How to Get Started Mountain Biking

Mountain Biking is a great hobby for people of all ages, it allows you to get outdoors, explore nature, and get fit. Some may think to get started in Mountain Biking you must have the best gear, best bike, and fancy accessories. But none of this is required to hit the mountain and have some fun! There are some essentials to Mountain Biking to make sure things are both safe and fun. Some require equipment others require preparation

Essentials to Start Mountain Biking

Protection

Proper protection is critical, especially for those new to mountain biking. Even if you’ve been riding bikes for years, mountain biking is a different sport with its own risks and necessary gear.

Critical protection Gear:

1. Helmet
2. Gloves
3. Elbow and Knee Pads

These pieces of gear are critical for new riders as well as experienced riders. I’ve seen the best of riders strapped up in full-face helmets, gloves and Elbow pads. There is no judgment on the mountain, if anything, those not wearing a helmet are the ones that are judged. Good quality protection gear will help keep your ride safe and keep you out on the mountain. These items should not be overlooked.

Why Should You Wear a Helmet While Mountain Biking?

According to the National Library of Medicine, Helmets provided a 63% – 88% reduction in the risk of brain injury while cycling. The mountain is no exception. Depending on the type of riding you are doing, a full-face helmet may be the best option and may help keep beginner riders safer.

Mountain biking is a very technical sport, and crashes are not uncommon. Helmets will help minimize serious injuries while on the trail. I’ve had my share of crashes that could have been really bad, luckily I was wearing my helmet.

What Bike Should You Get to Start Mountain Biking?

There are many different types of mountain bikes, that are specialized for many different types of riding.

Different types of mountain bikes include:

1. Hard Tail
2. Full Suspension
3. Down Hill
4. Cross Country
5. Trail
6. Enduro

In the beginning, it may be difficult to choose what type of bike would be best for you. If you are a complete beginner to mountain biking, it would be best to find a bike that is not too specialized for one type of riding. A Trail or Enduro bike could be a great place to start.

However, since you are new to mountain biking, the type of bike may not make much of a difference. That doesn’t mean you should go out and buy the shiniest bike with the most features. You should opt for a reasonably priced, reliable, and correctly sized bike that fits your budget and size. The worst thing to do is drop next month’s rent payment on a bike that doesn’t fit you.

Should You Buy a Used Mountain Bike?

Buying a new bike as a beginner can be a big mistake, especially if you aren’t sure you enjoy your new hobby. Buying a second-hand bike is a perfectly reasonable option, but does require some research. You should always check to make sure the bike is priced properly for how used it is. Compare the bike listing to similar ones online.

Some bike shops even sell used bikes, this is a great option if you aren’t sure what to look for. There are a lot of people that list hardly used mountain bikes on eBay because they bought a bike they couldn’t afford or handle. Don’t be this person. Buy a reasonable bike that you can practice and get comfortable on. I’ve ridden trails from cross country, single tracks, downhill and fire roads, and I did it all on the same bike I started on.

Well, you got your bike, helmet and gear but there is still more to think about before hitting the trails. Depending on how new you are to mountain biking there are some fundamentals you should learn before hitting the trails.

Skills You Should Learn Before Mountain Biking.

If you’ve considered mountain biking, there are some simple skills you should learn on your bike before hitting the mountains. These should be practiced and mastered well before you’re in the parking lot at your local trails. Mountain biking requires some specific skills that some rode riders may not have.

Basic mountain biking skills include:

1. Body position
2. Braking
3. Shifting gears
4. Pedal placement

Body Position

Body position is extremely important to Mountain biking, learning to shift your weight from the back to the front is critical when riding rougher trails. Standing up on the pedals is a skill that some bike riders never really learn, but that is critical for mountain biking. On uphill climbs, sitting on the seat is hardly ever optimal, and sometimes completely dangerous. Learning to shift your weight on the pedals can help you control the bike, balance better, and operate the bike more optimally.

Practicing this in a parking lot or open field is simple. Practice standing up on the pedals and shifting your weight back and side to side. Shifting your weight can help you corner and can keep you from going OTB (over the bars) and that is never optimal.

Braking

Braking on a mountain bike is a critical skill to use. All mountain bikes have a front and rear brake, learning to balance the use of both brakes is critical to learn how to control your bike and safely slow down.

Many beginners don’t practice braking enough and often panic and pull a fist full of front brakes. In some situations, this can cause the front tire to lock up, Body weight to shift forward, and a full front somersault to take place. This is the worst case scenario. This simple mistake can be avoided by practicing your breaking. Find an open field and practice different types of braking at different types of speed. Learn to shift your weight back before pulling the front brake.

Shifting Gears

Shifting gears is one of the most difficult skills to master while mountain biking. Especially if you want to ride fast. Gearing can be taken to a very advanced level and some of the top riders know exactly what gear they should be in at all times.

If you are new to riding, the most important thing to focus on is planning ahead. Look ahead on the trail and decide what gear you should be in before you get there. Nothing is worse than coming up to an incline and still being in high gear from the decent. Remember, shifting gears requires you to pedal, if you can’t pedal you can’t shift gears, Shift gears before the hill, so you can generate the force needed to shift into a lower gear on the hill.

Pedal Placement

Some new bikers may not even know what the term pedal placement refers to. Pedal placement refers to the position of the left and right pedal and which is optimal. Some street riders may not even think about this, but while on the mountain there are many rocks, branches and roots that may become a hazard if your pedals are not placed properly. This skill when practiced becomes second nature for most riders.

Learning to look ahead on the trail and position your pedals to clear debris is a skill that is better learned sooner than later. You may be riding a rather slim single track and come across a rock sticking out just high enough to snag your pedal while passing, if you practice pedal placement you can time your pedal strokes so that your right pedal is at the peak of the rotation and not the bottom. This will help you avoid the rock and keep you right side up.

These are some of the most critical bike skills that will be used on the mountain. Overall a general comfortability on the bike is critical. Learning to be comfortable braking quickly, carving, shifting gears and watching wear your pedals go are all skills that will be learned and sharpened through practice. Picking the right place to ride is a great way to get out into nature while also making sure you are riding safely.

Finding the Place to Ride for Your Skill Level.

Many mountain bike trails have ratings similar to ski trails. Green-rated trails are the trails you want to learn on. Researching these trails is critical, they can tell you what the type of terrain is, gains in elevation, and technical rating. Make sure you are familiar with the trail before riding.

Apps like Strava, trailforks, and MTB projects are all apps that can help you find trails in your skill level. It wouldn’t hurt to walk/hike a trail before riding to make sure you and your friends can handle it. There is no shame in saying no to a ride if you aren’t comfortable with it.

Mountain bikers are some of the coolest athletes in the world and we are all happy to have you on the trails, don’t let anyone make you feel bad for taking things slow. We all start somewhere.

Conclusion

Overall, getting started with mountain biking has various steps, but they are all important to keeping you safe. Never ride without the proper safety equipment and make sure your bike is ready to go. You can’t buy skill, so no matter how fancy your bike is, it alone won’t get you off the mountain safely. Make sure you practice skills on safe, flat ground before taking them to the mountain. But at the end of the day, make sure to have fun, be safe and keep hitting the trails.