-The world of mountain biking sure is fun
but it can seem complicated to a beginner.
Here are the nine things you really must know when you start out.
Expensive quality bikes are nice but it won't make you a better rider.
Whilst you do have to spend a certain amount of money
to get a proper mountain bike,
not just to buy from a hardware shop or garage,
as long as it’s got functioning brakes,
decent components, and geometry, then it will work just fine.
Yes, you can spend more money and get a lighter, stronger, more fancy kit.
Don't get me wrong. I love all that stuff,
just don't expect it to transform the way you ride a bike
or make you faster or even crash less.
There are diminishing returns on the more money you spend,
meaning that after a certain level, it gets way more expensive
but actually, the quality
or the user experience doesn't go up as much.
-Good tires are worth their weight in gold.
Having said all that,
getting a good set of tires that suit the type of riding you do
and the conditions and dirt you ride in, is really important
and can make a massive difference to your riding confidence.
-You won't ever stop crashing, sorry.
With experience and skill, you will become
a smoother, faster rider and at some point,
you might even start to feel a Zen-like feeling of flow in a trail
and then bang.
In a split second, before you even know why,
you're upside down on the floor asking yourself what just happened.
There are so many tiny judgments or inputs into the bike
to react to the trail that you won't always get them right.
The natural progression of riding
is to always push the envelope just a little bit.
The better you feel on the bike or the fitter you get,
the faster you're likely to be on the trails
and the quicker you need to make decisions and judge the conditions.
Things will always catch you out
even if you're riding well within your limits.
Some positive news is I think you’ll also get better at crashing
and judging how to get away with it the more you ride.
Plus make sure you have the right protective kit.
A helmet is a must of course
but definitely consider gloves and pads as well.
-Every new mountain biker should learn how to look after their bike.
Some people just aren't interested in servicing their bikes.
They’d rather take it to the friendly local bike shop and that's cool.
It's great to use shops but the time will come
probably when you're miles from anywhere
and something goes wrong with your bike
that a little bit of knowledge can make the difference
to saving the ride or a long annoying walk home.
Cleaning your bike properly and learning the basics
like fixing a puncture and adjusting your gears is easy enough.
Of course, I know a certain YouTube channel
that could help you with that.
Even knowing just the basic mechanical physiology of your bike
about how the headset is tightened
or what the screws on your rear neck do
can help when something goes wrong.
Head on over to GMBN Tech
for more help with fixing and setting up your bike.
-How to find trails.
Back in the day you would have to get either a paper map
or speak to the local riding community,
probably via the local bike shop,
which is still a great way to learn about where to ride.
Nowadays there are apps like Komoot, or Trailforks, or Strava
where you can plan rides and find popular trails,
pickup routes and even find up to date trail conditions.
When I was a lad, there would be plenty of lost days
riding around looking in random woods trying to find the gold
and usually finding not a lot.
You can even now use the location tags on Instagram
or see where your favorite pros have been riding.
You can sit at home
and with a bit of poking around find all the local riding spots.
Plus there are some amazing riding spots
all around the world so you can start planning some riding holidays.
There are many niches and subcultures in mountain biking.
From the different types of racing, be it cross-country, marathon,
enduro, or downhill, to the different styles of riding,
trails, street trails, dirt jumping, free riding, bikepacking.
We all love to title things and pigeonhole things
but it's all good stuff.
Just try to find out what you like doing
and there are sure to be loads of other people doing the same thing
and plenty of it to watch online to inspire you.
There's never been a better time to be a mountain biker
and have almost endless films online for exactly what you're into
from the World Cup racing coverage, to the Enduro World Series,
or even epic videos on bikepacking and adventure to enjoy and inspire.
-Basic riding skills.
We have got a massive list of how-to videos on GMBN.
I mean, hundreds but learning how to move around the bike,
brake effectively and corner confidently are essentials.
You can then move on to more advanced skills like manualing,
bunny hopping, and even drop offs and jumps
but get the basics nailed first and you'll probably enjoy riding more
and improve faster in the long run.
-New bike day is always exciting.
I've been riding for about 20 years now
and yes, super lucky
to have been supported by sponsors for a long time
but new bike day never loses its appeal
and I'm still just excited to get a freshie.
It feels great.
There's always a good reason to save your pennies and get a new bike.
-Dropper posts are great.
For most riders, a dropper post
is an absolute game-changer and there's good reason.
They're almost completely standard equipment on a bike
that's above about 1,000 pounds or dollars.
Being able to move around the bike easily and still pedal efficiently
with just the push of a lever is something that most riders
can't live without once they’ve had a dropper.
Maybe not a consideration for marathon XC or some XC races
that consider the weight penalty too much,
but for almost everyone else, they are an essential.
You can pick one up for just over 100 pounds or dollars again.
-Hopefully, those are a few tips that have helped you out
if you're quite new to mountain biking
and some of the things I wish I’d had known
when I started riding all those years ago.
If you've heard any other good advice,
definitely leave in the comments down below.
I'd love to hear it.
Plus don't forget to check out our skills videos
and go over to GMBN Tech to learn how to look after your bike.