Mountain Biking Must Haves

Mountain biking is a fun but physically demanding sport. Each exhilarating ride tests the rider's strength and endurance, which makes it also a good form of physical conditioning. But be wary however, experience and training is necessary in riding difficult and more advanced trails. These routes are made up of steep jumps, sharp turns, and difficult terrain. It is advised best to stick with trails that are equivalent to your skill levels.

Aside from your mountain bikes, a number of accessories, which mostly are composed of protective gears, are must haves on your trip no matter what your skill level is. Some of them are as follows:

1. Helmet - I could not stress enough how important this piece of gear is. Helmets are indispensable that in many places, it is against the law to go biking without one. Helmets protective the part of our body that would most likely endure a fatal injury. Take note however, helmets are not created in equal quality. So make sure yours has passed the Consumer Products Safety Commission bike helmet certification standards.

2. Gloves - Controlling your bike causes friction between the handle bars and your hands and over time, could cause injuries to your palm. Having bike gloves will save you from this discomfort.

3. Protective Eyewear - Dust and other floating particles can accidentally get caught and irritate the eyes. Wearing protective eyewear can prevent this to happen. It also shades the eyes from the brightness and heat of the sun.

4. Water bottle/ Hydration pack - Mountain bikes have bottle cages where you can conveniently attach you water bottle. Or if you prefer a more convenient hydration system then bring with you a hydration pack.

5. GPS - Global Positioning System receivers are very handy especially when unfamiliar with the trails. These gadgets are also essential if you want to keep track of the distance you've travel, your speed, and many more measurements that you might be needing when riding.

6. Repair kit - When on the trail, the last thing you want is gear malfunction. But this is an unavoidable circumstance, so make sure you have your pump, multi-tools, and other bike repair essentials with you.

Need a new bike? Visit Fezzari and check out their wide selection of mountain bikes, road bikes, and fixed gear bicycles.

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Improve Your Cycling by Improving Recovery

As recovery is key to athletic progress, put as much effort into recovery as you do your training rides. Little changes can get you ready for your next ride or race faster. Being able to go fast is all about how well you recover from your training. I've compiled a list of tips to help improve your recovery ability and speed your progress.


Strive for 8 hours of sleep per night. If you train like an athlete you have to rest like one. If you have the chance to take a nap on hard training days, do it. Your body rebuilds better when you are asleep.
Use a recovery drink right after training. The mix of Carbs and Protein are absorbed quickly to help repair the muscles and speed recovery. There is a one hour window after training that the body is primed to absorb nutrients so use it. If you delay feeding your muscles it can take up to 48 hours to replenish them. 80 grams of simple carbs and 20 grams of high quality whey protein is the ideal recipe to speed recovery. Chocolate milk has also been shown to work as well as higher priced recovery drinks.
After hard workouts and on rest days, go for a super easy 20 minute ride to get the blood flowing in your legs and clear the waste products created during your workout.
Alternate days of hard rides with more moderate aerobic rides.
Stretch after every workout. Yoga works better than static stretching so give it a shot.
Take hot baths and get massages to keep the muscles loose and speed the clearing of waste products built up during workouts. Even if you can't afford a trip to the massage therapist, take a rolling pin and use it on all the muscles of your legs. Very effective and very cheap.
Focus on eating quality carbs, fats and protein with lots of vegetables.
Make every fourth week a recovery week by reducing your workload by 20%. Take a week off completely every 3 months. You'll come back stronger when your body has a chance to recover completely.
If you feel rundown or stressed out, don't be afraid to take a day off. Your body doesn't know whether the stress is from work or training and needs time to repair.
Follow these guidelines and you'll see faster progress. Remember, Training = Work + Recovery.
It's in you to become a better cyclist. Helping you get there is my goal. Equipment, riding skills, fitness and nutrition all have to be dialed in to reach your potential. To take your next step on that journey visit http://www.cyclecambridge.com.

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