Mountain biking is much more than quietly cycling around an urban bike path. Going off-road takes you to breathtaking scenery, fresh air and new challenges and perspectives. Before you begin your mountain biking adventure, make sure you are prepared. Here are important things to bring with you.
Tire Repair Kit
Don’t leave your tire repair kit at home. A flat tire will immediately cut your adventure short and could mean a very long hike back to the trailhead and your car. Some bike repair kits contain a patch kit as well, but don’t count on it. Bring an extra tire repair kit just in case and make sure it contains a bike tire sealant to handle small punctures quickly and easily.
Water
Water is essential for any mountain biking trip. Always carry at least twice as much as you imagine you will need. For daylong journeys, you might consider using a hydration pack. These are worn like a backpack, and they hold a lot of water. If you are heading deep in the wilderness, you should also consider bringing water purification tablets or a survival water filter straw or bottle in case something happens and you are stranded for a time.
Small First Aid Kit
If you are lucky, you will avoid cuts, scrapes and sprains, but you need to be prepared for these injuries, just in case. Take a small first aid kit with you so that you can treat problems quickly. At minimum, you should include antiseptic sprays or creams, gauze bandages, medical tape, pain medicine, a chemical ice pack and elastic bandages.
Mini Air Pump and Pressure Gauge
Maintaining the right pressure in your tires will make biking easier and will help protect the bike. Bring a mini air pump and a pressure gauge to keep your tires inflated at the perfect pressure.
Quick and Easy Energy Foods
Mountain biking can be rigorous. Make sure to bring food to keep your body fueled and your energy levels up. Lightweight, small and full of nutrition, protein energy bars won’t take up much space but will provide you with much-needed energy boosts along the trail. Bring more than you think you will need in case of any unforeseen circumstance. Other great snacks for mountain biking are dried fruit, nuts, trail mixes, peanut butter and crackers, beef jerky and bananas.
Bike Tools
The last thing you want when mountain biking is for your bike to become completely disabled. Avoid the headache of having to walk back to civilization by bringing all of the tools you might need to fix your bike. This includes a chain breaker and extra chain, which are not always included in repair kits. It’s a good idea to include baby wipes and a degreasing cleaner, like dish soap, for cleaning muck off of your hands afterward.
GPS or Compass
In ideal cases, you will know where you are traveling and you will know how to return safely. Nevertheless, it is always smart to bring a GPS or a compass to help you navigate if you lose your way.
Headlamp
If your bike suffers a flat or other issue in a dim area of the woods or at dusk, you will be thankful you brought a headlamp. You will have illumination that is convenient and hands free. New headlamps have bright LED bulbs and many are also equipped with a strobe setting to signal for help in an emergency.
Goggles
You probably already plan to bring a good pair of biking sunglasses, but pack a pair of goggles as well. You will be grateful for these if you are caught in rainy weather. Goggles will protect your eyes from wind and rain better than sunglasses.
Rain Poncho
In many areas popular for mountain biking, rainstorms can rise up quickly in the afternoon. Pack a rain poncho to stay dry if this happens. Look for these emergency ponchos anywhere that sells camping or hiking gear.
Personal Defense Equipment
When it comes to avoiding certain types of trouble, being on a bike has advantages over walking. However, when you go mountain biking into the backcountry, you need to be prepared for all potential hazards, including wildlife. If you are biking in bear country, this means bringing bear spray and having it at the ready at all times. Bear spray is specially concentrated pepper spray that shoots a stream reaching a distance of around 30 to forty feet. It also works on mountain lions and other predators.
When in doubt, go ahead and bring it. This should be the motto of any mountain biker exploring new trails, especially in the wilderness. Remember that mobile phones don’t often have a good signal when you are away from towns or cities, and you need to be prepared to deal with accidents, injuries and other emergencies that could arise when biking.
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