OPERATION: NOVEMBER

Well, that's (nearly!) a wrap on another mountain biking season! The days are getting short and cold, and it's probably time to admit that my favourite fall riding is coming to an end. Sad!

But before I put my mountain bike away for the winter, there's a little work to do. Perhaps for you too! After another summer of dirt, mud, sweat, and falling over (hah!), my bike and gear could use some attention. Here’s what I’ll be doing, in case you’d like to follow suit!

Wash my bike - get the dirt and grime off the frame, give the drivetrain a good clean, and get all the built-up gunk out of the cassette and chain. Dry it all off, butter the dropper post collar, and re-lube the chain. I’ve always liked Sram Butter and Finish Line Dry Lube, but you do you! (And, obviously, follow your manufacturer’s instructions.)

Clean my gear - my riding gloves, shoes, and helmet saw a load of smile miles over the summer. Now's my chance to get everything cleaned up before packing it away. I always inspect my helmet for stick wounds, wipe off my shoes, and wash my gloves. Plus, I can put funny fingers up when I leave my gloves on the drying rack. Entertainment for days! If you wear pads, wash those too! Make sure everything is completely dry before storing it.

STRAWS!! - do NOT forget the hydration pack, I cannot stress this enough! It’s easy for me to put off, because I never plan for the last ride to be the last ride. Because of previous mistakes, I have a yearly calendar reminder at the end of November to empty my hydration bladder. Clean those straws, people! AND the bite valve! My pack itself gets a wash too after spending the summer on my back. Don’t leave yourself a spring science experiment… 😊

While I’m working on all of this, I generally take the opportunity to inspect all moving parts, ensure things are still tightened to spec, and consider whether any of my bike’s parts or my own gear need replacing. Winter is a great time to order parts and repair my bike without feeling rushed. There are also lots of opportunities to find off-season deals. If I know I need to replace a piece of gear in the spring, I can watch for something I like or research a new brand I want to try. Five Ten has some new shoe colours out, and I keep going back to Handup gloves the last few seasons, but new models and even new brands are coming out all the time in the MTB space!

Now’s a great time to get things done, and it feels so good to pull out a clean bike in the spring. Did I mention we need to clean our straws? Haha, okay, now bring on the fat bikes!! Swap that gear shelf up for the season, put on the lined pants, and we’ll see you out there! We have a great blog post from a few years ago if you need any winter riding tips.

Happy Trails my friends!

PS - I turned around on the trail in the photo, it was too wet that day!