First of all, don't be intimidated by action shots of pros riding $12,000 bikes. There's plenty to enjoy and gain from mountain biking as a newbie, without spending insane amounts of money. In this post, I'll cover some basics learned from my own 30 years of mountain biking to help you get on the path of a thrilling and rewarding activity.
What is mountain biking?
Put simply, it's riding bicycles on predominantly natural-surface trails such as rutted dual track, tight single track, desert slick rock, and snowy winter tracks. Generally speaking, the steepness of a trail determines what kind of bike is most suitable. Long, technical descents with drop-offs and jumps is where beefy downhill bikes with long-travel suspension can make the difference between riding and walking. When you need to pedal uphill on relatively smooth trails over long distances, a flyweight cross-country bike is the best tool for the job. If your trails are covered in deep sand or snow, a fat bike with wide, low-pressure tires can make cycling not only possible, but fun. In between are countless variations of bike designs, riding styles, and trail types to optimize different aspects of the sport and cater to different riding interests.
For the purposes of this post, I'll focus on what's called "cross country" or "XC" mountain biking, as it's the least extreme of the variations and therefore a great entry point to build basic skills, fitness, and confidence, without entailing intimidating equipment and costs. I include fat biking on snow in the XC category, because the challenges are similar (perhaps even easier) and it's a fantastic way to get into mountain biking if you're stuck somewhere with long, snowy winters.
Why ride?
Swooping along a single-track trail, under your own power, is exhilarating. Over time, you build fitness and dexterity, enabling you to flow over and around obstacles like rocks, logs, puddles, etc. without hesitation, adding to the thrill. Tight trails magnify the impression of speed and allow a lot of fun to be condensed into a small area. The whole experience is tremendously liberating for your mind and body. The technical aspects force you to focus on the immediate here and now, pushing all the other daily stresses from your mind.
Mountain biking is also a highly social activity. In the North-East, popular trail networks like
Valley Bras du Nord or
Kingdom Trails can attract hundreds or even thousands of riders in a weekend, yet are extensive enough that groups of friends can ride and talk together without congestion. Popular riding areas often cater to mountain bikers with good accommodations, bike shops, post-ride food and beer, too.
What kind of bike do you need?
If you plan to ride mainly in the summer, look for a "cross country" or "trail" mountain bike. These designs do not need to withstand the forces of punishing, steep terrain, and therefore can be built at a lower cost. For instance, while front and rear suspension is desirable as it allows you to tackle rougher terrain, a hardtail design (no rear suspension) may suffice on smoother trails and eliminates significant weight, complexity, and cost.
Wheels size is another major variable in today's mountain bikes. Generally speaking, the larger the wheel diameter, the easier and faster it rolls over obstacles like roots and gravel. However, smaller diameter wheels are inherently stronger and more maneuverable. Consequently, modern cross-country and trail bikes tend to use 29" wheels, whereas bikes for downhill or extreme terrain typically use 27.5" wheels. If you're tall or over about 5'6", I recommend looking for a "29er" as its traction and ability to smooth out trail bumps can help you build confidence quickly. However, for riders under 5'6", it's harder to make a smaller bike with 29" wheels that handles well. As a result, some of the smaller bikes adopt 27.5" wheels to achieve both fit and handling. The original mountain bike wheel size, 26", is best avoided today. Most of the industry has long since moved on to 27.5" and 29" wheels, so you will likely face problems getting parts for an older bike with 26" wheels.
Many bike manufacturers offer designs specific to fit women, who generally have shorter torsos (and therefore reach) than men of a given height. Usually the key differences are reflected in the frame geometry, which is fundamental to fit. You can fine-tune fit by adjusting seat height and position, and swapping out components such as the bar stem and handlebar to change their lengths, but major changes to these variables may detract from the bike's handling. This is why it's important to choose the right frame size as a starting point. A good bike shop can help you identify your frame size.
Frame materials for modern mountain bikes are mainly aluminum, carbon fibre, or a combination of the two. Aluminum is a proven, mature material in the bike industry. Excellent value can be achieved by selecting a bike with an aluminum frame, so that more of the cost can go towards better (more durable, lighter) components on the bike. Carbon fibre offers lighter weight, vibration damping, and highly tunable performance but at much higher cost.
When you're just starting out, a second-hand bike can make an excellent choice to learn what you like to ride without breaking the bank. Mountain bikers tend to be gear weenies, with many upgrading their rides every 3-4 years (or sooner) to take advantage of the latest advancements in components and fashions. Unless they've completely thrashed their bike (uncommon with XC or Trail bikes; common with downhill bikes), you can often find a great deal that only needs a tune up and perhaps some common parts that are easily replaced (e.g. chain, cassette, brake pads, fork seals) to make the bike ride like new. Late summer is also a great time to buy a new bike, as shops are often trying to clear out their seasonal inventory.
To find a bike, start with a reputable bike shop and scour the classified postings on your local Facebook groups for mountain bikers. Anywhere there's a local chapter of the International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) or a managed trail network will almost certainly have a vibrant market of good, used bikes and parts. Asking around can turn up some great deals.
Other recommended equipment
- Helmet. Many managed trail networks require riders to wear helmets for insurance and liability reasons. There are great helmet options available that don't look overly dorky and weigh hardly anything. Large vents are recommended, as is a "peak" to help shield your eyes from the sun, branches, bugs, and grit. If you're building skills, you're going to come off your bike--it's when, not if. And you'll probably find yourself upside down on rocks. A helmet will save your head.
- Gloves. Full-finger gloves protect your hands when you bail, improve grip when you sweat, and reduce the effects of vibration.
- Riding shorts. Baggies give you freedom of movement, protect you from branches and in a wipeout, and act as a friction-reducing "slip" layer when worn over conventional (chamois butt-padded) riding shorts.
- Riding shoes. Mountain biking shoes come in two main flavors: flat, grippy rubber soles to be used with flat pedals, and treaded soles with cleats for clip-in pedals. Both versions incorporate fairly rigid sole plates which improves pedal efficiency and control while reducing fatigue. For this reason alone, riding shoes are highly recommended. Whether you choose cleated or uncleated pedals is personal choice. If you're not sure, I recommend starting with uncleated shoes and flat pedals, as it makes it easy to start and stop, and it forces you to develop good balance and technique from the outset. Cleated pedals that force you to clip in allow you to deliver more power to the wheel, but require practice to learn how to clip and unclip smoothly and quickly to avoid getting caught in your bike.
- Sunglasses. At minimum, a pair of clear lenses is essential to prevent grit and branches from getting in your eyes. Different colored lenses (e.g. yellow, pink) can improve contrast and visibility of trails in low-light conditions.
- Hydration pack. This isn't essential, but is so handy I rarely ride without one. Use it to store snacks, water, tire repair kit, and tools.
- Tire repair kit. The simplest tire repair kit consists of a replacement inner tube of the correct size, one or two tire levers (the Park Tools blue levers are excellent), and a set of peel-and-stick patches (Park Tools makes a nice version), and a compact, high-volume bicycle pump. Note that bicycle air valves come in Schraeder style (same as used for car tires) and the slimmer Presta style. Inexpensive/old bikes are more likely to use Schraeder. Most riders now use Presta. Be sure to check which version you have, because your pump needs to fit it.
- Tools. Park Tools makes an inexpensive but excellent fold-out set of hex wrenches that is constantly handy to have. There are more elaborate tools out there, but in my experience, 95% of the time I can get by with only the 4, 5, and 6mm hex wrenches (and sometimes an 8mm).
- Floor pump. This is one of those items that may first seem like a luxury, but is quickly proven to be valuable when swapping tires, etc. Get one with a pressure gauge so you can see what the optimal pressure is for your weight, tires, and style of riding.
- Armour pads. There are many options for soft knee and elbow pads to take the sting out of wipeouts. Some of the soft options that use materials like D30 for impact protection are lightweight and comfortable to wear. I don't wear armour when mountain biking but lots of people do, so don't feel self-conscious.
Fat biking
Fat biking started out as a winter sport in Alaska and other northern regions. The large, low-pressure tires (typically ranging from 4-5" wide--similar to a motorcycle rear tire!--and 3-10 psi) make it possible to ride almost effortlessly on loose snow and sand with remarkable traction and control, where other bikes would simply bog down or be too hard to pedal.
Fat bikes are inherently simple machines: most have no suspension whatsoever and rely solely on the cushy tires to absorb the bumps. Fat bikes with suspension forks remain a minority, and full suspension bikes are still exotic, rare, and expensive. I ride a fully rigid, full carbon fat bike that I built myself from the hubs up. I wanted a lightweight bike, and at the generally lower speeds I attain in the snow, sacrificing some additional control (and undesired complexity) of a suspension fork was a reasonable tradeoff.
Fat biking has gained popularity in the summer as well. Personally, I'd rather ride my 29er in the summer because it's lighter and much (3-4x) faster. But if I could have only one bike, I'd consider a hard-tail fat bike because it can be ridden year-round. If you haven't tried fat biking, I highly recommend it, as it's a whole new sport and an absolute blast. Check if your local bike shop rents fat bikes so you can give it a try.
Tradeoffs in selecting a bike
Time for a rant: Bike prices have become astronomical in the past few years. I have a real problem with this, because with few exceptions, there has been very little fundamental innovation in the industry to justify the price increases. Most of the innovations have been essentially cosmetic, e.g. changing the size of components or their geometry for marketing reasons, but not changing the underlying science or technology in any profound way. Wheels still use wire spokes, hubs are still aluminum, chains are still made the same way, tires are still rubber, bearings are bearings. The trend towards carbon fibre is welcome because of the substantial performance improvements, but the technology (the resins and carbon, mould-making, etc.) is largely lifted from other industries (like aerospace and automotive) and has become commoditized. All modern design shops use the same computer aided design tools for structural and aerodynamic analysis, and manufacturing is largely done by the same massive factories in Taiwan and China where economies of scale are unbeatable.
Nevertheless, the cost of a top-tier bike today hovers around the $10-12k mark, whereas even 6 years ago it would've been around $6-7k. The top bike of today isn't twice the top bike of six years ago; it may ride a bit better, but the inherent costs are essentially the same. I feel like I'm getting ripped off for all that extra money. So the question is, how do you get most of the performance without spending most of the money?
- Choose an entry-level bike. Today's entry level bike from a major brand is still an excellent bike, because components, standards and quality have generally trickled down from higher price points, albeit with some delay. $1000-1500 gets a pretty decent starter bike that should last a few years before you outgrow it. From there, a mid-tier bike ($1500-3500) will offer significant performance improvement (generally, better suspension and components) and lighter weight. From this point up, you're essentially paying to get more suspension (more adjustment, more travel), and lighter weight (better components). But unless you're fit and skilled, you are unlikely to benefit from the weight-savings that a more costly bike offers.
- Tires and wheels. These two factors account for a large part of how a bike feels and performs, yet it's often an area where manufacturers cut costs when putting a bike on the showroom floor. First, the hubs may have poor designs for the bearings and free hub, resulting in premature wear (especially in wet conditions), poor serviceability, and poor adjustability. Second, the rims are likely to be excessively heavy. Strong, light rims are more expensive to make, but they are important because they reduce weight in a key area: a large, spinning part. Upgrading wheels--particularly to a version that allows for tubeless tires--can profoundly enhance your riding experience.
- Bearings. Hidden away in your headset, crank, hubs, and suspension pivot points are ball bearings that should allow for smooth, play-free movement. Small/inexpensive bearing tend to wear out quickly or cannot be adjusted well, resulting in a bike that just doesn't roll smoothly or turn precisely where you aim it. If you're looking at a used bike, have someone inspect the bearings, as they can require some effort (and cost) to service properly.
- Suspension. Whether the front fork or rear shock, each component is designed to operate within a specific range of loaded weight (bike plus rider) and trail conditions (size, frequency of bumps). Designing and manufacturing suspension components that can adapt to a wide range of variables is more costly, so cheaper bikes tend to use parts that lack some adjustability. If you're unusually heavy, or riding particularly rough terrain, you will benefit from better-quality suspension components that can handle the higher demands. Tuning suspension to your set of requirements is a specialty science in itself, and best done with the input of someone who is experienced with it.
- Seat. Bike seats are designed to fit different types of bums. If you're a woman or a larger guy, you may want a wider design to better support your pelvic bones. Try different saddles to see what works best for you. Being comfortable (or at least, not in pain) on a bike is key to enjoying the sport. Yes, it's entirely possible, but it will required some patience and experimentation even once you get past the initial discomfort of getting used to being on a bike.
- Handle bars and grips. Cheaper bikes come with aluminum handle bars. A decent carbon fibre bars isn't expensive and can dramatically improve the handle and comfort of your ride. Same with bar grips. There's a wide variety of grip materials, shapes, and sizes to fit your mitts.
Go riding!
Find a local riding group to ride with and learn the basics. Usually these groups are subdivided by level of experience and speed, allowing you to find a pace and challenge appropriate to your ability. Sometimes people swap bikes with each other, so you can try different gear for a few minutes. Don't be afraid to push yourself a little past your comfort zone. This is how you learn, and you may discover you're capable of much more than you thought after only a short time.
