Accessories To Make Your Mountain Bike Ride Epic
If you hit the ski resort towns of Colorado and Utah during the summer months, you can get some phenomenal deals on luxury chateau accommodations in posh resorts. What are you going to do with your time there when skiing is not an option? Rent some mountain bikes, of course! Before you head out on the trail, however, there are some essential accessories that you should consider renting with your bike to make your ride epic.
Helmets
This is a no-brainer, as in, if you do not rent a helmet, you may not have a brain. Just spring for the helmet with your bike. Many resorts require riders to be helmeted before getting on the trail.
Fit is the most important factor in helmets. Make sure that the helmet sits low on your head, just above your eyebrows. The straps should be tight enough that the helmet cannot rotate in any direction on your head. The helmet should be level, with no interference with your vision.
If you are really getting it on the mountain, you are going to go down at some point. If you don't crash, you are not riding hard enough, so prepare by keeping your noggin in its bucket.
Hydration Packs
Altitude + exertion = dehydration. Dehydration can mean the end of your fun vacation. Nobody wants to sit in a hospital tied to an intravenous drip while everyone else is playing on the slopes.
When you rent your bike, see if they have hydration packs to keep you on the move. Long gone are the days of throwing a half-liter bottle of water in the bottle cage in your bike frame and considering that sufficient.
Modern full-suspension bikes often have no room on the frame to mount a bottle cage, and they sure do not handle well with more extra weight on the bike. This is especially true of weight that can shift mid-jump!
The hydration pack, however, is right near your center of gravity, and can be tightened down enough to move with you. You can fairly easily carry two liters of precious liquid without noticing it on the trail.
Compact Repair Kits
Many a ride has been spoiled by broken equipment. The most vulnerable part of your bike is likely the tires.
Goat head stickers have killed more inner tubes than can be counted. By having the tools and the knowledge to patch your tubes on the trail, you can avoid having to come off of the mountain to re-tool. Most bike rentals places can also rent you a small repair kit that will ride under your seat in case it is needed.
By having these simple accessories: a helmet, a hydration pack, and a repair kit, you can keep thrashing all day. Talk to the experts at a rental shop, like Bootdoctors, for more advice regarding the best accessories to take with you.
