Mountain biking is an excellent way to explore nature and experience trails and mountains in a new and exciting way.

It is incredibly exciting that there are new mountain bikers starting out on their journey every day, and we are excited to get to help those people out on this site!

Whether you are an experienced road cyclist or are only used to cycling to the shops, there are a few things that should help you enjoy mountain biking as much as possible as a beginner.

1. Use all your gears

Mountain biking can see you traversing some challenging and undulating terrain. Make use of all the gears you have on the bike. They are there to help you maintain and build up speed.

Do not feel embarrassed about dropping to the lowest gear when going uphill. You need to reserve some of your energy for the ride back down. 

2. Maintain your momentum

Similar to using all your gears, do not be afraid to maintain your speed once you have built it up. It is easier to clear tougher sections of the trail when you have some momentum.

Let the bike and its suspension do the work of gliding over the trail, and you can worry about what is coming up next. 

3. Look up ahead

Similar to cycling on the road in a busy city, you need to be aware of what is coming up ahead of you.

Especially as a beginner, you will not be aware of what is coming around the corner, so you need to focus on changing gear, braking, or building up momentum before you get there.

Just like driving a car, you always want to be aware of your surroundings, and that is never more important than when riding a bicycle quickly down a gravel road.

4. Stay Loose and trust your bike

Cycling on uneven terrain can be daunting at first. However, you must try to stay relaxed and let the bike do its thing. Do not attempt to wrestle with the bike and avoid all lumps and bumps.

Mountain bikes have been engineered to handle challenging terrain and will do so with ease if you let it. 

5. Keep hydrated and fueled

You may be used to only taking your credit card while out on the bike, but when mountain biking, you need to carry everything you need to stay hydrated and maintain focus.

Take more food and water than you think you will need.

Conclusion

We hope these couple easy steps help you learn how to mountain bike just that much better when you are starting out! Of course there are so many other things to think about, however these ideas should get you a good start.