mountain biking gear, Uncategorized

What Mountain Biking Gear Do You Need to Get?

What mountain biking gear do you need to get to be ready to ride safely and comfortably on any terrain? Here’s a guide to what mountain biking gear you need to get including 20 things you’ll need to be ready, comfy, and safe to ride your mountain bike. So you’re excited and ready to ride your mountain bike. Whether it’s your first mountain bike ride, or your 1000th, getting the gear your need will make your ride more safe, comfortable, and fun! Prepping for a ride takes time and the more you prep in advance, the easier it is to get ready to hit the trail. Note: Best for recreational or social ride vs competitions (that’s another list!). Mountain Biking Checklist

  1. Mountain bike with seat dropper, full suspension, disc breaks, 27 or 29-inch wheels, tubeless tires, water bottle cage (optional) if you prefer wearing a hydration pack on your back or waste like a Camelbak). My bike: Santa Cruz Tallboy CC
  2. Helmet with MIPS for head safety, regular or choose a full-face if you’re into faster downhill riding.
  3. Short-sleeved riding jersey like the Pearl Izumi Women’s Sugar Jersey that you can get at Sports Basement with pockets for holding your water bottles, food, and phone. Get long-sleeved riding shirts/Jersey-like Merino wool long-sleeved layers for colder, wetter, darker temps. If it looks and feels great, and isn’t too hot as you start your ride, you’re good. Pro-tip: Bring an extra 7shirt that’s dry if it’s raining or you’re just sweating a ton!
  4. Riding vest, windbreaker, or jacket for colder days or evening rides. Insulation again the cold is good. Rain-proof.
  5. Riding shorts with shams like the Fox Women’s Flexair Shorts. Or winter riding pants in colder weather for 55 degrees or cooler, otherwise you could probably ditch the winter pants.
  6. Long winter pants for colder days like Specialized riding pants which I got at the Trail House in Santa Rosa. preferably with lots of big pockets that aren’t designed for a baby mouse. You can store your food and phone are usually in these big pockets, especially the latest specialized MTB riding pants. Maybe show the latest specialized in a beautiful ivory color long-sleeved shirt and pants that are really.
  7. Riding gloves. Fox, Fast House and many others makes some great gloves that are durable, comfy and keep your hands safe and warm.
  8. Mountain biking shoes either flats or clipped in shoes. Flats shoes are not attached to the peddles, while clips are attached. Personally, I prefer Adidas 5 women’s mountain biking flats, even though I may be sacrificing from peddle power and exerting more energy, especially if I am tired, but I love the comfort of being able to put my feet down more easily and quickly in flats.
  9. Trail Snacks. Gu energy gels, Clif bars like Cool Mint, Clif Protein Builder bars or Block Chews, Lara bars that come in delicious flavors like blueberry, banana break, apple and more can all be bought at most sporting good stores, bike shops, or on Amazon. Save money and buy cheaply in bulk especially if you’re consuming 60 snacks per month like me! Depending on how many calories you burn during a ride and how long your ride is going to be calculate how many snacks you’ll need. Typically 200 too 1400 calories per hour is good to eat packed with nutrients and proteins and quick sugars to keep you going.
  10. Riding backpack or Fanny pack like a Camelbak Rogue with lightweight design and a built-in water bladder that makes it easy to drink from the tube without stopping your ride and can hold up to 3 litters of water. You will want 1 litter of water per hour while riding. It’s convenient for bringing along your phone, food, universal tool, small bike pump, bandages, phone, sweat rag, extra shirt and other items.
  11. Riding glasses and/or goggles. lots to choose from just make sure you can see in changing light conditions, cold, rain and wind. Bring a wipe to keep clean and clear.
  12. Mountain biking socks. You’ll want to get mountain biking socks that are high enough to protect your shins from impacts like pedal strikes and other impacts while keeping you warm on colder days or evening rides. Merino wool hiking socks at REI or Sports Basement are also great when wearing flat mountain biking shoes, especially in colder weather and will keep your feet dry and snug. Buying multiple pairs is smart and helpful if you are riding a few days in a row to avoid doing lots of laundry, and avoiding stinky socks!
  13. Headphones or earbuds for listening to music or taking calls on the go.
  14. Bike computer such as a Wahoo or Garmin. I prefer the Garmin and tested the GPS on both simultaneously for one week to compare the GPS accuracy and records indicated the Wahoo won.
  15. Hot hand warmer packets if it’s really cold to warm up quickly.
  16. Headlamp and bike lamp combo like the NiteRider Lumina Micro 900 if you run out of sunlight on these short winter days.
  17. Big and Small Bike Pump just in case you get flat like the Leznye Floor Pump or the Top Peak small bike pump kit with Universal Tool small bike pump that you can attach to your bike or put in your bike pack.
  18. GoPro (optional) camera such as the new GoPro Hero 11 Black to capture all your epic adventures!
  19. Cozy changeout clothes like a sweat shirt, sweatpants, and flipflops that are easy to change into.
  20. Bike box like a durable plastic milk crate size bin or basket with handles to make it easy to transport and organize all your gear from your house to your ride site if you’re driving to your ride location. Keep a plastic bag with your changeout clothes and extra shoes like flip flops so you’re not cold and wet after your ride. This may be the most important item on this list, especially if you’re meeting up for a post-ride beer with your friends and family!
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Pedal Forward Bikes & Adventure does what it preaches! – By Jorge Negrete.


“Greenwashing” is when a company wants to appear “green.” They put a green leaf on their packaging, or they say that their product is “eco-friendly” or “natural” (plastic is also natural). However, these companies do not back up their claims of being green with any data or environmental studies. 

When I was the Environmental Manager at Tenaya Lodge, I was cautious to “do what I preach.” As a co-owner of Pedal Forward Bikes & Adventure, I have that same commitment.

Since day one, I have been very concerned with operating our business responsibly and with whom we will do business. I have been happy to find bike companies doing their part with solid sustainability goals and practices.

Companies like PNW refuse to use any plastic in their packaging, and Portland Design Works partners with ecological non-profits by sending part of their profits to support these organizations.

Also, at Pedal Forward Bikes & Adventure, we use solvents and cleaners that are 100% biodegradable, like Simple Green, plant-based chain lubes from Mountain Flow. We are considering reducing our water consumption with an Eco-parts washer with biodegradable solvents and a bike wash cleaner from Muc-off. 

  1. We buy locally and invest locally: Every time we have to make t-shirts, signs, get coffee, or anything for the shop, we first search to work with small local businesses like us, as we stated in our commitment.

2. We purchase bamboo toilet paper and paper towels with oils, but we also reuse and wash our shop rags.

3. We invest in our community: we are working with the board from the Ahwahnee hills park to grant access for bikes, especially for kids and people that start riding. We are active participants in trail maintenance with Yosemite South Gate Trails Co-Op. 

4. To bring kids and families together for a fun day of riding, we organized the Mountain Area Bike Rodeo, working together with the Mountain Christian Center.

5. We are in constant conversation with landowners to build new mountain bike trails in the area.

6. We Refuse and Reuse as we said to our customers, “we fix first and replace it if it is not fixable,” we offer used parts that are in good condition, we receive used bikes in any conditions to reuse the components or fix old bikes. We donate it to somebody in need of one.

7. We reuse bike boxes to ship customers bikes and the foams and bubble wrap that come with them.

8. We also recycle!!! Yes, we do, and we collect the data! Below is a review of our results:

Pedal Forward Waste Metrics 2020-2021

Our total waste of trash and recyclables was 2,330.7 Lbs. This equals 100% of our waste. From this waste, the total trash that goes into a landfill is 151.9 Lbs; This is only 6.5% of our waste. 

Our total diversion (total of all recyclables) is 2,178.8 lbs. This gives us a diversion percentage of 93.5%.

At 93% diversion Pedal Forward Bikes & Adventure is attaining “Zero Waste” standards, as more than 90% of our waste is diverted.

What do we need to do to keep improving our sustainability goals?

We need to focus on working with companies that have the same sustainability goals as us. For example, during the Sea Otter festival, I just had a conversation with the Director of Fox Racing North America about their products’ excessive packaging. We need to start these conversations to show our manufacturers that we care.

For Pedal Forward Bikes & Adventure, there is still room for improvement, and we are going to continue to buy smart and put our money where it matters to make a difference.

Like I said at the beginning of this blog, we are not greenwashing. The only greenwashing we do here is when we use Simply Green degreaser to clean parts.

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Supporting Members of Our Community Local Artist, Orion Cicoletti

As local business owners, we care deeply about our community and are committed to supporting those that live in the area. We continually look for ways to collaborate with those that align with our brand. When I learned that my son’s friend Orion Cicoletti designs stickers, I immediately knew I wanted to commission him to create a sticker for all of our mountain bike trails in our area. We are currently selling the stickers he designed for Goat Mountain, 007, Blind Squirrel, and two other unique designs, and he has completed designs for Octopussy and Willow Creek.

Read on to learn more about this talented young man, and be sure to stop by our shop and check out his work in person.

Orion Cicoletti is a local graphic designer, videographer, and outdoor enthusiast. He was raised in North Fork, California, and graduated from Yosemite High School in 2020. He is now attending Cal Poly San Luis Obisbo studying forestry/natural resources while minoring in graphic design. Orion spent much of his childhood exploring and recreating in the beautiful mountains surrounding him. He is an avid snowboarder, mountain biker, and climber with an extreme passion for backpacking and hiking. Orion’s sticker business was created through his love for the land surrounding him, and his art and design passion. “I started my sticker business as a way to generate a small amount of cash to pay for gas. As my business grew, I realized that sharing my Yosemite artwork inspires people to enjoy our magnificent mountains deepening their appreciation for nature.” Orion has also successfully partnered with many local businesses to create custom promotional videos, T-shirts, and sticker designs like the stickers for sale at Pedal Forward Bikes & Adventure. He hopes to one day utilize his artistic gift and passion for art, design, and environmental studies to give back to the mountains he cherished while growing up in this community.

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Our Mission

Our mission is to share our passion for cycling and the High Sierras with a concierge approach to helping our customers maximize their cycling experience. We want to inspire our customers to pursue more adventures in life and to always “pedal forward.” We strive to build a strong relationship with every customer and seek to understand them to provide the best service and products to enrich their lives. We don’t want only to be just the best local bike shop; we want to be the best bike shop in California! Follow our blog as we share our love for mountain living and all the adventures life has to offer.