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A cross country rider will need a bike with both descending and climbing ability. The movement in the rear suspension system is only about 4 inches so that it does not cause a problem when trying to climb hills. Cross country bikes have 28 gears as standard which provide a wide greater options for travelling over different terrain.

If you are a more technical mountain bike rider you will probably need a trial bike as they are a little more robust. On a trial bike the suspension can move between 4 and 7 inches. This will mean that you get a lot smoother ride but it is more difficult to pedal uphill. A decision will need to be made as to which way you want to go, a smoother ride with an uphill struggle or not. All terrain cycles is a great place on the web to look for Trek Track Bikes.

If you will mainly be using your bike for going downhill you can expect up to 8 inches in suspension movement. These type of bikes are generally design for downhill racing. They are difficuly for pedalling uphill but have a lot greater handling when going over difficult terrain downhill.

Another variety of mountain bike would be the dirt jump bikes. A dirt jump bike are used for jumping and only have a front suspension. These type of bikes are built for speed and usually come with 16 gears.