Conquer Your Goals - Try Something New
The sport of cycling is appealing in many ways. The most appealing factor of cycling is the many disciplines of the sport that are available. Trying a new discipline is always good fun, you will pick up new skills and it will often take you to new places. If you wanted to get into a new discipline in 2023, here is a guide to help you get started.
Try Mountain Biking
Starting mountain biking this year will make your riding experience more enjoyable and enable you to meet new people and appreciate different disciplines. A mountain bike will help to improve your overall fitness, with the benefits of improving both your mental and heart health.
There are many other benefits of mountain biking like exploring traffic-free areas and staying safe from other road users. When riding off-road, you will find your bike handling will improve with quicker reaction times, from riding steeper descents, and sharper corners, with the trail coming towards you quickly. With the different terrain, you will certainly gain confidence riding terrain you are not used to.
As a starting point if you are a road cyclist looking to get into mountain biking and will mostly want to explore local bridleways, or visit local green/blue mountain bike trails, then we would recommend a hardtail mountain bike. A hardtail mountain bike has a rigid frame with up to 130mm of front fork suspension travel.
A hardtail mountain bike can also be a cost-effective way of getting started, as the price points tend to start a little lower than a full-suspension mountain bike. When looking for your first mountain bike, we would recommend hydraulic disc brakes which are essential when riding off-road and will make your riding experience much more enjoyable. You will have stronger stopping power and whilst braking, the bike will handle a little easier.
