MOUNTAIN BIKING EMERGENCIES (Especially for eBIKES)

In the sport of mountain biking, there is always the risk of going through some type of emergency. These unforeseen occurrences usually happen without warning and you never know what the outcome will be.

A friend of mine once told me a great advantage about this sport and that is there are no cars that you will encounter when mountain biking as you would if you were cycling on the road. Besides, it’s not like you’re going to have a tree jump out and hit you! Even though there’s a potential for some type of emergency to occur the next time you plan on tearing up those single-track trails, you should first prepare yourself ahead of time so you can minimize your emergencies from being too drastic.

Questions to Be Prepared

When preparing for your next ride, there are a handful of things to consider. You should ask yourself these questions:

• How long will I be riding?
• Do I know the trails by heart?
• How exactly should I be prepared?
• Are there any First Aid supplies that I should bring with me?

Is there anything else I can think of that will keep me better prepared for a potential mountain biking emergency?

These are just a few of the questions you should ask yourself when it comes down to being prepared for a potential emergency. There are also other factors to consider, but looking at this will jumpstart your thinking and lead you to becoming more active in making decisions related to your own well-being.

When Trail Riding

Upon entering the trails, you should bring along at least some of these items that I’m going to tell you about. Most of us bring our cell phones with us everywhere we go as our culture has driven us to have these electronic devices glued to our fingertips 24/7. So having a cell phone with us while we are mountain biking should be a no-brainer!

Two more necessities that come to mind are to have a form of identification and some cash on you. The cash might be a good idea if you happen to get lost near a road and need a ride to where you parked your car. Or, you could use the cash to buy yourself your favorite cold beverage after you’re done riding. Another essential item that is often overlooked is having a basic First Aid kit. You should at least have one of these in your car or with you while you are riding. Being that I do most all of my riding alone, there are times when having a friend with would be of great benefit if I were to get injured.

To further endorse knowing the trails.  A local single-track (a one way trail) doesn’t have an exit for 14 miles.  Once you start, you’re committed so planning is required.  Good MTB maintenance is required, heck part of riding is tinkering with your eMTB.  Take care of it and it’ll take care of you.

Recommended eBIKE MTB Gear

I guess you could carry an extra battery for your bike, but truth be told – Ebike batteries are pretty reliable.  If you’re maintaining the battery, charging it after each ride you should be good.

Because so much torque is applied to the drivetrain, I HIGHLY recommend an extra chain.  Do yourself a favor and practice sizing and installing a chain.

More Stuff

• Extra tube if your running tubes
• Extra water, a little 8-ounce bottle is easy to store.
• A tire wrenches – some tires are really tight
• CO2 air cartridge inflator
• Multi-tool my favorite is the Crank Bros M19 (Video Review)
• Small first aid kit
• Presta valve adapter – Watch how you can be stuck with a flat in this video – Presta Valve Adapter
• A master link for your chain – use for a quick fix.
• Cellphone – charged
• Cash – hide it away someplace.   
• Some Zip-Ties, great for quick fixes on loose cable and dropped items

The items above are a minimum list.  You can go crazy, but I can put all of these things in a saddle bag.

For the eMTB Commuter

I would add a couple more items.  A rain jacket is awesome, for wind cutting and occasional showers.  Extra water is also a good idea.  For me, I like to explore a little bit on my way home from a ride.  Sometimes my exploring will add an hour to my journey.

I thought this article is great because it gets you thinking as to how to be prepared for any unexpected mountain biking emergencies as I have provided you with some questions to ask yourself as well as some tips to get you engaged into your own well-being.

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