UKC

so, some months ago i was on here posting for advice about which MTB to get

well, i've finally taken the plunge and bought a Trek Marlin 7

first impressions very positive, looking forward to getting out on it as much as i can as the weather improves...

so to everyone that replied before, thanks for the advice

and now i've got the bike, what other stuff will i need...?

ive got a helmet- and i'll have to have a puncture repair kit

but what other stuff? what clothes/shoes would you recommend- been using my standard 'hillwalking' clothes/trainers, are there 'MTB specific' clothes, different to road cycling apparel? what about shoes?

and what about 'maintenance' stuff- what do i need...?

thanks again for any advice,

cheers
gregor

In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs:

Clothing should be in red, yellow and black.

Obviously

In reply to coinneach:

Or just black, after yesterday's result. ...

In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs:

I would get a pair of gloves. Gravel rash is pretty irritating.
Personally I would get a couple of spare tubes as well. Its far more pleasant just swapping tubes out in shit weather than playing spot the hole.
Road vs offroad clothes are massively different. Although offroad stuff is often baggier. I would get a pair of cycling shorts though. The padding makes a big difference.
Shoes. If you are using flat pedals then a decent pair of skate/bike shoes does make a huge difference on pedal grip. If you go for spds this is one place road vs offroad gear diverge. Offroad shoes are generally designed to allow some walking whereas road shoes somewhat less so.

In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs:
Are you using clipless or flat pedals? If flat then I'd recommend a decent set of spiky pedals and a pair of 5.10 MTB shoes. They're nice and sticky and reduce the likelihood of your feet flying off and being smacked in the shin with a pedal.

Endura Humvees are nice if you want baggy shorts. I like riding in lycra but get laughed at for being too roadie.

A portable jetwasher that plugs into your car lighter socket means you can get your bike clean before you chuck it in the boot.

In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs:
Are your tyres tubeless? Or rather tubeless ready, if so then it can be quite a faff getting them set up to run tubeless, but it's well worth it in the long run. If not, or you intend to run with tubes anyway, keep them well inflated to avoid snakebite punctures, and always carry at least one spare inner tube (as well as a puncture repair kit).

Other things I always carry are a few spare chain links, spare brake pads, a screwdriver, a small bottle of oil and an old sock. If you are doing a long ride in muddy conditions it can be really useful to clean the chain (with the sock) and relube.

Oh, and start saving up for your next bike now

In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs:

Your going to need more scotch eggs for a start!

Lights if you are going to be doing any road riding (if weathers crappy then always good to be lit up like a xmas tree).

Clear/yellow glasses as flies in the eye are horrible and dangerous if you have a bit of speed up!

Have fun!

In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs:


New mountain bike - studded training wheels of course!


CB

In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs:

Don't worry about getting anything fancy straight away. Ride your bike lots and figure out what you like and don't like.

The one thing I'd suggest is a MTB skills course. I went on one and it opened my eyes to lots of things. Definitely the best upgrade I've bought for the bike! I see you also live in Yorkshire I can recommend Ian from MTB. Regular courses at lots of different levels: http://www.mtbcycleyorkshire.co.uk/

In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs:

A few things, in the order in which they are most used, noting that I have more than 1 bike)

A track pump with a gauge. (every two days)

A decent CO2 inflator for when you're out and about. (every two months-ish)

A chain measuring tool (about £6) so that you can see how worn out your chain is and so can shop prudently in advance before you actually need one. (3 months)

A couple of Power links for your chain and a chain tool. (6 months)

The special nut thing for removing cassettes and a chain whip - don't need those until bits start to wear out though. (6 months- 1 year)

A pair of cable cutters (1 year)

A bottom bracket removal tool. (twice!)

In reply to all:

thanks everyone! very helpful, will digest this information and head to the shops to get kitted out...!

In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs:

Saw your post title and thought you'd bought a real (road) bike

In reply to abr1966:

No.... way too scary for me!

(And nowhere near fit enough!)

In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs:
Get some half decent pedals, DMR V8 or 12 are a big step up from the plastic bobbins you get with most new bikes.

If you want to go exploring I'd reccomend a Garmin etrex 20. Load some free open source maps on to it and you've got a GPS that'll record and more importantly give you a decent map to follow where you can pre plot routes.

A decent cleaning kit is important and makes it a lot easier to clean your bike quickly. Also a stand helps to speed up the process even more.

Have fun!

In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs:
GLOVES - even for just going down the shops.

You may not land on your head but you will land on your hands

After gloves, the most essential equipment is a book...
Zinn & the Art of Mountain/Road Bike Maintenance
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=zinn+and+the+art+of&oq=zinn+and+the+a...

In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs:

+1 for gloves. Try falling off and not putting your hands down.

In reply to LittleRob:


I saw someone do that a bit back. Used his face instead. Messy.

In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs:

Last Saturday I was in a Decathlon store where I tried the standard Decathlon track pump; it was really excellent and only costs about £20. The action was better than my Topeak Joe Blow.