MTB gear 101

Thom Schoenborn

2013-01-08

I am looking into getting a MTB this year (woo!), but I have no idea the names of the various component grades for MTB stuff. For example, with Shimano road, it's Dura-Ace, Ultegra, 105 from $$$ to $. What is it in the MTB world for Shimano and SRAM? And for brake systems, I understand that hydraulic is better than cable, but what else do I need to know about brakes in terms of bang-for-my-buck?

(FWIW, short-track and the a few XC races are all I'm looking at. Hardtail seems the simplest way to go.)

Help me, OBRA-wan-Kenobi. You're my only hope.

-Thom