Aside from the bike itself, mountain bikers also need to focus on other things to make sure that they have the best mountain biking experience possible.

One good example of these other things is the gears.

But what gears do you need when you’re mountain biking? And how can you make the most out of these gears in terms of ensuring comfort and safety?

Read on to know all about these.

What Do You Need to Know About Mountain Bike Shoes?

Types of gears

The most common and important gears you need for mountain biking are helmets, kneepads, gloves, and the outfit itself.

You can wear half-shell helmets if you’re into cross-country or light trail riding.  However, you can wear full-face ones if you’re into enduro or downhill racing.

You also need to wear gloves so that you’ll have enough grip when holding on the handlebars, as well as kneepads to protect your knees and legs when crashing. And lastly are the outfit you wear.

It should be breathable with air vents, and also self-drying so that you won’t get soaked with sweat when you’re running on low gear and strong pedal stroke gear combinations.

Maintenance tips

You can extend the lifespan of your helmets and kneepads if you keep them away from direct sunlight when you store or when you’re drying them up after washing.

It’s also best to wash your dirty and muddy clothes right away so that the dirt and grime won’t stick on the fabric and cause its texture to deteriorate. This also helps avoid your gears from getting stuck on your rear derailleur when you shift gears on the gear ratio of your rear wheel.

Importance of wearing the right bicycle gears

Wearing the right mtb gears is important because this protects you against injuries, just like how helmets protect your head and kneepads protect your knees and legs.

The gloves also protect your hands, most especially their palms, if ever you fall off your bike. Note that your hands and knees are the first body parts that contact the ground if you fall and hit your rear cog.

Hence, it makes perfect sense to protect them as modern mountain bikes are more dangerous compared to road bikes that have only a single gear or an easier gear.

Recommended Mountain Bike Gears

Troy Lee Designs A3 SRAM: Best Mountain Biking Helmet

The Troy Lee Designs A3 SRAM is one of the best helmets for trail and enduro. It’s very versatile because it can also be used cross-country, thanks to its very light but sturdy construction.

It features MIPS liner technology for maximum safety and 16 air vents to boost airflow and improve breathability when you’re riding on a hot summer’s day. It even has a Fidlock magnetic buckle system for convenience in wearing and taking the helmet off.

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Oakley O Frame: Best Goggles for Enduro and Downhill Biking

The Oakley O Frame is the best choice if you’re looking for durable, comfortable, and race-ready goggles for your next enduro or downhill mountain bike ride.

Its frame is made from premium plastic, while its lens is made from Oakley’s exclusive composite lens material that is non-polarized.

This even has a triple-layer face foam that’s effective in wicking away sweat. The lens is even scratch-resistant and has an anti-fog feature and impact-resistant Lexan material.

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POC Joint VPD: Best Mountain Biking Knee Pads

The POC Joint VPD is a must-have for enduro riders who want to secure their knees and legs in the best way possible while riding their mountain bikes.

It is a very lightweight and breathable kneepad, thanks to its VPD Air material. It is also comfortable even though it gives a tight and snug fit when you are shifting gears, or you got multiple gears for your bike’s front derailleur.

The fabric is made of stretchable and antislip neoprene material to stay in place wherever or whenever you ride.

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