You know what we love about mountain biking? It’s the sense of adventure. Nothing quite beats getting out into nature and feeling the wind whip past you while you fly down a particularly tricky downhill. It’s just pure freedom out there isn’t it?
Like any great adventure, it pays to be prepared. There are just some things that you should always pack with you when you head out the door on a ride. If you’re an experienced rider, then you’re most likely pretty good friends with all the things we’re going to mention in this life. If you’re a beginner rider or your kids are just starting out, then there are some very important things to remember for your MTB missions. Let’s have a look, shall we?
Backpack
First things first, you’re going to need something to put a lot of what we mention here into. A good, high-quality backpack is absolutely essential for any mountain bike trail. Find out the big enough hydration backpack at Sendy Gear to carry all you need but light and small enough that it’s not going to get in your way.
If you’re going as a family, you don’t need to take a backpack per person, just make sure one of you has a good one so that you can do all the heavy lifting when the kids are tired.
Body Protection
Mountain biking is incredible! It’s exhilarating, it’s fun and it’s good for the soul. It can also be sore, however. Every single person that owns a bike is going to come off it at some stage. Let’s just call it a rite of passage in the MTB world. How severe your pain is will, of course, depend on the fall, but also on how well protected you are. A helmet is your first port of call, but you always want to avoid leaving your skin from your elbows and knees all over the Snowy Mountains. Make sure you have the right MTB protection gear, like Sendy Saver Knee and Elbow Guards, to ensure that when you do fall—it’s a minor one.
A phone
Yes, we know that it’s an extra piece of seemingly pointless equipment to be taking on a bike ride but hear us out. Not only can you track your ride and all that other cool stuff, but if you do get stuck or in a potentially serious accident, it could be a literal lifesaver. Never go on a bike ride without any way to contact someone should something happen.
Snacks and Hydration
Mountain biking is hard work and those hills really do take it out of you and so it’s essential that you keep up your fluid and sugar levels with energy drinks and snacks. If you’re taking your kids out, this is even more important. No one wants to experience tired and hangry kids when you’re out on a trail. Always make sure you have a hydration pack or at least a bottle per person and some highly energising snacks like sandwiches with peanut butter and some bananas.
Repair Kit and Pump
Flat tyres happen and when they do, they can either be a minor inconvenience or you could end up carrying a bike for 18 km. It all depends on how you prepare for them. Always take a repair kit, a spare tube and some sort of pump to ensure that you don’t have an absolute disaster on your hands when you hear that inevitable hissing coming from your tyres. It’s always a good idea to maintain your MTB bike & take a multi-purpose tool with you too.
Sunscreen
Never underestimate how important it is to lather up before you leave and to continue to do so every couple of hours while you’re out. The Australian sun is brutal, and you don’t just face sore skin if you don’t protect yourself—you could also get serious dehydration and sunstroke that can be a big problem. Just wear the sunscreen, we promise, you’ll thank us later.
These are few more things such as MTB jerseys, MTB shorts, MTB gloves, MTB knee pads & guards that are easy to forget in the excitement of heading out the door for a good ride. What are some of the other things that you always take riding with you? Let us know!