Global Sports: Mountain Biking Etiquette: Don't break the rules!

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Mountain Biking Etiquette: Don't break the rules!

By Jeremy Menz


Mountain biking is an activity that is shared by many nature enthusiasts and adventure seekers all over the world. It has become a very popular sport and has recently seen an increase in popularity through competitions such as the X games. The sport has continued to evolve into a highly competitive and surprisingly technologically advanced activity. Some of the bicycles that are being produced today utilize near space-age components in their design and construction. These range from strong and highly durable carbon fiber to ceramic brakes and special compound tires. There are many different categories of mountain biking which can see the rider utilizing dirt jumps, riding cross country, or even frequenting trails. This is a sport requires participants to possess core strength in addition to having very good balance. Make no mistake about it, mountain biking requires lots of endurance and some of the more advanced trails require a high proficiency in bike handling ability. With these challenges it is no wonder that many enthusiasts flock to this recreational activity year after year.

Mountain biking can easily be exceptionally difficult particularly for those people that favor to adventure off road on trails through woodlands and wooded areas. While looking for out trails for your mountain biking experience is necessary to recognize that numerous of these areas have actually a set standard for courtesy. While some places could have more specific do's and do n'ts, there are typical principles that are shared at every location. These motifs include respect, correct communication, reasonable influence and proper yielding. When riding on trails it is very important to recognize that you are not the only person who will certainly be frequenting the location.

Encountering other riders or hikers is a given and it's important to show respect as it will prevent dangerous situations from occurring. This makes the trail riding experience more pleasurable for everyone. Proper communication is as simple as it sounds. Often times other riders and hikers may not be aware of your presence. Always try to make your presence known as opposed to sneaking up on oblivious riders and hikers. This act helps prevent accidents and keeps everyone aware of potential dangers. The last thing you want to do is startle somebody and have them run in front of the path of your bicycle.

Being low impact means that you focus on sticking to the trail and you do not seek out to damage or tread on any sensitive nature areas. Some parks and recreational areas have strict rules regarding sticking to the trail. Lastly, proper yielding is absolutely important in conjunction with communication. In highly trafficked areas it's important to maintain a keen awareness of your environment. Bicyclists should try to yield to non-motorized trail users unless specifically riding on a designated bike area. Even still it is important to exercise good judgment and know when to be courteous and let others pass.

Whatever kind of mountain biking you appreciate it's central to understand the rules guidelines that apply to all trail riding tasks. Mountain biking is a great way to alleviate stress, appreciating nature and construct camaraderie with good friends as you take on the outdoors. As consistently, make certain that you're wearing correct attire for your mountain biking adventure and never ever trail ride without a helmet.




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