Mountain Bike Online

It can strike anytime and affect even the fittest of riders, here’s the lowdown…

What is it? – Contraction of a muscle and failure of it to relax again.  Although temporary, it can be very painful, and can continue to bug you afterwards (never sat bolt upright in bed in the middle of the night clutching your leg?)

Why? – Still up for debate we’re afraid, but general consensus is that dehydration, lack of essential minerals and failure to stretch properly before and after your ride are all partly to blame.

How long? – Most cramps are relatively short-lived, whilst feeling like an eternity at the time, but can occur in succession.

So how to prevent it……

1. Stretching – even if it’s just a five minute spin around the car park before you set off, it will help you warm up. Stretching your arms and back out will also help, both before and after.
2. Hydration – and we’re not just talking during and after your ride. Make sure you take on fluids and salts throughout the day.
3. Balanced diet – a balance of vitamins, minerals and healthy fats in your diet will help your body stand up to your demands on the bike.
4. Repair – Compression wear uses technology to help your body repair after strenuous exercise.  If you suffer cramps during the night products such as “Skins” leggings could help.

The best riders can feel what’s happening to the bike under them and make the correct adjustments.

Night riding is a good way of reacting to what the bike and trail tell you, rather than what you see, which ultimately will make you a better rider.

Night rides don’t have to be done under artificial light.

Sometimes the moon can provide more than enough light for riding and you get more of a feel for your surroundings.

It may also help maintain good peripheral vision by not focusing on a spot beam for extended periods.

A light on your head will always point where you look, and enable you to see what’s necessary which is an advantage.

The downside of helmet mounts can be the weight, so try to see which you prefer.  If you ride with both make sure the bulbs match – two beam colours may mean you cant focus on either  one.

The angle of your beam will dramatically alter how fast and easy you can ride.

Looking ahead is fundamental, so avoid pointing the beam down at your front wheel and the faster you go, the further ahead you will need to point  it. Don’t adjust it on the move.

While the light summer evenings stay with us there’s fun to be had, but it won’t be long before the autumn evenings start to draw in.  If you’ve ridden the same trails all summer, hitting them in the dark can transform the familiar into a fresh new trail.

Life saving kit: Make sure you have all the right kit before you set off.  Carry a cheap LED headtorch and if your loop includes a road section, you will need to remember a rear light too.  A small back up light for fixing punctures or during rest stops will preserve your main lights for when you need them.