Bikes & brands

Bike types, the brands that build them and the models riders talk about.

• SRAM

  An American component maker from Chicago, founded in 1987. It made the 1x mountain drivetrain mainstream and owns RockShox, Zipp and Quarq.

• Electric mountain bike (eMTB)

  A mountain bike with a pedal-assist motor and battery. The motor helps only while you pedal, so you climb more, ride further and spend the day descending.

• RockShox

  An American suspension brand founded in 1989 by Paul Turner. Its first fork, the RS-1, brought front suspension to mountain biking; since 2002 the brand has been part of SRAM.

• Santa Cruz Bicycles

  A Californian maker of full-suspension mountain bikes, founded in 1993. Known for its VPP linkage, carbon frames with a lifetime warranty and the V10 downhill bike.

• Trek

  An American bike maker from Wisconsin, founded in 1976 in a barn in Waterloo. One of the largest bike brands in the world, with a full mountain range from hardtails to downhill.

• Specialized

  An American bike company from California, founded in 1974. Its Stumpjumper of 1981 was one of the first mountain bikes sold in large numbers.

• Full-suspension bike

  A mountain bike with suspension at both ends. The rear shock keeps the back wheel on the ground over roots and rocks, which means more grip, more control and less fatigue.

• Shimano

  A Japanese maker of bicycle components founded in 1921 in Sakai. Its drivetrains and brakes are on more bikes than any other brand's.

• Hardtail

  A mountain bike with a suspension fork and a rigid rear end: light, simple, cheap to keep running — and the bike that teaches you to ride well.

• FOX

  An American suspension maker founded in 1974 by Bob Fox. Its forks and shocks — recognisable by the gold Kashima Coat — are fitted to mountain bikes of every discipline.

• Canyon

  A German bike brand from Koblenz that sells directly to riders online, without shops. It began in 1985 as Radsport Arnold and has carried the Canyon name since 2002.