Have you ever wondered what equipment you need to start practicing Mountain Bike? Or how do you choose the bike that best suits your needs? Or maybe you want to learn some basic mechanics of the bike? Do not worry, because all you have to be clear is that you pedal. Having made this decision, this guide will help you learn everything you need to know about the Mountain Bike.
The basic
If you are a complete beginner, it may be difficult to make fully equipped for mountain biking. Therefore, the first thing to consider is the basic equipment that every Mountain Biker needs to start rolling.
1. The bicycle
A mountain bike is a true precision machine and complicated though it may seem otherwise. It is very important to choose a bike with the right size for our body, in relation to our height and our inseam measurement. A
common mistake among beginners is to buy a bike with the wrong size,
why can suffer injuries, poor posture and various pains, you certainly
end up with the illusion to continue rolling.
Most
shops specializing in mountain bikes are run by enthusiastic people of
Mountain Bike and cycling in general, and certainly will be responsible
for recommending the most effective of the right size for us. Of course, you probably also answer all the questions we can plantearles when buying a bike. Therefore, whenever possible is strongly advisable to seek advice at the store to avoid buying inadequate.What kind of bike to buy?
After this, the first question we have is: what kind of bike is best to get started? There are basically three types of mountain bikes:
Rigid: a rigid bike does not have any suspension. They
are lighter, cheaper, require less maintenance and not have to worry
about anything else other than cycling through the woods. But on roads with rocks, roots and other obstacles our control and comfort on the bike decreases considerably. A
hardtail would be preferable to a suspension bike with a very bad, and
if our budget is very tight, but it should never be our first choice.
Semi-rigid or hardtail: As the name suggests, are riding a bicycle front suspension fork shaped suspension. They are heavier than rigid bikes, but offer a lot more fun, comfort and efficiency when rolling down the mountain. A
new bike with decent suspension initiated into mountain biking may have
an approximate price of 450-500 euros, and should be our first choice
when purchasing the bike.
Double
or Full Suspension: full suspension bikes have, as the name suggests,
with suspension on both the front (fork) and rear (shock) of the
bicycle. They are more comfortable than the semi-rigid and allow roll over much more difficult terrain. The
downside is that they are very expensive (price above 1,000 euros for a
decent double) outweigh front suspension bikes (same range) and need a
little technical knowledge when adjusting the suspensions and perform basic maintenance. Not recommended for beginners in Mountain Bike.
After choosing the type of bike is best for us, we must assume the payment within the price range you're willing to pay. This price may be higher or lower depending on the model, bicycle brand range and we are watching.
In TodoMountainBike and ever explained why we should not buy a bike too cheap. The main problem is that this type of bike rides very low end components, completely impossible to adjust and bad quality. A
bicycle that does not meet a minimum quality finish probably stored
somewhere in our house, along with practicing Mountain Bike illusion.
Almost
all bicycle manufacturers are available to the client beginner mountain
biking several models very good to start the MTB. These
models, along with some quality components mounted, are made very
sturdy tables that will be most reliable when learning to roll down the
mountain without risk of breaking the bike in the first drop silly (or
important).? 26 or 29 inches? What about the right size bike?
The
current market trend in mountain bikes marks a generalized increase in
virtually all models 29er Mountain Bike manufacturers. Choose
between a bike wheel with 26 or 29 inch depend on several factors to
take into account, among which include the following, as a quick
summary:
Cyclists high: 29 inches
Cyclists lower: 26 inches
Rigid and 100mm. stroke or less: 29 inches
Full suspension and 100 to 120mm. of course: 29 inches
More than 130 mm. of course: 26 inches
Use in narrow and twisty trails: 26 inches
Use in open, rocky trails: 29 inches
Usage on fast trails or Racing: 29 inches
Looking
at the above, only left ourselves and look under our height and type of
use of the bicycle wheel to choose the most suitable size. Although
as always, the best option is to test the bike model we like in 26
inches and then test the 29-inch version, if available. If not, it's best to look for a similar model and test 29er.
As
for bicycles, as has been said before, remember that it is always very
important to choose the right size mountain bike for us. A correct choice will largely determine the success of our home in the mountain biking scene.
2. The hull
Practicing a sport Mountain Bike is very nice but not devoid of risks. It is always advisable to wear a helmet, because it can prevent many serious injuries and more than a disappointment. All
stores have different helmets from different manufacturers and prices,
and it is advisable to buy the helmet along with the bike, as an
indivisible package.
The
best we can do is let us advise by the seller of the store, but it does
not hurt to have a little knowledge about Mountain Bike helmets. You must have the right size so that we stay right on the head without feeling pressure. Proper
adjustment Mountain Bike Helmet We'll about a finger or two above the
eyebrows once placed, and once fastened not fluctuate or move
excessively to either side if we make head movements.
It
is also advisable to choose helmets that have good ventilation (more
holes, more ventilation), plus built-in anti-insect mesh and
micron-precision fasteners that will make the helmet fit a child's play.
The price, as well as bicycles, varies greatly depending on the model and manufacturer of the helmet range. But could apply a price of between 40 and 80 euros for a quality helmet suited to initiate us into Mountain Bike.
3. Gloves
Not
all Mountain Bikers choose to wear gloves between his equipment but
when we are starting out and are beginning to wear gloves is
recommended. If
we fall from the bike, the first thing we do is put your hands on the
floor and gloves will prevent our hands suffer more damage than a small
(or large, depends on our ease on the bike) blow.
Apart
from possible injury spare us the gloves dampen the vibrations of the
bike to roll and mitigate the pressure on our hands to grip the
handlebars. We
can find summer gloves with the fingers cut out for better ventilation,
and winter, fingers in place and full coverage of our hands.
The
most important thing when choosing gloves is sure to feature a
breathable fabric on the back-of-hand and a thicker tissue in the palm
of your hand. This
thick tissue favors the grip and gives more grip when taking the
handlebars, and offer better protection for the hand you certainly have
more numbers of support on the ground during a fall. Prices for quality gloves ideal to initiate us roughly between 10 and 20 euros.
4. Inflation pump, anti-puncture kit and multitool
Punctures in the Mountain Bike are inevitable. When it rolls down the mountain, there are many obstacles that can end up clicking a wheel of our bike. If
you do not want to have to go home with the bike in tow, it is
essential to take along a small inflation pump and anti-puncture kit
patching compound and special glue to repair any punctures of the
Mountain Bike.
In the market there are many different inflation pumps with very small sizes and high efficiency. We take subject to the bicycle frame by a suitable carrier or backpack behind us. Similarly, anti-puncture kits are very small and can fit in any pocket, besides being quite economical. We should not hesitate to ask your retailer about the options available for these products.
And finally, in the equipment of every beginner should be a multitool. These
handy tools are very similar to those Army Knives that abound in the
market and have multiple tools to perform repairs and adjustments to
your bicycle. We
should have a that has the most common tools: allen, torx, flat and
philips screwdriver and also a trail-repair chains incorporated to allow
the bicycle chain in case of breakage. We can easily find them for about 20 or 25 euros at any store specializing in cycling.
