Must-Have Accessories for a Mountain Bike Ride
Proper gear is crucial for the safety and performance of youth mountain bikers. This guide covers essential items like hydration systems, repair tools, storage solutions, and protective equipment to ensure a smooth and safe riding experience. With the proper gear, young riders can focus on developing their skills and enjoying the adventure of mountain biking.
Hydration – An athlete requires fluid EVERY time they get on the bike. Having a water bottle cage on the bicycle and bottle will help keep the rider hydrated while exercising. Water bottles for cycling are designed differently from the 16oz water bottles you buy at the grocery/convenience store. Those store-bought water bottles do not fit in the bottle cages on the bikes and will fall off. In addition, they require you to unscrew the cap, something which is difficult to do, while riding on the trail. Get the sport-specific bottle and cage, for safety and health.
There are also hydration backpacks. These will have a water-filled “bladder” connected to a long tube that hangs over the rider’s shoulder. This allows the rider to drink on the trail without releasing the handlebars for too long, increasing the safety of the athlete.
Tubes and Tools – Flats are inevitable, so carrying a replacement tube and bike lever tools is essential. Make sure to get the correct tube size for your bike! Georgia Cycling student-athletes will have a coach to help them through the process during practice, but the coach does not supply a replacement. It is the responsibility of every student-athlete to have their own tubes and tools.
Remember the hydration backpack you read about above? Well, they often have storage compartments that can hold a spare tube. Alternatively, you can buy seat packs that will create storage for your tube. You may even see some people wrap the tube/tire levers on the frame of the bicycle.
Gear Storage Solutions - Just like any other sport, having a bag to carry gear will help ensure nothing is forgotten. Or you could use a bucket. A bucket? Yes, a bucket. It isn’t uncommon for mountain bikers to get a little dirty - sometimes downright muddy. Buckets are a great method for carrying clothes and equipment because if it gets muddy, you can just hose it out. A standard 5-gallon bucket will work. Another tip if you opt for a bucket, is to write an equipment checklist on the side of the bucket to make sure nothing is forgotten.
Glasses – Riding on the trails in the middle of summer will get dusty. After a rainstorm, mud can get kicked up by the bicycle in front of you. To help keep the eyes safe from grit a pair of riding glasses will help. Mountain bike sunglasses can be quite expensive so don’t feel you have to invest in a pricy pair of sunglasses. Most of the time student-athletes will be riding in the shade of a forest. So, a simple pair of safety glasses from the hardware store will give them protection at an affordable price.
Notice the additional rubberized fingers and thumbs (yellow circles) to help provide better control of brakes and shifters. Meanwhile, the fingerless gloves have padding in the palm (red circle) to help with numbness.
Gloves – An athlete’s hands will get tired and sweaty. Wearing gloves will help prevent a rider’s hands from slipping off. Many gloves will also provide some padding to help reduce numbness in the hands. Lastly, they also protect hands in case of falls, minimizing cuts and scrapes. Full-finger gloves are most commonly used for mountain biking but fingerless are used too. It is essential that the gloves are comfortable and are a snug, not tight, fit. You don’t want them too loose because it will impair the rider’s grip.
ABOUT THE CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR: Michel van Musschenbroek has been a volunteer with the Georgia Cycling Association since 2015. He is currently one of the coach trainers in the state and is a former provincial champion and nationally ranked speed skater. Entering his first cycling race in 1974, he had success competing in Road Races, Criteriums, and Track and was regional Time Trial and Criterium champion.