Mountain Bikes have been known to challenge bikers and bike lovers to push their limits so that they can reach their maximum potential. There has been an increase in the number of mountain bike manufacturers in this country which has been testimony to the fact that biking in itself has been accepted as a major adventure sport now. Gone are the days when biking or riding a bicycle was supposed to be an indicator of someone’s poor socioeconomic indicator. These days’ people, out of their love for biking and riding have taken to organizing many bike riding clubs and other ventures that promote the idea of community biking that not only helps in improving our fitness levels but also promotes a sense of teamwork, community-help, and personal bonding. These things have taken place in the last few years only when riding a bike has taken off in this country.
These days a lot of cross-country bicycle races are being organized with help from many sponsors who have taken a keen interest in this domain. This just goes on to show the tremendous potential that biking has in this country across all age groups. Youngsters have been a focus age group when it comes to organizing cyclothons, cross-city cycle marathons, and even cross-country cyclothons. People from all age groups have been interested in making a mark for themselves in this specific domain due to the not-so-complicated nature of this sport.
Mountain bikes are something else though. They don’t cater to the usual folks who ride a mountain cycle just for the purpose of commuting in the city. But they have their eyes on those who have the heart to take up challenges and push their physical stamina and endurance to the brink in order to really know what they are capable of.
Mountain biking has been known to challenge the unquenched thirst we have in our bellies and anyone who has had the gumption to take their personal growth journey to the maximum has had the urge to take a chance with a mountain bike cycle. This is what makes full suspension mountain bike truly special. Going up and down the rough and uneven terrain, mountain biking has a lot of life analogies attached to it too. Only a biker would know the difference in his/her personality before and after biking. This is not only something that makes us physically tough, but it also promotes mental toughness which is an asset in a person’s life.
10 ways to build confidence on a Mountain Bike
- Know your bike – This is perhaps the most basic of all to really gauge your performance on your bike. Without knowing all the technical aspects of the bike, a rider might not fully appreciate the beauty that he/she rides on.
- Protective gear – Safety comes hand in glove with riding a mountain bike. This is one of the prerequisites that a biker should follow before getting out into the open.
- Maintenance schedules – Every mountain bike requires a specific type of maintenance routine after a particular period of time. This ensures the longevity of the MTB cycle parts and also ensures a smooth biking experience for the biker
- Biking accessories – Accessories like elbow guard, knee guard, helmet, and leg guard are very important to prevent any physical injury to the biker and this is something every biker should invest in. There are some things that form the base of any particular sport and these accessories form the same for mountain biking.
- Basic physical fitness – The biker should have had some prior experience of some form of physical training before he/she gets on to a mountain bike. This not only ensures the prevention of any painful muscle spasm but also helps in acclimatizing the human body to the heavy demands that mountain biking puts on us.
- Know your terrain – The terrain that is to be followed by the biker during riding a mountain bike should be known in advance by the biker so as to not come face to face with some unwanted surprises then and there. That would be pretty bad if that happens. Many mountain bikers are known to push through rough terrains just for the adrenaline rush that they get out of it. This might be very exciting from the outside, but there needs to be a greater amount of checks and balances that can help the biker be a better rider.
- Visualize the bike track – Visualization techniques help us to calm our brain and control our nerves which might have been unnerved by the mere thought of going on such an adventurous trip on a mountain bike. This is something that might be a very personal experience for the biker in question. But all in all, this really helps in toning down the mental anxieties that might have been lurking around in some corner of our brain.
- Keep hydrated – The body of the biker should be adequately hydrated so as to avoid dehydration that might lead to several locomotor issues. These are the basic things that need to be taken care of.
- Focus on your diet – What the biker eats, reflects on the biking performance. This is true for all age groups cutting across gender too. If the body of the biker is not given nutritious food, then any amount of synthetic covering amounts to nothing actually.
- Timing of biking – The time at which the biker gets out to ride can also have an important role to play in the overall performance of the biker. There can be minute changes that might need to be brought in, in case the biker goes out on a mountain bike when visibility is low. That might lead to a lot of issues.
