From their earliest years in the hands of Californian hippies, the Mountain bike has been an exceedingly popular machine. These days, they are as likely to be seen on the streets of your local urban environment as they are on the hills and mountain tracks for which they were designed.

The bike companies have taken this into account and design budget versions that can cope with little more than a drop of a curb, let alone the descent from the top of Snowdon

Mountain bikes are often used for commuting, and their rugged nature means they cope well with the potholed streets put to them, although it can be a little like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut, effective if not a little over the top, especially in the modern era of the suspension fork and more recently the full suspension bike. These bouncy technological advances make them a much more attractive prospect to the thieving elements that are the modern urban cyclist's worst nightmare, and as such often end up being disguised with mudguards, electrical tape and old innertubes.

What to expect

The cheaper end of the market, £200-350, is only really suited to commuting or leisure cycling. Sticking to relatively smooth tracks or country roads, where their low gears make light work of and incline nature sees fit to present you with. At this price it is usually worth avoiding suspension forks s they will generally be of a very low quality, detracting from the rest of the bike, adding weight and making them more attractive to the criminal elements.

Mid Range bikes, £350-650, are what you should be looking for if you plan more than the most occasional of off-road forays. Better quality frames and reliable suspension forks start to make an appearance, along with stronger wheels which are able to stand up to the abuse the mud and rocks will dish out. Avoid full suspension, cheap shocks and flexible frames in this price range, adding excess weight will only detract from the riding experience.

High end, £650- plus. From here on upwards the weight keeps dropping as the price increases, more gears and more specific bikes. Proper full suspension options start from around eight hundred, and what you get for that would easily have cost you £1500 a couple of years ago. You'll definately get a lot of fun for your money.

Mountain Biking Links

Mountain Biking Wales - offical site for Welsh forest trails

Mountain Bike Wales - unofficial Welsh trail site

Beastway - Brixton Cycles sponsored race series

Cycle Sport London - races and events in the London area