Mountain bikes are designed to take on the worst terrains, gravels, and hilly roads. When creating the bike, the main focus is its lightweight frames, strong suspension systems, powerful brakes, and durable tires.
Unlike cruiser bikes, comfort is not something mountain bikes are famous for. However, they need to be comfortable so the rider feels comfortable and safe when taking on treacherous terrains.
A stock mountain bike may not have much to offer for your comfort, but there are a bunch of adjustments you could do yourself to make it more comfortable.
How to Make Your Mountain Bike More Comfortable
Before modifying your mountain bike, know what you are doing. Understand the basic components of your bike and how they are arranged.
Once you get the hang of it, you can jump into bringing your desired changes. And speaking of modifications, electric trail bikes offer much more customization but the same riding experience. Some people even prefer these electric bikes for long terrains because they run on motors and can support you if you get tired of pedaling.
Whether you have a traditional mountain bike or an electric one, here are some custom changes to make riding more comfortable.
1. Adjust Your Seat
Some bike riders do not adjust their seat height according to their height. Normally, riding on a flat surface should not be a problem. Mountain bikes are not made for a flat surface. You will be going up and down through rough mountain terrain.
So without adjusting your seat, you cannot sit properly. You will feel pain in your back, and your spine. Your wrist and arms may also feel numb after an hour or so.
Adjust the height before you ride and find the sweet spot. The right height is when your heel can barely touch the top part of the lower pedal while your leg remains straight. Make sure you don’t have to tilt to get into this position. If you are tilting, then that’s not the right height.
2. Get Some Good Gloves and Grip
As you ride your bike through the rough mountain tracks, it will constantly shake, and you will need to hold the bar firmly to maintain balance. This will put a lot of pressure on your palms, and they may even have blisters.
So, to protect your palms and ensure you have that extra grip, you need to handle the bike properly. Buy some high-quality gloves and install comfortable grips on the handlebars. This will put less strain on your hand and make balancing much more comfortable.
You should be able to get a good pair of gloves under 20 USD.
3. Adjust the Width of the Handlebar
Just like the height of the seat, the width of the handlebar is vital for a comfortable ride. If it is too short, it will put a strain on your shoulder; if it is too wide, you will not be able to put sufficient force into the handlebar, thus making the ride unpleasant.
So change your handlebar width accordingly. Some bikes have a re-adjustable handlebar. But for those that do not, you need to manually change the width by adding metal bars.
What should be done for such servicing is that you take your bike to a nearby bike store and let them take care of it.
4. The Right Saddle
The more comfortable your saddles are, the more relaxed you will feel while sitting on your bike. There are thousands of saddles out there, and you must keep a few things in mind while picking the right one.
First is definitely the saddle width. You do not want a saddle that is too wide or too narrow. It will hurt your tailbone a lot.
Next comes the material. Soft cotton saddles should be your go-to pick. They will easily absorb shocks while you run down a bumpy road.
5. Tire Pressure
Tires receive most of the pressure as you ride the bike. The tires immediately receive the shock, some of which are absorbed by the suspension. The rest of the shock travels from the tires into the body of the bike, to the handlebars, then to your hands and finally to your body.
So a stronger tire pressure will reduce the amount of shock your body receives as the tire, and the suspension will absorb most of it.
Wrong-sized tires are definitely red flags for mountain bikes. Since you are riding on an uneven surface, selecting wider and larger tires would be wise. These wider and larger tires easily go over potholes and bumps, making your riding experience satisfactory.
6. Set Up Your Suspension the Right Way
For most bikes, the fork and suspension systems are not properly set up. The fork must be adjusted according to your body weight and selected trail. Even mountain tracks can be different. Some have more upward and downward slopes; some have more gravel; others may also include forest tracks.
Our first and most important advice would be to read the instruction manual. Different suspension systems are calibrated differently. Your manuals will be your primary source of information.
First, set up the sag according to the pressure of the suspension. Find the right PSI and adjust your compression and rebound. Your manual will have more detailed instructions, and most companies encourage you to implement custom settings.
Final Thoughts
Mountain terrains are extremely fun to ride on. But a long time on an uncomfortable mountain bike can strain your muscles and even cause cramps in the middle of your ride. It’s always best to make the necessary adjustments and ensure your comfort before taking on the rough tracks.
We hope that this article has given you enough ideas on how you can make your mountain bike more comfortable in some easy and simple steps. So go out there and have a pleasant ride.