- Bike shoes
- Cycling socks
- Bike pants (with a quality chamois)
- Jersey (s)
- Rain jacket
- Cycling helmet
- Mountain bike
Packing List mountain bike tour – additional equipment
- Spare jersey
- Functional base layers
- Vest
- Arm / Leg Warmers
- Buff (headband, scarf, sweat towel in one – good all-rounder)
- For the cold season: shoe protectors
- Sunglasses/eye wear
- Cycling gloves
- Mountain bike backpack, 20 litres
- Rain cover for your backpack
- Downhill riders: remember protectors!
Special mountain bike equipment
- Bike computer
- Outdoor GPS watch/heart rate monitor
- Bike lights
- Repair kit (tube, repair set, small tools)
- Bike pump
- Bike lock
Meals and Snacks
- Bottle or hydration bladder in your pack
- Energy bars and other personal catering requirements
Health & First Aid
- Small first aid kit
- Tape
- Sun protection
- Lip protection
- Tissues
Standards / General – depending on the choice of tour
- Map
- Compass
- GPS
- Charged mobile phone
- Photography equipment
- Batteries / replacement batteries
- Passport / insurance card
- Cash
- Pocket knife
- Matches / lighter
Packing List for mountain biking – extra info
Every year, around March, April the snow slowly begins to melt away and a small metamorphosis begins to take place with many an outdoor enthusiast: Skis are cleared to the back of the cellar, wax sets tucked away in a draw, leaving enough room for a mountain bike and a small bike workshop. Mountain bike season has arrived. And so begins the thorough spring check and service of the MTB and with it plenty of motivation to hit those trails! Once again though, so it seems, the same questions arise: What do I need to take along for a day out biking? Have I forgotten anything?
The above packing list refers to a normal mountain bike day tour in moderate terrain, with no special requirements. For those prone to the extreme, or for those that require extra gear for downhill, should look at additional equipment accordingly. It is also important to note that you certainly don’t need to take along everything – it’s going to depend on the length and choice of route. A one-hour ride through fields and meadows obviously has different requirements to that of a ten-hour tour in the Alps. Therefore, our packing list for mountain biking has been kept as complete as possible – this is best used as a base to pick and choose freely from, in accordance with your destination and needs.
Here are some general tips for the next mountain bike tour
- COMFORT in capitals!
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![Especially with bike pants a good fit should be ensured - chafing can quickly becoming annoying. Better to invest in a well-fitting quality cycling short with chamois and just as importantly invest in safety equipment like pads and bike helmet. | Photo: Vaude]()
Especially with bike pants a good fit should be ensured – chafing can quickly become annoying. Better to invest in a well-fitting quality cycling short with chamois and just as importantly invest in safety equipment like pads and bike helmet. | Photo: Vaude Weight fetishists take note! Applies to biking as well: lightweight reserves energy – therefore, in selecting spare clothing pay attention to its weight – think about taking along the lightweight Primaloft jacket as opposed to the thick cotton hoody.
- Pay heed to the weather gods! Sometimes they are with us, unfortunately not always though. That’s why it never hurts to take along a good rain jacket as protection against wind and weather.
- Safety first! What you cut back in weight on clothing, you may then consider packing in safety equipment. Repair items are required (small pump, extra tube, patch kit, compact toolset) every tour carries the risk of a flat etc. With the availability and range in the offering of helmets in today’s market, no-one needs to go without this important essential.
- Respect the environment! Mountain biking is booming – and rightly so. It is a wonderful means to move fast, yet still intensively experience the great outdoors. It still pays to follow the rules. As more and more pilgrim mountain bikers find new hot spots, often special routes have been established, while others are prohibited. Best to simply comply with the local rules (protected areas, nature conservation areas) – so that each of us may enjoy what nature has to offer.
- Respect your fellow man! The mountains are there for all and there is enough space to let off steam – when bikers and hikers are considerate of each other and treat each other politely, problems are avoided.
- Respect your limits! Challenges are a great thing and there’s a benefit for that next trail. Nevertheless, why overdo it? Respect your limits and – if the trail suddenly appears burdening long or too hard, take another. The choice is enormous!
