Mountain Biking in Israel - 5 Tips for Beginners

Bedouin sheep grazing next to a bike trail in the Judean foothills.

Seven weeks ago, I decided to buy my first mountain bike. I live in an area (Judean foothills) that can be considered a biker’s paradise — lots of steep hills, gorgeous trails and a wide selection of excellent bike shops. A bunch of my buddies had been urging me to get my wheels…and I finally caved to their peer pressure. A friend recommended Al Derech Burma bike shop, so I headed over there and picked up a Scott Aspect for about 1700 New Israel Shekel (around $450 US).

At first, when riding my new bike, I felt very unstable — every little turn held the possibility of a serious spill. And we’re talking about paved streets. The last time I had been on a bike was about 14 years ago, with the most challenging terrain being the up-ramp to the boardwalk in Long Beach, NY.

Now, as I left the asphalt and hit the hills, I had to deal with both intense physical strain and my mild phobia of riding steep trails “paved” with boulders. On top of all that, I have this little thing about the Bedouin sheep dogs that are notorious for chasing bikers.

However, with a little help from my friends, I’m learning some important rules about biking in Israel:

1. Buy a good bike.

2. Ride with friends who know how to ride (like my buddy Nachum Wasosky who just moved here from Colorado with his GIANT bike — he taught me tons in just 2 rides).

3. Eat some carb-rich food like a peanut butter sandwich or pita with Chumus before riding — otherwise you could deplete your energy supply and get a bad headache.

4. Make sure you have sufficient water for the ride.

5. Never ride terrain that is too far beyond your comfort zone. If you feel the hill is too steep (up or down), just walk it. However, as you progress, start expanding your horizons. You will be surprised that you and your bike can handle more than you think — a lot of one’s limitation is all in the head.

The most important thing is to enjoy the fresh air, exercise and camaraderie. The skills and endurance, like everything else in life, come with experience……and with mountain biking being so much fun, I’m sure you will get plenty of it.


Special thanks to Ari Rosenstein (a great biker too) for his awesome pic of the Bedouin sheep grazing near a bike trail.