Mountain Bike Cycling For Beginners - Getting Started
Mountain bike cycling is probably the most accessible sort of cycling available, and definitely the most exciting by far. It is superb for fitness and it takes you away from traffic and all the usual daily stresses of life.
Mountain bike cycling is mainly done off-road, in the countryside, on paths and trails, including tough technical trails for experienced mountain bike riders. If you are new to mountain bike cycling don't attempt any difficult trails until you have gained some skills and experience.
Most mountain bike riders learn their skills through practice over time and sometimes watching more experienced riders. You could also get books and DVDs to help, but the best thing to do is to get out on your bike and practice.
Before you can start practicing you obviously need a mountain bike, so deciding which one should you get is the first task. There are numerous different sorts of bikes available, varying widely in price and style. If you are just starting it's a good idea to go for a less expensive model until you gain experience and decide where you like riding the most.
When you have your mountain bike you need something suitable to wear when out riding it. Mountain bikers tend to go for a more casual look than road cyclists, for example they often wear baggy shorts. Proper mountain bike shorts look like normal shorts but they've got a padded lining for comfort when riding.
Most importantly, there are several critical bits of kit that are important to wear at all times, irrespective of the weather, and these are a helmet, glasses, and gloves. These safety items are to help protect you against flying mud and stones, low hanging branches, troublesome bushes, and falling off your bike.
You will no doubt have some minor falls, as these are part and parcel of mountain bike cycling. However if you wear the essential protective gear you will most likely only suffer minor injuries, like bruises and grazes.
When you've got all the appropriate gear you'll have to think of where to go mountain bike cycling. There are plenty of guides to local areas available from bike shops, book shops or on the internet, and you can get really good local information from Visitor Information Centres locally. There are even some allocated mountain bike centres run by the Forestry Commission with marked bike trails for different abilities.
When you have all the correct gear and information you will be ready to go mountain bike cycling, but some basic knowledge of mountain bike maintenance would also be a big advantage to keep you safe and help you to push yourself to the limit. The most important thing of all is to really enjoy the adrenaline rush.