Q: Don’t know what kind of bike to buy. I raced motocross for 23 years and want to try cross-country racing. I want something that feels good jumping, and I want full suspension like a downhill bike. But, I live in Michigan where there aren’t many big hills. Also, my son races BMX, and I would like to ride the track with him.

—Thomas, who is trading in a motor for some leg power

A: Unfortunately, there is no bike that is going to be optimal for all types of riding. Cross-country bikes are built to be lightweight so they can be pedaled uphill, but this comes at the expense of the comfort that more suspension travel gives you.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, a downhill bike has plenty of suspension travel to tackle pretty much anything you could ever dream of riding, but isn’t designed for regular trails. It will feel like a motocross bike when gravity is on your side, but will also feel like one when you are lugging it back up the mountain.

Since you want your bike to do a bit of everything, we would recommend checking out trailbikes in the realm of 5 inches of travel. Something like the Trek Fuel EX, Specialized Stumpjumper FSR or Giant Trance X will give you enough travel and has stable enough geometry for ripping down trails while still being light enough to be raced in a cross-country event. Lower the saddle and lock out the suspension and it will handle pumping around the BMX track with your son just fine.