What Makes Specialized Mountain Bikes So Special?

Honestly, even if you're new to biking - how do youfounded his company in 1974, with the intent to "give
think you can go wrong with a name likeeveryone the best ride of their life." Since then the
"Specialized"? Mountain bikes under this label haveprofessional mountain bikes turned out by the
been patronized by discriminating cycling enthusiasts -company have made the top picks, and in the past
and not just because the name is catchy, butyears the company's success in developng its
because this brand has a performance history that'smountain bike lines was driven by the presence of its
no less than good and solid.Specialized mountain bikesindependent suspension FSR frame.Specialized is also
of the Rockhopper line, for example, have remainedknown for producing quality "budget" bikes - and by
at the top of consumer rankings for a long time,this, we mean trail bicycles that are slightly cheaper
contending with equally popular classics like the Trekthan industry standard, for their caliber. They're still
4500 and the Gary Fisher Marin. These "hardtail" bikesmore expensive than you could expect a regular bike
are lightweight and perfect for use by cyclists withto be - for example, a "cheap" competition-grade
different body types, which makes it a favorite forSpecialized model could still cost a little over $1000.
most kinds of rugged trails.The average weight of aBefore you balk at this price, you must remember
Specialized bike is 30 pounds. The aluminum framethat Specialized bikes are known to compete with
helps greatly in reducing weight and increasing speed.big-name brands like Marin, Trek and Giant, some of
And because aluminum is tried and tested for itswhich definitely sell their "budget" models at much
durability, it is also the material of choice byhigher costs! But you could look forward to top of
Specialized manufacturers. You can test the worth ofthe line service and performance from Specialized
a bike of this name by putting it through a trail bikemountain bikes. You could save a little more if you
test; see how well it performs and how easily it is tobuy previous years' models, which almost invariably
transport during normally arduous uphill climbs.Mikedrop in prices as new and shinier models enter the
Sinyard, creator of Specialized Bicycle Components,market.