Brakes
Bicycle brakes come in many different styles, shapes and forms. The main two categories of bicycle brakes are rim brakes and disc brakes. Rim brakes include V-brakes (also known as linear pull bicycle brakes) and cantilever brakes. A high quality set of V-brakes can provide much much braking power than one may think without breaking the bank (pun intended). Cantilever bicycle brakes are usually seen on cyclocross bikes as they offer better mud clearance and are compatible with road brake levers. In the other corner are disc brakes, some of which are actuated by a traditional cable (known as mechanical disc brakes) while the better brakes are actuated hydraulically. Hydraulic brakes are by far the the best option for mountain biking.
