Sooner or later it seems all members of the mountain bike tribe inevitably come to face the Three Laws of Mountain Biking which are as follows:

The First Law of Mountain Biking

Accept that the act of mountain biking requires you to hand over large and unplanned sums of money to the local bike shop (LBS). This is distinct from handing over large and planned sums of money to the local bike shop which should never be admitted to in front of your spouse.

The Second Law of Mountain Biking

One mountain bike is never enough and a bad workman never blames his tools. Therefore, those who seek mastery of the mountain bike should reasonably be expected to own enough bikes to fit the exact needs of a limitless number of situations. You should also expect to extend this concept to a compulsive need to repeatedly change and upgrade components on the basis that if one bike is never enough, neither is it finished. This law is religiously supported by all bike manufacturers currently known and yet to be invented.

The Third Law of Mountain Biking

Only you (and fellow tribe members) understand the joy of mountain biking. Every other member of the human race has you sat (wearing a T-shirt with the phrase ‘rapist’ across the chest) alongside Jehovah Witnesses and puppy killers in terms of social acceptability. Understand that any discussion of what you do at the weekends will be met with blank stares or a shake of the head and wry amusement. But not comprehension or, indeed, respect.

I wonder what other immutable laws of the mountain bike universe there are?