Mountain Biking Safety Essencials

Ok.. I bet I got the attention of the mountain biking safety meeting crew members… you know who you are. No this post is not about smokin’ in the woods. It’s about real mountain bike safety.

Came across this article in the examiner about a mountain biker in Detroit who had a whistle to help medics locate him in a trail system. I worked with  a few bike couriers who road around with whistles. A whistle is a great little item to keep on your pack while mountain biking. They can good while riding in bear country if you don’t have the next item I’m about to mention… a bell.

I know quite a few riders up here in Eugene who ride with bells on their handlebars. A period bell ring to notify other trail users like hikers or equestrians that you’re coming is usually pretty welcomed.

Several weeks back some IMBA Trail Crew / Riders came to the area to do some trail building and do a little teaching. They joined the DOD for a Webnesday night ride at Whypass.. the IMBA riders both had little cow bells tethered to their handlebars.  It can be a little more annoying than a period bell ring… but will most likely scare off any unwanted encounters with wildlife like bears or mountain lions, and other trail users will definitely hear you coming.

So there you have it.. two essencial safety items for mountain biking -a whistle and a bell.