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Advice for Beginner Mountain Bikers

April 17, 2019 by NTX Trails 3 Comments

Advice for Beginner Mountain Bikers
As of the time of this article, I’ve been riding North Texas trails for about two years and have begun to consider myself something of an intermediate-level rider. I thought it was time to share what I’ve learned with newbies who’ve just started out and help them along their MTB journey. My hope here is to strip away all the jargon and make getting started mountain biking as straightforward and easy as possible.

Advice for Beginner Mountain Bikers

Don’t Go Alone

Knowing how mountain biking culture operates, I think there’s better than a 50% chance that you started mountain biking due to the influence of someone else. If this describes you then you’ve already got a riding buddy or two willing to take you out on rides fairly often. I’m not saying you should never ride alone—you definitely should—but in the early days it’s always a great idea to ride with others often. So, if you don’t have an MTB-addicted friend you can spin with, find one soon.

There are many benefits to riding with an experienced rider. Not only can they help you with basic skills and show you the best lines to follow on the local trails, they’ll also have a better idea of what trails fit within your current skill level. You’ll simply enjoy the ride much more with friends. Not only will you enjoy the camaraderie, but you’ll also feel better about pushing your limits in the company of others. Almost all of the more difficult trail features I’ve conquered were done in the presence of friends. Not only did I feel better about taking risks—knowing I had help if necessary—but those with more skill and experience could demonstrate how to ride those features.

Beyond riding often with friends, you should also go to beginner clinics and attend group rides. Notice I said clinics plural. That’s right, my suggestion is that you attend beginner clinics multiple times. Not only will you get added instruction and reinforcement, but you’ll also get to see just how far you’ve progressed over time. You should also join your local MTB club and keep abreast of all the latest clinics, group rides, and events. The more you attend, the better a rider you’ll become.

Advice for Beginner Mountain Bikers

Borrow a Bike

Just about everyone who sticks it out with mountain biking quickly becomes addicted. It’s not uncommon for new riders to foolishly go out and lay down several thousand dollars on a new bike within weeks (if not days) of riding dirt for the first time. In fact, some are so foolish as to outlay that huge wad of cash before their first ride. The first time I road on a bike trail was at a beginner clinic at River Legacy. There was a group of co-workers there who’d gone all out—and not in a good way. Not only did they have matching jerseys made, they also had all bought full-carbon bikes—each one probably worth upwards of $5,000 each.

Needless to say, one dude in the group rode beyond his skills at Funtown and crashed—hard. I don’t know how much damage he did to his bike, but the front wheel was completely mangled. He also injured himself and ended up needing help from his buddies to walk back to the trail head. I heard something about going to the hospital as they walked way. Plus, since his bike was carbon, who knows what kind of unseen frame damage was inflicted on this brand new bike. It’s likely the guy never rode trail again.

Beyond the obvious “beginners shouldn’t buy a super-expensive bike,” there are other considerations at play here. Until you’ve ridden a while, how do you know what you like in a bike? What’s your riding style going to be? What gearing do you prefer? What handlebar width? What about hard tails versus full suspension frames? The list goes on.

Thankfully, I had a good friend talk me off the ledge of just going out and buying a bike and instead let me borrow his backup bike for several months. I was prepared to go out and spend about $500 on a bike and just call it a good day. In the end, his bike served me well. It was lighter, more capable, and had far better components than a $500 bike, AND it also helped me identify what I like and disliked as a rider. I discovered some physical limitations along the way—I have some fairly severe balance issues that I’ve had to work through—and certain bike features could help me mitigate those issues.

I ended up being patient and saving my money for the better part of a year to purchase a Trek Roscoe 8 for about $1,300. I specifically chose it for several different reasons, none of which I would have discovered if I’d just gone out and bought a bike right away. Now I’ve own a quality bike that is upgradable, dependable, and will last me for several years. Even better is the fact that I’ve got a bike that fits me perfectly, compensates for some of my balance issues, and is a pure joy to ride.

Advice for Beginner Mountain Bikers

Aquire Basic Gear

Now just because I cautioned you against going out and buying a brand new bike right away, or otherwise spending a huge chunk of money, that doesn’t mean you should skimp out on basic gear. At bare minimum you need a helmet and hydration. As long as you’re riding with more-experienced friends that’s all you absolutely need to get going.

You’ll soon find, however, that there’s quite a bit more gear you’ll want to have to make your rides more safe and enjoyable, as well as set you up to be self-sufficient when you start venturing out alone. It only takes scraping your hand against the bark of tree once to make you want to buy a good pair of riding gloves, and getting other various scrapes and bruises will make you look into purchasing additional protective gear. Don’t go crazy. Most of the time just a good pair of gloves is all the protective gear you’ll need beyond a helmet. As you get more adventurous and aggressive in your riding you may need to add more gear.

You probably know you need a good floor pump at home for airing up your tires. You don’t need anything fancy, but I highly suggest buying a pump that has an air pressure gauge. At first, you’ll probably use the tried-and-true method of squeezing your tires to see if there’s enough air in them. The more you ride, the more you’ll start experimenting with varying PSI levels (if your bike is set up tubeless), so a pump with a pressure gauge becomes a necessity.

As you start venturing out alone you’ll need to have a saddle bag or backpack with some basic tools and gear to keep your tires spinning in the event of a mechanical issue. If the bike you’re riding isn’t using a tubeless tire setup, you should get that setup done ASAP. You’ll thank me later. Once you’re running tubeless, you can keep some basics such CO2 inflators and tire plugs handy to keep you going in case you get a puncture. Even so, you should still carry a spare tube in your saddle bag in case you have a puncture so bad your sealant can’t plug the hole. Carrying a small hand pump—either attached to the frame or in a backpack—isn’t a bad idea either.

Other basic equipment to carry in your saddle bag includes tire levers, a multitool, a chain breaker, and some extra quick links. If you’ve got enough space—you’ll be surprised at how much you can cram into those little bags—I’d suggest some extra sealant and a basic first aid kit.

Lastly, as your rides get longer and you log more saddle time, don’t be surprised to find yourself shopping for a new chamois and some anti-chafing cream.

Advice for Beginner Mountain Bikers

Ride Often—Very Often

When I first borrowed my buddy’s bike, the first thing he instructed me to do was to start riding around the neighborhood. Honestly, so many new mountain bikers are folks who haven’t done too much in the way of physical activity for a while, and I was no exception. He knew that simply riding a couple of miles on the streets near my house would do me in, so there was no way I was ready for even the easiest local trail. I rode the neighborhood streets for about three months, extending my distance a little more each week until I could consistently log about 10 miles without feeling like I was going to fall over.

The next step was to hit some local gravel trails and roads to get an off-road-like feeling without worrying about technical features. Eventually I felt ready to hit a trail and attended the beginner clinic. Soon after, I was going trail riding as often as I could manage. My “home” trails became the Corinth and Frisco trails, both of which are somewhat beginner-friendly. From there, I accepted every invitation and opportunity that fit within my schedule to ride my bike with others, even when I felt completely out of my depth—which is very important.

Here’s the deal, if you ride only simple trails and nothing but simple trails, you’re not going to progress very far as a rider. Sure, you can gain and hone basic skills on those simple trails, and you may even become more physically fit as you ride, but that’s as far as you’ll go. Some riders are content with this. I’ve learned that there is a sort of sub-culture in the DFW MTB scene that is perfectly content to never ride any trail other than River Legacy—not including EKG/AED or Funtown. That’s cool. They enjoy their rides and it’s all they want to do.

That’s not me, and it’s probably not you either. Listen, I’m not saying that my ultimate goal as a rider is to be able to rip down the mountain at Redbull Rampage, or even something “easier” like the slopestyle course at Rotorua. Ultimately I’d like to be a skilled and fit enough cyclist to make regular trips to Northwest Arkansas and eventually complete the Whole Enchilada. I’ll never get there by not challenging myself, which means pushing my skills incrementally over time.

The more you ride—and the more variety of trails you ride—the more skills and fitness you earn. And that’s the key—you’ve got to earn it—and the only way to earn it is with more and more saddle time. The more you ride the faster you’ll gain confidence in yourself and learn to trust your bike. You’ll get better at properly shifting gears. You’ll take your riding to the next level and beyond.

But a quick word of warning. You will eventually hit the wall and have a ride so bad that you’ll seriously consider giving up and selling your bike. You’ll have a serious crash and get hurt badly enough you’ll be shaken to your core and need to rebuild your confidence. In fact, the crash might be so bad that you’re unable to ride for a while, so it might be difficult to psych yourself back up for a ride when you’re feeling better. Push through those down times and get back out there. You’ll be glad you did.

Just keep riding.

Advice for Beginner Mountain Bikers

Learn Trail Etiquette

Anyone who has read my articles for any length of time knows I harp on trail etiquette—a lot. There’s a reason why—a lot of reasons. I won’t go into all of them here, but suffice it to say that we’re extremely blessed to have hundreds of miles of trails in North Texas, and we should do everything we can to preserve those trails.

What do I mean? Some of our trails are on public lands managed by the Army Corps of Engineers, Texas Parks & Wildlife, and local counties or municipalities. These governmental entities have graciously allowed access to these lands with the provision that the land will be cared for appropriately and adequately. That means we have a responsibility to care for the trail and the surrounding land as best we can. Not only does our care help maintain and sustain the trails, but it shows the land managers that we are people who will act responsibly like rational, thinking adults.

This means not riding wet or closed trails, and learning how to otherwise properly care for the trail as we’re applying rubber to dirt. This also means going above and beyond when we’re able and volunteering for clean up and trail work days. The local clubs and stewards can’t maintain miles and miles of trail on their own—it takes large groups working together on a regular basis.

In addition, learn how to be an ambassador to the sport. Treat one another well and help fellow riders in need. Understand who has the right of way on the trails. Know the rules of the trail such as proper direction of travel and whether or not trail dogs or e-bikes are allowed. In essence, don’t be a selfish jerk.

Advice for Beginner Mountain Bikers

Embrace Your Fears

Related to pushing your skills and fitness as mentioned above, let’s acknowledge the fact that you’re going to get scared out on the trail at some point in the future. Every rider has certain technical features with which they struggle and you’re no exception. Just remember there’s no shame in walking—remember, the more you go out and ride the better you’ll get.

Don’t look at fear as a particularly negative experience. Fear is your survival instincts kicking in, which will lend you a certain level of prudence. Fear will keep you from attempting technical features such as jumps and drops that are too far outside your skills and comfort level. Again, this is why it’s a great idea to ride with friends and other experienced riders. Their presence will give you added confidence as well as show you how to approach those technical features.

The problem is when you let fear choke you to the point that you’re unwilling to push yourself. Don’t ever ride your bike with the intent of avoiding a crash. You will crash, so embrace that fact and move forward. Worrying about crashing will make you ride timidly which will in turn increase the likelihood of a crash occurring. Ride for any amount of time and you’ll quickly learn that speed is often your friend. Many technical obstacles are easier to ride when attacked and approached with speed. Yes, you need to learn how to properly handle your bike, but once you do you’ll find that rocks and roots almost seems to melt away at speed—your bike seems to float over the gnar.

Start small with technical features that are just outside your comfort zone and work your way up to larger features. Ride trails that are beyond your current skill set, even if you end up walking large segments of the trail. You’ll find that the next time you see an obstacle that was just beyond your comfort and skill that it appears smaller—simply because you put your eyes on a larger, harder feature. Now, you’ll be more willing to roll over that feature that gave you fits last time you saw it.

Advice for Beginner Mountain Bikers

Enjoy the Ride

I said it in my last post, and I’ll say it again. If you’re not having fun out on your rides, then you’re doing it wrong. Get out there and enjoy yourself, whatever that looks like for you. Some love riding fast. Some love riding the jankiest line possible. Some just enjoy getting out of the house for and hour or two and don’t care about speed, difficulty, or anything else.

All of those are great options. Just go out and ride!

What’s Up with Presta Valves?

December 11, 2018 by NTX Trails 2 Comments

What's Up with Presta Valves?
If you’re relatively new to mountain biking and either recently purchased a new bike—or are considering a purchase—you’ve probably noticed that some bikes use a strange-looking, skinny valve on the tires. These are called Presta valves, and in many ways they are far superior to the old-style valves you probably remember from your childhood bike.

Presta vs Schrader

What's Up with Presta Valves? Schrader valves are the type you see on automobile tires. A Schrader valve is wider than a Presta valve and is wrapped in rubber all the way up to the threaded end. There’s a pin in the center that must be depressed to open the valve to add or release air. A spring in the valve’s core keeps it all sealed up tight. You may still find these types of valves on lower-end mountain bikes—especially those that are not tubeless-ready.

What's Up with Presta Valves? Presta valves are long and thin, tapering at the top. The valve is made almost completely of metal and not wrapped in rubber. These valves are threaded up and down their entire length and are secured to the bike wheel by ring-shaped nut. There is also a knurled nut at the top end of the valve that must be unscrewed to open the valve in order to add or release air. These valves are always found on road and high-performance bikes because they can hold much higher air pressures than Schrader valves. Presta valves are also common on mid to high-end mountain bikes—especially if those bikes are either tubeless-ready or set up tubeless by the factory.

Why Presta for Mountain Bikes?

So you’re probably asking yourself, “If Presta valves are made to hold higher pressures, but tubeless mountain bike tires can run lower pressures, why use a Presta valve at all?”

That’s actually a great question, and the answers are not obvious to those unfamiliar with the intricacies of Presta valves. Here’s a quick rundown of why Presta valves are great for mountain bikes:

  • Easier Inflation: Unlike Schrader valves, Presta valves have no valve spring to overcome. This makes inflation with a floor or hand pump a cinch.
  • Stronger Wheels: Because the Presta valve has a smaller diameter than a Schrader valve, the hole drilled into the wheel is smaller. This allows for narrow wheels to maintain sufficient strength.
  • What's Up with Presta Valves?
    Presta Valve Core Removal Tool
    Easy Maintenance: Almost all Presta valves on today’s tubeless setups have removable valve cores. This means when the core goes bad you can just swap out a new one. Additionally, if the entire valve goes bad, you can simply unscrew the nut on the valve shaft and replace the whole thing in minutes.
  • Sealant Refresh: To refresh the sealant in a tubeless tire—without needing to unseat the tire from the bead—you can simply remove the valve core and inject new sealant.
  • Fewer Sticky Valves: Because of the Presta valve’s design not including a valve spring, there’s less for your sealant to gum up.
  • Multiple Stem Lengths: If you need or want a longer valve stem, Presta valves come in lengths from 32mm up to 60mm.

Not everyone out there loves Presta valves. One writer at Bike Radar thinks manufacturers should all move back to Schrader valves due to several factors—from the fragile nature of the thinner valves to the need for a different type of pump head.

What do you think about the advantages and disadvantages of Presta valves for mountain biking? We’d love to hear from you in the comments.

Have fun, ride smart, and keep shredding!

Image by Peter.shaman – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link

The NTX Trails 2018 Christmas Gift Guide

December 4, 2018 by NTX Trails Leave a Comment

The NTX Trails 2018 Christmas Gift Guide
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means, at no cost to you, NTX Trails will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Your support of NTX Trails helps keep this site alive and up to date!

Do you have a mountain biker in your household for whom you struggle to buy gifts that are both fun and useful? You’ve come to the right place! It’s time for the NTX Trails 2018 MTB Gift Guide.

Below you’ll find several different categories of gifts in multiple price levels from very affordable to possibly ludicrous. No matter what you choose from the list below, you’re sure to warm your mountain biker’s heart.

Apparel

SockGuy Sriracha Socks—about $15.
Does your MTBer love spicy foods? You can’t go wrong with a pair of Sriracha Socks from SockGuy!
The NTX Trails 2018 Christmas Gift Guide

NTX Trails T-Shirts!—$19.99
Get an NTX Trails T-Shirt before they sell out. They’re sure to become a collector’s item. 😉
The NTX Trails 2018 Christmas Gift Guide

Endura Singletrack Jacket II—$169.99
For the trail rider who wants to be prepared for just about any weather conditions.
The NTX Trails 2018 Christmas Gift Guide

Tools

Crankbrothers B-Series B14 Multitool—$12
Crankbrothers often sets the standard for compact and well-built bike tools, and the B14 is no exception. The B14 is a great starter multitool for any MTB that doesn’t already have one.
The NTX Trails 2018 Christmas Gift Guide

Wera Multicolor Ball End L-Key Set—$35
These beautiful hex keys would make a nice addition to any mountain biker’s workshop. The color-coding is a nice touch, and the ball-end Allen keys make wrenching even easier.
The NTX Trails 2018 Christmas Gift Guide

Park Tool PK-3 Professional Tool Kit—$735
For the serious home bike mechanic you can’t go wrong with a set of the tools many professional bike builders and mechanics use to get stuff done.
The NTX Trails 2018 Christmas Gift Guide

Accessories

Mucky Nutz Fender—$9
Though we don’t ride muddy trail here in the NTX, your favorite MTBer may want to head to Gnarkansas or somewhere else where the trails are rain-friendly. Set them up with the versatile Mucky Nutz mudgaurd.
The NTX Trails 2018 Christmas Gift Guide

Piggy On Bike Storage—$36
For the mountain biker who doesn’t want to use a saddle bag, or just needs a little extra storage room. The Piggy snugly holds a tube and some tools beneath the bottle cage.
The NTX Trails 2018 Christmas Gift Guide

Silca Pocket Impero Pump—$120
The Silca Pocket Impero hand pump is one of the smallest pumps money can buy. It weighs in at 5.3 oz, is only 8 in long, and promises high pressure and high volume packed into a long-lasting package.
The NTX Trails 2018 Christmas Gift Guide

Tech

PEET Shoe Dryer—$40
There’s not much worse than a pair of dank, smelly shoes—except for soggy shoes at the beginning of the next ride. Help your rider keep their feet comfortable, healthy, and dry with this shoes dryer.
The NTX Trails 2018 Christmas Gift Guide
Wahoo ELEMNT GPS Bike Computer—$324
Chances are your MTB-addicted loved one already has a bike computer to track their rides. Set them up with what is arguably the best bike computer around.
The NTX Trails 2018 Christmas Gift Guide

Wahoo Kickr Smart Trainer and Kickr Climb Indoor Grade Simulator—$1,800
Nobody really like riding indoors, but for that MTBer who wants to stay fresh and in shape when the trails are closed, there’s nothing closer to the real thing than this combo from Wahoo when used with a Zwift membership.

The NTX Trails 2018 Christmas Gift Guide The NTX Trails 2018 Christmas Gift Guide

Bike Bling

KustomCaps Custom Headset Cap—$13
One of the least expensive and coolest ways to customize a mountain bike is with a custom headset cap. You can grab one from KustomCaps in a variety of colors and put your own art on it!
The NTX Trails 2018 Christmas Gift Guide

KMC X11SL 11-Speed Chain—$80 to $120
For the MTBer who not only wants a high-quality chain driving their bike down the trail, but wants to match the paint job as well, this KMC monster chain is just the ticket.
The NTX Trails 2018 Christmas Gift Guide

Magura Vyron Wireless Dropper Post—$500
For the mountain biker who truly has everything both on and off the bike, it’s time to take their bike tech to the next level with the Magura Vyron Wireless Dropper post.
The NTX Trails 2018 Christmas Gift Guide

How Do I Protect Myself on Mountain Bike Rides?

November 13, 2018 by NTX Trails 1 Comment

How Do I Protect Myself on Mountain Bike Rides?

Before you make some assumptions based on the title of this post, no, we’re not talking about how to carry a concealed weapon to protect yourself that way. We’re referring to protective gear such as helmets and knee pads. Like many physical sporting activities, there’s a certain minimal amount of protective gear you should wear in order to adequately protect yourself. But how much do you really need? What’s the absolute minimum you can get away with wearing and what are some good items to consider adding to your stash?

We’re going to break down all the kit you should consider for protecting yourself on the trail, literally from head to toe.

Head and Face Protection

How Do I Protect Myself on Mountain Bike Rides? It should go without saying that should always wear a helmet while riding your bike—especially on an off-road trail. Seriously, if you’re not smart enough to know this and understand the risk of concussion or traumatic brain injury that could occur during even a small crash, then you might as well not read the rest of this post. In fact, do yourself a favor and sell your bike if you refuse to wear a helmet. Otherwise, we go in depth on helmets in our post How Do I Choose a Good Mountain Bike Helmet?

After your helmet, eye protection could be considered the second most important piece of protective gear to wear while off-road cycling. Take a moment and think about how easy your eye is to damage and then consider how fast you’re moving down a trail lined with tree branches sticking out all different directions. There’s no need to buy a pair of downhill goggles for any trail in North Texas, but a quality pair of protective lenses will save your eyes from everything from bugs and small face-slappers to large branches and rocks kicked up by someone shredding in front of you. For the budget conscious, start out with a pair of protective glasses from Lowe’s or Home Depot. You can get a pair of polarized lenses for under $20.

Torso, Arms, and Hands

When it comes to your torso you can purchase full upper body armor, but there’s really no need for it on any North Texas trails. Having said that—if you can put up with the extra heat in the summer and don’t mind the extra weight and restrictive nature of body armor—we can see why a newbie might want to buy some to gain some extra confidence on the trail while skill building. If you know you’re less likely to get hurt you’ll probably be willing to push yourself a little further. Having said that, don’t push yourself too far. Have patience, the skills will come with saddle time.

For your arms, you’ve got a lot of options. A good first step is a pair of simple arm sleeves or a long-sleeved jersey that will protect you from branches slapping at your arms as you ride the trail, and even lessen the severity of bark tattoos when you get too close to those trees. The next step would be to purchase a pair of elbow pads to protect a joint that seems prone to injury in some riders. When looking for a good pair of elbow pads, be prepared to pay a decent chunk of money to find a pair that not only offers adequate protection, but also breathes well, stays in place, and doesn’t restrict your arm movement too much.

To protect your hands, you obviously need a good pair of gloves. Whether you choose to go fingerless or full finger is up to you. We go in depth on gloves in our post Why Do I Need Mountain Bike Gloves?

Hips, Upper Legs, Knees, and Private Areas

How Do I Protect Myself on Mountain Bike Rides? Similar to upper body armor, protective undershorts are available which place extra protective padding and reinforcement around the waist, hips, and upper thighs. As with upper body armor, there’s typically no need for so much extra protect here in North Texas, but newbies or riders in need of extra support may benefit from the confidence the added protection brings.

As for your…ahem…sensitive area down there, check out our post What’s Up with Cycling Chamois?

When it comes to your knees there are a lot of factors to consider. Are you looking for simple abrasion protection? If so, then a thin base layer will do the job just as arm sleeves will for your arms. Do you want protection from impacts while riding or crashing? The same rules apply as with elbow pads: a quality pair of knee pads that offer adequate protection, don’t restrict movement, breathe well, stay in place, and don’t contribute to chafing are going to cost you upwards of $100 or more. Beyond that, if you’re looking for knee support due to a knee injury or otherwise bad knees, we suggest getting the advice of a professional.

Shins, Ankles, and Feet

How Do I Protect Myself on Mountain Bike Rides? As with the upper legs, a simple base layer is going to protect your legs from most non-crash abrasions. For increased protection, especially if you like to ride hard and fast through the gnarliest rock gardens North Texas has to offer, you might want to consider a pair of shin pads or shin guards. Something else to consider is, if you’re already rocking knee pads, you can purchase combination knee pads and shin guards. Again, you’re going to pay for quality, but we’ve heard that these types of combination guards actually stay in place better than knee pads alone.

Most riders don’t need protection per se around the ankles, though you can buy braces specifically designed for mountain bikers. What most riders really need are simply long socks. How long is up to you, but we suggest at least mid calf or higher. The higher your socks, the more abrasion protection you get between your ankles and knees.

Finally, a high-quality pair of shoes is a no-brainer when shredding your favorite trail. It doesn’t matter whether you ride flats or clipped in, you can find a great pair of mountain bike-specific shoes in a wide variety of price ranges. Brands such as Giro, FiveTen and others make shoes in both flat and clipless versions, so it’s hard to go wrong in this department. Keep in mind that we don’t suggest just riding in any old pair of tennis shoes or sneakers if you ride flats. Trust us, it’s either not going to go well for you in the long run or you’ll eventually get frustrated that your cheap shoes are actually holding you back from taking your skills to the next level.

Additional Gear

All of the above gear is great for helping prevent physical hard on your ride, but there are additional items we think you should consider carrying when you launch from the trail head:

  • Cell Phone—Don’t ever head out without your phone, even if you’re not sure you’re going to have a signal wherever you end up. If you do have a signal, you can call 911 or a friend if you get into trouble. Pay attention to trail markers and signs so you can tell emergency responders your approximate trail location. In addition, it’s always a good idea to let someone know to come look for you if you don’t show up after a certain amount of time, or can’t be reached via phone.
  • RoadID—We love RoadID and recommend never going on a ride without wearing one. They’re inexpensive, comfortable, and alert emergency responders to your identity and preexisting medical conditions you might have in case you’re unresponsive after a crash.
  • RoadID app or Strava Beacon—When riding alone, or in a remote enough area where getting separated from riding buddies is a real possibility, these apps can alert others if you get into trouble. We personally use RoadID and have it set to send out an alert to friends and family if we stop moving for more than five minutes. The app uses GPS to track us during the ride—so your chosen contacts can view your ride and location in progress—and sends out your last known location if you stop moving for too long. That way, friends and family can alert emergency responders with your location and/or come looking for you themselves.
  • First Aid Kit—You should always ride with at least a simple first aid kit. Grab yourself a Ziplock baggie and throw in some band aids, antiseptics wipes, and maybe some anti itch cream. We’ve even known a few riders here in snake-infested North Texas that ride with a snakebite kit during the warmer months. It’s rare, but riders can get struck by an angry or startled venomous snake out on the trail.
  • A Riding Buddy—The best protective gear is not gear at all, it’s a trusted friend that you enjoy hanging out with. Not only is riding with friends fun, but you’ll push each other’s skills and attempt harder technical trail features when you know your buddy is there to scrape you up off the ground. Seriously, when you get into trouble, the best protection is someone present to help you if necessary.

What have we missed that should be on this list of protective gear? Let us know in the comments.

Have fun, ride smart, and keep shredding!

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