Anth wanted to see a close up of my hardtail bike...

This is a hardtail, meaning there are only shocks on the front. This, the Olympic cyclist at the store said, is best for trail riding. See the disc brakes? That's so I can safely ride through creeks, instead of diving into them like I did that day when I was hiking. 27 gears means I have a slight chance of keeping up with my cycling companion.