Preparing For The Prime Mountain Bike Riding Season

Perfect Mountain Biking Weather

While I was enjoying a weekend away in New York City, my fellow riding friends back in Atlanta were getting a taste of prime riding weather…sunny and 70. With this winter being one of the worst ones in recent memory, mountain bikers have had to get really creative to get in any spin time, so the tacky trails on perfect riding weather is a welcome change from the cold, wet mess that has plagued most areas over the past couple of months. With a small taste of what is on the horizon, we need to get our legs and equipment ready for the greatness that is spring mountain biking.

Preparing For The Prime Mountain Bike Riding Season

So what can we do as mountain bikers to explode out of the gate without exploding our legs or our mountain bikes?

Preventative Maintenance and Preparation

One of the best things you can start doing is getting that cobweb filled mountain bike ready for trail duty. It has been sitting there all winter long, or…if you were lucky…you got the rig out for a couple of rides in the mess. Either way…it needs some love if you want your mountain bike to perform properly once the sky opens up. Here are a couple of items that are a must do as you look forward to endless sun filled spring rides. (preferably not the morning before your ride)

Drivetrain Check – Check out your drivetrain to make sure everything is lubed and in working order. Clean all parts and re-lube before riding and take a test ride to make sure your bike is shifting properly under load. Nothing is worse than getting out on the trail and having shifting issues or a chain snap because you didn’t take the time before the ride. Replace and chains, cassettes or chain rings as needed. It is typically recommend that you change these parts as a group as they tend to wear into each other making these components a matched set over time. Also check your shifting cables and all exposed areas to make sure everything is ok and functioning properly.

Seal Check – The seals on your frame and suspension tend to self lubricate with use. If your mountain bike has been sitting for an extended period of time, it is always a good idea to check all seals, bearings, bushings and any other moving parts to make sure they are not cracked or dried out. Replace any of these seals as necessary before you get out and ride.

Torque/Bolt Check – Make sure to check all bolts and related torque specs before hitting the trail. Do you really want to be that rider that goes OTB because their handlebars spun around? No sense in getting injured on the first ride out.

Getting Your Body Ready

If you have been off the bike for awhile, that first ride out is going to be a shock to the system. That trail that you used to blast around with energy to spare at the end of last season is going to be a brutal reminder that you are not in that same shape. Here are some tips to get over that hurdle and get your riding up to par in time for the peak season.

Off-Season Training – Whether you are on a trainer or doing a specific program like I am with The Ultimate MTB Workout Program, any off-season training you do will pay off in a huge way during the beginning of the season. Now is the time to ramp up your workouts or start them if you haven’t already. Specific programs like The Ultimate MTB Workout program can work wonders in getting your riding to that next level as well…

Watch Your Ass – Sounds funny…but it is true. That first ride out with any kind of mileage is going to remind you quickly that you haven’t been on a saddle in awhile and the next day is going to leave you wondering why your ass hurts. It might be a good idea to invest in something like Anti Monkey Butt powder or some extra padded riding shorts to get you over the hump at the beginning of the riding season. Believe or not…you condition your ass to put up with more abuse with more miles (that sentence sounded bad in more ways than one…).

Stretch It Out – At the end of the ride…stretch out your muscles and ligaments to prevent damage and injuries. You are going to be tighter at the beginning of the season than you are towards the end as your body gets used to the routine again. It is also a good idea to start regular stretching now to prevent injuries when you start riding.

Watch Your Diet – I don’t know about you guys…but when it is cold and rainy…bad food just seems to find me automatically. My winter diet is much different than my summer one as I start packing on the pounds for warmth. Several weeks before you get into your riding season, it would be a good idea to start watching your diet to eat a little bit more healthy. All of these little changes in getting your body ready for the riding season pay off huge down the road.

Final Preparation For That First Ride Out

That first ride out can get the heart racing for mountain bikers of all skill levels. The ground like velcro, the air is clean and you are ready to rip the trail to pieces with all of that pent up biking frustration. Just remember…hit the trail slow, get in a proper warm-up and ease back into full swing so that you don’t blow up on mile 2 wondering what the hell happened. By incorporating the tips above and keeping that in mind…you are going to be leaving your riding buddies in the dust stoked as hell that you are out on the bike.

Image by Bob Jagendorf

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