I want to try mountain biking, now what?

Authored by Kaden Ambassador Kristy Brown. 

So you’ve been toying with the idea of trying mountain biking, now what? Maybe you are new to an area and see how much fun people around you are having with it or maybe you are looking to try a new sport after an injury or another unexpected change. No matter your “why,” mountain biking is an adventure for anyone to start almost any time in life! You just need a few things to get started and this post will walk you through where to start, how to find other people to ride with, and explain what you need to be ready to ride.

Where do I start?

You need a bike, the most critical equipment to start this sport. I strongly suggest trying one from a friend or renting/demoing one from a local bike shop. There are two main types of mountain bikes, hard tail (shock in front only) and full suspension (shocks in front and rear). Some people will encourage you to start with a hard tail before a full suspension as they ride very differently. My very non-professional advice is to try a bike that FITS you, that is the most critical thing. It is also good to try one that is in a price range that is accessible to you in case you may want to buy something similar after you try it.

Where do I go mountain biking?

Find a place to ride that has beginner terrain and ideally go with someone who knows the trail system. This will likely mean it doesn’t have high amounts of elevation change. Check out the app Trail Forks, which has a free option where you can look up local trails and see the details of the networks. Most trail systems use a color coding to help delineate trail difficulty; green = easy/beginner, blue = medium/intermediate, black or red = difficult/expert. Ask around; again, the local bike shop will have good info on the trail systems in your area. Social media is also a really good way to find out about which trails to try.

Who do I mountain bike with?

Have you ever had a friend or partner “teach” you to ski or do another sport? You know, where they have you put on the equipment, get you to the top of the mountain or <insert location here> for sport and just say “go!”? You REALLY want to avoid that with mountain biking, it is incredibly fun but can be a high risk sport. Be smart and keep the risks to a minimum for the first couple of rides.

If you don’t know anyone who can take you, find a beginner group ride. Your local bike shop can point you to the options in your area, which hopefully there are many. Though it may feel SUPER scary at first, GO! I can promise you that 99% of the people on those rides are usually really excited to see someone new to the sport and will be VERY kind and generous with their skills/knowledge. It can feel a bit like a 6th grade dance level of awkwardness but taking the risk to meet others who like this sport is the best way to fall in love with it yourself.

What else do I need to get started with mountain biking?

Critical equipment is the bike, as noted above. The only other requirement is a bike helmet in good order, one that is less than 5 years old and has a good fit. That means it sits just above your eyebrows when level, can tighten down and not slide around on your head.

You can go way overboard with the other gear but I think having comfortable clothing designed for the sport is really helpful, though not required for your first ride. If you get into the sport, you’ll want to invest in a good ‘kit,’ breathable material shirt and shorts. To help keep your saddle area comfortable, padded bike shorts, aka chamois (pronounced shammy) are great to get early in your riding. Mountain bike specific clothing can be expensive BUT the investment is worth it for something you may be doing for hours at a time, multiple times per week.

Other important things to have for your ride include water, snacks, bug spray. The list can go on and on but really the MOST important thing is a good attitude and open mind to learning, maybe struggling and finding joy in the process. Hope to see you on the trails!