Choosing a bike can be an absolute nightmare these days. There are so many types, manufacturers, styles and of course price variances. The first thing to establish is the type of riding you wish to do.

Riding styles

1) Occasional riding on fire roads and tarmac. If you wish to purchase a bike for taking the kids to the local park etc. You would be best advised to purchase a hardtail with front suspension forks. There are plenty of bikes available to suit your needs. "supermarket" bikes are probably best left alone if you are planning on keeping your bike for a few years. Expect to pay anywhere from £100 upwards. Look out for branded components i.e. shimano. For this type of riding, you would not want large knobbly tyres as they will only become a hindrance. Stay well clear of Full Suspension bikes at the lower end of the market as they are a complete waste of time and energy. The extra cost of the frame will compromise the quality of the components.

2) Beginner/Intermediate cross country riding. If you are thinking of taking your riding a stage further, you will have to up your purchase price a little. You need a bike that will be stronger, lighter and with better components. From £300 you will start to see some quality gear. Take the Specialized hardrock for example. With a lightweight alloy frame, 100mm travel fork and some quality componentry, this is an ideal bike for upgrading. This bike even has the provision for adding disc brakes at a later date. Bikes starting from this sort of price range should be strong enough to go out and tackle most of Scotland’s trails. Avoid mechanical disc brakes at this price as they are pretty much for show and not nearly as powerful as a good V-brake. Again avoid Full Suspension bikes.

3) Intermediate/serious cross country riding. If you plan on being out as much as you possibly can and tackling some more difficult trails and sections, you will be looking at paying over the £500 mark. At this price break you will find the frame technology is far more advanced. Lighter/stronger material will be used. As you climb in price, the components just get better and better. Quality forks should come into play now as with drivetrain products.

5) Enduro riding. If you are looking for an all day machine that can cope with all of Scotland's trails, then you will probably be best at looking to purchase a full suspension bike. Full suspension technology has advanced rapidly in the past few years with better design and shock technology dispelling most of the old "bobbing" problems. At £1000 you should start to see some decent frames. The cross country guys prefer the smaller travel bikes with only a couple of inches travel to reduce fatigue and take the sting out of the trail. However it is becoming increasingly popular for trail bikes to have 4-5 inches of travel front and rear e.g. Specialized Enduro & Marin Mount Vision. These bikes are absolutely perfect for riding around the 7 stanes type terrain.

There is a bike out there to suit everyone's needs. Don't be afraid to go to a Cycle shop and speak to the sales staff. Tell them what type of riding that you will be doing and ask for a bike to suit your needs. Most reputable bike shops will be more than helpful and will not try to rip the consumer off. Ask to try the bike first. Try the bike round the block, see how it feels. After all you have got to splash your hard earned cash. Make sure that you have the right size of frame to suit your size. Just remember ASK ASK ASK.