Mountain Biking, like many other sports requires appropriate equipments to achieve maximum enjoyment and safety. In this mini guide, we look at what basic things you need to buy or borrow to start!

CLOTHING

Jersey

Most people would ride a bike wearing only normal t-shirt, made with or without quick dry materials. But jersey designed for cycling, could provide extra comfort and minimise air resistance while riding. It has advantage like pockets at the back to provide easy access to gears and food, and moisture control to keep you dry but they are often not cheap to buy.

Cycling Shorts

Shorts made with padding in the specific areas to help minimise discomfort while riding. You often find them in the form of lycra tight, bib or more conventional baggy short, but do invest on a good one due to hard wearing contact with the saddle. In winter, you may want to have a long pair.

Leg and Arm warmers

If you are planning to ride in cold weather, these elastic tubes made with lycra will provide a convenient and cost effective way to keep you warm. A big advantage is that if you are getting too warm when wearing them, they are easy to put away or just roll them down to your wrist or ankle. They can also be used in other sports like running or mountaineering.

Jacket

Although there are mountain biking specific jackets, which provide better fit for riding. A good wind and shower resistance jacket is often more than adequate when caught in bad weather. A good way to justify the purchase is that, a good cycling jacket can be use for running and some even stylish enough for casual use.

Cycling Gloves

They don’t have to be expensive, but quite essential since gripping the handlebars can cause quite a discomfort even on well padded handlebars. Most importantly, if you do involve in a crash, your hands are often the first point of contact with the ground.

Cycling Shoes

If your bike is equipped with “platform” paddles or “toeclips”, a pair of comfortable trainers will be enough (running shoes are not suitable because of its wide toe box design). But if you do decide to use clipless pedals for performance and efficiency, remember to get a pair of cycling shoes that fit your particular type of pedals and riding style! You will find designs from hiking shoe to carbon fibre sole for road racing. Think about what you are going to use them for before buying.

Eye Protection

Eye protection such as sunglasses or clear-lensed glasses, can help to keep your eyes free from debris as well as protect them from the wind which can cause your eyes to tear and blur your vision. A pair of normal sunglasses are adequate on sunny days, but nowadays you can get a good cheap pair with extra changeable lenses (for sunny, low-light and dark condition) if you don’t require prescription lens.

Helmet

Although wearing a helmet don’t make you invincible – in fact some only tested to withstand impact at average speed from 1 metre fall. But you really don’t want your head to touch the ground in any situation, no matter the speed. Modern day helmets are comfortable and stylish, so get one that gives you snug fit around your head.

There are also motocross-style full-face helmet for better protection, a good investment if you do aggressive riding or simply accident prompt.

Body Armour

Full protect is extremely important when doing any style of mountain biking, especially DH and FR. But even just starting out XC, some protection for your knees and elbows is never a bad idea.

EQUIPMENT

Tyres

You will find both tube and tubeless type locking system for mountain bike wheels, where tubeless type although laborious to install, repair and change but becoming popular due to its pinch puncture-resistant and low pressure performance. If you just starting out, tube tyres is easier to install and repair mid-ride.

Since factors like tread shape, weight an even rubber compound will have much larger influence in riding characteristic on mountain bike than other cycling discipline. Choosing the right tyres for the type of riding you are doing is very important, but it could be summarise with 3 distinctions.

Weight – light tyres for agility, suitable for XC. Heavy tyres provide stability and puncture resistance, suitable for FR or DH (usually with reinforced carcass)

Width – usually sizing is from 1.5 to 3.0 inches, more aggressive your riding style, wider the tyres should get to ensure enough footprints for grip. Normal XC riding shouldn’t need more than 2.2 inches, unless you often ride on technical terrains or very muddy conditions.

Tread – square knobs increase road grip but also rolling resistance. Normal XC riding should use all condition tyres with sloping tread patterns to balance speed and grip.

Clipless Pedals

Clipless pedals are suitable mostly for XC riding and racing to improve pedalling efficiency, but descending on technical terrains unclipping is safer. Other styles of mountain biking, a traditional platform pedals is more suited.

Most well known style of clipless pedals for mountain bikes are Shimano’s SPD (Shimano Pedalling Dynamics) system. SPD pedals operate with a small cleat recessed into the bike shoe allowing the rider to walk around with ease when not on the bike. There are also best of both world solution of hybrid platform-spd, which is worth considering if you do much technical XC descends.

Hydration System

Carrying a water bottle in a frame cage or a hydration system such as a camelbak will keep you Hydrated on the go. Drink even if you don’t feel thirsty!

Bar-Ends

Consider adding bar-ends to provide extra resting position for your hands. They are not expensive but require some fiddling on the brakes and grips, so ask your local bike shop to install it.

Inner Tube

If your wheels use tube tyres, having spare inner tubes when riding is always a good idea. Once an inner tube has been punctured and repaired on the road, try to change it once you get home. Remember to get an inner tube that fit the size of your wheels, and has the same valve type as your pump! Check the side wall of your wheels to find out its size and width (usually written like 26x220…etc.).

Puncture Kit

For tube tyres – consist of 3 tyre levers, sandpaper and glue and patches (some patches are ready glued, just peel off the paper for easy use).

For tubeless tyres – can of repair sealant similar to those used on motorcycles and cars. Due to pressure difference, get mountain bike specific repair sealant!

Pump

If you are getting only one pump, get a good size hand pump with the highest pressure (psi) you can find within budget. If you do have a track pump at home, you can carry a smaller mini pump to go out. Also remember to check what kind of valve it supports, even though most pumps have both Presta and Schrader support built-in.