Preparing For Your First Mountain Biking Holiday

There are many wonderful cycling holiday destinations in the UK with stunning mountainous regions and beautiful unspoilt countryside. But for the novice cyclist, going on your first cycling holiday can be a little intimidating. The best strategy is to plan a holiday that is right for your level. There are many internet resources and travelling operators that can help you with this. Once everything is booked, here are some things to do to prepare for your biking holiday.

Prepare your kit

Proper bike maintenance keeps you safe and allows you to enjoy your ride a lot more. Here are a few things you should check before setting off on your holiday: 
1) Make sure your tyres are inflated
2) Check that the bolts on wheels, handlebars, saddle and other areas of the bike are tight. If they are loose this could cause injury. 
3) CHECK YOUR BRAKES are working correctly! 

In addition keep a well stocked cycling kit with you to do maintenance on the go. 

Make sure you’re in shape

Being at optimal fitness will not only make you less likely to get injured, you will also enjoy the ride more. Develop a training programme well in advance of your holiday. It should involve all round fitness, not just rides. Invest in power meters and other training tools so you can measure your performance and modify your training program, if necessary.  Nothing is a substitute for saddle time however, and you should aim to fit in longer rides as well as interval training. If you can, try to get in hills as well, although this may be difficult depending on your area. 

Insurance

According to the Royal Society for Prevention of Accidents, 18,477 UK cyclists were injured in 2016. Obviously you are going to try your best not to have an accident but if the worst does happen you might want to consider taking out a sport specific insurance policy. Sometimes standard travel insurance plans won’t cover you for cycling holidays, particularly if you are mountain biking serious hills instead of leisurely cruising along flats. Do you research to see if you’re covered and, if not, consider taking out some extra insurance. 

With a little preparation, your cycling holiday should be an enjoyable and unforgettable experience.  Get on your bike, out into nature and enjoy.