Getting ready for a ride isn’t always as easy as just grabbing your bike and going. It can take preparation and thought. However with time it will become second nature knowing what you need to take with you but its always good to get things ready the night before your ride so you don’t waste any time in the morning on the day of your ride where you could have been travelling to your closest trail centre and riding.
The day before or a few days before you’re due to ride it is always a good idea to give your bike a check over, making sure that everything is operating as intended, that nothing on the bike is loose, the chain is properly lubricated and that tyre pressures are to your preference. Making sure that your bike is in good working order means that you can ride with confidence knowing that you shouldn’t run into any major issues on the trail (maybe the odd puncture). Your bike isn’t the only important thing that you should be checking over though, helmets should always be checked before a ride for any cracks, damage or rips on the straps and any other protective gear that you have - it is allways good practice to give them a check over before you go. If your helmet does have any damage its time to retire it and replace it (riding with a damaged helmet wont do you any favours if you come off). When you have checked all your protective gear over its a good time to check the weather for ride day this way you can plan the gear that you’ll be wearing so that you are properly protecting yourself from the cold, heat or rain. The last thing you want is to get to the trail centre and it be chucking it down and you’re wearing a jersey and shorts ready for some sunny weather.
If you’re taking any spare parts or tools its good to get these packed the night before as well because once you’re in a rush and you just want to get out and ride the things that you’re wanting to take won’t be where you left them and you’ll spend ages looking for them. Once you have your gear packed and your trail tool kit, food is the next thing to be thinking about, how long are you riding for and what you will want to be eating to fuel your body. Is the ride going to be an all day endeavour? If so you need to think about what you will be taking for your lunch that will provide enough calories to keep you going but that’s also not to heavy on the stomach. Trail snacks are also another great thing to add to your food bag, now there are a lot of options out there such as bars that have been designed for this specific purpose to keep you going. These bars can work out expensive and they’re also not to everyone's taste. A great alternative is to take something that is high in protein such as a nut mixture. There are also energy gels that have been created to give you the extra boost throughout your ride and provide your body with the glucose that’s needed. Energy gels aren’t a product that should be abused however. Always look at the manufacturers guidance before using them as if you’re not riding for long enough it could be damaging to your body to use them so make sure you do your research and use them as they where intended to be. Water is one of the biggest things you should be thinking about, the longer your ride the more you will need! If you can get two bottle cages on your bike then use it to your advantage. Isotonic drinks are also a great thing to take with you as they replace lost electrolytes. These can bbe used during a ride howver it depends how long the ride is. If youre going to be riding all day it might be worth having one aorund half way through the day and then another at the end of the day to stop your body falling into heat exhaustion.
With everything packed and ready to go it’s time to think about how you are getting there. If you’re going to be driving does your vehicle have enough fuel for you to get there and back comfortably. If you only just have enough range to get there and back it would be an idea to fuel up your car/van in-case there is traffic or you get lost. It’s always better to have more fuel and not need it then run out potentially causing engine damage. Bike transport is the next thing if you are using roof bars its a good idea to put them on the vehicle the night before as they can take a while to fit correctly. If you live in a good area you could also put the bike rails on the roof so that when it comes to going you just have to load the bikes on. If you’re not confident that your bike rails wont get stolen during the night then leave them off of the vehicle as you don’t want to be up all night worrying if they are still attached to your car or if they’re currently being sold to the highest bidder. If you don’t want to leave them on the roof overnight just get up a little bit earlier to allow yourself time to get them secured to the roof bars properly.
On the morning of your ride this is the time to do a quick inventory and make sure that you have everything that you may need for your day out, my partner double checks everything using a list, which is a good way to make sure nothing is forgotten. Once you’re sure that you have everything then it’s time to start packing the car with all your gear and getting the bikes loaded up and secured properly. A well thought out breakfast is always a good idea the morning of the ride as it’s the energy you will be using until you have your lunch or trail snack. Thinking about what you’re eating in a nutritional way and knowing how that will effect your energy levels throughout the day is always a must as if you skip out on breakfast or have something quick it wont provide your body with the energy it needs for the climbs ahead of you, do your research about what is going to be best for your body.
Once you’re at the trail centre give your bike another once over making sure that everything is tight it isn’t impossible for things to loosen when the bike is being transported, a good way to do this is checking it over methodically using the letter M, starting at the rear wheel then moving to the seatpost, bottom bracket area, bars and finish with the front wheel. Being sure that the bike is safe to ride before hitting the trails is a must, as it is one less thing that you need to think about and you can focus on just having a good time and enjoying yourself rather than panicking if your cranks aren’t tight or if a wheel is going to fall off mid ride.
Its never a good idea to rush doing everything on the day of your ride as you will always end up forgetting something, if it helps write a list of everything and check it off, and plan in advance.