Your guide to being the best mountain biker you can be
Live by these rules it won’t be long before you’re a shining light in the mountain biking community and everybody on the trail will want to be your friend.
>>> Code of conduct produced to tackle unruly mountain bikers in the Malvern Hills
Country Life once published the 39 steps to being a modern gentleman. We had a read and to be honest, not many of these applied to mountain bikers. So we thought we’d make our own list of what makes the perfect modern mountain biker.
The modern mountain biker…
- Says hello to fellow riders
- Takes their rubbish home with them
- Stops and offer to help if they see someone who has fallen off
- Gives slower riders in front of them sufficient room before they set off
- Offers to show people around their local trails
- … but not the secret ones
- Is capable of justifying spending more on a bike than they would on a car
- Lends an inner tube to a rider with a puncture
- Isn’t a snob about wheel sizes
- Isn’t a snob about what type of pedal someone uses
- Isn’t a snob about what type of riding someone does
- Has a trail dog
- Is happy to ride at night as well as during the day
- Never turns up to a ride with a dirty bike
- Doesn’t skid on the take off of jumps
- Has a legendary collection of elbow scars
- Will warn another rider about hard sections of trail
- Lets another rider follow their line
- Is happy to take it steady as well as go full gas
- Doesn’t moan about hike-a-biking
- Isn’t obsessed with Strava
- Navigates on a group ride
- Stays and waits with someone who has a mechanical issue
- Will be careful when loading their bike onto/in someone else’s car
- Is considerate of horses, walkers and dogs
- Won’t mock another rider for walking a section of trail
- Would never accept a squeaky chain
- Understands that their significant other may not be as excited by mountain bikes as they are
- Doesn’t just ride their local loop
- Helps out on dig days
- Is fully versed in the mountain bike slang dictionary
- Will ride man-made and natural trails
- Always carries enough kit to be self-sufficient
- Knows enough bike maintenance to get themselves home
- Doesn’t let the weather stop them riding
- Understands that your ability is not dictated by the cost of your gear
- Will let a faster rider past
- Doesn’t cut the corners
- Knows that flapjack is the best trail snack
Have we missed any? Let us know in the comments below.