Mountain Bike Accessories - What You Must Have For Your Mountain Bike

For mountain bike lovers, no other sport is more fun or more rewarding than riding. Mountain biking allows riders to enjoy the beauty of their natural environment. It is a sport that is challenging, frightening at times, but ultimately a thrill. Whether you race or joy ride, mountain biking can be a great experience. But there’s more to it than just the bike. There are several key accessories that you must have to make your mountain bike experience even better. This article will outline a few of those key mountain bike accessories for you so you know just what to look for to make the perfect sport even more enjoyable.

Bike Rack
There are many great mountain bike trails all across the country, but that doesn’t mean you want to ride there. One of the most important accessories you can purchase for your mountain bike is a bike rack for your vehicle. This will make transporting your bike much easier. Bike racks come in several styles, depending on what you are looking for and what kind of car you drive. There are roof racks, which attach to the roof of your car. Other styles include trunk bike racks, or bike racks that attach to the ball on your SUV. If you have a truck, you can also purchase a bike rack that sits in the bed of your truck, while keeping your bike upright. Any of these works perfectly for transporting your mountain bike to your favorite destination.

Saddle Bag
The saddle bag is another great accessory to have for your mountain bike. Saddle bags come in all shapes and sizes, and are designed to help you carry items you need while riding. Often, saddle bags are used to carry spare tubes, which can be extremely helpful in case you have a flat tire. Other items may include cash, credit cards, CO2 cartridges, or anything else you may need while riding. This is one of the most important investments you can make as a mountain bike rider. You will never regret having invested in a saddle bag for your bike. The bags simply attach to the bottom of the saddle and are easy to adjust to fit everything you need for a ride.

Bike Pump
The bike pump is also an essential tool for any mountain bike rider. There are a couple of different kinds of pumps, including floor pumps and portable pumps. The floor pumps are most often used to fill up tires before a ride begins, and are very useful in determining the pressure of a tire. Portable pumps are typically smaller, and usually attach to the frame of the bike. These are especially useful when you have a flat while riding, and you need to fill a spare tube. Mountain bike trails can be full of sharp objects like rocks or sticks that can cause damage to your tire. While mountain bike tires are designed to resist most of these, there are incidents when you will get a flat while riding a trail. Always be prepared for emergencies and keep a portable bike pump attached to your mountain bike just in case.

Headlights and Tail Lights
The importance of headlights and tail lights on a mountain bike trail cannot be emphasized enough. These accessories are extremely helpful for a couple of reasons. First of all, they help you see the trail at night or close to dark. While it is not the best idea to ride mountain bike trails in the dark, sometimes we get caught in situations where it cannot be avoided. Using headlights will help you navigate through the trail safely. Another important reason to use both headlights and tail lights is so others can see you on the trail. This is of utmost importance because if other riders or trail users can’t see you, there is an increased risk of collision and possible harm. By making your presence known, you will not only be able to keep yourself safe but you can also protect others by alerting them that you are on the trail as well. This will help prevent crashes and keep all mountain bike trail users safe.