Essential Gear for Mountain Biking

Video Transcript

"Hi, my name is Debbie, and I’ve been teaching beginner mountain biking for over ten years. This clip will be about essential gear for your average trail ride. First of all water. You want to be able to carry enough water to last the duration of your ride in a hydration pack, or a bottle on your bike. Second, you want a nice pair of gloves. Gloves accomplish a couple of things. The help you with the grip, most of them have padding on the inside. If you have carpel tunnel syndrome, having these strategic pads will help reduce the effects of carpel tunnel from the vibrations of the bike. The second most important thing about your gloves, is when you come off your bike, everyone sticks their hand out first. If you don’t have a glove on, you’re going to end up with gravel and sticks and a bloody hand. And that’s pretty icky, but something pretty easy to protect with a pair of gloves. Second is a pair of eye protection. These are an amber lens for shady condition. You can use a clear lens for night riding or a dark lens if you’re going to be out in the sun quite a bit. The most important aspect of your trail ride and protection is your helmet. When you hit the ground, if your head is heading towards the ground, you want the front of your helmet to hit the ground before your nose hits the ground. If you fall sideways, you’re gonna land on your shoulder and no matter what, your head’s gonna bang on the ground. You want the side of your helmet to hit the ground and not your head. These are your essential safety gear that you’re going to need for your entire trail rides, to be safe and comfortable while you are out trail riding. "