Home Mountain biking technique choosing a mountain bike
What do I need to go mountain biking?
To go mountain biking there are a few pieces of equipment that are necessary to go on a ride:
Mountain bike
Water bottle
Patch kit
Portable tire pump
Spare tubes
Mountain bike - A real mountain bike is crucial to mountain biking. It's worth spending the extra money on a real mountain bike that is made by a reputable manufacturer such as (but not limited to): Trek, Cannondale, Gary Fisher, Kona, Yeti, or Schwinn. I've actually been mountain biking with a friend who was riding a crap bike and it literally fell apart. First his brakes broke, then his handlebars twisted off center. This would not have happened with a real mountain bike. If you were wondering, it was made by 'Jeep'
Water bottle - A Water bottle is important as well. You will be surprised at how much water you go through on a ride. At Moab Utah, I went through a 1.5 liter camelback in about an hour of riding. (Don't use this number) If something goes wrong, water is one thing that you'll need a lot of. I highly suggest buying a camelback.
Patch kit - A patch kit combined with a little bit of knowledge adds safety and convenience to your ride. It makes your ride safer because if you get a flat in the middle of nowhere on a 12 mile ride without a patch kit you're up the creek.
Portable pump - A patch kit or spare tubes are worthless without a portable tire pump. Because after you fix a flat or replace a tube, the tires will need to be pumped. The only way to do this is with a bike pump. The pump you should buy depends on what type of tires you have. If you have tubeless tires, a C02 pump is necessary, if you use tubes in your tires a manual pump is fine.
Spare tubes - Spare tubes should be brought with you because sometimes a tube is ripped beyond repair. Spare tubes are also a much faster way to take care of a flat tire.
Also bring whatever else you think you'll need, like food. This is not a complete list. Your bike shop will know best. Even a beginner mountain biker should have these things when they start out.
You will be able to find whatever you need from a local bike shop. Search to find one!