthy models by price categories.

We’ll clarify right away: if you expect to find a good mountain bike within 10,000 rubles, then you are most likely an avid optimist. The mountain bike is designed to withstand severe loads, in principle, it cannot be too cheap, because it must be of high quality. Such a cheap purchase is possible only if you are not talking about decent quality or you are not buying a new bike.

Adequate budget mountain bike within 15,000 rubles is another story. In most cases, it will be Russian or Chinese production, but even in these two countries there are good models like the same Forward Sporting 1.0.

If your financial opportunities are a little wider and you are ready to spend up to 20 000 rubles, pay attention to Stels Navigator 800. On the one hand, there are no particularly cool features and professional technical equipment, on the other hand, everything that is here is made in accordance with worthy quality standards. It’s enough to note that the frame here is no longer made of steel, but of aluminum, and this is not a rigidity.

With a budget of up to 30,000 rubles, you can count on goods of a class even higher, like a Czech mountain bike Author Unica Disc. As in the case with the previous model, the attachment here is not impressive with professional capabilities, but in the constructive plan the bicycle is carefully thought out - there is no doubt about the comfort of the trip and the reliability of the vehicle itself. Besides, It is lightweight, which is also a plus.

Having 40,000 rubles to buy a bicycle, you can seriously consider buying a middle-class mountain bike from a world-famous manufacturer. Choosing, say Giant rincon disc from a Taiwanese company, you can count on a lifetime warranty for its frame, and this already suggests that the manufacturer himself does not doubt his brainchild. Braking here is provided not by primitive mechanical vibrators, but by their opposite - reliable disc hydraulics.

If more than 50,000 rubles have been set aside for purchase, then they are no longer talking about any financial restrictions. In a situation where you have saved exactly that amount or a little less, you should pay attention to the class models Merida Big. Nine 300 - this transport is considered the best among fast mountain models.

Even such a bike, although not too expensive, is already equipped with professional equipment worthy of a real avid athlete. A bicycle is an amazing combination of speed when traveling on a flat road and endurance, when it really is not.

When choosing a bicycle, and even for serious sports, it is better not to focus on the opinion of the masses, but to choose it yourself. However, if you do not have much driving experience, much less choice, it makes sense to consider the most popular mountain bikes - at least in order to understand how a good model can look like. Our review, of course, is not without a certain subjectivity, but still it included only reliable and high-quality mountain bikes, which should not let their owner down even in the most difficult situation.

One of the best inexpensive mountain bikes. This is not the bike from which you can expect outstanding performance worthy of international competition, but for a beginner, it will be just right, because it is surprisingly light for its price category. This model, more precisely, its modification with a frame of 21.5 inches, will be especially interesting for men with a height of 185 cm. Of the significant drawbacks, unless stupid tires - a replacement for them should be bought in the store in advance.

A model that a few years ago would have caused real bewilderment among cycle enthusiasts. The fact is that folding mountain bikes appeared relatively recently, and this kid, compact even when unfolded, folds to a minimum sizethanks to which it is easily transported by public transport and does not create any problems during home storage. Of the nice bonuses - disc hydraulics as brakes, 27-speed transmission, adjustable suspension fork and surprisingly low cost.

Great choice for those who has long been acquainted with cycling in the mountains, because acquaintance has grown into a deep feeling, and now relations with a bicycle and rough terrain need to be taken to a whole new level. The Taiwanese company gained popularity in many respects for the reason that it manages to put high-quality and technological equipment on average-cost bikes, which cannot but attract customers.

The equipment does not cause the slightest question, an obvious plus should be considered the range of frames, so this model can suit a cyclist of any height. It is significant that there is only one drawback for such a bicycle, and even that is not so important - the lack of wings and a pump in the configuration.

One of the top representatives of fatbikes, which appeared relatively recently and still have not really conquered the market, although it is high time. A feature of this model and the entire class is the increased width of the tires with normal reduced pressure inside them - this gives the rider the opportunity get through virtually any previously “impassable” obstacles like sand, snow, tall grass and so on.

While fellow cyclists carry their two-wheeled horses with swearing over sections of the road where it’s difficult to walk even empty-handed, you can quickly overcome an obstacle on such a mountain bike without getting out of the saddle.

It may seem very expensive (approximately 140-150 thousand rubles), but it is designed for freeride with downhill. These disciplines assume the maximum load on the bicycle structure, and he, of course, is ready for this, for example, even jumping from a springboard will not harm such transport in any way.

Competitors who are able to withstand regular hard landings during operation usually cost much more, but here at a low price and amazing durability there is also decent equipment. Wherein on a flat road, this particular model loses to many much cheaper ones.

In any case, choosing a good mountain bike depends not only on the preferences of most buyers, but on your personal needs. This means that you must at least superficially navigate the principles of choice in order to correctly choose the optimal model for yourself.

To begin with, it is worth clarifying that mountain bicycles, being just one of the varieties of bicycles, are also divided into several types.

• Hardtail It has a lightweight construction based on aluminum or carbon fiber, while its frame is distinguished by decent rigidity, and the front fork is made depreciation. This is the best option for both leisurely walks in the country and for a full cross-country.At the start, this is not the fastest of all possible bicycles (the increased rigidity of the frame affects it), but, after accelerating, it keeps decent speed longer than many competitors.

• Double outboard mountain bike It differs immediately by two shock absorbers - front and rear. What kind of bike can fly at full speed without disassembling the road is just a two-suspension - its design provides the rider with maximum comfort even on a very difficult road profile. The main directions of using such vehicles are rapid downhill and freeride.

• Rigid - A variant of a mountain bike for a cyclist, perfectly coping with the fine control of the vehicle and above all else appreciates the handling. This model is deprived of depreciation forks, because riding on rough roads can turn into hell. The use of rigs is relevant in trials and derts, where not only cross-country ability is appreciated, but the ability to find a better way. This type of bike wins due to its lightness.

Mountain biking is constantly faced with serious physical exertion, therefore it is important to take a responsible approach to the choice of frame material.

• If in all other industries, steel is considered one of the best solutions, then for a bicycle this is the cheapest and least sensible solution, because for all its advantages, such as impressive strength and durability, it gives the bike considerable weight, which means it greatly limits the options for its potential use.
• Aluminum strength not inferior to steel, but weighs less which simplifies the transportation of the bike and climbing the slope, but the aluminum frame is more expensive, has a relatively low roll-up, and on bad roads, a strong vibration can become an unpleasant opening.
• Titanium frame - the best solution combining all the best properties of the two described above, but, as often happens in such situations, the price becomes a serious problem.
• Carbon durable, reliable and lightweight but the consumer should be vigilant - really good material is quite expensive, and cheaper versions do not even have the properties that are expected of them.

You should also pay attention to the characteristics of the plug. The tough option - rigid - gave the name to a whole class of mountain bikes. It is deprived of any shock absorbers and is most often found in other types of bicycles, but not in mountain ones, since the comfort of the rider is doubtful even on a relatively flat road.

At the same time, it is such a design that provides the highest quality rollback, which is optimal for long trips. The classic suspension fork due to springs, cartridges and dampers eliminates shaking in pits and bumps, but at the same time, for obvious reasons, it weighs more and costs more.

For obvious reasons, the most important part of a mountain bike is the brakes. They come in four types.

• Mechanical vibrays are installed on most low-cost models. A simple design determines the cheapness of the mechanism, but the owner will have to deal with the maintenance of the rim and pads.
• Hydraulic vibrating rails for mountain bikes are rare, but sometimes they come across. In fact, braking, as in the previous case, is carried out by compressing the rim with pads, but the force from the lever to the wheel is transmitted not by a cable, but by oil - it turns out more efficiently.
• Mechanical disc brakes similar to motorcycle, they can be found both on cheap models, and on samples of the average price range. Here, too, there are brake pads, only they do not compress the rim, but a special brake disc. The result is softer braking when there is no need to engage in rim maintenance.
• Disc hydraulics - The best of all options, you can usually find such brakes only on expensive bikes. The difference in relation to mechanical disc brakes is the same as between the two types of vibracks - disc hydraulics also compresses the brake disc with pads, but not with a cable, but with oil pressure. Models for freeride, downhill and trial are usually equipped with just such a system.

Finally, the last point of principle - wheels. Their diameter is usually slightly smaller than that of urban counterparts and is 24-26 inches, although hybrid models can have all 28. Typical tires for such vehicles are quite aggressive, with a clearly visible tread to cling to the bumps in the road. At the same time, on even paved surfaces, such rubber not only does not help, but also interferes, therefore the owner should take care of purchasing a spare kit.

See how to choose a mountain bike up to 20,000 rubles in the next video.