Turn on the light and ride

A mountain bike will take you along winding paths and trails, through the landscape on wide tyres, with the right speed and technique for you. It may only be a summer sport for some, but that doesn’t stop enthusiasts turning on the lights and riding all year round.

There are three main disciplines in mountain biking. Cross-country, through the terrain, can be classed as horizontal cycling even if there are ups and downs. Downhill is the cycle world’s equivalent to an alpine skiing’s downhill event and, even here, lift is necessary to get up the hill. Freeride is performing jumps and tricks on a bike.
Cross-country is the type of cycling that is available to anyone; a fantastically effective form of exercise that is gentler on the body than running. Once you have learnt to ride a bike, cycling cross-country is not a big step to take. Cycle fast along wide trails or slowly and technically on narrow paths with stones, roots and hollows. Cross-country is just as varied as you want to make it. The only limitation is the terrain.
You will drip with sweat and practise both balance and fitness. Many people who find running boring and monotonous appreciate the faster challenges presented by cycling. There is always something new happening. If you get bored of always looking at the same trees, stones and roots on one loop you just find a new one. There is one great advantage to technically demanding aerobic sports: you have to concentrate on doing the right thing and forget that you are tired. Though you’ll most certainly remember it when you get home – an hour of hard cycling takes it toll.

Cycling is more varied than running, for example. You also train your back, shoulders and arms during a training session. You can also easily switch between high pulse and really low intensity training on a bike.
Besides which, it’s possible to cycle pretty much anywhere and at any time of year, if you wish. Winter doesn’t have to mean the end of cycling; you can keep the cold at bay with the right clothes, and light up the way ahead with good lamps. Seeing the narrow path in front in the beam of a headlight gives the impression of greater speed and adds a whole new thrill to cycling. You have to take rapid decisions, as obstacles appear more quickly than they do in daylight. It’s easy to fix your gaze too close to your front wheel, which guarantees you will experience unpleasant surprises. It makes a familiar training loop feel
like new.
It’s a completely different form of cycling, says the enthusiast. There is more of a focus on the path, you shut out everything else. But the cold is a bigger problem than the darkness. You must stay dry and rest indoors to stay warm.
When choosing the right lamp for cycling off-road you primarily need to look at having enough power. Only having one LED lamp on the handlebars isn’t enough; a lot of light is needed, preferably halogen. A powerful headlamp is what’s called for; the beam should be fairly wide. Traditional orienteering headlights with halogen bulbs and rechargeable batteries are popular cycle lights. Now there are also powerful LED lamps that are capable of providing enough light.
The secret is to have one light on the handlebars and one on your helmet. Have the most light on the handlebars to remove shadows and contrasts in the terrain. A lamp on the helmet means that there are no shadows from the cyclist’s angle that could make it difficult to see uneven ground. Make sure you are well-spaced if you are cycling in a group. Cyclists behind you create shadows from your bike.
The battery stays warmer if it’s on your back rather than on your head. It should preferably be inside your jacket, this means it has a longer illumination time; cold reduces battery capacity. The light on the handlebars is more difficult; insulation is one solution, but extra batteries are a must.
It is not possible to use a headlight with a head-mounted battery pack when wearing a helmet, unless the headband is big enough for you to get it around the helmet.

With proper lamps, warm clothes, gloves and overshoes you can just head out into the terrain. Equip your bike with studded tyres if it’s slippy and start with easy, familiar paths and trails. That’s usually enough of a challenge.