Beyond the bike, kids and teenagers racing mountain bikes need additional gear to round out their "kit." Kristin and Steve discuss the options for mountain bike jerseys, shorts, pedals, shoes, hydration, helmets and more. We also circle back to bikes briefly to talk about dual suspension options as well as best bikes for little racers in grades K to 4.

Before wrapping up with tech talk inspired by the first images of new SRAM Motive brakes spotted on brujulabike.com while scrolling, Steve answers Kristin's questions about the reverence for, and history of, Campagnolo.

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Whether you have a child thinking about joining NICA (National Interscholastic Cycling Association); NEYC (New England Youth Cycling) or racing solo, it starts with getting them the "right" bike. But the choices can be overwhelming, particularly for parents that may not be familiar with mountain bikes and mountain bike equipment.

Inspired by a recent Open House and Information Session we hosted at the Shop for our local NEYC, the Dover Demons, in the first in a two-part series we break down what to look for in a mountain bike for a “speedy” teen or child.

We discuss the minimum you should plan on spending (retail) as well as what your kid needs (vs what their teammates might tell them) including dual-suspension vs hardtail; aluminum vs carbon frames; tubeless vs tubes; dropper posts, and the value of high quality components. With used bikes being a great option to get a high quality bike, we also discuss what to look for, and what to avoid.

During the second part we will be discussing the other gear kids need (or don't) as well as answering other questions.

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Inspired by an opinion piece in Mountain Bike Action, we're talking about proper mountain bike etiquette. We discuss who has priority on shared use trails, how to pass another mountain biker whether traveling in the same or opposite directions, and rules that are specific for group rides. Following the "rules" not only ensures safety of all trail users, creates a more welcoming environment for new riders, and preserves trail access.

We also introduce a new, as yet to be named segment where Steve shares some wisdom from the bike shop. This week, Steve uses Cannondale's entry level mountain bike, the Trail 1, to share an issue when product managers decide to save money by choosing alternative chains, rather than the one that is decided for the drive train.

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Leave a comment, question or topic suggestion for future episodes. You can visit CyclingTogether.Bike for show notes or to learn more about Kristin and Steve.