Champagne Tastes®

  • About
  • Travel
    • Food Travel
    • Outdoor Adventure
  • Recipe Index
    • Garden To Table
    • Seafood
    • Camping Recipes
    • Ferment
    • Backyard Foraging + Wild Game
    • Cooking Basics
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Index
  • Garden To Table
  • Seafood
  • Ferment
  • Foraging + Wild Game
  • Cooking Basics
  • Camping Recipes
  • Outdoor Adventure
  • Food Travel
  • Lifestyle
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » Travel » Outdoor Adventure

    Mountain Biking Gear For Beginners

    Published: Aug 6, 2021 · Modified: Apr 16, 2025 · Leave a Comment

    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    graphic with photo of a bike and text reading 'mountain biking gear for beginners'.

    Want to start mountain biking, but aren't sure what you'll need? This is a collection of some of our favorite mountain biking gear for beginners.

    graphic with photo of a bike and text reading 'mountain biking gear for beginners'.

    Are you looking for more ways to spend time outdoors? Mountain biking isn't just a great workout; it's also incredibly fun!

    If you're ready to buy some gear, but aren't sure where to start, the choices can be overwhelming. Here are our top picks of mountain biking gear for beginners.

    Essential Mountain Biking Gear

    A Mountain Bike

    This one might sound obvious.

    There are lots of high-end bikes out there, but to get started, try buying a moderately priced bike that fits you well!

    While mountain bikes have some adjustable features, like seat height and angle, it's important to start with a frame that actually suits you.

    Here are some tips to help you understand how bikes are sized, and what you should be looking for to get the best fit.

    I recommend trying out a few mountain bikes in person if possible. Mountain bike sizing charts are an estimate, and it's a good idea to see for yourself what size you're most comfortable riding.

    Mountain Biking Trails in East Fork Lake State Park.
    Mountain Biking Trails

    Budget Mountain Bikes

    For a budget bike, we looked for bikes under $300.

    One of our favorite budget bikes was this Nishiki pueblo bike entry-level mountain bike.

    It's relatively inexpensive, came in a nice range of sizes and was a great way to get started! In time, I found that the steel-framed Nishiki was a bit heavier than I preferred, and the tires were somewhat small (because I purchased a small-size bike).

    You might also have success shopping for budget mountain bikes at retailers such as Walmart.

    Cyclist standing with a Muddy Mountain Bike.
    Standing with a Muddy Mountain Bike

    Mid-Range Priced Mountain Bikes

    Mountain bikes can be prohibitively expensive, and can easily cost over a thousand dollars. For our mid-range priced bikes, we looked at bikes that were under $600, or were regularly on sale for less than $600.

    We shopped around and ultimately decided to test out some Diamondback bikes. We've seen them in person at REI, and were really impressed with the features available for the price point.

    Diamondback bikes turned out to be well worth the purchase. For our thoughts on two specific models, see our review.

    Orange Diamondback bike leaned up against tree.
    Diamondback Hatch 3

    Looking for places to try out your mountain bike? Parks like East Fork State Park in southwestern Ohio or Veterans Park and England-Idlewild Park in Kentucky offer challenging but fun trails!

    A Bicycle Helmet

    Although we typically ride during the day, this bicycle helmet with a built-in light for night rides is a nice option to have.

    The light sits on the back to make you extra visible in the evening. The light is detachable (and also rechargeable), so for daytime rides, you can just leave it out.

    For something a bit higher end with a slightly more comfortable fit and more ventilation, we like the Smith Optics Engage helmet.

    A Bike Rack

    If you need a way to transport your bike to the trail, consider getting a bike rack for your car. We've tried several, and are very happy with this Kuat bike rack.

    The Kuat bike rack does require a tow-hitch hookup, so it might not be an option if you drive a sedan or a car without a hitch.

    In the past, we used a trunk-mounted bike rack (similar to the one linked), and found it worked fairly well, but was slightly less sturdy and more difficult to secure our bikes in urban areas.

    Also, we found small paint scratches on our car after using a trunk bike rack on a cross-country trip, so I'd probably only recommend this style rack for shorter trips.

    Our Favorite Mountain Biking Gear Accessories

    Now for some other accessories that will make mountain biking more comfortable and safe!

    These half-finger biking gloves have lots of padding to absorb the bumps you'll encounter along the path.

    This will minimize the fatigue you might otherwise get in your hands.

    Another option is these full-finger biking gloves, which are also designed to give you a solid grip. Since they're made with reflective fabric, they're a great choice for riding at dawn or dusk!

    Mountain Biking Trails.
    Mountain Biking Trails

    Some opt to wear shoes that clip into their bike pedals, but as a mountain biking beginner, you don't need to purchase a special biking shoe right away.

    My preferred biking shoe is a sneaker with a fairly flat, grippy base. I love riding in my Keen Elsa Lite sneakers, they grip the pedals well and are washable, a major perk. I pair them with these Smartwool ankle socks to help keep my feet dry.

    You'll definitely want to bring water on your ride, especially on hot, long rides.

    Ready to upgrade your daypack? We've been using this Osprey Kitsuma 7-liter hydration pack (a women's pack) and this Osprey Katari 7 hydration pack (a men's pack) for shorter rides.

    Want an upgraded pack for longer rides? We love this Osprey Tempest 22-liter hiking and cycling pack (a women's pack) and this Osprey Syncro 20-liter hiking and cycling pack (a men's pack).

    The daypack can hold up to 2.5 liters and is insulated to keep your water cool. Plus, it's kind of handy to use the extra pockets if you need to store something.

    Do you plan on riding in an area with lots of poison ivy? Sometimes we don't quite realize it was there until it's too late! This Tecnu poison ivy + oak scrub is fantastic to have on hand. It gets rid of the plant oil that causes itching.

    Want to make mountain biking part of a camping getaway? You might enjoy these guides to the best camping kitchen gear and camping gear for couples.

    Do you have questions on mountain biking gear for beginners? Let us know in the comments!

    More Outdoor Adventure

    • Hiker standing on rocky outcrop holding trekking poles and wearing Altra 9+ hiking shoes.
      Altra Lone Peak 9+ Review
    • Backpacker preparing to cross glacial stream with mountain peak in background.
      Favorite Rain Gear for Backpacking
    • Backpacker on barren Icelandic slope.
      Trail Runners Review: Altra Lone Peak vs Topo Terraventure
    • Red train car with sign labelling it as Virginia Creeper Trail Welcome Center.
      Things to Do in Damascus, Virginia

    About Sarah Trenalone

    Sarah is the primary creator at Champagne Tastes. She's a photographer, food writer and traveler, and is certified in Backcountry Kitchen and Backcountry Navigation from the Colorado Outward Bound School and Identifying Wild Plants from Backpacker.

    Leave a Comment: Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    bio

    Hi, I'm Sarah! I'm a traveler who loves to eat.   Follow along to join me on my next adventure-- in food or on the road.

    Learn More →

    Currently Trending

    • langostino lobster rolls on a serving tray.
      Langostino Lobster Rolls
    • pan-seared rockfish on a plate
      Pan-Seared Rockfish
    • pan-seared red snapper on plates
      Pan-Seared Red Snapper
    • crab butter sauce on a platter with crab legs
      Crab Butter Sauce

    Footer

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions
    • Supplemental Privacy Notice For California Residents
    • Supplemental Privacy Notice For Nevada Residents

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Recipe and Photo Reuse Terms + FAQ

    Copyright ©2015-2025 Champagne Tastes
    All Rights Reserved.