Mountainbiking is a great way to stay fit and nearly anyone can ride a bike. There are a few different types of mountainbiking such as cross country, downhill, free ride and trials.

Before you jump on your bike and head for the biggest hill ,make sure that you have the correct bike, the bike is safe and you have the right safety equipment.

There are a few things to consider before buying any old thing with wheels, like what are you going to be using the bike for? i.e Cross Country, Downhill, Free Ride/Free Style, Jumping or for just commuting to work.

You could sell a kidney to afford the top of the range bikes around these days. But if you want to keep all of your body parts we suggest that you go for a middle of the road bike. Spending around £500 will get you a good quality bike without having to have surgery.

The most important thing is that you decide the type of bike you want. Here is a break down on the different mountain bikes available.

• Cross Country Bikes - This is the most popular type of mountain bike. These are designed for no-road and off-road trails with minimal to moderate obstacles. They can also be used for climbs and descents. Suspension often comes in the form of air shocks. These bikes are normally more rigid and the weight can vary a lot. Basically the more you spend, the lighter the bike. There are two types of cross country bike, 'Hardtail' and 'Full Suspension'. Hardtail have no rear suspension and are used for road riding mainly. Full suspension gives you the option to go on more rugged terrain as well as the road, but the hardtails are normally lighter and would be the perfect commuting bike.
• Downhill Bikes - Designed for downhill trails and steep races courses. They have more suspension travel than any other mountain bike. Because of this they can be a lot heavier, they can be over 40lb, but are made as light as possible for racing. Due to the suspension and the amount of travel on the suspension these bike are no good for climbs. They also have hydraulic braking systems.
• Free Ride Bikes - These look like downhill bikes and can weigh almost as much, but are designed to be easier to pedal. These bikes are used for stunt riding and can be used for cross country and some downhill riding.
• Jump Bikes - These are used for hitting jumps as well as for street riding and slalom races. Some people refer to jump bikes as oversized BMX mountain bikes. They are very strong to be able to take impacts from jumping and have a slightly softer suspension system then that for cross country bikes.

Where to go, Cost and Equipment

Where

The beauty with mountainbiking is that you can do it anywhere and it can fit in with your normal life quite easily. But if you are looking for popular trails to ride then check out www.mbr.co.uk/routes

To find your local mountain biking club check out the link and then go to 'cycle clubs'.

www.cycleweb.co.uk

Cost and Equipment

Find the best range of mountain bikes at www.evanscycles.com

Jump/Trails Helmet - You will looking at spending £30 to £50.

Road/Crosscountry Helmet - Look at spending around £40 for the middle of the road helmet. You can spend as much as £80 or as little as £20.

Full Face Downhill Helmets - These are much more expensive. Starting at around £50 and going as high as £300+.

Fingerless Mitts/Gloves - These are quite cheap starting at round £10 but get more expensive for winter or hard wearing gloves. You can spend as much as £90.

Body Armour for Downhill/Jump - These can vary a lot. Look at buying all pads and armour in a package deal as this will make it cheaper. If you buy separately then raid the piggy bank for about £200+.

• Full Upper Body Armour is around £130 for a decent armour but you can spend as much as £240.

• Knee and Shin Guards are around £30 to £50. Cheaper if you buy a all in one knee and shin guard.

• Protective Shorts can be found for around £95.

Check out www.oblivion247.co.uk for some of the best protective gear.