The Biggest Decision When Buying A Mountain Bike
No one can deny the thrill of mountain biking. Riding and jumping a simple machine over the rockier parts of our planet can be exhilarating. Kids ask their parents to teach them how to ride a bike, because once you learn, you never forget. And they are quite simple machines, the most basic level requiring two wheels, a frame, and a gear set to make pedaling a little easier. They’re used for exercise, transportation, and just plain fun. Mountain biking is a specific form that’s become incredibly popular since the 80’s, and there are two brands to consider when buying mountain bike: Schwinn and Diamondback.
The Schwinn Bicycle company has been around for 115 years, founded back in 1895 by Ignaz Schwinn. The company was originally based in Chicago, and when it began it didn’t make much of a dent in the transportation market. Automobiles and motorcycles had recently become available, and most consumers preferred the fancier motorized vehicles over the occasionally strenuous pedaling necessary with a bike. The 1920’s, though, changed all that. The stock market crashed, and overnight most people didn’t have the money to maintain their automobiles. But these were still the traditional two-wheeled, single gear designs. A Schwinn mountain bike wouldn’t make its appearance until much later.
The company hit a snag in the 60’s and 70’s, though. Schwinn’s bicycles were basic models, but the public was becoming more interested in specialized biking. Unfortunately, the company didn’t jump on the trend and Schwinn’s traditional bicycles were soon being outsold by other, more specialty-oriented manufacturers. The Schwinn Bicycle Company began to succumb to financial troubles.
Their position wasn’t helped when the management made a statement denouncing BMX racing as a dangerous sport. Without any bikes catered to the emerging market of BMX, Schwinn fell by the wayside in the 80’s and 90’s. In 2001, the company was finally sold to Pacific Cycles, though the parent company retained the brand name. It wasn’t until recently that a Schwinn mountain bike would appear in stores.
These days, there are two bicycles worth looking at when buying a mountain bike: Diamondback Bikes and Schwinn Bikes. Diamondback is a relative newcomer to the bicycle scene when compared to Schwinn, but they never had the troubles Schwinn came up against. Diamondback entered the market with a range of sports bikes, while Schwinn was wary of changing their tried and tested design.
The brand you choose when buying mountain bike is your decision. The branding won’t help you ride better. What will, though, is the type of mountain bike you by. Both Diamondback and Schwinn bikes are available in either hardtail and full suspension models. This is quite possibly the most important decision to make, because the type of model you’ll need depends on the terrain you’ll be biking over. Hardtails are great for smoother trails. The rear wheel is secured to the frame, adding stability to your ride. They can, however, grow uncomfortable on rockier terrain.
Full suspension solves this problem by attaching the rear wheel to the frame through a suspension device. This setup allows the rear wheel to move more freely, keeping it in contact with the ground more often. With the rear wheel contacting the ground more, the rider has more pedaling power. The suspension also offers much greater comfort over rocky terrain. After that, it’s just a matter of finding the right size for you.