Sure we all know that mountain biking is fun and it’s a good cardiovascular workout but what else? What are some of the other reasons people love mountain biking? Well, there are a bunch of really cool and unique benefits you get from riding mountain bikes that are often overlooked.
**See New Places**
Because your mountain bike is low profile and can carry you further than you can go on foot your options for discovery are wide open! I been to so many really cool places that I probably would never have had the opportunity to see because of my bike. The options are wide open….trails, woods, along streams, down to the ocean up to the mountains just about anywhere you want to go. You can get there on a mountain bike.
**Improve as a cyclist**
Excellent practice for pedaling technique. You cannot grind and stomp those gears like you can on a road bike. Mountain bikers are known for having extremely good pedaling technique. It is also great training for your power component of fitness (MTB’ing contains lots of short explosive bursts). I often find myself having sore abs the next day as there is more use of core and upper body muscles. You gotta keep those working from time to time. Another big one is the improved bike handling it brings to my squad. It is also excellent for cornering techniques that can be transferred to the road bike.
**See Wildlife**
In general mountain bikes can be a very stealthy way to travel through the woods. Without even trying, I’ve seen a bunch of wildlife while out riding. I’ve seen wild deer, echidna, wallabies, kangaroo, koala, rosella and all sorts of animals out on the trail.
**Makes You Feel Better**
If you’re stressed or if you had a bad day hitting the trail on your mountain bike can make you feel better and forget your worries for a while. I was so lucky in Brussels to live and work in a place with plenty of mountain bike trails. In fact, a lot of times I left work early to ride some trails before I get home. It’s a great way to unwind from the day get in a little exercise and improve my mood.
**Less Discomfort**
I have a road bike and while I enjoy riding it I prefer my mountain bike. For many of the reasons I’ve already mentioned and because my mountain bike doesn’t cause the same kind of discomfort I feel from my road bike.
**Joints Feel Better**
Mountain biking is a pretty low impact sport (if you’re not running into trees that is). Sure, you can feel some soreness after a hard ride but you don’t have the same pain in your joints you may experience after a long run or after other activities that are more jarring on the body.
**Freedom**
Most of all I enjoy the freedom of mountain biking. Sometimes, I like to put my bike on my car and just drive, looking for trails and new adventures. I call them my discovery rides. It’s a very liberating feeling to just go and explore….it’s what I used to so when I was a kid and it makes me feel that way again.
**Safety**
One of the best parts is no cars. I am always worried for myself and my squad with oncoming traffic and car doors. We also often get yelled at or confront a very aggressive/impatient driver. None of that out in the bush, so much safer unless you are quite uncoordinated and fall constantly.
So here you go, if you haven’t tried mountain biking before I would encourage you to give it a try! http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/outdoor-activities/biking/mountain-biking.htm
