Frequently asked questions
How should I prepare for a mountain bike ride?
The club rides are best tackled on a reasonable quality mountain bike with knobbly tyres and a wide range of gears. It’s far from essential to spend a fortune but front suspension and decent brakes will be a definite advantage on most rides.
While punctures and mechanicals can happen to everyone, a bit of preparation and TLC to the bike will go a long way to minimising them, so:
· make sure your bike is safe – check wheels, rims, steering and suspension are working properly and ensure that nothing is loose or liable to fall off.
· Keep your drivetrain clean and well lubed. This will help the gears work properly and make everything last that little bit longer.
· Check your tyres and their pressures. Tyres that are too hard or badly worn won’t grip well while and those that are too soft or cut/ damaged will puncture easily. Make sure you know how to fix a puncture and have the kit to do so – pump, patches, tyre levers and at least one (but preferably two) inner tubes.
· Check brake pads regularly and consider carrying spares, especially for V-brakes. In extreme conditions even disc pads can wear out in a very short period of time.
· Crudcatcher-style mudguards that mount to the seatpost and downtube to keep the worst of the mud off without clogging.
· Carry a multitool with a chain splitter and any spares you may need, such as brake pads, rear mech hanger, powerlinks and so on.
Individuals take part in any group rides at their own risk. Edinburgh RC and its club members accept no responsibility for the safety of anyone participating in group rides, and no liability in the event of an accident.
Have you got a question?
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