Silly habits can really ruin your mountain biking experience. It’s not a shame to admit that every one of us has made such mistakes that made our own and others’ MTB riding a nightmare.
But when you’re a mature rider, it’s best to tame those bad habits and make the riding healthy, safe, and joyous.
In this article, we’ll share six common mistakes that you must cut out to enhance your mountain biking experience.
So, let’s find out what mistakes are cluttering your MTB trails and what to do about them.
1. Getting on Others’ Nerves
There will be one or two such bikers who seem to know it all. Are you that guy?
While knowing the ins and outs of MTB trails is absolutely fine, it doesn’t mean you’ll get on someone’s nerves every time you ride alongside them.
Riding and shouting at your fellow bikers showing directions, or more irritably, interfering in others’ limitations, while boasting about your skills is utterly disgraceful. It’s like you’re breathing hot air on someone’s shoulder.
You’ve got to understand that each rider has their own pace or learning capacity. So, you can’t judge them and pinpoint their mistakes on every ride.
Biking in a group is a blissful moment where everyone pedals away freely while learning a lot from the others and through mistakes. So, chill out and set your ego on the sidetrack, not on the wheels. Not everyone is an all-knower.
Besides, if you want to know more about trail mountain bikes, click here to learn about various trail MTB bikes, their accessories, etc.
2. Not Warming Up Before Riding
The pre-ride warm-up is one of the most essential things in mountain biking. All the muscle and bone struggles you’ve got to endure when riding harsh and bumpy trails require sturdy body form.
But if you’re just skipping your body and cycling warm-up altogether, you won’t be able to ride long enough. And inevitably, you’ll fall short of your fellow riders at least two to three miles before the end lines.
Remember, impeding your team’s speed or falling out of the race every now and then is another reason to let your bike community down.
As a mountain biker, you must take care of your diet and fitness as much as you ought to maintain your MTB bike properly. Do some planks, bridges, stretches, etc., before hopping onto your bike.
Once you’ve boarded your bike, do a five-minute dash back and forth to fire up your glutes, calves, arms, wrists, and shoulders. Now you’re ready to hit the trails.
3. Attempting to Beat the Other Guy
Having a competitive mindset while hitting the trails is alright, but making it a regulation is a bad habit. It’s natural that you may spot someone while riding who’s faster, sturdier, and more balanced. While this might intrigue you to become like him, if you keep chasing him all the time while neglecting your own goals, it’s never worth it.
If you’ve been facing that guilt conscious now and then but are unable to overcome this, then stop doing that immediately. It’s better to admit your mistakes than regret them later.
Rather, focus on your own scope of improvement, set your own goals for everyday riding, and be content with your achievements. Stay positive that you’re finishing the trails.
After all, it’s your own ride, not someone else’s. Hence, your body will take time to get used to cycling at an optimum speed and balance to achieve mind-blowing feats.
4. Not Wearing the Helmet
Not wearing a helmet is a crucial mistake while riding a mountain bike. You can’t guarantee your safety while speeding up through the rocks, slippery mud, lowered tree branches, etc. One slip, and you’ll see your doom unless your crown is covered with a good helmet.
Buy an optimized helmet that’s made of carbon fiber. Make sure it has enough airflow channeling and appropriate foaming to absorb any hitting impact while inflicting minimum injury to your head.
5. Littering the Trails
It’s a good sign if you’re taking enough food, water, and other necessary things with you on your MTB rides. However, throwing away empty water bottles, food wrappers, paper, or other stuff all over the trails is not only bad manners, but it may also create hurdles for other riders.
You must realize that biking is a healthy sport, and you’re promoting a good social message through it. However, if you’re littering the trails due to your carelessness, your whole MTB biking group will be ashamed.
Becoming more eco-friendly by carrying a bin on your bike and encouraging your fellow riders to do the same will be a good move. This way, you’ll save the roads, country tracks, and all designated trails you’re going to use in the future.
6. Not Nourishing Your Body While Riding
There are many over-enthusiast bikers who’re just ever ready to ride their mountain bike by all means— without fueling their body enough for the day. Are you one of them?
If you are, then it’s one of the worst mistakes that you must cut out from your mountain biking. An empty stomach will initially fire up your limbs to crash the road on your MTB, it’s true. But, after an hour-long ride, your stamina will start going down the slope. Hence, where you’re supposed to hit ten kilometers, you’ll end up about two to three kilometers less.
Moreover, avoiding drinking enough water before and during riding may wreck your body in a few weeks. You might be thinking of drinking up three liters of water post-ride, but that’s not an ideal thing to do.
Pedaling empty stomach and dehydrated may lead to cramps, headaches, and muscle injuries. So, be sensible about nourishing your body well before and after riding your MTB.
Bottom Line
Mountain biking is an enthralling sport that involves agility and proper safety measures. Both these reciprocate each other in making the MTB rides more fruitful and less risky.
However, repeating some common mistakes like the six we’ve shared above is like digging your own grave in the wilderness. You have to be sincere about the sport you love, not juggle it cluelessly and put yourself and others through danger.
Hope you’ll learn a lot from this article while taking proper measures before you ride your mountain bike next time on exciting trails.
