Olympics 2012: how to get involved in mountain biking

Mountain biking combines the endurance of the road, the speed of the track and the skill of BMX. What are you waiting for, asks Peter Beech
Britain's Annie Last, mountain biker
Team GB's Annie Last in the Olympic cross-country mountain bike race at Hadleigh Farm. Photograph: Carl De Souza/AFP/Getty Images


So you want to try mountain biking? Gnarly. Welcome to the cycling world's answer to throwing yourself heedlessly over a cliff. First, you have to get with the lingo, like me. Then you have to get tooled up with the necessary gear. Bikes with suspension are expensive, so mountain biking isn't really for the part-timer, but you should be able to work out from jumping off kerbs with sound effects on your cycle route home whether it's a sport you'd like to try. After that, it's a free country. Note: you shouldn't already have suspension forks on your commuter bike. That's like driving a Chelsea tractor.

The basics

Mountain biking is a broad church comprising the disciplines of cross country (XC), trail riding, all mountain, downhill, freeride, dirt jumping and trials. The first two are the ones most amateurs do first. XC involves following easy-to-moderate routes of rough tracks, bridle paths and the odd tarmac road. It's anything you can handle, really. Ask at your local bike shop for group rides to make things both safe and sociable.

Health benefits

Biking gives you the same hardcore aerobic exercise as a run, but without all those shocks to the ankles, knees and hips. For the same reason, it's a good sport for those returning from injury and can help to improve tendon strength without any load-bearing. Also works wonders for your balance.

Equipment, costs and practicalities

You need a good bike with forks (front and possibly back), a strong, light frame and thick, traction-heavy tyres, and it's probably best to err on the side of upmarket if you're going to take the sport seriously. It's not recommended you pay much less than £500. Avoid buying from the internet until you know exactly what you're looking for – buying a bike is one of the few activities a salesperson can actually help you with. On top of those you'll need some gloves and a decent helmet. Then you'll need a friend, at least at first. Attacking the trails alone could mean you falling into a gorge and having to hack off your own arm, and unfortunately it's already been done.

Trendiness rating: 6/10

So, like, I was totally wondering if you wanted to come with me and the Gnarlster to the top of that hill to ride down that rad 45-degree slope. Hey, come back!

Inside line

Phil Dixon, British Cycling: "Mountain biking brings all the elements of the cycling disciplines together: endurance from the road, speed from the track and skills from the BMX. Being traffic-free, the sport provides a perfect day out for all the family exploring the countryside, and gives a immense sense achievement along with many health and fitness benefits.

"Getting started is simply a case of taking your mountain bike into the local countryside and enjoying Britain's superb network of bridleways (which as a cyclist you can legally use), or visiting one of the UK's purpose-built mountain bike trail centers, with waymarked, hassle-free trails. These are graded from family trails to competition trails, giving a perfect insight to the sport at all levels.

"There is a thriving nationwide MTB club and competition structure - use the events and club finder on the British Cycling website to find out more information."

Find out more

britishcycling.org - British Cycling has a good section on getting involved with mountain biking.

imba.org.uk - International Mountain Biking Association UK.

You may also like

BMXing, canoeing.

You might hate

Fencing, table tennis.

Over to you

Are you a mountain biker? Help us build up this resource by sharing tips, videos, links to clubs and anything else that beginners might find useful.