It’s been a month, I was casually surfing for the best mountain bikes in the city and landed on Trek Mountain Bikes and ordered one right away. I tell you what, the moment I received my bike, it was one of the best decisions I made to quench my thirst for mountain biking. However, when I planned on going for the ride, I missed out on many things that I should have taken care for beforehand. I wished someone would have told me all that I needed to know.
So if you are planning a mountain biking tour then make a checklist of the following essentials that you need to take into account before you set out on your journey and check them all off your list:
-
Gear
You have your bike and helmet on and you consider that is enough. However, it is not. There is more to it so make sure you take into consideration the following items before you actually paddle out of your porch.
-
Core Gear
Stay in bed if you are going to miss out on your hydration pack and water bottles with locks, your eye protection i.e. sunglasses and clear lenses, your gloves (essentially weatherproof) or a first-aid box. You should have these items with you at all costs.
-
Gear Options
In addition to the above items, consider having a lock for your bicycle for sale, compass, GPS, headlight, taillight and an emergency whistle.
-
Free Riding Gear
Besides core gear and optional gear, consider the worst situations that you might get into like accidents. You should know that you are going to be on your own so take protective measures on your own so wear elbow pads, shin pads, and upper body protection to make sure you don’t get hurt if you suddenly fall off the bike.
-
Core Repair Items and Options
You should treat your bike as a pet that needs to be pampered and taken care of. You should always have one or two spare tubes, a compact pump, tire levers, and cycling multi-tool and not missing any of these. Other than these items, you should have a chain tool, replacement chain links, lubricants, spoke wrench, brake and derailleur cables, duct tape, patch kit, and pressure gauge. If these items are missing from your bike kit, then just like I ordered my Trek mountain bike and gear, you can order these essentials online.
-
Your Clothing and Safety Items
You might think that clothing is not necessary when riding the mountain bike, however, to avoid wearing out while you are riding, consider your footwear (shoes and socks), weather-proof clothing (thermals, jersey, raincoats, shorts and insulation layers in winters). Along with these, keep a ziplock bag that would have a sunscreen, lip balm, insect repellent, chamois cream, quick-dry towel, toilet paper, if you are on medication, keep the medicine in as well and other items of your need like the emergency card, medical card, camera and cell phone etc.
