If you know what you’re doing, there’s no reason you can’t buy a good mountain bike online. However, it’s important not to buy the first thing you see that looks appealing. It doesn’t matter how good the mountain bike is. If it doesn’t fit, you won’t enjoy riding it. Your first task is to learn about mountain bikes before you begin shopping, including the important factors in making an informed decision. In the final analysis, buying a mountain bike represents a long term investment.
A professional fitting is invaluable to being able to decide what the right bike is. These may be free, or they may cost you up to seventy-five dollars. However, in the end, they’re worth it. Any good bike shop that you get a fitting from won’t pressure you to buy there.
When you’ve finished with determining the sort of frame and size you need, you’ll want to begin looking at mountain bike brands and the variety of features offered. Browse a lot, and learn as much about every kind of bike as you can. Decide what kind of frame material you like best (steel, aluminum, titanium, and carbon are the most common, with steel and aluminum often being the best deal). You can find much useful information about mountain bike purchases at this discussion about top mountain bikes.
Ask yourself about suspension – mountain bikes are available with no suspension, front suspension, and a combination of front and back suspensions. More suspension costs a bit more, but it also gives you a gentler ride. Next turn your consideration to brands that appeal to you. While you shouldn’t buy entirely on the basis of brand name, those with good records such as Trek, Specialized and Cannondale aren’t a bad place to start. One thing you can be sure of is that a proven brand like Specialized Mountain Bikes will provide you years of good service.
There are two basic places you might buy your mountain bike on the Internet. The first is a bike retailer. The second is from a bike store or private individual on a site like Ebay. Pay close attention to the condition of the bike, the feedback about the seller, and the shipping and handling costs. Also, remember that many Ebay sellers can make mistakes in measurements, and that your bike might arrive with damage or wear that you weren’t expecting. All that said, you can really save money buying through eBay, but look for good shipping and handling costs and an excellent record of seller feedback.
On the other hand, buying from an online bike retailer may prove to be a little safer. It’s always important to check up on the online store and make sure that they’re reliable, too. Find out about return policies and warranties, if available. Doing the sort of homework suggested here can take a lot of the hesitation out of buying a mountain bike online.