Accessories To Bring While Mountain Biking

The beginner mountain biker can get a little overwhelmed when they first walk into a bicycle store to buy their first mountain bike and all of the accessories they will need to start riding. There is no shortage of accessories and related products that you can buy.

The helmet is the most important bike accessory that you will ever buy. Nobody should be on a bicycle without a helmet.

There have been too many people with serious head injuries that could have been prevented if they were wearing a helmet. Modern mountain bike helmets are both comfortable and stylish and everyone on the trail wears one.

When you ride, your hands can take a beating. Beginners who tend to keep a death grip on the handlebars can be especially brutal on their hands.

Your hands are also one of the first things to come down to the ground when you crash and everyone crashes at some point. Mountain bike gloves are a great accessory because they take the beating for you.

The first few rides you take can be a bit uncomfortable on the rear end. Your body does adjust to this after a few rides, but bike shorts are a great accessory that can help keep it to a minimum.

Fortunately, the days of the tight fitting Lycra mountain bike shorts are over. You can still buy them and some racers still use them but the more comfortable padded bike shorts of today look and feel much more casual.

Mountain bike shoes will help you pedal more efficiently and keep comfortable. You need to pick the type of shoes you wear depending on the type of pedals you have and the type of riding you want to do.

If you have clip-less type pedals you will need to get some mountain bike specific shoes to accept the special cleat for your pedals. A good shoe will be durable, comfortable and should have a stiff sole for better pedaling efficiency.

You should also pick the right shoe for the terrain you will be riding in. Eye protection will protect your vision from wind, bugs, and dirt.

Something in your eye can run you right off the trail and into trouble. Eye protection such as sunglasses or clear lenses help keep your eyes free from debris as well as protect them from the wind that can cause your eyes to tear and blur your vision.

Make sure you use non-breakable lenses for safety. Bring either a water bottle with you or a Camelbak.

It is easy to let yourself get dehydrated so bring water with you and drink it on the trail to keep your body running properly as you ride. Also, bring a trail repair kit for any unexpected problems.

If you're going to be out and about, the most likely problem you'll have with your bicycle is a flat tire. Bring along another tube specific to your bicycle.

In addition to a spare tube, you'll want to carry a patch kit as well. If you're going to fix a flat tire, you'll need tire levers.

These small tools slide under your tire and help pull it off your rim so that you can remove the tube to patch it or replace it with a spare. They fit easily in your pouch or jersey pocket, and you really don't want to be without them.

Whether you carry a patch kit or spare tube, if your tire goes flat, you will need to find a way to get air back into it. That's where a nice little pump comes in.

For any number of potential fixes or adjustments you might face on the road, a multi-tool is a handy gadget that you'll want to take along no matter how short or long your ride. A multi-tool typically comes equipped with a dozen or more individual tools in various sizes, including Allen wrenches, hex bolt wrenches, screw drivers, a chain tool and more.

Tucked neatly into one small package, it's like a portable tool box for fixing your bicycle. If you have all of these accessories you should be ready to tackle the trails with all the tools necessary to get out of there.


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