Mountain Bike Cycling – Tips for Beginners
- May 30, 2009
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Mountain bike cycling is the most easily accessible form of cycling and it is open to everyone to have a go. It’s good for keeping fit while taking you away from the noise and grind of everyday life.
Mountain bike cycling is done off-road, that means anywhere from country parks that permit bikes, to local bridleways and allocated cycle trails, to tougher technical trails around the world. Be aware though, if you are new to mountain bike cycling it is important to build up your skills before tackling tough technical trails.
The best way to gain any skills is to practice and spend time on your bike. Sometimes watching other more experienced riders and watching DVDs, or reading books can help, but the best thing by far is practice.
To get practicing you are going to need a mountain bike, so choosing one is your first job. There are lots of designs of mountain bike available and they all vary in price. If you are just starting the best thing to do is get a less expensive bike until you know where you like to ride the most.
When you’ve got your bike you’ll need to decide what to wear when riding it. A fairly casual look is usual for mountain bikers, unlike road cyclists, so a mountain biker would usually wear baggy shorts. You can get specialist mountain biking shorts that look like regular shorts but have a padded lining to provide comfort.
More importantly than how you look there are a few pieces of safety equipment that must be worn at all times when out mountain bike cycling. These are a helmet, glasses and gloves. They are to protect you from falls, low hanging branches and prickly protruding bushes, and flying mud and grit.
You will no doubt have some minor falls, as these are part and parcel of mountain bike cycling. However if you wear the essential protective gear you will most likely only suffer minor injuries, like bruises and grazes.
When you have all the relevant kit you will need to decide where to go mountain bike cycling. You can get many guides to local areas either on the web or from bookshops or some bike shops. Visitor information centres also have tons of useful information, for example where you can ride locally at a level to suit your ability. There are even specialist mountain bike centres run by the Forestry Commission, with marked trails that are graded for different abilities.
When you have all the correct gear and information you will be ready to go mountain bike cycling, but some basic knowledge of mountain bike maintenance would also be a big advantage to keep you safe and help you to push yourself to the limit. The most important thing of all is to really enjoy the adrenaline rush.
