If you’ve decided to give mountain biking a try, that’s great! We love the sport and we’re sure you will, too. There’s nothing more exciting to us than welcoming a new mountain bike rider into the fold!

You might be a bit apprehensive about a few things concerning mountain biking (Will I die? Am I going to crash? Is this going to break the bank?), and we’re here to tell you; those concerns are all valid.

We’ll do our best to help calm your fears and give you the information you need to get started.

THINGS TO KNOW AS A NEW MOUNTAIN BIKE RIDER

1. You will crash. We’ll just get that one out of the way right now. Accidents, falls, scrapes, and bruises are all part of the experience, especially if you’re new to the sport. The more you ride and the more confident you feel on the bike, the less crashing there’ll be. But don’t think it won’t ever happen. Just pick yourself up and keep going.
2. It can be expensive. Bikes and gear are pricey, but that doesn’t mean you have to take out a mortgage on your house to be a mountain biker. Buy only the essential clothing and gear at the most reasonable price you can find and stick to bikes on the cheaper price scale, or buy second-hand if you can.
3. You don’t have to be super fit to be a mountain biker, but it can be a physically taxing endeavour. Mountain biking is a sport after all, and any sport requires endurance and fitness. You might find it hard if you aren’t fit or haven’t really exercised much, work out on the days that you aren’t riding to maintain and improve your strength and stamina off the bike. All of this adds to your experience on the bike and makes you a better rider.
4. You won’t want to do anything else. Once the MTB bug bites, it’ll be tickets for your free time and weekends. You’ll be hitting the trails every chance you get, and you’ll love it. You might want to include your friends and family because they’ll be seeing a lot less of you!

DO YOU NEED SPECIAL SKILLS TO BE A MOUNTAIN BIKER?

Not really. Unless you count these as skills:

• Time. You’ll need an hour a day or at least three to four hours on the weekends to spend on the bike as well as strength training.

• Patience and drive to keep going when you feel like you aren’t where you want to be.

• The propensity to learn how to fix basic bike issues when you’re out on a trail.

• The ability to commit to a consistent training program.

• The courage to try a new sport!

WHAT GEAR DO YOU NEED AS A NEW MOUNTAIN BIKER?

Ah, the gear. This is where some people get totally confused and overwhelmed, but it’s really not that bad!

First, you’ll need a bike.

The type of bike you should get really depends on the type of riding you want to do. We won’t go into all the different types of mountain biking, because we’ve covered that topic in a previous post here, and a simple Google search will bring up so many awesome articles that break it down.

Essentially, you’ll be choosing between a hardtail or full-suspension bike, the right bike frame size according to your height, and the right wheel size for the riding you’ll be doing. Discuss these points with an employee at any reputable mountain bike shop to help you find the perfect bike.

Also remember to pay attention to your saddle height, tyre pressure, suspension, chain lube, and basic bike maintenance.

Next, you’ll look at gear.

The most essential piece of gear you’re going to look for is a good quality helmet that fits your head just right.

Don’t buy expensive clothes to start with, just go for a comfortable, breathable fabric that isn’t too loose around your legs. You don’t want anything getting caught in the spokes of your wheel or hooked on your pedals.

Shoes. As a beginner, we don’t recommend getting clipless pedals and cleats as these take some getting used to. Any comfortable sports shoes, trainers, or cycling shoes will do.

Gloves. Your uncalloused hands will thank you.

Sunglasses. This isn’t a must-have in the beginning, but it helps.

A good set of spares and tools to fix common bike issues.

A backpack or storage space on your bike for your water bottle and snacks.

Water and healthy high-energy snacks that are easy to reach and eat on a bike.

The last one isn’t bike gear, but it’s kind of essential when it comes to getting you to and from events or the starting points of trails: a tailgate pad or bike carrier for your car. You won’t always be able to ride from your house to the trail and you’ll need to consider how you’re going to get yourself and your bicycle from A to B.

There you go, all the essential gear you need to start your adventure as a brand-new mountain biker.

Remember, these don’t have to break the bank so go for affordable options and upgrade as you go along.

WHERE DO I FIND APPROPRIATE TRAILS FOR NEW MOUNTAIN BIKE RIDERS?

South Africa has so many great places for mountain biking you could literally never run out of mountain biking trails even if you tried.

Our landscape is so beautiful and varied; mountain biking is the perfect way to see it up close and personal.

• A Google search will bring up a myriad of great lists of mountain bike trails and races, like this one and this one, and these down here:

https://www.firstcarrental.co.za/news/travel/top-10-mtb-trails-in-south-africa.html

https://www.komoot.com/guide/72227/mtb-trails-in-south-africa

https://www.singletracks.com/bike-trails/region/south-africa/

https://www.alltrails.com/south-africa/mountain-biking

• Contact your local MTB group to find out where the hottest events are.

• Strava is a good resource to find trails in your area according to the sport you’re doing.

HOW DO YOU GO FROM A ‘NEW’ RIDER TO A GOOD RIDER?

Not that new riders aren’t good riders, but you know what we mean!

The only way to improve is to keep doing it over and over again. Practice really does make perfect.

The more you ride, the more comfortable and confident you’ll feel on the bike. Take it slow and ride on easy trails alone or with a few friends, and increase the technicality and difficulty as and when you feel confident.

Work out a training program for yourself that includes equal parts riding time and strength training time. Stick to it and you’ll see results!

Ride in a group, and preferably with people that are better than you, you’ll learn a lot this way.

Enter a race that caters to novice riders. The mountain biking community is super welcoming and helpful, and the post-race camaraderie is the stuff of legend. You won’t be thrown to the wolves at a race and there will be people there to help you and cheer you on!

The Sabie Xperience, a three-day stage race set in the gorgeous forestry town of Sabie, has a Team & Solo Lite race that is perfect for people who aren’t totally comfortable or experienced on their bikes yet.

Believe in yourself! It sounds corny but it works. You might not feel like you can call yourself a mountain biker yet, but fake it ‘til you make it!