I don't think there are really any must-haves in terms of components, though it depends on how hard you're going to push the bike. If you are capable of or plan to get capable of doing some harder core mountain biking (very rocky, hopping over big logs, catching air a lot, etc.) then do invest in a better suspension than the basics. Our Tassajara's have front and (very basic) rear shocks -- the front one's have the most play/give and I can feel the difference when I forget to tune it into full shocks on really rocky trail sections (our front shocks are changeable on the fly -- one-handed quick twist of a clicker wheel and it dials in more or less range of shock absorption.) Some of the hard core mountain bikes have serious shock absorption and handling capabilities, including seats built on shocks, but that's more for the folks doing stunts offroad (the "catching air" bit I mentioned above). Ours take a beating with no complaints, and while we're newbies I wouldn't say we stick to flat and easy stuff... we've both wiped out before, and will do so again I'm sure, as we try new trails and tactics.
Disc brakes I cannot really comment on. It's sort of like Windows vs. Mac I think. Some will swear one is better than the other, and for some riders maybe one is better but I didn't get any compelling reason to pay the extra cost of disc brakes. I have full confidence in our standard brakes, so much so that it took a little while to re-learn not to jam on my front brake lest I send myself end-over (endo) the handlebars. The brakes do need a fair bit of adjustment after hard rides -- they get jostled and such. We generally take our bikes in every 2-3 months if we've been riding regularly, to get the brakes recalibrated, the shocks cleaned and regreased, the chain and gears cleaned, the wheel spokes tightened, etc. It's been free for us so far since we're in the one year after purchase period; most of what they do we can do ourselves once it's no longer free. We figure routine maintenance now means longer-lived bikes down the road, that's all.
There are people who will tell you to get "clipless pedals" (which you actually clip into, which makes the name confusing, eh?) but so far my feeling as a novice rider is I'll take some reduced efficiency in my pedal strokes over guaranteeing every little bobble turns into an all out crash/wipe out because I can't get my feet unclipped in time. Most road bikers and some mountain bikers use clipless pedals because the constant contact with the pedals on the up and downstroke produces better energy transfer to the bike's drivetrain -- you're basically producing power on both the up and downstroke, vs. a rider with traditional pedals who's really only producing power on the down pedal strokes. (I'm probably butchering the description and rationale a bit, but this is my memory from discussions both at bike shops and with a couple friends who do ride with clipless pedals.)
The great thing about bikes is for the most part you can mix and match parts as desired, as long as the measurements and attachments will fit your particular make/model of bike. People swap out handlebars, pedals, seats, and so forth as they outgrow their current bike's configuration or find things that they need/want to address (like an uncomfortable seats).
I hear you on the CamelBak's. I have a water bottle mount on my mountain bike, and usually carry an icy bottle of water there just in case, but 99% of my hydration comes from my Camelbak because it's so convenient. I carry a 100oz. model which is too big for some people, but I suck down a lot of water when I exercise so I live with the extra weight knowing I'll need the extra water. Justin's CamelBak is I believe a 70oz. or so model. We actually had these prior to getting into mountain biking, since they are also perfect for hiking/backpacking.
Oh, and don't skimp on a helmet or gloves. I bought cheap gloves with almost no padding and replaced them after about 2 months and too many rides with numb fingers. And a helmet, well, the tougher the better since your noggin is the most important piece of equipment of all, and it's a one-of-a-kind item... repairs are iffy, at best, on it!
One more item you MIGHT want to consider is a
GPS. We already owned Garmin's Forerunner (201) for hiking/walking but after getting the mountain bikes we bought a handlebar mount for them and they're great -- not just for giving us a running tally of how far we've travelled, but also our current and average speed and, when we're back home, the ability to create tracks/maps of our bike routes -- great for keeping track of training rides or just favorite routes. The 201 is perfect for mountain biking because it's so small -- many of the other
GPS units are a little too big to make sense mounted to a bike's handlebars, in my opinion (I just sold one of my other Garmins for just that reason), but the 201 fits superbly on both the handlebars and (it's original intended position) on one's wrist.
Mountain Bike basics?
Re: Mountain Bike basics?
Hybrid Mode
