What is the most common type of MTB?

In-Bread

I've been wondering recently which kinds of 'proper' mtb's (ie not Apollos) are the most common. I've seen alot in magazines recently to suggest that 120mm to 140mm 'trail' full-suspension bikes are the way to go - MBR called their 140mm bike test the most important test of the year, some Canyon won WMB's bike of the year award, etc.

But on the other hand, almost all of these bikes seem to be pretty expensive (2k plus). I can see alot of riders being put off by the prohibitively high prices and going for a cheaper hardtail.

Also, 29ers seem to be taking off, but again it seems (to me at least) that they are a bit gimmicky (i've never ridden one, but whatever), and some people could be a bit wary of the possible cons.

Are there any definitive stats out there on this topic? Or would it all be guesstimation from you lot? Any help is welcome.

bike-a-swan

Depends where you are I imagine. My way it seems to be mostly shorter travel full sussers and hardtails. Other end of the surrey hills you see a few more long travel bikes riding jumpier stuff round peaslake, I imagine somewhere like the peaks a lot more people own longer travel full sussers.

cooldad

Why?

cooldad

Oops

angry_bird

cooldad wrote:

Why?

Maybe he/she's just interested?

cooldad

Angry Bird wrote:

cooldad wrote:

Why?

Maybe he/she's just interested?

Yeah me too in why, that's why I asked.

cooldad

But most common - short travel hard tails, sub £500, disregarding the Apollo style stuff. Mainly unused in sheds.

bennett_346

cooldad wrote:

Why?

Why post anything on a forum.

OP, i have a 150mm bike and i'd say its the most versatile travel option if you like doing more than one discipline. You'd think therefore that this would be the most common type of bike but i'd still say that shorter travel XC bikes are the most common, and possibly freeride bikes coming in second.

cooldad

Because his phrasing interests me - specifically stats etc so I am interested in why.
See this is a forum and people ask questions.
That's mine.

supersonic

I'd say sub £500, 100-120mm hardtails are the most common. But some mags will have you believe that if you don't ride a 140mm or more full susser and spend over a grand you might as well not turn up to the trails.

angry_bird

I've just had a look in my sheds and it's hardtails. Definitely hardtails.

The Northern Monkey

Sheds?

averaging the details of my bikes:

150mm travel front with 90mm travel rear.

cooldad

I wonder what the most common sheds are?

angry_bird

The Northern Monkey wrote:

Sheds?

We've got several sheds full of bikes (4 actually)... me, the brother, and dad all ride a lot, plus there's mums bike, then dad's "classic bikes" and old "spare" bikes each too...

angry_bird

cooldad wrote:

I wonder what the most common sheds are?

I've had a look out the window and they're wooden ones, they've got doors on them and some have windows, others don't. But definitiely wooden ones.

Raymondavalon

Good question.

Most used is my 140mm FS, also have a 120mm XC and a 150mm hard tail

I think the sub £500 100-120mm is by far the most common, I see a lot of them used by commuters and also quite a few at the trail centres

MountainMonster

As per my understanding, most common types of bikes are those which employ wheels, and a drivetrain, to bring the user from point A to B, be it whereever those lie. I have heard of a few instances where people use some gimmick known as "suspension", along with the use of brakes to make the ride more comfier in the off chance they are hit by a giant drunken moose in a tree while doing a wheelie.

diy

I reckon its BSO's there must be 500 BSOs sold to every £1K hard tail.

cooldad

diy wrote:

I reckon its BSO's there must be 500 BSOs sold to every £1K hard tail.

Except the OP specifically said excluding Apollo types.

cee

probably the entry level hard tails.

students have just gone back, so loads of new bikes have been appearing on my commute....seens loads of giants, merida, edinburgh bike co-op.

as for the trails....don't know....I don't generally go to places that are busy, and if I do, i go at times that are not that busy.

Anonymous

Angry Bird wrote:

We've got several sheds full of bikes (4 actually)... me, the brother, and dad all ride a lot, plus there's mums bike, then dad's "classic bikes" and old "spare" bikes each too...

I was going to chuck in the "2 sheds" Python sketch here, but 4! (in one garden?)

Saying that I have "2 sheds" in my garden, so here you go...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLjS3gzHetA

fyldesmurf

Surely it has to be Specialised Rockhopper/ Hardrock or some variant of a GT Avalanche? functional and practical beginner hardtails

NorthernRock

I remember a time when evry other bike on the trail was a polished frame, orange swing arm fork combo, Marin Mount Vision. I used to call them clitoris bikes, and still have mine......

welshkev

supersonic wrote:

I'd say sub £500, 100-120mm hardtails are the most common. But some mags will have you believe that if you don't ride a 140mm or more full susser and spend over a grand you might as well not turn up to the trails.

but that's true

Thewaylander

Also this depends on where you ride, Most bits i see when riding are full 206DH rigs if you only ride one discapline you only see so many of the bikes

NatoED

Most common would be an hard tail XC bike . 69 deg head tube 100- 120mm fork .

stubs

I think stolen bikes are the most common type by far.

timpop

welshkev wrote:

supersonic wrote:

I'd say sub £500, 100-120mm hardtails are the most common. But some mags will have you believe that if you don't ride a 140mm or more full susser and spend over a grand you might as well not turn up to the trails.

but that's true

+1 :P

stealfwayne

the most popular seem to be stolen ones !!!! :-)

jayson

Theiving scum round my way seem to really love my bikes, had 3 nicked since i moved up north :evil:

leaflite

I mostly see sub £500 hts. However, of the people that I know that have really "got into" the sport (not just a twice yearly day out etc) they mostly have 130-160mm full sussers