Basic Kit
Generally £500 is held as the minimum to spend on a mountain bike that will be able to withstand repeated use offroad. You should concentrate on buying the best frame you can afford, making sure it is the right size for you now and in the future. Most people buying their first mountain bike will tend to buy a frame which is too large. Smaller frames are more maneuverable. As you get into the sport you will find that a large frame will become a limitation to the fun you can have. Let yourself be guided by the shop staff. Most are riders and will be talking from experience.
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Unless you plan to race downhill or use the bike only for playing, keep away from full suspension for your first bike. Go for a good frame with a suspension fork. Learn to ride this bike well and control it over the lumps and bumps of the trail. When you have learnt to ride without suspension on the back, you will be in a better position to decide if you need it for comfort or so you can attack those particularly gnarly downhill bits of the trail.
Which grade of Shimano gears or which bar and stem you get is irrelevant on your first bike. You can upgrade these when they wear out. Make sure though that the wheel set is sound. Preferably hand made wheels over machine made. Ask the shop if they make there own wheels. If they do, ask if they will exchange the wheels on your new bike for these hand made ones. It might cost a bit more but they will be better.
You must wear a helmet if you ride with the club. Buy the best you can afford. It should at least meet SNEL safety standards. Eventually you will fall off and you will bang your head on the ground - it's inevitable! Full face is a good idea now these light weight versions for regular riding (not downhill specific) are available.
Synthetic materials are best. Cotton and cotton mix get wet and either make you feel cold in winter or horribly sweaty and damp in summer. The exception would be a cotton T on a hot sunny day - but how many of those do we get in Britain?
Lycra shorts keep your bits together so get some. Get some with a Chamois (real or synthetic) insert. Wear them without underwear. Baggy shorts look better so wear the baggy shorts over the Lycra. You will be surprised how much more comfortable riding is with Lycra shorts.
In winter you can use thermal bib tights (Karrimore or Ron Hill Tracksters) to keep your legs warm. Or MX pants. Don't wear jeans or jog pants made of cotton. When they get wet they weigh a ton and hang off you like wet washing on a line!
Layering is the trick. Get a thin base layer as a vest. This can be used alone in summer and will wick away the sweat leaving you dry and comfy. Then get a thin fleece top. A riding specific one with a windproof front (Pertex layer inside) would be ideal, but any thin fleece will do. This will be ideal used with the base layer for Spring and Autumn. Buy a windproof shell that will fold up very small so you can carry it with you and use it if it gets windy on top of the hills. If you use these items you will be able to ride for most of the year. However, if you want to ride in winter, you will need a thicker fleece. The alternative is to buy a water proof riding top. Usually they incorporate a fleece lining, and with the thin fleece and base layer will keep you toasty, even in freezing weather.
Gloves are a must. Stop yourself getting gravel rash on your hand if you fall. For winter you will also want to stop yourself getting frozen fingers. Thinsulate are the cheapest but not very durable. Fox are better or Perl Isumi.
Socks should also be synthetic. There are lots of makes. You can wear them inside waterproof socks for wet rides - oh yes, waterproof socks. For Britain they are a must (plastic bags don't work).
Body protection is also a good idea if you want to protect your knees and elbows. Dainese are well known also Azonic and 661 do some nice light weight stuff.
Stiff soles are the key. Trainers are the wrong thing to wear. A good walking boot with a stiff sole can work well. Riding shoes all have stiff soles. Skate shoes like Vans and Airwalk are good with flat pedals (the spiky bits of the pedals dig in to the sole and give better grip). Shimano make a very comprehensive range for cycling. Most cycling shoes offer the opportunity to use the "spud". The clipless pedal system promoted by Shimano (SPD = Shimano Pedal Dynamics). Actually it is a system where the shoe has a cleat which clips into a spring clasp on the pedal (why it's called clipless is beyond me). They give a great feeling of stability once you are used to them. Learn to ride without them before attempting to use SPD's. Trying to do both would be like learning to drive at the same time as learning how to change the music cassette/CD in your car whilst steering with your knee! You will fail both and crash!!
Water bottles are OK but the best system of carrying a drink whilst riding is the Camelback and it's clones. Buy one! The basic Camelback costs £30. Bigger day packs cost £60+.
Oakley
M frame
When you ride offroad in Britain it is often muddy. Glasses stop dirt getting in your eyes. There are lots of low cost riding glasses (£15). The best are Oakley M frame (from £115).
A Crud Catcher stops lots of the dirt off you front wheel flicking up onto your face and into your eyes. A Crud Guard stops lots of the dirt off your rear wheel flicking up onto your back and making you look like a Badger. There are other makes, and sometimes magazines give front guards away free.
Buy an all-in-one trail tool which includes a chain tool. If you have a Shimano chain, take a spare chain pin with you. If you have a Sram chain you can reuse the chain pins, but take a couple of spare chain links incase you twist the chain and have to replace some links. "Quick Link" is also very good and comes with new Sram chains.
Buy a small double action pump. Take two spare inner tubes with you on every ride. Take two tyre levers or use Kevlar beaded tyres (you don't need tyre levers if your thumbs are strong enough).
Have a great time!
New to MTB? Not much experience? Need some tuition before you commit to a club? Try Ray Mazey at Mountain Bike Instruction
Looking for a cycling adventure? Try www.skedaddle.co.uk
Need your bike servicing or repairing? Then why not ask Tony to quote you a price. Competitive rates for all kinds of work. From simple re-lube to bearing changes and a full re-fit. All kinds of forks and suspension serviced or repaired. DU or DX bushes to fit Fox shocks now available. DX bush has a nylon coating and should last a bit longer. Call Tony now on 01772616189 or 07719529868 or go to his WEBSITE