Tips for Mountain Biking by Yourself – Solo Riding Tips
Riding Tips | 198 | July 14, 2009 at 7:17 amThere will be times that you want to go hit the trail solo and go on a mountain bike ride all by yourself. Typically, we like to ride with at least one other person so that we have help in the rare event that something disasterous happens, but the reality is that we are going to mountain bike by ourselves from time to time. As you start to get ready for your next solo ride on fresh singletrack, take a look at this list to make sure you have all of the basis covered before you hit the trail. This list becomes increasingly important on less trafficked, more remote trail locations.
- Do you have everything with you? – Take a look over this post – 14 Must Have Items for Every Ride – Make sure you have everything you need before you hit the trail. Once you are miles away from your car, you are your only support with every spin of your cranks, so it is a long way back if something happens and you are stuck without supplies.
- Have working knowledge of simple maintenance – You do not need to know how to completely assemble your mountain bike, but you should know the necessities that will get you home safely. You should know how to change a flat, fix a broken chain, adjust the derailleurs, tighten bolts, etc. If a chain breaks on a technical climb, you are the only one that is there to fix the chain, so it needs to not be your first attempt.
- Eat before you are hungry and drink before you are thirsty – On a solo mountain bike ride, you need to stay on top of your hydration and nutrition. By drinking before you are thirsty and eating before you are hungry, you keep your body fueled up for the ride and prevent crawls back to the car. In all reality, if you start to feel hungry or thirsty, your body is already depleted and it is almost too late. Make a conscience effort to really watch your intake as you ride to prevent dehydration and lack of fuel related cramping or fatigue.
- Bring extra water and food - This tip goes hand and hand with the riding tip above. When you go on mountain bike rides by yourself, bring extra water and food just in case. You will be carrying a little bit of extra weight, but the necessary food and water will be there in case something bad happens. If you wreck or get lost, this little bit of extra weight can be a lifesaver.
- Map or Garmin – If you are not 100% completely sure where the trail system leads, you need to have a map or GPS device like the Garmin Edge 705. A great day out on the trail can be ruined by getting lost out in the woods.
- Take it easy – As much as we all want to hit every obstacle and sweet section of singletrack at full tilt, when you are riding by yourself you need to dial it back and take it easy. This does not mean that you can’t ride hard and you might as well get out the cruiser bike, it is just smart not to hit that huge tabletop top on the downhill run. Do you really want to be stuck in the middle of no where with a broken ankle and no help? It is worth enjoying the ride but keeping your ego in check to make it back to the car safely.
- Bring your cell phone – Ride in an area that has cell coverage and bring your cell phone. If you wreck and can not move, it is your lifeline to the outside world.
Riding your mountain bike on the trail by yourself can be one of the best rides you have ever had, or the worst day of your life. By keeping these things in mind as you head out on your next solo mountain bike ride, you will be able to keep it enjoyable. When I am out on my solo rides, I find that I get some of my best thinking done as I enjoy the fresh air and the sound of my tread ripping up the dirt. There is something that is completely surreal and calming about getting out and putting some solo miles in, so enjoy the experience and keep it safe.
Bonus Tip: Double and triple check that you have your keys in your pack and secure before you lock your vehicle. It is always a good idea to have a hide-a-key available as well.
Did you know?
By clicking on our links then shopping at JensonUSA, Hunk N Roll, Chainlove and Amazon, you are helping Bike198. We use them and LBS's for our gear. Thank you for supporting the crew at Bike198.
Tweet This
Digg This
Save to delicious
Stumble it
RSS FeedSIMILAR ARTICLES
SPONSORS
Tags: mountain biking tips, riding by yourself, riding tips
Want to contribute content to mountain.bike198.com? Gain access to thousands of mountain bikers and be a part of a growing community by submitting guest tips and reviews on Bike198. Hit up the contact form to get started!
Great tips Rob, but you left out the single most important thing for solo riders to do…make sure someone else knows where you are riding and has a window of time when you are expected to be back.
I always write down the trail I’ll be riding, location of my car and expected return time on a piece of paper and post it on the message board at home. This way if I haven’t called my wife by my return time estimate (give or take an hour) she can start to get worried…and has all the trail info she needs to send in the rescue team if I never show up.
Whether it’s your spouse or a friend, make yourself accountable to check in with them when you are off the trail. It only takes one bout of forgetfulness for disaster to hit, just ask Aron Ralston.
Mike…
You are right. Great piece of advice for solo mountain bike rides. Thanks for adding it on.
mike is right..
Besides…advice “Bring your cell phone” and “Bring extra water and food”, “Take it easy” is actually solo-ride specific.
The rest is esential for non-solo riding also.
– “Do you have everything with you?” – well, if you do not have most likely your co-riders wont have it either.
- “Have working knowledge of simple maintenance” – i guess you dont have a team mechanic with you in every ride
- “Eat before you are hungry and drink before you are thirsty” – this seems like a personal advice anyway, im not sure how friends can help here. Even if you get it wrong they cannot help you and you ruined their ride also.
– Map or Garmin – i’ve seen cases where people got lost all together
Mihai…
I have found that a lot of riders do not bring certain items on a ride or do not know how to work on their bike because they always rely on one or two people to be there and take care of things. Simple bike maintenance is one of the most overlooked necessities in my opinion.
I ride solo probably 2 to 3 times a week. (I clearly need to find a similarly-skilled group to ride with!) In the case of a wreck, I’ve found that I ride in populated trails with people who look out for each other. The last time I had a rough fall at Big Creek I had two guys who came over to check on me.
As for mechanical issues, it only took not having a spare tube with me once to ensure I always have extra gear. Tire levers, at least 1 spare tube, my mini-pump and my multi-tool.
Great post!
Solo rides r great way to chill + get a great exersize. Map is a must have, i got a little bit lost first ride in the Cheviots (NE England/Scotland)thought i could memorize map from mag. Got Dark so i thought i’d take a short cut down a path which was so much fun going down but dead end. So hike bike began, got to the top couldn’t see the road, to many rolly/polly hills, lucky for me i could see the poles in the distant for the real trail. After much hike a bike got on the trail started riding a few miles before i noticed i was going in the wrong direction. Still a great ride out, learn’t an invauble lesson always know were your going with a map.Completely dark when i arrived @ girlfriends home, they were worried so learn’t to tell someone where ones going 2 aswell. Allway’s take ya tools, snapped a chain once but forgot to carry the tool. Walking back to car suck’s. Broke spokes once glad i had my spoke tool, got to finnish ride allbeit lack off some spoke’s from rear wheel.
Just because your on a group ride take ya tools ! there’s always some tight ass turn up to the party empty handed.
Cheers
I always ride solo. I have never ridden with anyone. I know I am missing out but being a somewhat solitary guy and not knowing a lot of the riders here leaves me there. I am fine with that. I built my own bike from a frame up and know it like the back of my hand.
I bring a 3 litre camelbak, numerous clif bars, an extra bottle of sports drink, tubes, levers, bike specific multi-tool, a medkit and ID as well as the usual keys/wallet/cell.
I’ve had a few instances where I got lucky and didn’t need much medical attention, but I know one day I’m going to get it out there and wish I had a partner. Until then I will continue to ride solo. No big reason why I just don’t like to compete with anyone other than myself.
Ride on friends.
Make sure after all the excellent posted advice that you also remember to close your tool pack before setting off after the repair/adjustment.. having a second puncture to find all your tyre levers & tools have fallen out somewhere…GASP & other !@#$%^&*() ..It happened to me!!!!
Most of my rides are solo, as I can’t consistently find people that want to ride all days of the week. One thing I always carry with me is my SPOT tracker. Fortunately I have never had to use it mountain biking, but i have had to use it more than once on my motorcycle, and it likely has saved two people lives. I don’t work for, or represent SPOT in any way, but I suggest you check it out. You don’t always have cell coverage out on your favorite trail.
Jkae
Great article Rob.
Couple of additions to your tips, make sure your cell phone is protected in your hydration pack. Just a month a go, i had a crash. landed on my side and back. Fortunately no broken bones but my phone was ruined.
another item, is carry a bike light. just recently i was riding with some friends. One of our guys had a mechanical problem in the middle of the ride. by the time we go to our cars was almost dark. i did not had a light, so it was a bit scary on the last mile.
Alex