Words fall short in describing how much fun mountain biking is, from the freedom and the challenge it provides, to the awesome community it builds. Mountain bikes are what make it possible. These amazing machines let riders explore deep into the wilderness, and to kick up the adrenaline levels. Their pricetags, however, quickly climb into the thousands of dollars. Rather than empty out your entire wallet, you can make some subtle tweaks to improve your current setup. While some upgrades, like lightweight carbon fiber wheels, may cost more than some complete bikes, there are lots of smaller and cheaper changes that you can make, too. Check out our guide to mountain bike upgrades for any budget for more information.
Pedals
The first places to look to squeeze some extra comfort and performance of your mountain bike are the areas of contact between you, the rider, and your bike. New bike pedals, whether they are flats or clipless, can help to increase your grip and ensure a solid connection to your bike. Which style of pedals you opt for will depend on the type of riding you do, and your personal preference. Some riders prefer the efficiency of clipless, while others prefer the feel of flats.
Grips
It’s easy to overlook your grips, but these are the next bike-to-rider contact points to focus on. This is one obvious place to upgrade your style, too, with colorful and fun options, but there are also performance wins to be had. New grips will help to keep your hands comfortable and connected to your bars, this means less dangerous slips, more control, and less soreness. Handlebar grips are also one of the most affordable upgrades you can make to your bike.
Handlebars & Stem
When people talk about the cockpit of your bike, this is what they’re referring to. These components can completely change the way your bike rides, and how comfortable it is. Put differently mountain bike handlebars and stems are super important to the way your bike fits. While starting with a properly fitting bike frame is step number one, dialing in your bars and stem will help you personalize the fit. Changing the length of your stem changes the effective reach putting you in a more crouched or more upright position. In general, wider handlebars will give you more steering control and stability. Riders typically change the length of their stem and bars together – wider bars and shorter stems, and narrower bars with longer stems.
Chamois & Bike Shorts
Sometimes clothing or bike accessories can have just as big of an impact on the quality of your ride as shiny new components can. Chamois bike liner shorts and proper mountain bike shorts will help to conquer the number one source of pain and discomfort while riding, your backside. Chamois come with padded protection to keep you backside happy even after miles on the trail – they’re a must-have for every mountain biker. Likewise, shorts and pants not made for mountain biking tend to wear out quickly, and don’t provide the same level of padding or protection. Mountain bike shorts are durable enough to stand up to the wear and tear of your saddle, as well as the occasional crash you might take.
Tires
Not all mountain bike trails are the same, and not every tire is good on avery trail surface. Since mountain bike manufacturers can’t pick the perfect tire for every trail, swapping out your mountain bike tires is a great way to shed some rotational weight, and better equip your bike to handle where specifically you ride. Finding the right balance of weight, width, and tread can be a bit tricky. Check in with your local bike shop to get an idea of what might work best on the trails you ride the most often.
Bike Gloves
A good pair of bike gloves can save your hands in the event of a crash, and also prevent you from crashing in the first place by giving you better control of your bike. Especially as temperatures rise and you get sweaty, your hands tend to slip and slide on your handlebars. Gloves eliminate this slippage giving you your control back. Likewise, they’ll keep your hands safe from abrasions and cuts if you fall. Aside from fit, the main differences between different bike gloves is warmth and level of protection, choose based on your individual needs.
We are evo – a ski, snowboard, mountain bike, surf, wake, and skate retailer based in Seattle, Washington, USA, with stores located in Seattle, Portland, and Denver. We also offer trips to remote locations across the globe in search of world-class powder turns, epic waves, and legendary mountain biking through our evoTrip Adventure Travel Packages.