So it's finally time to upgrade your "ride" or maybe it's time to get your first mountain bike and you aren't sure if you want to (or are able to) buy a new one off the showroom floor. Plus there are so many makes, models and styles to choose from that you don't want to spend thousands of dollars on something that you don't know will really be the bike for you.

This is where buying a used bike comes in handy. When you buy a used bike you can save a ton of money and still get something relatively recent with the latest and greatest features. Bikes are like cars and when you drive them off the lot or ride them out of the bike shop they depreciate right away. And as the next generation of bikes come out with even more advanced features they lose even more value. It almost seems like people replace their bikes about every 3 years budget permitting.

But just like buying a used car you have to be careful when buying a used bike and you need to look for issues and components that may need to be replaced. Fixing up a used bike can start to cost as much as a new one if you let it get out of hand. If you don't know what to look for it might even be a good idea to see if you can take it to a bike shop for an inspection.

Everyone knows about the many benefits of exercise; you lose weight, shed stress and have an overall healthier body and mind. If you know you should be working out more, but fluorescent-lit gyms or running on treadmills aren't for you, it's time to check out the great outdoors. Mountain biking is fast becoming the go-to sport for celebrities, entrepreneurs, and people who just want to realize their personal best.

The benefits of biking are vast and unique. Best of all, you don't need to be a super athlete to get started! How can biking outdoors enrich your life?

1.You'll Sleep Like a Baby

All exercise will help you get those elusive 8 hours of good sleep, but outdoor biking is unique because you're riding out in the sun. Getting a healthy dose of Vitamin D is only one of the benefits to soaking in the daylight. Your body is much more intuitive than you think and being exposed to natural light will dramatically increase your quality and quantity of sleep. The sun helps reset your internal clock to maximize sleep time and make you more tired when the sun sets!

Add the cortisol reducing and stress-busting benefits of a hard workout and you have a potent sleep elixir that will have you falling asleep, and staying asleep, all night long. Who wouldn't want to wake up refreshed and ready for anything the day has to bring? When you hit the trails, you'll be able to hit the hay a lot better!

2.Anyone Can Do It!

All you need is the proper bike, your own two feet and it's time to hit to open trails! Mountain biking is for everyone, regardless of physical aptitude or the size of your pocketbook. You just need to decide what kind of riding you'll be doing (trails or mountains), what kind of budget you're willing to spend and what kind of bike you'd like to purchase.

There's plenty of resources online to help you select the bike that's right for you. You can join internet forums, Facebook groups or read reviews. Check out the Schwinn Protocol 1.0 review for some excellent information on a highly adaptable bike.

Once you've chosen the perfect ride, it's time to map out your route. If you're a beginner, start small and work your way up to more challenging trails. You can always increase your outdoor time as your strength and skill improve. Make sure you prepare appropriately for a long, calorie burning ride with the right fuel. Eating right will keep you focused and full of energy.

Back in the old days when you went to buy a mountain bike you simply bought a mountain bike and enjoyed your 40 pound, 21 speed, v-brake equipped mountain bike with no suspension out on the trails. Nowadays there are so many types of bikes to choose from with so many categories of riding it's hard to figure out how many bikes you need to make sure you are covered. Are you going to be hitting bike parks for downhill runs? Taking on 50 mile cross country rides? Gearing up for an enduro race? How about a gravel bike that you can ride on the road and the dirt?

Sure you can have one bike and attempt to do everything with it but you won’t get the same results as if you had a bike that was made for that type of riding or particular types of trails. And sure you can combine a couple types of riding with only one type of bike and probably be ok but it depends on how serious you are about getting the most out of riding. But if you want to get the best results and have the most fun (and best Strava times) it's better to have a bike made for the specific kind of riding. Sure you can take an XC bike to the bike park and probably live but it sure won't be any fun!

Everyone knows that we need to eat to survive and in order for our body to function and correctly and have energy we need to feed it what it needs. And when we say feed it what it needs that doesn't necessarily mean feed it what you happen to be in the mood for at the moment, especially if you plan on exercising afterwards or you are in the middle of your physical activity.

Another thing we all know is that mountain biking takes a lot of energy to do. Even if you are taking a shuttle to the top and riding down it still gets tiring and you need to make sure you have the proper energy or else you are asking for trouble, most likely in the form of a crash! And just because you stuffed your face before your ride doesn't mean it's going to be enough to get you by for the entire ride.

So what do you do to make sure you have the energy you need while out on the trail? The first thing is to plan for how long of a ride you are doing and its physical difficulty level as well as the weather conditions. And you definitely don't want to stuff your face too much right before the ride because then you will be getting cramps or some other kind of stomach ache related issue. And the same goes for liquids. Drinking a gallon of water before a ride won't make it so you don't have to drink on the trail and will probably just hurt you in the long run.

So you are thinking of getting into mountain biking or maybe you are going on a trip somewhere that has some great trails but don't have a way to bring your bike. What do you do in this type of situation? Well what you can do is rent a mountain bike and take all the worry out of buying a bike before knowing what you are getting yourself into or dealing with trying to get your bike to your destination, especially if you are flying there.

Many bike shops or even the manufactures themselves will rent you a bike for the day or days so you can get out on the trail without any hassles, except for hassling your wallet maybe. Plus the shop will adjust all the settings like the seat height and suspension air pressure and sag to dial it in for your height, weight and riding style. Renting a bike is also a great way to try out a new bike model that you were thinking of buying before you buy it. That way there is no regrets if you buy a bike without really giving it the proper test. Some bike shops will do demo days where you can try out bikes as well but you get a very limited time on them since other people will be waiting to get their chance.

You may be one of those hard core mountain bikers who have no desire to hit the pavement unless it's to get to the next trailhead entrance. You may also be one of those people who have road biking friends and just don't see the thrill in riding on nice smooth pavement even though your friends tell you how exciting it is to ride 100 miles next to cars flying by you at 60 mph.

Sure road biking doesn't offer the same types of thrills as mountain biking at least when it comes to the terrain but can offer thrills (and spills) thanks to the high speed attained on the downhill road sections you will often encounter and the aerodynamic nature of the bikes... and the tight pants. On the other hand if you are looking for a way to improve your mountain biking endurance to take on those longer rides and more difficult climbs then road biking will definitely help get you there. Plus if the trails are muddy after the rain you can always hit the road to get your riding in and keep those legs from getting weak.

As mountain bikers we all like to improve our skills on a continuous basis, if not for ourselves then at least for our Strava times! But what do you do when you find yourself staring at a feature in the trail that you are not sure that you can handle? Do you just do it and risk breaking something (on your body or your bike) just to avoid looking like a wimp? Or do you simply say "pass" and avoid any potential pain and suffering and deal with the smack talk later?

When it comes to trying something new like a jump, drop or steep decent it's very important to check it out before attempting it. Sometimes this is hard to do if you are already in motion like at a bike park and don't have time to stop or may cause a traffic jam or accident if you do. In that case look for what they call a ride around which lets you bypass the obstacle and sometimes allows you to get a look at what's involved at riding it at the same time. If it is somewhere that you can stop safely without getting run over it's a good idea to watch others ride it and see if you think it's something you want to try yourself.