By Robert Earle Howells

In the backcountry, it’s not always easy to set up sag-wagon service, snack stations, or provide the luxury accommodation that roadies are accustomed to. It might be a while before that sag wagon appears on the horizon, which is as it should be. Mountain biking is, after all, a wilderness experience. But those days in the rough make for lively conversation around the evening campfire. Thankfully, the excitement of penetrating wild country is well worth it.

Can You Handle It?
Naturally, you’ll enjoy your tour more if you get in some riding beforehand. At the least, a couple of months of pedaling a few days a week on an exercise bike, with outdoor outings on the weekends. If nothing else, you need to get your butt in shape, or days in the saddle will be murder.

Essential Skills
If you aren’t familiar with the phrase "technical singletrack," you probably shouldn’t ride it. If a description of a tour boasts a lot of it, it will appeal to experienced mountain bikers who have the skills to handle things like rock ledges, tight turns, stream crossings, and obstacle-strewn paths. If you’re certain of your fitness, but not of your technical prowess, look for key words such as "doubletrack" or "fire roads." Such built-for-vehicles pistes will generally be non-technical. Some trips, by the way, have a learning component. In other words, they’ll teach you the technical skills you need.

Gear Up
If you’re a recreational mountain biker with a good bike of recent vintage, use your own, but ask the tour company what kind of tires they recommend for the terrain you’ll be riding. (Any good shop can pack a bike for shipping. If the tour’s in your home country, sending it ahead is usually less expensive than taking it on the plane.) Most companies, though, do offer decent rental bikes. If there’s a lot of hill climbing involved, make sure the bikes have a decent low-gear ratio, such as 22 x 30 or better (you want low numbers in the front, high in the rear). Too many come with macho bottom gears like 24 x 28. You’re in for some tough climbing if that’s the case. Also, be sure that the rental bikes include front suspension. Some even offer full-suspension bikes--shocks in front and rear--which can render a rough ride almost cushy. Worth the extra charge.

You’ll definitely need at least two sets of bike clothing: Padded bike shorts (you can get some that look like hiking shorts, but with a built-in liner) and a couple of synthetic or wool jerseys. Add a water-resistant windbreaker--I like a windproof vest for in-between weather and cool descents-- and a pair of tights. Gloves and a helmet will be required by your tour operator. Don’t ride in sneakers; get bike shoes, which are stiffer and stronger. And you must be attached to the pedals to ride safely. Old-fashioned toeclips and straps are OK, but consider getting some clipless (SPD) pedals and attaching cleats to your shoes. If the rental bikes don’t have SPDs, just bring your own. I strongly recommend wearing a backpack-style hydration system such as a Camelbak; it not only makes water-delivery convenient, but it’ll also incorporate a pouch for carrying windbreaker, camera, and snacks.

Speak the Language
Bonk: To run out of gas, to hit the wall. It can happen quickly if you don’t steadily ingest calories and water as you ride.

Clipless pedals: Pedals into which a rider clicks a special cleat (mounted to the bottom of bike shoes), thereby assuring a positive attachment and easy entry/exit. Also known as SPDs, a Shimano trademark. Contrast with old-fashioned toeclips and straps: A rider would insert shoes into a metal cage and cinch down leather straps.

Gear ratio: The combination of teeth on a bike’s front and rear cogs that determines how hard or easy it will be to pedal a bike. The first number in a gear ratio (e.g., 24 x 30) indicates the number of teeth on the front cog, or chainwheel; the second number represents the number on the rear cog. For those all-important low, get-up-the-hill gears, you want a small number in the front and a high number in the rear. An excellent low gear is 22 x 32.

Singletrack: A narrow, one-lane route through woods or wilderness, preferred by most riders over doubletrack routes, which are generally created for vehicles. Warning: Singletrack might be technical (see below).

Suspension: Shock-absorbers for mountain bikes, usually in the form of front fork blades that compress and rebound over rough terrain. More-expensive full-suspension bikes add a single shock in the rear. Suspension adds a moderate amount of comfort and a great deal of control to a bike, because it ensures that tires stay in contact with the ground...most of the time.

Technical: Terrain that is challenging to ride in terms of bike-handling skills. Usually characterized by such obstacles as big rocks, stream crossing, tight turns, ruts, roots, and logs.

Robert Earle Howells is editor of Outside magazine’s annual Buyer’s Guide.