PERSONAL FITNESS ARTICLES

Mountain Biking Safety Equipment

This article reviews the mountain biking safety equipment you should have in order to get maximum enjoyment out of the sport of mountain biking ...

Mountain biking is a serious sport and you should always take the terrains you travel equally as serious. Before heading out on you biking trip, make sure you are properly prepared with all of the right clothing in terms of safety and comfort. The type of dress, of course, will depend on the length of your trip, but there are some essential pieces of equipment that you must have on any excursion.

The most important piece of biking equipment in mountain biking is your helmet. Most serious mountain bikers do not even question the necessity of wearing a good helmet, whether they are ultra serious stunt bikers or recreational mountain bikers. Going out without a helmet is just plain stupidity- one fall the wrong way could end not only your biking days but your lucid days forever. Don’t be one of the few people who take the chance of a serious head injury by going out without a helmet.

Serious bikers who like to go all-out on the trail or who like to attempt tricks and stunts might want to consider taking helmet safety one step further and choose a bike with a full face mask. Even a standard dirt biking mask will work really well in these situations, and the mask will protect your teeth in the event of a bad crash. A full mask will also have the benefit of goggles, protecting your eyes and mouth from flying rocks and dirt.  Additionally, many helmets that incorporate face masks- and this is especially true of the dirt-biking variety- offer some neck support with the bottom jaw protection.

Your head is the most vulnerable part of your body in any type of biking, and the next most vulnerable points are your knees. Cross country bikers do not have to worry as much about knee padding as do more extreme bikers, but even so, wearing knee pads is a good idea. Most bikers know how badly a knock on the knee can hurt, and a really bad crash without the proper protection could end the season or even your life as you know it.

Elbow pads are another good idea for those who enjoy mountain biking, even if it is only the cross country variety. Elbow pads work under the same theory as knee pads- they are just a good barrier on a point of the body that is most likely to take the brunt of any fall in the event of a crash.

A last piece of safety equipment that mountain bikers at any level should use would be a good pair of gloves  The ideal gloves for mountain biking will have heavy palms and open fingers, either full or halfway. The padding at the palms will protect the soft areas of your hands that will be the first part of the hand to touch the ground in the case of a crash, and will minimize the injuries the contact can create, such as road rash and embedded gravel  Fingers that are cut halfway allow for a great grip on the handlebars, as well as offering protection from flying gravel to knuckles that would be exposed in a gloveless hand or a hand that was protected only by a palm-protecting glove. The cutaway fingers will also help your grip by minimizing the amount of sweat that comes off your hands and onto the handlebars.

Mountain bikers that go for broke on the trail, either in speed, stunts, or difficulty, might want to consider going even further when it comes to safety equipment. Remember, the harder you travel, the more potential there is for a injury-creating crash.

The best way to go is to buy a whole set of upper body armor. These sets will incorporate a chest protector, shoulder pads, and elbow guards, and some will even include a kidney belt.  Make sure that the model you choose is light and also adjustable- you will often find that your body will change as the season goes on, and with the expense of these pieces of equipment you don’t want to have to replace it very often.  A model with a few adjustment options will allow you to use it for a very long time.

If you don’t feel you need the entire piece of body armor for your level of mountain biking, at least choose a good chest protector individually. The chest protector should be highly adjustable, and make sure that the protective material extends over the sides and your back. The back protection will not only help guard against damage to the flesh in a spill, it will also lend crucial support to a vulnerable area.

If you have any doubts about wearing protective equipment while out mountain biking, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. First of all, all it takes to end your mountain biking trips forever is a little bit of bad luck. It doesn’t matter how hard you ride or how careful you are, one slip at any speed and contact with a rock that is sticking up at just the right angle could ruin your life forever if you are unprotected.

If you are worried about your appearance while you are mountain biking, take a look around at the safety equipment that is available. All pieces of safety equipment are available in models that not only offer maximum protection, but are also designed with style in mind. Colors and sleek lines give mountain biking equipment a unique and very contemporary look. The same can be applied to the inconvenience of the equipment- almost all of it is light and allows for maximum breathing, so the heat really is not a big issue.

Finally, shop around for your equipment. Mountain biking safety equipment and all necessary equipment associated with mountain biking can be bought at various retailers. Wal-Mart and other retailers are in on the game. However, sporting good stores and online mountain bike equipment shops as well as bike shops in your local area are your best bet.

For more information about cycling, biking, bikes and bicycle gear, visit the "resources" section of this website, or go to articles about mountain biking.