There is absolutely nothing like hitting the road with your vehicle and traveling to some beautiful track 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 that you will 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. You can do this in a number of ways. In the past, I used to buy specialist mountain bike magazines and flip through the pages. Most included some trail maps. However, most of them were not local. Today, you can go online and get all kinds of advice. Don’t forget to print some maps. You are going to need to follow them.

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

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

• Spare 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 contact someone.

• First aid kit. I’m sure very few people embark on an epic mountain bike trip without suffering 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 bike rack. They are incredibly easy to use. They simply slide directly onto 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 are looking for a bike rack, I suggest you do a little 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 have to keep an eye on whether a particular rack will work on your vehicle or not.