Now that you've considered how you'll bike and have zeroed in on your buying tendencies, the next step is considering what type of off-road rig best suits your needs. Check our chart to see what the different models offer:

Keep in mind that within each bike type, there are various designs with significant differences. For example, if you're shopping for a full-suspension bike, you'll decide whether you want one with long-travel suspension or a model with less pronounced action, whether you want climbing efficiency or a beefy frame and rugged components and wheels to withstand lots of air time and hard landings. If you can tell us where and how you plan to ride your new bike, we'll point out the key differences and explain why you might prefer one over the other. And we won't be surprised if over time you end up with several different mountain bikes. Many people do because they're all so much fun!

Mountain-bike frames today are built of several materials. And, you'll find people who insist that theirs is the only way to go. But, don't put too much stock in one person's opinion. We have bikes at all price points and while their frame materials vary, we're confident you'll find a ride you love. That's what's most important, not what the frame is made of. Keep that in mind and don't decide until you've had a chance test ride some bikes.

Most of our mountain bicycles are built of aluminum, which is a great material for the job. It produces good-looking, affordable, responsive, lightweight and strong frames that won't rust. There are different grades of aluminum and different ways of forming aluminum tubing, which both result in different feels, so there are many aluminum designs and rides to choose from.

There are also frames built of steel, carbon fiber and titanium. Of the three, steel is the most traditional and least expensive material. Manufacturers still produce steel frames because it keeps the price down while offering excellent ride characteristics, reasonable lightness, and durability and reparability, too.

Carbon fiber and titanium are costly materials and more difficult to build frames with, so they're found on more expensive bicycle models. Carbon-fiber frames are sometimes called "composites" because they're often comprised of carbon-fiber tubing and aluminum tubing and/or aluminum fittings. Carbon fiber is actually a fabric that's saturated in glue and formed into tubes that are then built into a frame. Or sometimes the carbon fiber sheets are placed in a mold and crafted into a monocoque design, which is essentially a one-piece frame. Because carbon fiber is a fabric it's possible to align it in different ways, to layer it, to change the number of threads and to include different types of fibers, too, all of which allow designers to extensively fine-tune the frame to dial in the ride.

The advantages of a carbon-fiber frame are super-light weight, excellent vibration damping and top-notch corrosion resistance. The shortcomings are cost and durability. But don't get the wrong idea: Carbon fiber is extremely strong and under normal use will hold up as well as any other material. However, if you're prone to crashing and ride hard enough to bash your bike, you run the risk of your frame striking the ground or trees or rocks, and a severe impact could damage the structural integrity of the frame since carbon fiber is more prone to impact damage than metal frames (these may dent but that's more a cosmetic than a structural problem).

Unlike carbon, titanium is a metal like aluminum and steel. This strong, light tubing makes an extremely lively and comfortable frame. Also, because titanium frames are impervious to corrosion and rust and scratch resistant, they're often brushed or polished instead of painted, which means there's no paint job to worry about. Additionally, titanium holds up to abuse and hard riding quite well and, while not invulnerable, can handle a lot. The chief disadvantage is cost. Titanium frames tend to be among the most costly because titanium is expensive and difficult to work with.

Most new mountain-bike buyers purchase a model equipped with suspension. Ironically, even if you buy a rigid bike (one without front or rear shocks), you actually get a certain level of suspension thanks to the cushioning effect of the fat tires, which float over bumps (if you don't pump them up too hard).

It's likely, however, that you'll prefer the additional bump-busting ability of a bike with a suspension fork or one with front and rear shocks. These machines offer many advantages for trail riding. Because the wheels are sprung and can travel up and down, they remain in contact with the ground on even the most technical terrain. This results in more speed, traction and control and safer rides. Plenty of mountain bikers in fact, discover that they can easily ride trails they used to fear simply because they have a good suspension system.

Another wonderful thing about suspension is that it greatly reduces the amount of beating your body takes. If you're suffering from a stiff neck or sore lower back on rides, you'll be amazed at the difference a suspension makes. Jolts from big hits are absorbed by the shocks and never have a chance to slam your body so you finish rides relaxed and comfortable (think of the money you'll save on chiropractor bills).

Front or Dual? There are two main types of suspension mountain bikes, those with front suspension (called Hardtails) and those with front and rear suspension (called Full Suspension). Deciding which to get is the bicycle world's equivalent of whether to buy a PC or Macintosh computer, though, like PCs, full suspension tends to be the more popular choice for most riders.

Traditionally, front-suspension mountain bikes have been lighter and a tad more efficient, which is why hardtails had pretty much dominated the cross-country racing scene. As weights have dropped and full-suspension efficiency has improved, even World Cup pros are pulling out fully suspended bikes for rough courses.

Because front-suspension bikes have only one shock, the frames are simpler than dual-suspension models, which means they're lighter and a little easier to clean and maintain. There are also Dirt Jumping hardtails made for air time, wheelies and urban assault (riding on and over obstacles you find almost anywhere), which feature low, beefy frames and suspension forks.

Full-suspension machines are becoming more the norm because they offer speed, comfort and control, which is so much fun that most people don't mind the slight weight penalty. Plus, any pedaling efficiency lost in the rear suspension system is more than made up in faster downhill and flat-terrain speeds. You'll also find your rear wheel sticking to technical climbs better than on a hardtail. And, you'll have more energy on long rides because you're taking less of a beating.

Short Or Long Travel? There are different types of full-suspension bikes defined by the amount of travel the shocks provide and what the bike is designed to do. Short-travel models offer an inch or two of suspension to take the bite off the rough stuff while retaining impressive efficiency. They're popular for cross-country and all-around use. Longer-travel models boast the ability to withstand huge hits. These climb slightly slower but they're built more for the descents and fun rides including challenging terrain.

Two types of long-travel-suspension bikes like this are All Mountain and Freeride. The latter is great for riding challenging cross-country courses due to 4 to 6 inches of front and rear suspension, plus a durable and efficient frame and components that channel most of your energy into forward motion.

Freeride bikes have the long suspension of the All-Mountain bike yet are built to handle more of the stuff Dirt Jumping bikes withstand, such as huge drops, flying downhills and other fun stunts (wear your helmet!).

We can show you some of these different bike types and demonstrate how they vary and how the different suspension systems and components work. The important thing is to think about how and where you'll be riding the bike to have an idea, which type of suspension and how much suspension you want/need.