Is Mountain Biking Hard For Beginners?

Mountain biking is a great way to get a full-body workout. It also provides a sense of adventure and fun.

The intense demands of mountain biking stimulate your brain to produce natural endorphins that boost your mood and make you feel good. This feeling of happiness also helps you relax and weather life’s stresses.

Getting Started

Getting started with mountain biking means more than just picking out a bike. You’ll need various gear to ensure you are safe and comfortable while riding. We have put together a list of the essentials to help you get started with this exciting sport.

Many beginners feel intimidated by a mountain bike’s technical terrain and knobby tires. Start with an easy trail appropriate for your skill level to make the transition as smooth as possible. You can always progress to more difficult trials as your skills develop.

Remember to wear proper equipment, including protective gear like a helmet and knee pads. It’s also important to be prepared for your rides by carrying water, food, and other necessities. No one wants to find themselves stuck on the side of a trail with a flat tire or a mechanical issue. Thankfully, most falls result in only minor injuries, such as grazes and bruised egos.

Equipment

There’s a lot of mountain bike gear to choose from. Beginners can start with almost nothing special, just a helmet and a bike that goes and stops. Most big brands make mountain bikes for under $100 that’ll protect you from branches and cactus spines until you progress to more technical trails.

A mountain bike with a suspension fork helps take the edge off rough terrain. Often, the more expensive models feature longer travel for more cushioning.

Other essential gear includes gloves, a hydration pack, and bike tools to help in case of any mechanical issues. A mountain bike can also be equipped with different lights for night riding.

There are many other kinds of mountain biking, from ‘freeride’ to BMX-style jumping. Freeride is a ‘do anything’ discipline encompassing downhill racing without the clock, jumps, and stunts. “Slopestyle” is a more technical discipline held at lift-serviced bike parks that features elevated bridges, half pipes, and wooden ladders.

Safety

Like many other outdoor sports, mountain biking comes with a certain level of risk. However, the chances of injury can be reduced with the proper safety precautions.

The most important precautions to take include:

You are choosing trails that match your ability level. When you come across a section of the course that you think is above your skill level, listen to logic (not your buddies who want to test their limits), get off your bike, and walk it. There is no shame in being responsible for your safety and the safety of others.

Riding off-road requires more balance and coordination than road riding, particularly when navigating jumps and rough terrains. As you become more comfortable with the sport, you can progress to more challenging trail features. In addition, training your balance will help you prevent injuries on and off the bike. Crashing on a mountain bike is inevitable, but how you choose to crack can significantly impact the consequences.

Training

Beginner mountain bikers must realize that the sport requires a different mindset than road cycling. Road riders typically try to avoid obstacles at all costs, but on a mountain bike, those obstacles make the sport fun! Beginners should start on beginner-friendly trails to help them develop a comfort level with technical terrain and learn that their bikes are built to go over, rather than around, these obstacles.

It’s also essential for beginners to learn that proper riding technique is a huge part of success on the trail. For example, when entering a corner, mountain bikers should stand with their feet on level pedals to ensure they are ready for anything the course throws at them. It’s also helpful to look through, rather than at, the obstacle in front of you (again, unlike road riding) to determine how best to navigate it. This is called “bike-body separation.” It’s essential for good riding technique and safety.