Global Sports: Mountain Biking Is A Great Family Sport

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Mountain Biking Is A Great Family Sport

By Molly Hinges


Forget all those other team sports - what sport can give you the same level of physical fitness and oneness with nature that mountain biking can? All you need to do is have the right equipment and familiarity with your routes for an enjoyable activity for the entire family.

Most people think of racing when they think of mountain biking, but there's no need to get nervous if this isn't your thing. However, a beginner is not likely to head out on the toughest trails, and you can start on flat, smooth paths while you get used to your bike. And it would be more important to go this route if you have young children traveling along.

A mountain bike differs from a road bike - it is specifically built to handle tough off-road trails and the numerous obstacles that may come with it. A heavier mountain bike may be more affordable, but beware of bad handling - keep this in mind when the time comes for you to get a bike. If you want to save some money, do so, but not with the helmet - a good helmet can save anyone from serious head injury. And if you have children you are teaching how to ride a bike, never let them ride one unless they are wearing their own helmets.

The world is still rich in beautiful parks and nature reserves where mountain bikers can pass through on their trails. When biking with your family, start on the flat surfaces, before you start moving on to small hills - only when you've gotten to know your bikes and how they work. Children can be quite adventurous though - so watch them on the downhills!

A mountain biking family vacation offers an opportunity to see scenic parts of the country from a completely different perspective. You can still travel through the countryside and the forests like you would if you were hiking, but your kids won't be bugging you every five minutes or so asking if they can go home. Your inquisitive children will enjoy forest biking more than anything else, because they get a chance to see the wildlife. And we hope this wildlife would mean cute furry rabbits and not angry bears who are interested in more than just your picnic baskets.

Many tour companies offer bike tours, and these would include mountain bike vacations for beginners, complete with food and lodging. One thing to note is that mountain bike trails are marked according to difficulty, so take this into consideration and also ask yourself how experienced you and your family think you are when it comes to mountain biking. You may eventually want to move on to the longer, harder trails once you have practiced more often and more intensely, but remember that your children may get tired easily, even if it doesn't always look that way.

Mountain biking is a wonderful sport that the whole family can enjoy together. With that said, we leave you with four words of wisdom. No Helmet, No Ride.




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