In cycling, the choice of clothes varies massively depending on what kind of riding you are doing.
When you plan mountain biking, you need to buy some special clothing to make your riding safer, comfortable, and enjoyable.
Here is the list of clothes and items I suggest you have.
What to wear for mountain biking in the cold
Jerseys
For superior aerodynamics, the choice of jerseys is important
Making sure you are wearing the right gear in the right conditions can make a difference whether enjoying or not your mountain riding
The best-designed cycling jerseys are shorter at the front to reduce fabric friction and offer a more aerodynamic fit.
However, long sleeve jerseys can be a good option in cold weather. These kinds of jerseys are designed to keep you warm, comfortable, and of course, aerodynamic.
A windproof jersey will keep you warm even on the downhill in the cold winter weather.
Body armor
Body armors are not necessarily uncomfortable. There are models out there that fit nice and are designed to have good ventilation
It is good to wear one for that extra bit of protection and shock absorption. Make sure:
- the windproof rating
- allows enough breathability to get rid of sweat and other moisture.
Jacket
of course, when the conditions get wet, you are going to need some more layers
A breathable waterproof, resistant, and lightweight jacket are essential for a comfortable ride.
What Shorts To Wear for Mountain Biking
In Mountain biking, there is more chafing than in road biking. So when sitting on the saddle, Padded short gives you a little bit more protection and comfort in the seat
Preferably bib shorts. Why ?:
- For superior aerodynamics
- To keep the chamois in place: Traditional biking shorts always slide down, which means the chamois will also move. Keeping the chamois in place will reduce the risk of chafing and skin irritation. The bib shorts are designed to keep the chamois in place for a comfortable ride.
What shoes to wear for mountain biking
I made a post about the difference between a clip and clipless pedals. Check it out.
If you decide to take off the regular pedals and invest in a set of clipless pedals, You have to purchase a pair of clipless shoes to go with the pedals.
Clipping into your pedals these choose provides a smoother ride and better pedaling·· efficiency.
On the other hand, flat shoes go with regular pedals and give you more freedom on the bike.
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What accessories to have for mountain biking
A pair of gloves
In general, mountain bikers always wear long-fingered gloves, which makes sense because it stops you from getting pricked by things like branches.
Gloves should be thicker in the palm :
Not necessarily padded, but it should have a thin layer of padding in the palm to give you that extra grip and protection. They will also keep your hands warm on cold days.
But it would help if you also thought about summer days because they can make your hands sweat, so try to find gloves that are comfortable in the summertime so that your hands don’t sweat as much.
I decided to invest in gloves that I can use all year long. Here is the model I use.
Helmet
You are going to need a helmet. A helmet should be essential for every Rider. I never went biking without wearing a helmet.
And for mountain biking is even more essential.
It would help if you had a helmet that is :
- Comfortable, with adaptable size, some bikers complain about having headaches just because the helmet fits so awkward on their head
- Lightweight
- Well ventilated
- A full-face helmet is for extra protection
A pair of glasses
you are going to want a pair of clear glasses when you are riding out on the trail in the woods:
- For safety purposes, you get whacked in the face with a branch or twig or something
- To stop dirt and mud from getting into your eyes
- For protection against bugs flying out in the trails: in the summertime, you get a lot of bugs in the face, and having glasses keeps them out of your eyes, so you don’t have a potential risk of wrecking the bike and hurting yourself
There are some models designed for mountain biking that are shatterproof.
Kneepads
No, riders do not wear kneepads just for show. That is not the case. In mountain biking, you will be going over rocks and challenging routes. Often hitting all the jumps as well as pedaling off the hills.
So if you have crashes, you will be more protected .with a kneepad.
Some knee pads are better designed and easy to put around your ankle when riding and then pull back over your knees when you stop.
Elbow pads
I don’t have elbow pads, but I wanted to mention them because depending on which roads you are going to use, you might need a pair.
Shin pads
When you choose to use clipless pedals, many people say you don’t need these shin guards, and the reason is that when your feet slip off, your shins will hit the pedal, which would scrape your shins badly.
But also, when you switch to clipless pedals, you might need to wear shin pads because in the beginning, you will not master right away the use of clipless pedals, and you will have the same problem.
Shin guards were made to prevent hitting your shins when your feet slip off.
Other necessary items
These are a bonus, These items are not clothes, but you should consider having them.
Bag
You will need a bag which is not comfortable, I know, but you need to carry :
- Your water
- Your emergency tools
- Bike tools if you have an issue in the middle of the woods, you can try to fix it yourself.
- And everything you need for a day is riding ( maybe also Sandwiches)
Hydration system
This one is significant because it will benefit your health: you need a hydration system.
You want to have a hydration system when you are out riding because you will spend a lot of energy, and your muscles will tense up. They are going to cramp up if you don’t drink the proper quantity of water. you should drink as much as you possibly can
Some models come with up to a three-liter hydration system, And have this system that allows you to drink while riding, so you don’t have to screw around with trying to get a bottle of water.
Arm and leg warmers
easily removable arm and leg warmers are brilliant base layers for mountain biking
CONCLUSION
There you have it what to wear for mountain biking.
What about you? Which items in this do you need to have?