Mountain Bike Accessories: What You Need vs. What’s Good to Have
I wanted this article to give you an idea of who is giving you this advice, firstly, and secondly, to give you a little friendly advice on how to choose some mountain bike accessories and gear that I have found essential on my rides.
I first started riding a bike when I was 4 years old, which in itself may not seem like much of a feat to the average person, however I did learn how to ride an adult single speed two wheel cruiser bike . My dad used to push me around the yard in this monolithic piece of steel with two very large rubber tires and a seat the size of a tractor. One day, while telling the story, I just said, “Dad, you don’t have to pressure me anymore, I think I can ride on my own.” Well, he laughed at that, but he reluctantly let go of the seat anyway, running to the side of the bike to make sure he didn’t fall off me. To his surprise, I kept going even though he couldn’t reach the pedals while sitting on the seat. I was in kindergarten then and since then I have had a love and passion for the world of bicycles.
My first bikes were inherited from my cousins. My first new bike was a bright red CCM bike with a banana seat and chopper handlebars. I got this bike for my 7th birthday, in January! Obviously I couldn’t ride it in the winter, but I would sit on it every day on the porch with the kickstand on it, tilt it forward so the rear wheel would lift off the ground and start spinning. I did this so many times that winter that I cut a hole through the linoleum floor on the mud room porch all the way to the plywood floor. By the time I was 9 years old, I had probably done over 1000 miles on that bike; took me to all the places my dreams could imagine. I was given the gift of mobility and the world was at my fingertips. I rode that bike wherever I could, from the local high school where I shook hands with the late Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau, to hanging out with my friends, hunting for turtle eggs in the mud, and exploring a ghost town.
When I was 9 years old we had to move and unfortunately due to the distance we couldn’t take the bike with us so it had to be sold. I was devastated! The following year, however, my grandfather had found a beat-up, used Raleigh Stingray in a bright orange crate—it was my dream bike. He had seen that bike hanging in the window of the bike shop and he wanted it so badly, but he knew it would be impossible as there would be no way we could afford it. My grandfather fixed that bike up and put new tires on it and again, I rode that bike everywhere. It was the coolest bike on the block, with a big chopper-style high-back banana seat, a 3-speed auto-style shifter, and big chopper handlebars.
In more recent years, I’ve grown to love the sport of mountain biking, having honeymooned (not to mention my wife) biking/camping vacations through Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and Montana: the moon coolest honeymoon ever (for me anyway) although I did have to bring my wife to Venezuela the following winter for what she called a “true honeymoon”. Over the past 10-15 years, I’ve also competed in various fun races, from the 24 Hours of Adrenaline to the Subaru Niagara Falls Triathlon Series, and I’ve probably learned more about bikes than I did before racing.
Which brings me to the topic of what kind of mountain bike accessories you should have in your backpack.
I have learned through the school of hard knocks over the years, which mountain bike accessories you should have and which ones are the best.
Helmet
The first and foremost thing everyone obviously needs is a safety helmet, plus many states/provinces have made it mandatory and will fine you if caught not wearing it. Besides, a good brain cube can also save your life. I’ve been on my handlebars long enough to know this firsthand. If he didn’t wear one, he’d now be walking like a retired boxer if he didn’t push daisies.
mountain bike shoes
You may have been riding your bike for many years wearing just an ordinary pair of running shoes; however, I highly recommend that he choose a pair of cycling shoes with proper cleats and pedals to support them. You’ll be amazed at how efficient your pedaling will become, especially going up hills (I’ll give you my secret tip on how to conquer any hill on your bike in a future post)
Instruments
In my opinion, this is the next most important mountain bike accessory besides a helmet. I personally carry a Topeak Alien multi-tool in a small fanny pack under my seat along with a spare inner tube and a small pump that attaches to the screws on my water bottle. You can check out the Topeak Alien multi-tool in the right column of this blog and I suggest you make this purchase as your first one.
Other mountain bike accessories to consider include riding gloves that help reduce hand fatigue, sport sunglasses (particularly the kind with interchangeable lenses for different weather conditions), and a cycle computer to track things like distance, speed cadence (do yourself a favor and get the wireless guy). I will be posting more product reviews in the future for these and many other exciting mountain bike accessories.
Until then, I wish you and your families a safe and happy journey.
Shane