| One of you biggest investments when considering | | | | shocks on the front end are designed to absorb |
| taking on an adventure race is your mountain bike. | | | | some of the impact and bumps on the front tire |
| Generally, the boat for the paddle section will either | | | | while allowing for some added comfort and control. |
| be provided for you by the race organizers or you | | | | Full or Dual Suspension |
| will rent it. The gear for the trekking and navigating | | | | Full suspension means a mountain bike which has |
| sections is minimal, and many races do not even | | | | shocks on both the front forks and on the rear of |
| include a climbing section anymore, so save the bulk | | | | the bike. Further comfort and control, especially |
| of your budget for your bike. | | | | downhill, comes for a higher price and added weight. |
| With that said, you still don't want to break the bank. | | | | As this is being written, some full suspension bikes |
| Here in Colorado it's not unusual to see a car valued | | | | are catching up to hard tails weight wise, but you'll |
| in the hundreds of dollars hauling on its roof a bike | | | | pay a premium to shed the weight looking at over |
| worth thousands. Sure you can get a mountain bike | | | | $2000.00 at a minimum. |
| with full suspension, the absolute lightest components | | | | Recommendation: |
| and all the bells and whistles but remember, little | | | | The good news is that most entry level bikes these |
| Timmy is going to need braces someday. | | | | days come with adequate components and will get |
| By the way, unless you are taking on an urban | | | | you through your first training session and race. If |
| assault, it is pretty much guaranteed that portions of | | | | you're a beginner or on a budget, I would |
| the bike section will be on dirt roads, trails, rocks and | | | | recommend going with a hard tail in order to save |
| other surfaces which will launch a road bike into a | | | | money, keep the weight of the bike down and ease |
| formal protest, so let's look at the two types of | | | | your maintenance requirements. |
| mountain bikes you will want to consider, hard tails | | | | When it came time for me to decide on my first bike |
| and full suspension bikes. | | | | I bought a 2003 Jamis Durango for $350.00. It got |
| Hard Tails | | | | me through my first race with flying colors and, with |
| Hard tail is lingo amongst mountain bikers for a bike | | | | a couple of component upgrades, I still use the bike |
| which only has shocks on the front forks, thus a | | | | today, most recently in my first 24 hour mountain |
| "hard tail." Generally, a hard tail is both lighter and | | | | bike race. |
| cheaper than a full suspension mountain bike. The | | | | |