Mountain Biking Trails - When Your Backyard is Not Enough

Mountain Biking Trails
When Your Backyard is Not Enough

Have You Ever Felt Like Having a Hunger
for New Cycling Impressions?
Mountain Biking Trails May Be Your Answer

The menu of cycling routes is really something you can choose from. All tastes, all needs. Just know what you are looking for. Or...

Try little bit of everything and decide what’s best for you. So...What's your taste?

Mountain bike is a machine letting you to choose from very different riding styles.

Different style means different trail.

And that’s exactly what we are talking about.

For the sake of clarity, let’s make an improvised list of trail types. So, what happens when you step out of your backyard?

Cross country (XC) and trail riding are considered to be the most comfortable and relaxing types of cycling (depending on your trail of course...)

Country roads, single or double tracks will lead you through woods, plains, sand or rocky deserts

(this one does not seem to be relaxing though...), fields, mountain paths and off road trails.

Need more?

Try downhill or freeride trails. However, you will need a special downhill or freeride bike for these trails. You will definitely need some training and preparations, too.

Because it is extreme. Dangerous. And guess what?

It’s fun.

Your Level and Supplies

Cycling trails offer you lots of romantics. No, I’m not trying to convince you to take your girl friend necessarily with you.

What am I trying to say is that you will be more or less alone with a nature. And your bike. It is a kind of escape-romantics many mountain bikers are familiar with.

But if you want that all this romantics would not suddenly transform into something not so nice, you need to do two things...

Firstly, ascertain your cycling level. Be honest with yourself. You have no obligation to take that most difficult and complicated trail available.

If that’s your first time on real biking trail, you probably should not take a trail with many technical stages, difficult climbs and long drop downs (perfect way to test what your health insurance is worth...)

Cycling is meant to be fun after all.

You will find descriptions of mountain biking trails difficulty levels in most of cycling parks. So, take your time and analyze them.

Secondly, far from civilization many uncivilized things can happen. Be prepared for them. Especially if you are considering more than one day long trip with overnights in a tent far from a hot shower and a bed.

Basic skills of how to repair your bike, change flat tire, read a map and help your friend are essential.

Surely, backpack with water, first aid kit and the necessaries is no question. The more into the wild you are heading, the more confident and prepared you need to be.

What a Good Trail Should Offer You?

When you pay for a day or weekend on mountain biking trails at least a trail guide, detailed trail map and descriptions of driving directions should be included.

Topographic maps, photos, your route elevation data and interesting general information about your trail (such as “This trail was used by first mountain bikers of the stone-age”) are more than welcome.

However, most likely you will have to pay additionally for that. Lastly, before you go out with a backpack and your bike take a look at the website of your trail.

Many mountain biking trails have interactive sites where you can find a lot of useful information.

Have a nice ride!