donsfreerideblog

Whether you're looking to get in shape for 2009, looking for a thrill that can keep you grounded, or just love being outdoors and off-road, women's mountain biking makes for a great sport or hobby. But with so many choices, how do you know which is the right women's mountain bike for you? Well, here is a guide of what women's mountain bikes out there that can help.

First you'll want to know the kinds of women's mountain bikes and what they're good for.

Rigid: This is your no-frills mountain bike, great for riding anywhere.

Front Suspension or Hardtail: This is a Rigid but with a front end suspension fork which makes it easier to control on rough terrain.

Full Suspension: With suspension forks at the front and back, this bike offers great comfort and control on hard trails and causes less impact on your body.

There's also Dirt Jumping, Freeride, All Mountain, Downhill, 29ers, and Singlespeed bikes. There are other things that may come into play such as types of frames and materials used, but now you know the basics. If you want to learn more about the kinds of bikes available, visit beaconcycling.com.

You can do your bike shopping in many places. You might have a locally owned bike shop in your area. Sporting goods stores carry a wide selection. There's even the internet. If you'd like to know where the best bike shops are, visit bicycleresearch.com for a list of the top 100 bike shops in the country.

A “Yahoo!” search for “2009 women's mountain bikes” brings up 18MILLION hits, proof that mountain biking isn't just a guy thing. The first link to pop up will take you to an ordering page for the Marin Bear Valley Women' Bike, priced at $729. It's a hardtail made of aluminum with 24 speeds. The shock support system and the padded speed seat were designed with the contours of a woman's body in mind. It can be found at Rei.com

Also on the Rei website, you'll find the Scott Contessa 50. A similar frame and material, this hardtail bike is also designed for a woman's comfort while still offering a rugged ride. This model runs at a cheaper cost of only $499.

Other bikes made for females include the Novara Piedra for $459, the Cannondale F9 at $429, and the K2 T:9 Trailhead at the reduced price of $310. These are all hardtails.

If you'd rather go for a full-suspension bike, things can get a little pricier. The Novara Bliss 2.0 runs at over $1,300.

Depending on the brand name and style of mountain bike you're after, you could spend anywhere from $300 to $3,000. Some of the brands you might want to check out are Cannondale, GT, K2, Marin, Novara and Scott.

In the Hartford, Ct area,there are several very good bicycle dealers who stock a wide variety of two and three- wheeled bicycles. At these bicycle shops, consumers can find bikes for the entire family,including children's and adult's conventional- style bicycles,BMX,mountain and freestyle bikes,tandems, tricycles,unicycles,hybrids,recumbents and folding bikes.

In addition to selling brand- new bicycles,most Hartford,Ct area bicycle dealers and shops also offer parts and accessories and often perform bicycle repairs as well. Expert bike fitting and custom bike building, including jumping and triathlon models are other services offered by some of the bicycle dealers and shops in the Hartford, Ct area.Because each bicycle dealer offers specific policies regarding financing, guarantees and warrantees, it is a worthwhile endeavour for the Hartford, Ct area consumer to shop around when seeking to purchase a bicycle. In an effort to assist the consumer in that process, here is a guide that briefly profiles the top bicycle dealers and shops in the Hartford, Ct area.

The Bike Shop..681 Main St, Manchester, Ct..(860)647-1027
This trusted and reliable Hartford, Ct area bicycle dealer provides a complete selection of adult's and children's bicycles.
BMX,comfort,hybrid,mountain,recumbent and road bicycles are some of the types available for sale here.A wide variety of bicycle accessories and skateboards are featured, and they also do repairs on all makes and models of bicycles.

Biker's Edge..384 Farmington Ave,Bristol,Ct..(860)585-0140
With over 800 bikes on display in their expanded showroom,Biker's Edge has a bicycle to suit every consumer's needs.Many road bicycles and BMX and freestyle bikes are featured here.Additionally, one of the largest selections of mountain bicycles in the Hartford, Ct area is offered here.This bicycle shop is also the home of the “Largest mountain bike club in Connecticut.” Open seven days a week,they offer service on all brands and 24-hour service is available.

Bloomfield Bicycle and Repair Shop..38 Tunxis Ave,Bloomfield,Ct..(860)242-9884
For over forty years,this Hartford,Ct area bicycle dealer has been providing top-quality sales and service to local residents.Their large shop features new Giant,Mongoose,Schwinn and Trek models and many others, as well as a selection of rebuilt bicycles.Adult trikes,BMX and folding bikes,joggers,motorcross,tandems,tricycles and unicycles are all featured at this excellent facility.Mountain,road and hybrid bicycles are available,as are car racks,exercise equipment and bicycle rentals.This bicycle dealer provides expert repairs on most models,easy financing and a 10 year guaranty on all new bikes.

Central Wheel..62 Farmington Ave,Farmington,Ct..(860)677-7010
Since 1935,Central Wheel has been one of the most well-known and highly-regarded bicycle dealers in the local area.Previously in West Hartford,Ct,Central Wheel has outfitted generations of local residents with all types of bicycles.At their Farmington,Ct shop,they feature a wide variety of bicycles and accessories for children and adults.Top-quality custom bike-building,bike fitting and repairs are all available here,as well as triathlon bikes,wetsuits and gear.Some of the brands featured here are;Cannondale,Jamis,Diador and Raleigh.

Cutting Edge Bike Shop..146 Mill St,Berlin,Ct..1-866-396-3343
For consumers seeking BMX,mountain,freeride and DH bikes in the Hartford,Ct area,this bicycle dealer has one of the widest selections available.Some of the brands featured at this shop are;Eastern,Haro,Hoffman,Jamis,Kona and Santa Cruz.Full service and fast repairs of most model bikes are offered here and they also have a huge selection of parts and accessories.

Manchester Cycle Shop..178 Middle Turnpike West,Manchester,Ct..(860)649-2098
For over fifty years,Hartford,Ct area bicycle enthusiasts have been turning to Manchester Cycle Shop,to fill all of their bicycling needs.This professional bicycle dealer stocks models by Diamond Back,Klein,Schwinn,Scott and Trek.Top-quality repairs of most models of bicycles are performed here and they also feature a wide assortment of accessories.

Newington Bicycle..1030 Main St,Newington,Ct..(860)667-3997
Besides offering a wide selection of new bicycles for both children and adults,this bicycle dealer also provides professional assembly and fit,clinics and classes and organizes community bicycle rides.Some of the brands of bicycles featured at this Hartford,Ct area bike shop are;Bianchi,Klein,Lemond,Mongoose,Schwinn and Trek.They also stock a full line of clothing,shoes,gloves and accessories.