There is absolutely nothing like hitting the road with your vehicle and traveling to some beautiful trail somewhere, getting your bike out and then doing some mountain biking. If you have a mountain bike, you will have to hit the road. On this page, I want to explain a couple of things you’ll need to think about as you embark on that journey.

First of all, you will need to have an idea of ​​the type of place you want to go to. You can do this in a couple of ways. In the past, I used to pick up dedicated mountain bike magazines and flip through the pages. Most included some trail maps. However, most of these were not local. Nowadays, you can just go online and get all kinds of tips. Don’t forget to print some maps. You’re going to have to follow them.

Now, most people go out with just their mountain bike and a bit of safety gear. You can do it. However, if you’re serious about mountain biking, you may want to take a couple of extra items on the trail with you. It will make the trip not only safer, but much more enjoyable.

• Your trail map. We have already covered this. You need to know where you are going on that path. Obviously you’ll also want to have a road map if you haven’t explored that area before.

• Replacement inner tube for your wheel. You never know when it might break!

• Bicycle repair kit. This will include a wheel pump; puncture repair kit and various useful tools.

• Your cell phone in case you need to communicate with someone.

• First aid kit. I’m sure very few people go on an epic mountain bike ride without getting a few cuts and scrapes.

• Food and drink. Don’t forget to bring lots of water!

The last thing you should think about is transporting your bikes. In my opinion, there is one solution that is better than all the others. This is the idea of ​​using a hitch bike rack. These are incredibly simple to use. They simply slide right over your hitch and fit securely. They come in a variety of different sizes that allow you to hold anything from one bike to three or four of them.

Remember, if you’re looking for a bike hitch mount, I really suggest you do some research on the various options available. Don’t forget to read a couple of reviews too! After all, you have to make sure that what you pick up is absolutely perfect for the job, right? Remember, you want to keep an eye on whether or not a particular rack will work on your vehicle.