By: Harmonie Farnsworth
Passion
If you want to get into mountain biking, you have to have passion; equally like everything else. You might not want to go out and spend thousands of dollars on everything you need to go riding for a week and never go again. So before you decide on getting into it, think if this is something YOU want to do, not just what someone else wants you to do, or whatever the reason might be.
Be prepared Physically and cognitively
Mountain biking can be intense in all aspects. It can be hard on your body and mind. At first, it might feel hard so try going on an effortless trail for a while till you feel ready. You can also try going on a run once in a while to help strengthen your cardiovascular endurance. You could also ride your bike up and down a hill for half an hour every day. To help you mentally you cannot be scared. If you freak out because you are still scared, it’s going to cause you to crash. So if you’re scared of rocks or going downhill or whatever it is then try taking some clinics to get more practice.
What will you need?
Mountain biking can be very expensive but if you have a passion for it then go for it! To pick out your bike you need to decide why you want to mountain bike. So if you’re going to be doing enduro, make sure to get a bike made for enduro. The way you can tell is mostly by the shocks. They will be a lot stronger and longer than say an e-bike. A good brand that makes enduro bikes is Pivot. They’re amazing!! If you want to do races, then a hardtail is the way to go. Hardtails don’t have the suspension in the middle, just the front so it makes your bike a lot lighter helping you go faster which is good for racing. But if you want the extra suspension then go for a full suspension with a carbon frame. They’re extremely light but also expensive. So I would recommend starting with a hardtail until you feel more confident on the bike. I love fezzari which is locally made in Utah which is very convenient. The fezzari cascade peak is full suspension and has amazing components like a dropper post and amazing hydraulic brakes. Lastly, if you’re just wanting to ride for fun then I would recommend a full suspension. Full suspension bikes make the ride a little more enjoyable. So Pivot, Specialized, Fezzari, and Trek are my top 4 favorite brands. Finally the gear. You need a good helmet. Mountain biking is very dangerous. Please invest in a good helmet and I encourage you to wear it. Some good brands are giro and LEM. But there are lots of good helmets in really any bike shop. But don’t just buy a helmet from Walmart and call it good because your head won’t be good when you crash. Another good gear is shoes. To start, Vans are good because they’re relatively inexpensive and have a good flat base. Once you become more advanced, talk to a worker at a bike shop about clip in’s. You need bibs or padded shorts and also just a good lightweight shirt which you can find both reasonably on amazon to start.
You Can Do It!
I promise you everything about mountain biking is amazing. You’re absolutely going to crash. Make sure to take some clinics about crashing right (yes you can crash right). Crashing is inevitable so make sure you have a positive attitude about it and appreciate the little things, such as being out on the trail. Some days you might wake up at 6 in the morning and just not want to go. So make some biking friends. They’ll hold you accountable for not going. Push yourself harder and harder each time you go. Don’t get discouraged. Everybody has their good and bad days. If you keep trying and pushing yourself, then eventually you’ll feel a lot more confident with your biking ability.
Remember this
Everybody starts somewhere. At least you’re pushing yourself to be the best you can be!
