mountain bike clothing - basics

Five_Star

Five_Star

Five_Star

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Hi, I went mountain biking for the first time in ages at Hamsterley forest in county Durham last weekend when it was supposed to be sunny, possibly sunny showers. However when we arrived it was raining which soon changed to hail, then full on driving sleet showers!

Considering it was sunny when I left home at 9:30am in shorts and a T-shirt me and my mate were completely underdressed, especially when other riders there had full leggings & waterproof jackets etc (some guys even looked like they were wearing neoprene trousers!)

Where do people get their mountain biking clothes from? I had a quick flick through some MTB magazines in smiths at lunch and couldn't really see any clothing reviews as such.

Even after our short lived ride on Sunday I think I really need some padded shorts. Is it best to get some 'classic' cycling shorts used by road riders and wear some 3/4 cargo shorts over the top or are there purpose build MTB shorts?

Also most cycle shops don't seem to stock much in the way of clothing, I guess it's not very profitable, but for somebody like me who has no idea what I need to start with and what size will fit where is the best place to buy stuff from?
 
Full finger gloves, sealskinz socks, padded shorts with full leggings. Base layer and a waterproof jacket.

That should see you through the winter months.
 
I was going to say go to bikescene in guisboro' but it doesn't look like they sell clothing. They might, so you could give em a call?
 
Jono said:
I was going to say go to bikescene in guisboro' but it doesn't look like they sell clothing. They might, so you could give em a call?
Click to expand...

They have a very limited range, gloves and a few tops, but it was over a year since I've been in.

Are there any larger bike shops in the north east that would stock a decent clothes line up, or should i just order online and return what doesn't fit?
 
What about Evans Cycles? It appears they have a store in Gateshead.

Evans Cycles

You might know your measurements, but there's nothing like seeing something in person before buying.
Besides, different manufactured clothing varies in shape and size, for example Shimano shoes are narrow-fit.
 
Evans looks good online, but does the store carry that much stock? Guess I'll give them a call to see, thanks Ice Globe

6thElement said:
Well you must know your measurements to know what size clothing you would tend to wear?
Click to expand...
I have been checking out some gear on ChainReactionCycles and it seems the sizes are all over the place so I would prefer to see them in real life before I buy, especially at this stage where I'm not 100% what I want. I guess ordering online will always carry this risk of getting the wrong size.
 
Yeh but there superb with exchanges/returns, will just have to pay for postage if you send it back.

If i'm unsure about sizes i order 2 different sizes at the same time and try them. Then the one that doesnt fit goes back.
 
I bought stuff from wiggle. got a nice waterproof dhb jacket

also my pants were bought locally, endura hummvees. pretty comfortable and water bounces off em quite well :)
 
Start with the basics. A waterproof jacket can be worn with a t-shirt underneath it, but it won't breathe as well. I had an Altura Nevis to start with, it was great for the price and good for all seasons.

You'll then need a base layer to go underneath it. I personally wear Icebreaker merino, but find the Berghaus tech tees and similar to be pretty decent too. You'll get these from an outdoor shop, just don't get the really cheap ones from Mountain Warehouse or whatever as they're rubbish.

Shorts wise - get as many panels as possible on your lycra shorts as they'll move better with you. Having said that, Altura do a good pair for 20 quid that have done me many years. Wear baggies over them, even something cheap and not designed for biking as long as they don't have a prominent seam over the crotch as it'll dig in. I've heard of people using Goretex army trousers that are cut down, I can't confirm whether they work or not though.

Socks - I personally wear Seal Skinz and find them fine, although water does pour in over the top if your legs get really wet. They still keep you warm enough though.

Shoes - I ride in a pair of Vans with grippy pedals on one bike, and a pair of dedicated Specialized shoes and clipless pedals on my other. It's personal preference what you go for, but trainers will be fine for now.

Gloves - get full finger gloves, mitts are awful when it's cold.
 
Thanks for all the replies, it's been a lot of help deciding what to get. It's good long term that there is so much choice out there for technical clothing but at the start is quite overwhelming.

Thankfully I've got some base layer tops and bottoms from my walking clothes collection that I can use for now. I also ride in a pair of Vans and have always thought about getting some good waterproof socks, I'll defiantly be getting some of the seal skins socks, are their full finger gloves good too?

I checked out the Altura Nevis jacket, it looks good. Shame they don't do it in my colour scheme I was going for on my bike :D (silver & green & black)

I'm also going to get some Endura Singletrack Shorts and some Endura Clickfast - 6 Panel Lycra Short - would people advise against this for any reason?

thanks for the help :)
 
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