You’ve decided to take up the exciting and challenging sport of mountain biking. Unlike casual biking, you need much more than just a helmet to ensure that you have a safe ride as you hit the trails.

Mountain biking is such a popular sport that there is now a vast range of accessories for both men and women. Make sure you do a bit of research on each item you want to purchase to make sure you buy the best quality for the amount of money you want to spend.

Bike helmet
We may be listing the bike helmet as an ‘accessory’ but it really isn’t. It is a necessary piece of equipment. In mountain biking, it is not a question of if you’re going to fall, it’s a question of when. And when you take a header over your handlebars, having a secure helmet on your head could well save your life. Although you can buy most accessories second hand if you so desire, the bike helmet is something that you want to buy brand-new, and make sure that it fits your head properly. And if you do have an accident in which any damage occurs to the helmet, the wisdom is that you should purchase another one. One accident per helmet – that’s the rule.

Eye protection
Have you ever been riding on the road and been passed by a car that sends up a spurt of gravel at you? If any of that gets into your eyes, you have to stop immediately to clear your vision. If you’re on a trail heading downhill at a breakneck pace, and a baleful bee takes that opportunity to hit you in the eye, the following seconds could end up being very uncomfortable. Glasses or sunglasses are one solution, but the best method is to wear goggles. Whatever you get, make sure that lenses are non-breakable.

Hydration system
It’s common sense to bring a water bottle with you when you go out on a trail ride. It’s very easy to get dehydrated which brings your energy right down. However, in order to drink from your water bottle you have to take your hand off one of the handles, and there are sometimes when you don’t want to do that. A hydration backpack is a good solution. As a backpack you can put all kinds of necessary inside it, and when you need a drink you just reach over with your mouth to the bite valve and take a sip.

Mountain bike shorts
These days bike saddles are a lot more comfortable than they used to be. There are saddles made especially for women as well as men, and you can purchase gel-filled saddles that make the hours you spend on your bike a bit more comfortable. But you’ll also want padded bike underwear and padded bike shorts, just for extra comfort.

Mountain bike gloves
If you fall off your bike (or should that be, when), your hands will probably be the first thing to hit the ground – either a paved road, a graveled road, dirt, mud, bushes…all sorts of hazards that can rip up your hands unless they’re properly protected. Gloves serve another purpose as well, of course. If you’re heading down the trail your hands will get sweaty which could cause problems keeping your hands on your bike grips. Wearing gloves eliminates that problem.

Mountain biking shoes

These days there’s a shoe made for every sport under the sun, including that of mountain biking. The main difference in mountain bike shoes is the type of sole – designed for the different types of pedals out there: with clips or clipless. The clipless type of pedal requires that your shoes be fitted with special cleats. The shoes need to be durable and comfortable.

Trail repair kit
Regardless of what type of biking you do, it always makes sense to carry a bicycle repair kit with you. However, you can ‘get away’ with not carrying one if you ride on the streets of your city. You’ll just be a phone call away from someone who can come and help you if you have a flat, after all. It’s not that easy if you’re out in the woods and your cell phone doesn’t work. Always have a a multi-tool designed for bike repair, tire levers, and a patch kit for fixing flat tires. However, having a repair kit will do you little good if you don’t know how to use the tools! So make sure that after you purchase your kit you familiarize with each of the tools and how to use them! It’s easy once you know how.

Here, then, are some simple ways to determine what to look for when choosing your mens mountain bike. First, you need to make sure the bike is the proper size for you. This is done by measuring the seat tube – the part of the frame that runs from the bottom bracket to the post holding the seat; these are typically between 15 and 22 inches. Ideally you will be present when choosing your mountain bike as you want to ensure a good fit, too large and you run the risk of losing control of the bike at the wrong time, too small and peddling can become quite a problem. To that end, you should straddle the bike with your feet flat on the floor, if the fit is proper, then you should have around 2 to 3 inches of clearance above the bar.

Once you have the correct size, you want to make sure the brakes are of a quality that they will not squeak or cease working in wet, sandy or muddy conditions – ideally, disc brakes are the best solution here. In addition, you want to make sure your suspension and forks can handle anything the road may throw your way. There is nothing worse than riding your mens mountain bike, enjoying the day and then blowing your suspension on a particularly rough patch of trail, potentially leaving you to walk miles carrying your bike.

Riding a mountain bike for exercise can improve your overall health by increasing your strength, balance, flexibility and providing a complete cardiovascular workout all while working your muscles. Having a proper mens mountain bike will make the ride much more enjoyable and by using the guidelines above, you can ensure you will choose a bike that will help make that so.

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