Getting started
Mountain Biking is one of the fastest growing adventure activities in the UK and Ireland. It involves riding purpose-built mountain bikes on a variety of off-road terrain. With a number of competitive platforms on offer in Northern Ireland, mountain biking is a fantastic sport with a very active social scene.
More and more people are taking up mountain biking as a great way to get outdoors and enjoy Northern Ireland’s stunning landscapes, with a bit of adrenaline thrown in for good measure!
What you’ll need
The first thing you will need is a suitable bike. With the rapid growth of the sport, mountain bikes can now be purchased at almost all local bike shops in Northern Ireland. Prices range between £200 for a basic bike to upwards of £2000-£3000 for the top end models. When purchasing a mountain bike it is important to select the correct frame size for your height and weight. You should also look for strong wheels with good brakes and chunky tyres which will achieve the best grip out on the trails. Check out official Chain Reaction Cycles the official sponsors of MountainBikeNI.com.
You should always wear a helmet, and will need gloves and eye protection if tackling the more demanding trails. If you are purchasing a helmet make sure it complies with the EN1078 European Standard and try on a range of sizes to ensure it fits snug on your head.
Where you should start
Similar to other adventure activities such as skiing and canoeing etc, it is advisable to get a mountain biking lesson before heading out on the trails. There are a number of activity providers who offer mountain bike taster sessions and indeed skills improvement days across Northern Ireland. These activity providers will cater for groups and individuals and will also share their own knowledge of the purpose-built trails in Northern Ireland.
Mountain bike trails are graded as follows:
Green – Easy
Blue – Moderate
Red – Difficult
Black – Severe
Orange – Downhill (Extreme)
Those new to mountain biking should start on green trails to become familiar with their bike and adapt to the variations in handling a mountain bike compared to hybrid or road bicycles. Then when confident with all the equipment, the blue trails will offer some sections of singletrack and a number of obstacles to maneuver including roots and rocks. Beginners should be aware that mountain biking can be very tiring and it takes time to build up trail fitness. As such, novice riders should not embark on long-distance trails as tiredness can lead to accidents.
Red trails are also not suitable for beginners and only very experienced mountain bikers should ride the black trails. The orange downhill trails are purpose-built for speed and are full of technical features which again are only suitable for those who are very confident mountain bike handlers.
Click here for Full Trail Grade Specifications.
Jargon Buster
New to mountain biking? Not quite up to speed with the trail lingo? Use this helping hand below!
Full Sus
This is the short term given to a ‘full suspension’ mountain bike which has both front and rear suspension
Hardtail
This is the name given to a mountain bike with no rear suspension
29er
The name given to mountain bikes with larger (29 inch) wheels
Singletrack
This refers to narrow trails designed to be ridden in one direction
Doubletrack
A trail that allows for two users to travel side by side or to pass each other. Doubletrack trails are often old forest roads.
Northshore
Raised timber sections, usually used where trails are built across boggy ground a.k.a Boardwalk
Technical Trail Feature (TTF)
An obstacle on the trail requiring negotiation; the feature can be either built or natural, such as an elevated bridge or a rock face.
Berm
This is the name given to a steeply banked corner
Rock garden
This refers to a section of rough stones and/or large boulders
Trailhead
An access point to the trail system that can be accompanied by various public facilities including car parks, toilets and information signs etc