Mountain bikes are made to ride off-road for adventure, fun, and competition. They’re characterized by wide, knobby tires for increased traction on variable terrain, but there is a great deal of variation between models. Hardtail or full suspension? 29er or 27.5”? Aluminum or carbon? From suspension to frame design, finding the bike that’s right for you depends on where you’ll ride and the type of riding you want to do.

Most styles of mountain bikes are designed to be versatile and perform effectively on a wide range of trails, but the sport has evolved into many different disciplines/riding styles over the years, and determining which style of bike fits your goals is the first step in identifying the bike that you’ll most enjoy riding.

Find the best mountain bike for you. Choose from our selection of full suspension, enduro, all-mountain, XC, and trail mountain bikes from the industry’s top brands, at every price level.

What are some popular types of mountain bikes?

Trail and All-Mountain - While there is some debate as to the exact travel range defined by Trail and All-Mountain bikes,we defines this category as mountain bikes having suspension travel between 120mm and 150mm. Trail and All-Mountain bikes tend to be some of the most versatile bikes available. Mountain bikes in this category are designed to tackle nearly any trail as they are light and nimble enough to not hold riders back while climbing and they have a progressive geometry that allows for ripping descents.

Cross-Country - Cross-country, or XC mountain bikes are designed to perform over long distances. These bikes are built to be lightweight and help get the most performance out of your climbing ability. These bikes can be hardtail (no rear suspension) or full-suspension. Cross-country bikes tend to have shorter suspension travel which helps keep the weight down as well the suspension bob to a minimum.

Downhill / Gravity - Downhill mountain bikes have the most suspension travel of any category of mountain bike. These bikes are designed to attack the most aggressive black diamond and double black diamond runs on the mountain. They are called gravity bikes because they are designed to go downhill as quickly and stylishly as possible. Gravity bikes have 170mm or more of suspension travel and tend to focus more on reliability under extreme conditions than weight savings in the component selection.