Cross Country MTB'er most favorite type of riding

Cross-country mountain-bikes are designed to go as quickly as possible over whatever nature may throw in your path. A truly competitive “XC” mountain-bike provides a forward-leaning body position close to that of a road-racing bike; and since it has to go uphill fast as well as down, it must be reasonably light. That used to mean a “hardtail” (a mountain-bike with front suspension only) but technology has been refined to the point where more can be gained than is lost by suspending both wheels. Expect between 50 and 100mm (2 to 4 inches) of suspension travel and to pay quite a lot: lightweight efficiency never comes cheap.

Hardtails are still favoured by many cross-country riders and these light but sturdy bikes provide the best basis for conversion to other uses, e.g. to make a tough commuting bike. If you may want to do this, check that the frame has fixings for a rear carrier, some don’t anymore, and that the disc brake isn’t in the way (a common problem with cable-operated discs, hydraulic ones are more compact). Since so many people like to use mountain-bikes on road, manufacturers now provide urban mountain-bikes already fitted out with smooth tyres and a rigid fork.

The riding position on an XC racing mountain-bike, whilst efficient, is not so comfortable if you ride slowly. A shorter, raised handlebar stem or riser bar (handlebar where the grips are higher than the centre) will give a more relaxed ride.