The next time you're ready to answer the call of the wild, hop on your mountain bike and head for the hills.

Mountain bikes are, without question, the most rugged bicycles on the market. These self-propelled machines are built and designed to take anything you can throw their way; from dirt tracks and steep inclines to pebbled terrain and hairpin turns. Most cyclists love to use their mountain bikes on narrow, unpaved trails, rarely spinning their wheels on asphalt. These types of terrain do take their toll, so cycle manufacturers have been forced to design sturdier bikes that keep performing under pressure.

Mountain bikes are equipped with fatter tires made of stronger rubber to avoid the tears and punctures made by sharp rocks and obstacles on the trail. Bigger tires provide better traction, so the cyclist enjoys a smoother ride as he or she rolls over obstacles and crosses uneven terrain.

The suspension is an equally important feature of mountain bikes. All good mountain bikes come with strong suspension systems. Recently, builders have begun to implement both front and rear suspension to help cyclists withstand the pitfalls of trail riding. Based on the kind of suspension they have, mountain bikes can be classified as soft tails, hard tails, fully rigid, and dual suspension bikes.

Soft tail bikes have rear suspension that rests on the frame and pivots. Hard tails models have a front suspension fork. Rigid types have a rigid fork, and dual or full suspension bikes have both a front suspension fork and a rear suspension. These also have a rear shock absorber as well as a linkage.

Cross-country mountain bikes are made of more resilient material, and usually weigh less. These bikes can weigh as little as twenty pounds, with the heaviest models weighing in at about forty pounds. Enduro or all-mountain bikes are generally heavier than cross country bikes, weighing from thirty to fifty pounds. These bikes have better suspensions that work well while climbing hills or maneuvering hairpin bends.

Free-ride mountain bikes are built of stronger, heavier materials. These models are easier to pedal than other downhill bike models. They are easily maneuvered around dangerous obstacles and steep turns but they weigh as much as forty to fifty pounds, so they're not as efficient as cross-country bikes.

Downhill mountain bikes are not as strong as free ride bikes, but are the best choices for riding on race courses and downhill tracks. Downhill mountain bikes have better traction than most other styles.

Trail bikes don't have any suspension, so they're usually reserved for riding short distances. This style of mountain bike lacks a proper seat and vestigial pad and are quite light, weighing no more than fifteen to twenty pounds. Urban, street and dirt jumping styles all fall somewhere between trail and mountain bike classes. These bicycles are very strong with one to nine gears and a chain guide for both front and rear gears.

Riding mountain bikes is a popular way to have fun and get fit. Visit your local cycle shop for professional advice on finding the bike to best suit your cycling needs.