9 Mistakes All Beginner Mountain Bikers Make

Learning how to ride a mountain bike and progressing your way up the skills ladder is all part of the fun of riding. However, there are a few mistakes that we often see beginner MTBers making, here's Rich to talk you through them.

Have you made any of these mistakes?

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[hanslidlwagen]

The very first time I did a long ride, about 25km, I never ate anything even before setting off. My last meal was like 10 hours ago. The only thing I ever drank during the ride was a half liter Pocari. I bonked like hell and felt like dying.

Now I'm regularly doing 50km and always bring with me around 3x powerbar and 2L water

[garioch_gravel_rider]

Love how Rich always teaches you simple things in the most non-patronising way. Exactly what you need when you're learning.

[xaver.]

My number one is buyng Cheap tools and Equipment .Not the most extensive stuff, but decent.

[E-MTBs]

Man, I found out about knowing your limits the other day. I got a brand new Canyon Spectral and wanted to see what it could do. I forgot the most important part is the rider's abilities. I am a beginner (former road biker) and I signed up for an intermediate trail ride with some black sections. I was dying trying to catch my breath and hiking around some technical sections. I could get through some of the tech sections once I stood up! Got the water, tools, tubes, and protection, and I am taking mtb lessons!

[rogernewman]

Lots of good advice here, thanks. I'm new to biking at the age of 50 and very quickly learned my limitations and the value of knee guards on my first ride: a red route in Dalby Forest! 🤕🤣🤣.

[RoScFan]

Check your bike before ride is another thing. I had tyres blow out in the middle of nowhere. I replace the inner tube and when i inflated them.... a saw a massive bulge at the side of the tyre. I had no idea tyres even COULD wear out. My ignorance was off the SCALE! Replacing old parts, taking the bike to the mechanic 1-2 times a year for overall inspections and personally checking the bike before any major ride outside the urban environment: important lessons for any long distance rides.

[steffanoswald]

Some of this is basic knowledge if you’ve done any biking but, other things like body positioning and carrying water and food. Great advice!

[Gabesafish]

-Improper suspension air pressure and damping.

-Wearing the wrong clothing for long, sweaty rides. Not wearing chamois, cotton shirt, chafing, bloody nipples, etc.

-Exploring unfamiliar territory alone and without GPS.

-Not protecting shins and or poor footwear choice when running flat pedals.

-When riding inner tubes wheels, having air pressure too low and getting pinch flats.

-Bad saddle position/height

-Failure to clean bike, especially drivetrain after wet/muddy rides.

-Laying bike down on the mechanical side

-Waiting too long to downshift for sudden hills and then putting way too much power down as the bike is in mid shift, damaging drivetrain.

-Contaminating brake rotors when cleaning bike. Using degreaser near wheel hubs.

-Not experimenting with cockpit controls positioning. Living with a bad setup.

-Using cheap bike carriers that rub the paint off of your bike frame.

-Adding too many useless bolt/strap/clamp on accessories. Mirrors, frame bags, bar ends, etc. Leave that stuff for bike packers.

-Choosing an aftermarket saddle based on how cushiony it is.

- Tempting theft. Always keep your eyes on your bike or lock it up when you can’t. How many noobs get their new expensive bikes nicked soon after purchase? A lot!

-Failing to bring some sort of light with you on rides where you may be out past sunset.

[andrewchuck]

Good, straight forward content. And if we be honest, we're all guilty of these things.😄

[pierrebroccoli.]

Enjoy the ride. 😀

Bike set-up, get a shop to help and explain what and why if you can. Tire pressure - Very important, not too little and def not too much start round low to mid 20's PSI (lower if wet, higher if dry and hitting features).

[charlieine]

Never be self conscious about wearing as much protection as makes you feel good. Crashes are part of mountain biking. Especially if your a bit older... scraping skin of your body gets a bit tired. A little extra protection gives you the confidence to ride a bit harder... and not stick to the sheets when you get into bed.

[robmdq]

I would add: Know your limits!!! My first mtb ride was almos 30 years ago, and it was literally bloody. Ten years ago i had a hip replacement, yeah, a prosthetic hip, so yeah, now i must restrain myself because the cost of a bad fall is way over my head. Still, it doesn't mean i enjoy any less my rides, i just have to ride on the safe side, it was hard and boring at the beginning but now i asure you i enjoy my "easy rides" a lot, what's most important is to learn to enjoy what your body can do, not what your mind wish you could do

[kona]

2 spare tubes but no pump nor CO2 cap! Putting gras in the tire and riding 12km with it. Nice green juice in the tire! Never again, trued the rim for 1 hour ☹️

[StreetComp]

The scary side of MTB - years ago I crashed and hurt myself pretty badly alone on a trail that was probably too difficult for my skill level. I’m sure I’m not alone in this, but I couldn’t get a signal with phone and after a couple hours of painfully limping my bike towards car, my phone had died, I was out of water, sun was setting, I was getting a bit lost and that sense that I could be in actual trouble set in. Just before total darkness I came across a dirt road and a truck luckily drove by and he was nice enough to put bike in back and drive me to car. So it turned out okay but it scared me pretty badly and I always bring a fully charged phone and plenty of water and if alone I don’t ride anything too difficult that’s far from people and help.

[billmccaffrey]

My first mistake was to buy a cheap off the shelf bike. I snapped off the crank on a rock (boulder). Fixed it (mistake #2) went out again and snapped the frame in half going through a deep creek bed. Making sure that you have SAFE equipment before getting started.

[maxwillson]

I bought my first bike, went down my first mountain and almost crashed twice, I apparently forgot to unlock my shocks LOL

[awblyth]

I always take water rather than a flavoured drink, if you do fall or something gets in your eye then you have the means to clean up the damage and get yourself back on the trail. I often ride with my kids and its usually indispensible along with a few plasters as they are always getting themselves into scrapes.

[rvnmedic]

Great refresher! So much to think about it's easy to forget a step or two in the beginning. Thanks a bunch!

[msizimcanyana]

Very useful! I've derailed my chain due to multiple gear changes at once

[iangates]

I used to carry water bottles on the bike frame, but found it annoying when they kept falling off. Now, I use a Camelbak water bladder, generally a 2L bladder, which I also carry snacks in the bag, and have extra fluids to drink when I finish riding.