■Thefirstthingto
dois researchthe
typeofbikethatbest
suitsyourneeds.
Gettingmeasured
fortherightsizeis
stepone– anygood
bikeshopwillhelp
youout.Thenit’sa
questionofweight.
Generally,alighter
bikeis preferable,
butthismaycome
ata cost.Then
thinkaboutwhat
suspensionsystem
willsuityoubest.
If you’replanning
togetseriously
off-roadonvery
challengingterrain,
frontandrear
suspensionmight
beyourbestoption
forasmootherride.
Butbearinmind
thatridinga full-
suspensionbike
canbemoretiring,“Amountain
bikeenables
youtocover
thefullrange
ofterrain,
whiletaking
yourfitnessto
newheights.”Wheels in motion
Shiftingperspectives
so you’ll need the
option to fix the
suspension.
Full-suspension
bikes can be more
expensive as well,
so if you think
you’ll only need the
rear suspension
occasionally, it
may not be worth
the extra cost. If
your plan is mostly
for cross-country
riding, your best
bet will probably be
a hard tail bike with
front suspension
only. This will help
smooth your ride
without sapping
the energy from
your legs.
Another decision
to be made is the
type of brakes. Disc
brakes offer great
stopping power in all
weather conditions.When
you first
think
about
takingupcycling,
yourindividual
prioritiesandwhere
youlivewillhave
thegreatestimpact
onthetypeofbike
youchoose.If you’ll
beridingmostly
inthecity,you
mightoptfora
hybrid-stylebike;
if you’reserious
aboutyourfitness,
yourfirstthoughts
mightleantowards
a roadbike.But
if youthinkthat
mountainbiking
is onlyforthose
wholiveinrural,
hillyareas,well,
thinkagain.
Mountain biking
is a fantastic way
to head off the
beaten track, and
thereareplentyof
opportunitiesto
dothatwherever
youlive.If you’re
ina city,youcan
exploreparksand
river/harbourside
paths,andfrom
smalltownsand
suburbsyoucan
explorebushland,
trailsandhillsthat
woulddefeatother
modesoftransport
orsimplybetoo
fartocoveronfoot.
A mountainbike
enablesyouto
coverthefullrange
ofterrain,while
takingyourfitness
tonewheights.If you’re new to
mountain biking,
you can begin with
simple, undulating
trails.Asyou
becomemore
experienced,you
cantakeonmore
technicalterrain
thatwillreally
challengeyour
strength,stamina
andskill.Depending
onthetimeyouhave
available,youcan
popoutfora quick
fitness-boosting
loopclosetohome
or,if themoodtakes
you,youcanstock
upwithsupplies
andbegoneallday.
Mountainbikingis
a greatwaytoaccess
unfamiliar,wildand
wonderfullocations.W
PROTIPS
Techniqueforthetrails76 MEN’S FITNESS OCTOBER 2019
■ On a road bike,
most of the effort
when you push
down on the pedals
gets transmitted
to the road via a
light, stiff frame, as
well as thin tyres
with relatively
little surface area.
Mountain bikes can
have more flexible
frames and the
suspension will
mean that some
pedalling effort gets
lost along the way,
even before you
consider how much
more tyre surface
area you have to shift.So don’t worry if
mountain biking
feels tougher than
expected, and don’t
be tempted to write
it off too soon. The
differences with the
bikes make more
sense when you put
your new bike in an
environment where
a road bike would
really struggle.
Whatever your
starting point, once
you experience the
fresh air and lower-
body benefits, the
brakes will be off
on your newfound
form of fitness.Ride with a relaxed
style. Sit upright,
avoid tension in the
shoulders and try
to lean forwards
from your hips –
not your waist.Stand up for tricky
terrain. Otherwise
aim to ride seated
as much as possible,
using your gears to
make riding easier.If riding in the wet, uphill
on mud or gravel, lean
back if standing or stay
seated – or you’ll have
little to no traction through
the back wheel, meaning
no matter how hard you
pedal, you’ll go nowhere.Keep your cadence high,
rather than slogging
it out in a tough gear.Practise on different
terrains to build
confidence in your
bike handling.When riding in a
group, give each other
plenty of space and
clear warnings of any
necessary obstacles.William Hook on Unsplash