Buying a new mountain bike is always fun, but it can also be super confusing and overwhelming due to ever-evolving technology and how quickly the dollars add up.  Rather than spend endless hours scouring the internet for information, the best thing you can do is go to your local bike shop and talk to an expert.

So that’s what we did.  We sat down with Josh Mueller, the manager of Guthrie’s Bicycle shop in Bountiful, UT, just north of Salt Lake City.  Josh shares his expertise on mountain bikes and talks about what to consider when buying a new bike, from deciding on the right type of mountain bike based on your goals, to consideration on suspension, wheel size, and carbon vs. aluminum frames.