August 10th, 2010 
admin No one can deny the thrill of mountain biking. Riding and jumping a simple machine over the rockier parts of our planet can be exhilarating. Kids ask their parents to teach them how to ride a bike, because once you learn, you never forget. And they are quite simple machines, the most basic level requiring two wheels, a frame, and a gear set to make pedaling a little easier. They’re used for exercise, transportation, and just plain fun. Mountain biking is a specific form that’s become incredibly popular since the 80’s, and there are two brands to consider when buying mountain bike: Schwinn and Diamondback.
Ignaz Schwinn, born in 1860, founded the Schwinn Bicycle Company in 1895 in Chicago. The company didn’t make much impact in the transportation industry when it began. Automobiles and motorcycles gained much more popularity in the early 20th century. It wasn’t until the stock market crash of the 1920s that bicycles regained some of their lost appeal. When people no longer had the income to maintain the complex automobiles that had just recently entered the market, they turned to more reliable bicycle for transportation. A Schwinn mountain bike wouldn’t be available, however, for decades.
The company hit a snag in the 60’s and 70’s, though. Schwinn’s bicycles were basic models, but the public was becoming more interested in specialized biking. Unfortunately, the company didn’t jump on the trend and Schwinn’s traditional bicycles were soon being outsold by other, more specialty-oriented manufacturers. The Schwinn Bicycle Company began to succumb to financial troubles.
Their position wasn’t helped when the management made a statement denouncing BMX racing as a dangerous sport. Without any bikes catered to the emerging market of BMX, Schwinn fell by the wayside in the 80’s and 90’s. In 2001, the company was finally sold to Pacific Cycles, though the parent company retained the brand name. It wasn’t until recently that a Schwinn mountain bike would appear in stores.
There are two major brands to look at when buying a mountain bike: Schwinn and Diamondback bikes. Compared to Schwinn’s history, Diamondback is a pretty young brand. They had a step up against Schwinn, however; Diamondback burst onto the market with a collection of sports bikes, each geared toward a specific type of biking. Schwinn couldn’t compete until they introduced their own mountain bikes.
The brand you choose when buying mountain bike is your decision. The branding won’t help you ride better. What will, though, is the type of mountain bike you by. Both Diamondback and Schwinn bikes are available in either hardtail and full suspension models. This is quite possibly the most important decision to make, because the type of model you’ll need depends on the terrain you’ll be biking over. Hardtails are great for smoother trails. The rear wheel is secured to the frame, adding stability to your ride. They can, however, grow uncomfortable on rockier terrain.
Full suspension solves this problem by attaching the rear wheel to the frame through a suspension device. This setup allows the rear wheel to move more freely, keeping it in contact with the ground more often. With the rear wheel contacting the ground more, the rider has more pedaling power. Suspension also offers much more comfort to the rocky terrain. After that, it's just a matter of finding the right size for you.
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