The Best Mountain Biking Accessories

Have you ever noticed that the more you ride the more gear you seem to need? When I was a kid it would just be me and a bike hitting dirt trails and fire roads, in my teens I got a 2L hydration pack, then a multitool, then I started carrying around tubes and a pump. Now in my 20s I carry items for almost every type of emergency or mechanical failure. Granted not all of it is needed and on some rides I go back to me on a bike with a water bottle, but what are the accessories you can’t do without?

Best MTB Accessories

This isn’t a list of accessories for your bike, these are things that you can take with you or wear that will make you riding experiences much more enjoyable, safer or more comfortable. Items such as:

Protection – pads, helmets, gloves

Its surprising how often a bit of protection comes in handy, even the pros crash there’s no shame in it! Having padding in all the right places can save you a trip to the hospital and having the season off due to a break or serious damage. Invest in some quality pads and you definitely won’t regret it!

Hydration pack
Bottles are great but packs are better – you can hold more water, there’s no threat of them jumping out of the cage when you go flying over rocks and most importantly you can carry all your tools with you! Grab yourself a decent hydration pack and you can have hours of fun on the trail – another bonus is they can really save your back when you crash!

Glasses
Ever been halfway down a trail and suddenly get some dirt flicked up into your eye? Or hitting eye watering speeds and your eyes, well, water? Grab yourself some decent glasses and these problems are suddenly a thing of the past – you won’t realize how much you benefit from it until you get them!

Tyre Levers, Multitools, Tubes, Pump

These are all absolutely musts – last thing you want to do is have a mechanical when you’re a long way from home and not have the tools to fix it. A good multitool and tire levers will be a lifesaver time and time again – the more you ride, the more you’ll find you need them!

MTB Shoes

You wouldn’t think it, but MTB shoes can make a massive difference to your overall riding – offering more grip and keeping your feet planted on the pedals. Most are waterproof/ splashproof which can keep your feet lovely and dry even in the depths of winter.

Phone/ GPS/ Map
What’s worse than getting lost? Getting lost with no way to figure out where you are! If you like to do some exploring then having a GPS device or a map will be crucial for finding your way back to ground you know.

What else do you consider a must have MTB accessory? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter or Facebook!