Archive for March, 2009

Essential Mountain Bike Gear

There are a some significant considerations you should establish no matter what skill level of mountain biking that you plan to participate in. Being organized when out on the mountain bike track is an unconditional must and an important guideline is to always take more mountain biking gear the further away from assistance you conspire to be.

The first consideration, for anyone planning on being active outdoors regardless of mountain biking or not, should be to have a well-stocked first aid kit. You can purchase biker specific first aid kits, that are purposefully designed to fit nicely in a small pack, under the seat or even in saddlebags. A well-stocked first aid kit will contain antiseptic, pain reliever, tensor bandages, band-aids, moleskin, and tweezers.

The second necessity is to have a mountain bike specific tool kit and there many options available as to the type of bike you have and the tools you want it to contain. The very basic tool kit should have the required tools needed to repair a flat tire and will fit nicely under your seat or in a saddlebag. Other tools to look for are an Allan key or small wrench, a chain breaker, a tire gauge, a Swiss army knife, and some strong tape.

Another highly recommended piece of mountain biking equipment to include is a spare mountain bike chain. Any experienced bikers know all to well how easy it is to bust a chain on the trail and the headache it can cause. Often a broken chain can be repaired but do not take the risk of being left without one.

Last but definitely not least is a portable air pump. These pumps come in numerous shapes and sizes and can be purchased specifically to fit your bike. Most can fit under the seat or in saddlebags, and often the repair kit includes one.

Each of these parts of gear are fashioned to be lightweight and easily stacked away on your bike. Never run a risk touring far from assistance without them since being ready with the correct mountain biking gear will spare you umpteen hours of frustration.