Mountain Biking Kit and Protection

CYCLING · GLOBAL

Mountain Biking Kit and Protection

Why the clothing differs, helmets and pads, tyres and riding responsibly

Mountain biking clothing looks casual compared with road kit and every part of it answers a problem that appears on rough ground.

Why the clothing is looser

Trail riding involves moving around on the bike, so shorts and jerseys are cut for movement and to fit over knee pads. The looser cut also snags less on branches.

Liner shorts with a pad go underneath, worn without underwear, since seams are what cause chafing and saddle sores.

Helmets

Trail helmets extend further down the back of the head than road helmets. Full-face helmets are for downhill and jump riding and are considerably hotter.

Replace after any meaningful impact, since the liner crushes once and does not recover, and check for the correct standard.

Pads and gloves

Knee pads are the single most useful protection for trail riding, since knees take most low-speed falls. Full-finger gloves protect hands and improve grip in the wet.

Elbow pads and back protection suit faster and steeper riding.

Tyres

Tread pattern and rubber compound matter more than width alone. Softer compounds grip better and wear faster; deeper knobs suit mud and drag on hardpack.

Run pressures far lower than a road bike and adjust for conditions. A tyre pressure gauge that reads low pressures accurately is worth having.

Carrying what you need

A multi-tool, tube, pump or inflator, tyre levers, a quick link and a phone. A hydration pack or a hip pack keeps weight off the bars.

Maintenance after a ride

Rinse mud off before it dries, particularly from the drivetrain and suspension seals, and dry the chain before lubricating it. Mud left on a bike wears components quickly.

Avoid pressure washers near bearings and seals, which force water where grease should be.

Suspension

Set sag to the manufacturer's recommendation for your weight before adjusting anything else, since that single setting affects how the bike behaves more than any other.

Learning safely

Start on blue and green graded trails at a bike park, which are built, signed and predictable. Skills coaching for a day teaches body position and braking that take years to work out alone.

Ride within sight of your ability rather than following someone faster into something you cannot see the bottom of.

What to carry

A multi-tool, a tube, tyre levers, a pump, a quick link, a phone and something to eat. On remote trails add a small first aid kit and a foil blanket.

Tell someone your route and expected return time.

Riding responsibly

Stay on permitted trails, since riding where cycling is not allowed damages access for everyone. Give way to walkers and horses, and slow right down when passing.

Tell someone your route and expected return on remote ground.

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