The FlowAre you thinking about starting mountain biking? It can look intimidating at first, especially when you’re going to need to acquire all the equipment first. How can you be sure you’re going to enjoy it before you drop that all important cash? It can help if you know why existing bikers love it so much. After all, there’s got to be a reason why they spend all that time, and al that money, on their bikes. What is it that makes biking such a fantastic way to spend their time?
Here are 15 of the most undeniable reasons why bikers love their sport. We’ve gathered up some of the most common reasons why bikers say they love mountain biking here for you. You’ll see that it’s well worth getting into, and soon you’ll love it as much as we do!
1. It’s The Best Workout You Can Get
Yeah, you can go to any gym and get a workout. However, there’s no fun in it. Do you know anyone who’s really excited to hit the treadmill after a long day of work? Exactly. They’re an efficient way of getting fit, but there’s no point to it if you’re not enjoying it.
Mountain biking is an exhilarating and exciting way to exercise. There’s no better feeling then getting outside on your bike and racing through the trails with some friends. You’ll be getting in a serious workout without even noticing it!
2. Get Out In Nature And Smell The Flowers
There are many sports that take you outside. Football gets you out onto the field, and running gets you out on the track. However, they don’t really give you the chance to stop and enjoy the nature around you. What’s the point of getting outside if you’re not going to really see what’s around you?
Established mountain bikers get to ride on some of the most beautiful tracks and trails around. You’ll be amazed at what you can see when you’re out on your bike. There’s always the option to stop too, and see what’s around you. If you’re feeling pent up and restless indoors, a ride out in the countryside can do you the world of good.
3. Meet Up With Like Minded People
People who mountain bike share some of the same traits. They love being outdoors, they seek adventure, and they’re always up for trying something new. Does that sound like you? Then mountain biking can be a great way of meeting new people.
You can easily find biking groups in your area online. They’re often very friendly, and willing to bring in new members. You can join up with them at your next meet, and start making new friends. You’ll be surprised at how easy it is to get along with mountain bikers, and how quickly you’ll start building those new relationships.
4. It’s Cheaper Than A Therapist
Everyone has bad days. We’ve all been there. Your alarm didn’t go off, work was a nightmare, and traffic getting home was frustrating. Most people would just throw their hands up, slob onto the sofa, and watch TV to take their minds off it. Not a mountain biker, though. They’ll grab their bike, head to the nearest trail, and ride it all away.
Try it for yourself. Once you get on that bike, you’ll find that your problems all melt away. If you’re prone to worry or anxiety, then you’ll see that biking can help reduce it considerably. Any exercise helps, but mountain biking can really help you feel better after a bad day.
5. Indulge Your Sense Of Adventure
Are you the kind of person who always wants to try new things? Do you like ordering new meals in restaurants, or sticking a pin in a map and travelling to that destination? Then you’re just the kind of person who would love mountain biking.
As a biker, you’re always trying new things. You’ll be looking for new competitions to enter, new tricks to learn, and biking around some of the most fantastic trails around. You’re always discovering something new, which makes biking the best sport for someone with a sense of adventure.
6. You Can See The World On A Bike
Of course, you’ll see a lot of your home country while you’re biking. Even in your home town, you’ll find trails and areas that you never knew existed before. The beginner explorer will find a lot on their doorstep while they’re on a bike. If you want to see more though, you can take that bike all over the world.
Travelling with a bike is amazing. You’ll be off the beaten path, so you won’t be looking at the same things everyone else is. You’ll make friends with other travellers and locals as you progress, and you’ll see sights that are incredibly rare. If you’re a traveller, consider taking your bike with you next time.
7. Get In Touch With Your Inner Child
Remember when you were a child, and you would spend whole days running around on your old bike? Whether you riding on the city streets or through country meadows, there was no better way to spend a summer day. As an adult, it’s hard to recapture that sense of freedom and adventure that you had as a child.
This is, of course, unless you have a mountain bike. Biking as an adult can help put you back in touch with that inner child, the one who’s always waiting to come out. Hop back on the saddle and you’ll be transported back to those days. Remember when you used to race your friends? You can do that right now, on that bike. How about when you used to pull daring tricks? You can do that too. It’s all about reclaiming that feeling of freedom that you used to have.
8. You’ll Learn To Become Self Sufficient
Do you feel as though you’re always relying on others to do things for you? In today’s society, it’s easy to forget that you can do some things for yourself. When you can call in a plumber to fix your pipes, an electrician to fix your wiring, or even someone to put your new furniture together, it’s hard to think of yourself as someone who can get things done for themselves.
As a biker though, you’ll learn that you’ll need to get everything done for yourself. There’s no mechanic out on the trail who can fix your bike, save for yourself. Things can and will go wrong, so you need to learn to be prepared. Learn to do some basic repairs, such as changing a tyre or putting a chain back on, will get you far when you’re out on your bike. Learning how to do this will make you much more self sufficient all around, which is a good feeling.
9. It Increases Your Confidence
Are you the kind of person who feels as though they’re not confident enough in everyday life? It’s more common than you’d think. Maybe you feel as though you can’t speak up at work, or that you’re not as successful as you’d like to be when it comes to dating. How do you create more positivity around yourself and become confident?
Mountain biking can go a long way towards helping you out here. As a biker, you’re very much reliant on yourself. You’ll be out on the trail alone, or just with a friend or two. You’ll soon learn that you are fully capable of planning out rides, doing maintenance, and getting around all by yourself. The more you do this, the more confident you’ll be in yourself. It’s amazing how much mountain biking can do for your sense of self worth.
10. Put Yourself In The Moment
At any one time, you’re going to have so many things worrying you. These can range from small things, such as ‘Did I lock the front door?’ to larger worries, such as ‘Am I achieving as much as my peers?’ These worries go round and round in your head, and really can stop you from experiencing life as you should do.
Mountain biking offers a solution to this. Yes, really. As a biker, you’ll find that you’re able to be in the moment more, instead of focusing on the things that are happening in your head. This could be because you’re focusing on getting up that hill, or getting ahead of the pack. When you have tasks like these to focus on, you can’t worry as much as you normally do. The fact you’re biking in beautiful surroundings helps too.
11. It Improves Your Health
This is quite an obvious point, but biking will improve your health dramatically. It’s a form of exercise that you’ll enjoy doing every day, and so you’ll get out on your bike more and more. The more you do it, the more exercise you’ll be getting in. Because of this, you’ll see a real difference in your general fitness. Thanks to this, you’ll be able to live a healthier lifestyle.
As well as this though, you’ll see a difference to your mental health. It’s been known for a while now that mental health is positively affected by exercise, so anyone who needs a boost should be getting out and about more often. Getting on a mountain bike is the best way to do this. You’ll be engaging in an activity that helps you get fitter, make friends, and get out in nature as detailed above. Because of this, your mental health is going to see real improvements, too.
12. Find Places You Never Knew Existed
This has been noted earlier, but once you start biking, you’ll find areas that you never knew existed before. It’s like when you get a new car, you’ll start seeing the same car everywhere on the road. When you get into mountain biking, you’ll start seeing new trails everywhere in your area. Who knew that there was a fantastic mountain biking trail in your local park? And what about that track you found just down the road, which you had previously written off as just for the local kids?
This goes for meets and other events, too. You may have had a biking event held on your local trail for years now, but never knew about it until you found it advertised on Facebook one day. A quick Google will show you all kinds of things that you didn’t know were happening in your area. It really is amazing what you’ll start finding, just once you start looking.
13. It Pushes You Out Of Your Comfort Zone
Everyone has a comfort zone. They’ll find a place that’s easy for them to excel in, and they’ll keep doing it. This sounds like a good idea, but in actuality it isn’t doing anything for you. You won’t improve in your comfort zone. You’ll just keep going a long in your rut. It isn’t fulfilling, or challenging for you.
If you feel as though you’re stuck in that rut, then mountain biking is just the thing to get you back out of it. It’s a sport that’s easily picked up by anyone, after all, most of us were taught to ride bikes as children. However, it will need you to put in the effort to truly master it. For those who want to get out of their comfort zone, this is the way to do it.
14. There’s A Type Of Biking For You
Do you think that mountain biking may not be for you? You’d be surprised to know that actually, you’ve got a lot of different options. Biking takes on many different forms, and so there’s bound to be one that really speaks to you.
For example, one of the most common forms of biking is cross country, where you navigate a trail with all the obstacles that they come with, such as jumps and roots where trees grow over them. There’s also more specific styles, such as downhill, where you’re required to get the fastest speed possible while riding down steep hills. There’ll be a style for every kind of rider, so you’ll need to play around and find the one that’s right for you. Once you’ve got it though, you’ll fall in love with the sport for good.
15. Some Of The Most Comfortable Sporting Clothes Around
Finally, it’s worth knowing that mountain biking clothing is some of the comfiest clothing you’ll wear when you’re exercising. The clothes on offer right now are loose fitting, designed to keep you cool, and even look good. You don’t even need to spend a lot of money to have the right clothes, either. Like all sporting clothes, quality will cost more, but you still won’t need to break the bank over what you buy.
Overall though, they are the most comfortable clothes you’ll ever wear. They’re designed that way, as they need to give you flexibility and move with you as you traverse the trail. They’re flattering, too! If the idea of buying specialized clothing has been putting you off, don’t worry. You’ll look good and have all the comfort you need while you’re riding.
What Will You Enjoy About Biking?
These are 15 common reasons why bikers love mountain biking, but of course no two bikers are the same. Some love the independence it gives them, others love the fact that they can get out on the trail in nature whenever they want. Everyone is different, and they get different things from the sport.
If you’re looking to get involved, then it’s worth just giving it a try. Borrow or rent a bike, and spend some time on a trail. You can do it alone or with others, whatever works best for you. That way, you can get a taste for it without having to invest in a bike yourself. There’s no risk, and nothing tying you to biking if you think you may not like it.
However, we’re inclined to bet that you’ll fall in love with biking as soon as you try it for yourself. You probably haven’t been on a bike since you were a child, and once you get back on, it’ll all come back to you. There’s no freedom quite like being able to ride around on a bike whenever you want to!
Give It A Try
These are just 15 reasons why bikers love their sport. As you can see, the reasons stretch way further than just being a good mode of exercise. Regular bikers find that they feel much more relaxed in their everyday lives, and that they can counteract a bad day by getting on their bike. It’s a highly social sport too, so if you’re looking to get out there and meet new people, it’s a great way to do that.
So, if you’re looking for a reason to get into mountain biking, these are just the tip of the iceberg. Start biking yourself, and you’ll soon have a list yourself of reasons why you love it.
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