Tips For Mountain Biking Alone

Mountain Biking is a fantastic sport, with one of the reasons it’s so good being the fact that it can be enjoyed either with a group, or completely alone - allowing you to ride how you want, depending upon the time you have available, and how you feel. 

Much in the same way that there are a number of different things to think about when riding with a group, there’s plenty of things to think about when heading out for a solo journey. Below, we run through some of the hints, trips and tricks we use and recommend when venturing out solo on the MTB:

Take Your Phone

Not many people travel anywhere without a mobile phone these days, but it’s still worth mentioning that you need to take your mobile phone with you whilst out mountain biking. As well as having mobile phone coverage and signal if you need to raise an alarm, GPS apps can help emergency services find your location in the event of an accident. Ensure that your phone is stashed away in a safe place, away from the potential of damage. 

Emergency Contacts

Although you may need all of the numbers you need in your mobile phone, it’s no good if you cannot use it. Carrying a sheet with numbers of family and friends on it, can be really useful in case you lose your phone or somebody else needs to contact people in the event of an accident. 

Let people know where you are

One of the best ways to stay safe, is to let people know where you plan on riding - and how you long expect to be out and about riding. This means that if anything goes wrong, a search can be carried out in your approx area. If you plan on stopping and admiring the view for a little bit longer, make sure to let people know. 

Food & Water

Take plenty of food and water with you, to cover all eventualities. There’s cycling specific ‘fuel’ and energy bars available to buy, which have plenty of calories to provide energy in case of emergency. Carrying more than you need, is much better than running out of these essentials, an MTB backpack is a great idea for ensuring you have the capacity to carry everything you need. 

Pack the lights

It’s always worth fitting your mountain bike lights onto your bike before heading out onto the trails. Although you may plan to return before darkness falls, it’s again good practice to prepare for the unexpected, and it’s better to not be caught out by sunset. 

Take some Cash

Again, plan for the unexpected and take some money. If something breaks you can potentially buy a replacement part, or just stop in at an unexpected coffee shop for a break.

Wear Protection

It goes without saying that a helmet should be worn when out on the mountain bike, but extra body armour - from full body armour right across to knee pads and elbow pads can save you some serious pain and injury if you have a crash and they can be the difference between you being able to pick up the bike and get home or not.

Keep on top of bike maintenance

Keeping on top of bike maintenance is an important part of everybody’s mountain bike routine, however if you ride alone, it’s even more important. Keeping on top of routine maintenance means a reduced likelihood of failure when out on the trails - which needs to be avoided, especially if you are riding alone.

Take Regular Breaks

Regular breaks maintain concentration and allow you to physically recover during harder rides and sessions. 

Westbrook Cycles MTB Kit

At Westbrook Cycles, we stock and supply a massive range of mountain biking gear and equipment, from helmets to energy bars - allowing you to find everything you need in one place. You can view the complete range across our site, and just get in touch if you have any questions about the ranges.