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Welcome to Freeride Tips! Mountain biking as known to all is one adrenaline sports. Anybody who knows how to ride a bicycle can go for mountain biking. Like any other sports the need of proper safety gear is a must. |
Before ensuring a trip one must have:-
1. Helmet: The most important accessory of mountain biking. The most important part of our body tends to get injured the most leading to critical situations. Fatal accidents could well be avoided if worn a helmet. So it’s a request that a mountain biking helmet is a MUST. Large availability of helmet variations is there which are comfortable and stylish. Avoid blister and scabs with sun protection.
2. Bike Gloves: A very important gear which would safeguard your hands during accidents and provide you with grip. It’s better to wear full fingered gloves.
3. Shoes: Very important to choose the right mountain biking shoes as that would refrain you from getting Plantar Fasciitis (Ligamentous strain), Knee Bursitis and various other muscle strains.
4. Biking Shorts: Shorts which are padded for long riding and comfort, and guarding.
5. Eye protection: A proper sports sunglass or eyeglasses for protection from prolong sunlight.
6. Hydration Source/pack: necessary amount of water to keep you hydrated enough.
7. Tool Kit: A multi tool designed for repairing bikes comes handy. A small pump and even an extra tube for your damaged tyres.
Now comes the riding part, be it a novice rider or a professional one, a mountain biker follows few rules and ethics. These rules of conduct for mountain bikers are set by IMBA (International Mountain Bicycling Association).
1. Trail rule: The way one rides and leaves a trail today, is trail access tomorrow.
2. Recognizing the path: The path beneath one should be understood very well, in order to understand the nature of trail, soil, gravel. Leave no trace.
3. Control of the Bicycle: Less concentration, inattention causes serious problem in maneuvering the bike. Speed limits should be maintained.
4. Yield Trail: Always basic signaling should be used, as in a small bell can make your fellow trail users know of your arrival. Stop by while crossing others.
5. Never startle any animal, sudden approach or a loud sound may scare them and this may lead to an attack. Going quietly through woods always helps.
6. Proper Planning: A plan should be chalked out at the beginning, En-route should be drawn, and trails to use should be known. Ability of one should be judged before starting. Weather updates
Nowadays a lot of technologies can be used along such a GPS could give the perfect assistance. A mobile phone should be kept in case if one is lost. A proper medical kit should be brought along. Mountain biking involves risk and hence a proper medicine box can help at a nowhere place far from medical help. Mountain biking has prerequisites of a fit physique and ability to take the excursion.
These are few things which a mountain biker should follow to enjoy the beauty of nature and feel of the sport of biking at its best.
