 If you’re thinking about starting out in mountain biking, you should know that getting equipped for the sport takes more than just a bike. There are some essential accessories that you should never be without. From head to toe and armpits to fingertips, here’s a look at some of the basic gear you’ll need.
A good quality helmet shouldn’t be optional for any cyclist, but mountain bikers need special protection considering the routes they’ll be taking. Look for safety ratings and make sure you get a comfortable fit.
Eye protection is a must because you’ll often be riding through areas of low-hanging branches and other foliage that seems intent on attacking you. Things develop much to quickly for you to react, so your eyes need to be protected automatically.
Like eyewear, gloves are there for your protection, both as you ride and when you fall. Plus, the palm padding will make long rides more comfortable and help you avoid numbness in your hands and fingers.
You need to plan for hydration. Mountain biking is not a leisurely activity. Even in relatively cool weather, you will perspire and need fluid replacement. Whether it’s a bottle on your bike frame or a hydration pack on your back, you need to be able to count on having liquid replenishment on the trail.
Not only is mountain biking tough on your body, it’s not so gentle on your bicycle either. Get a basic toolkit that will help you deal with minor repairs on the trail. You really don’t want to walk your bike out from the deep woods.
Purchase and pack a first aid kit. It doesn’t have to be a full-blown trauma kit, just some basic items to deal with cuts and scrapes that will inevitably happen.
 Many people make the mistake of thinking there’s no need for buying specialized mountain biking shoes. While it may be possible to physically ride a mountain bike in your running shoes, it’s not the optimum situation. Having the proper gear is about performance, not style. Wearing a good quality mountain biking shoe will improve the way you ride. In addition, your ride will be more comfortable in the right shoes. I wrote this post to give you a few tips on why street shoes just won’t cut it on the trail.
Non-cyclists tend to look at the “outfits” of serious bikers and see nothing but style. It’s true that biking apparel tends to be flashy and not exactly something you would wear to the mall. But every part of the apparel ensemble serves a purpose and is designed to perform that function well. Mountain biking shoes are designed to help you pedal more efficiently, to provide better protection for your feet, and to allow for safe dismounts from the bike when the situation calls for it.
You’ve probably been taught that good athletic shoes are flexible. This is absolutely true for some sports, but not for mountain biking. Shoes that are designed for use on bike trails are actually pretty stiff. This allows better contact with the pedal and a more powerful pedal stroke.
Mountain biking shoes can be found with three different types of soles. The sole is the most important part of any shoe, and mountain biking shoes are no exception. The least expensive shoes have a sole made of injection-molded plastic. In the middle range, soles are usually made of a composite of plastic and carbon fiber. At the high end of the range, soles are constructed of 100% carbon fiber. These different materials also contribute to weight. Cheaper, plastic-soled shoes will be heavier while carbon fiber soles make for a light shoe.
Although specialized mountain biking shoes may seem expensive, you will never regret spending enough to get a good shoe. That being said, price should not be your only decision point in either direction. You’ll be spending lots of time in these shoes (hopefully), so once the basic requirements are met, you should always maximize comfort.
 Like many western states, Arizona has a lot to offer mountain bikers. This is primarily due to the fact that there is a lot of great mountain terrain that serves as premier biking grounds. For the most part, mountain trails in Arizona are broken into groups by area. Some of the best mountain biking trail regions include the Sedona area, near Prescott, around Flagstaff, and the Phoenix area.
However, you do not need to be far from civilization to find excellent mountain biking trails due to the fact that many exist close to the cities of Arizona.
There are also a few trails in Arizona that are known as the best mountain biking trails in the US. Here are a few of the mountain biking trails that you should try out if you are in the state for a mountain biking experience.
Oak Creek Canyon Trails (Oak Creek)- While Sedona is overrun by tourists, it is with good reason due to the red rock formations found around Sedona that offer great mountain biking trails. For this reason Sedona is often referred to as a Mecca for bikers.
Dynamite Loop (Scottsdale)- The Dynamite Loop is one of the best parts of the Sonoran ranges with granite desert areas that feature plenty of doubletrack and singletrack trails.
Mount Lemmon Top to Bottom (Tucson)- Directly to the North of Tucson, the Mount Lemmon trail is quite cool and offers plenty of different climate zones as you pass down the trails towards the base of the mountain.
Charles M Christiansen Memorial Trail (Phoenix)- The Charles M Christiansen Memorial Trail is one of the most popular destinations in Arizona given that it is located in the North Mountain Preserve, which is nestled in the center of Phoenix with five different directions to take from the trailhead.
 Mountain biking trails difficulty levels are set by the IMBA guide. Not all trails recognize this system as it is fairly new, but it is the first step towards standardizing mountain biking trails across the United States.
Officially the guide is called the IMBA, TDRS the latter of which stands for trail difficulty rating system. The TDRS rates trails only by their technical difficulty, while the former system rates trails by physical difficulty, which is less objective given the ranges will vary by biker. There are a few other considerations that factor into a trail’s difficulty rating, which include psychological factors, natural obstacles, and tread surface.
There are five actual ratings for trail difficulty in the IMBA TDRS guide:
White circle: A white circle trail is at least 48 inches wide, has a solid surfaced or hardened tread surface, has an average grade of about five percent, and does not have any technical features or natural obstacles.
Green circle: A green circle trail is at least 36 inches wide, has a stable or firm tread surface, has a trail grade of about ten percent, features several small unavoidable obstacles, features several bridges that are at least a width of 24 inches or wider, and has some technical trail features that are two inches high at least.
Blue square: A blue square trail is at least 24 inches wide and is mostly stable with some areas of variability. The grade runs between 10% to 15%. Obstacles are no more than 8 inches high.
Black diamond: A black diamond trail is at least 12 inches wide, has a variable tread surface, has an average trail grade of 15%, features medium obstacles of at least 15 inches, possibly has loose rocks, features bridges that are at least 24 inches wide, and has technical trail features that are four inches high.
Double Black Diamond: A black diamond trail is at least six inches wide, has a variable, unpredictable tread surface, and has an average trail grade of 20% or more, features medium high of at least 15 inches, possibly has loose rocks, features bridges that are 24 inches wide or smaller, and has technical trail features that are four inches high.
 Mountain biking is an Olympic sport, and is one of the newest sports, with its first entry into the games taking place in 1996 at the Atlanta Games. The aim of mountain biking as an Olympic sport is to test technical skill as well as physical endurance, which is why cross country mountain biking was made an Olympic sport. This is not to be confused with downhill mountain biking, which is not recognized as an Olympic sport at the present time.
Currently there are two recognized mountain biking events at the Olympics, the Women’s Cross Country Mountain Biking competition and the Men’s Cross Country Mountain Biking competition. The rules for both are simple. Competitors start from a line at the same time and then race for two hours on a closed course that takes place off road. After a fixed amount of laps are completed the first biker to cross the finish line is the winner.
Although the race is set up simply, it is a very demanding sport and requires a large amount of equipment. Of course, the most important component is a mountain bike. Two types of mountain bikes are allowed to be used at the Olympic Games, full suspension or hardtails.
Outside of bikes, athletes need to wear cycle clothes, helmets, special shoes, and gloves. Additionally, competitors are allowed to carry snacks and water bottles so that they stay fully hydrated and energized, which are both essential for stamina and safety.
As with the rest of the Olympic Games, mountain bike competitors go for the gold, silver, and bronze medals. Athletes cannot practice on the course before the event to keep the playing field level, due to the fact that the mountain bike off road course is not set until the day prior to the race because of weather factors.
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