Uncover mens mountain bike clothing for every period and air. From mountain-specific shorts to the best road bibs available. Get prepared with biking attire that will enable you to make the most out of each ride for years to follow.
- Part 1: Why Biking Attire Is Important
- Part 2: Complete Buying Guide for Mens MTB Clothing
- Part 3: Last Words on Mens Mountain Bike Clothing
Part 1: Why Biking Attire Is Important
Your mountain biking attire is determined by whether the weather is hot or cold, your comfort, safety, and cycle style. When you are a biking newbie, the first kit you get is the best kit for you. But when you get better and make progress, then you might want an upgrade. You may need clothes that are designed according to specific needs. Overall, trail riders usually go for a loosely fitted clothing kit that consists of baggy clothes. But the cross-country riders, on the other hand, are more inclined towards Lycra attire.
In daily life, we have two sets of clothing, for winter and summer, respectively. Your biking attire depends upon several factors, such as the weather and the trail you decide to ride on. In the summer, you will not need that much safety as the trails are generally dry because of the absence of snow, which means you need to wear safety gear in the winter. How you decide to dress up is completely up to you because your comfort comes first.
If you are going on an all journey, your safety should be your biggest concern. If you are a careful or daring rider, you need a good amount of protection from rocks, bushes, roots, and branches. When you are going on extended rides or when the heat is high, you will want to wear a bit cozier clothes, but when the climate is pleasant, or you are going on short rides, your everyday garments are sufficient. Clothing made of Lycra material is excellent for fast riders but is tight. Instead, you can buy yourself some loose and comfy biking attire.
Part 2: Complete Buying Guide for Mens MTB Clothing
If maybe not regal, there are some principles and advice that make biking attire more suitable and secure. You by now realize how important a helmet is when riding a bicycle, but how about the jersey? And how about the shorts? We will discuss the significance of mens mountain bike clothing below.
Helmet
For mountain bikers, a helmet is a must-have piece of equipment. Head protection is critical because the possibilities of something like a tree or a rock are much greater than for commuters or most road bike riders. Mountain biking helmets typically have an incorporated peak that keeps the sun and rain away from the rider’s face while also deflecting low-hanging branches. To provide better protection, a mountain bike helmet sits lower around the back and sides of the head. Mtb riders often opt for a kind of helmet that covers their entire face as well as their head for bike parks, enduro racing, and downhill riding.
Helmets like these provide overall safety to the rider. This kind of helmet is sometimes integrated with a neck brace that protects the head against big crashes in case the head jerks hazardously. This problem usually occurs with rash riders. Mountain bike helmets with Multi-directional Impact Protection technology are becoming more popular day by day. MIPS is an extra layer, or slip-plane, inside the helmet that reduces the rotational forces on the nervous system that can occur during specific effects.
Jersey
Mountain bike jerseys, on the whole, aren’t that different from road jerseys. They’ll be close-fitting, but possibly a bit looser than road-bike jerseys, in order to effectively absorb sweat. The fit might be even looser for more gravity-oriented cycling styles. Full sleeves offer more protection from branches and brushes. Back pockets are not really necessary if you are going to carry a backpack.
On rides without a backpack, pockets are useful for storing food, a phone, keys, a tire repair kit, and money. When you’re running hard or climbing fast, a zip in the front for ventilation is a good quality to have. Many cross-country riders look for it. The expense of mountain bike jerseys is naturally lower than that of road bike jerseys. And they are available in a vast variety of colors and patterns.
Shorts or liners
Mountain bike shorts have the flexibility for effortless leg movement and a padded crotch lining to reduce friction and wick moisture. Shell shorts and padded liner shorts are also available separately. Aerodynamics is rarely a concern for most mountain biking styles, so your shorts can be baggy. If you ride or race a cross-country bike, you will probably opt for tighter-fitting, more aerodynamic shorts. Some fitness riders also prefer form-fitting shorts as they provide muscle assistance.
Because you sit more erect and your seating position alternates between standing and sitting. The embedded padding in mountain bike shorts can be noticeably thinner than in road shorts. Because many liners are separable, you have the option of buying biking underwear. Even if you wear liner shorts, make sure you do not wear non-biking underwear underneath your liner shorts because then the chafing would be inevitable. Whether you wear completely separate biking underwear or liner shorts is totally up to your personal preference.
Protective Goggles
Protective glasses or any eyewear is an integral part of mens mountain bike clothing. Goggles protect mountain bikers’ eyes from the sun’s glare and particles blown up by the front wheel. Buying a frame that comes with easily replaceable lenses is perfect, and it would be even better if it came with many lens options. It will enable you to change the lens according to your situation.
For instance, transparent lenses are excellent for riding in gloomy conditions. Whereas tinted lenses are better for minimizing glare or increasing contrast.
A lot of the time, trail riders wear glasses. If the weather is particularly horrible and muddy, goggles are a viable alternative as they provide sealed weather protection with a wide field of vision.
Most trail riders wear safety goggles with full-face helmets. Many goggles will fit regular helmets.
Knee Pads and Other Safety Padding
When they are riding on a track with a higher-than-average chance of falling, most of the riders will wear knee pads at the very least or simply for their own sense of security. There are far more weightless alternatives available than ever before that can provide security along with the ability to pedal with comfort. Thicker pads are available on the market for highly technical riding. The spine guard and elbow protectors are essential parts of mountain biking clothes for men. Protective gear is crucial during racecourses or on technical terrain.
Gloves
The majority of mountain bikers prefer full-finger gloves because they provide more effective security than mittens. Full-finger gloves help shield the fingers from collisions and thickets, and some gloves have padding on the palms for added cushioning. Because the risk of collision is much higher when riding downhill or enduro, gloves designed for these types of riding seem to have more security on the back of the hands. Gloves can also improve grip by providing extra traction on the handles. It’s all thanks to the design of the palm.
Search for gloves with strategically placed grippers so you can control the shifters and brakes completely.
Full-fingered gloves will provide good coverage and windproofing when riding mountain bikes in chilly or damp conditions, such as early summer, fall, or winter. But there are a variety of gloves available, with lighter options for summer riding and more heavily insulated options for cold-weather riding. Investing in a couple of pairs of gloves will help you avoid sweaty hands in hot weather and freezing hands in cold weather.
Socks
In addition to being a fashion statement in mens MTB clothes. Long socks can also protect the shins and calves from cuts and scratches caused by the pedals or bushes.
Riders who ride in damp air prefer waterproof socks because they keep their feet dry and warm if their shoes get wet. On the contrary, ultra-light, breathable socks will keep your feet cool and comfortable in the summer. Another option is to wear waterproof shoe covers on the top of riding shoes. If you’re utilizing slim-line shoes for fully adjustable pedals. It could provides even more protection from the rain.
Shoes
The shoe-pedal team is one of the most important points of contact where the rider comes into contact with the bike. Riders must feel safe while riding on rough terrain and be able to successfully pedal up tough or technical hills. Flat pedals and clipless pedals are the only two options available on the market. Many trail riders and cross-country riders will opt to ride fastened in, similar to road cyclists, with a framework that attaches a cleat on the shoe’s sole to the pedal. These completely adjustable shoes resemble road cycling shoes. The only difference is that they feature a thicker thread and a cleat that allows riders to walk more naturally. Others enjoy riding with flat shoes and pedals, which have a bumpy surface on the pedals and pins that protrude outward to hold the shoes.
Flat pedal shoes are much more akin to skate shoes or trainers. And they generally have a lace-up closure with a stretchy band to tuck the laces. For the same reason, they have an extra-grippy rubber sole with a tread pattern that works with the pedal pins. If you’re planning to ride during the chilly and gloomy days or weeks. Cold weather mountain bike shoes are good.
Water-resistant Trousers
If you ride all year and live somewhere with a cold and snowy climate, riding trousers will make a significant difference in dirtier air. They will not only keep you dry. But they will also keep you warm when the weather cools down, and they will keep you from becoming mud-caked. Riding trousers, like jackets, are usually available in waterproof and water-resistant versions. Waterproof trousers are typically made of hard-shell cloth and are the type of waterproof trousers you would likely wear while hiking.
They provide enough rain protection at the expense of breathability. Soft-shell fabric is probably used in the making of these water-resistant pants, which provides them with better fitting and longevity. It also provides durable water repellent treatment to keep the rain out.
In riding trousers, the fit is everything. Riders might want something taut to keep the fabric from flapping and causing a problem, but with enough space to allow you to pedal freely. A reasoned cut will also help in this regard. Additional features such as Velcro ankle tabs for a secure fit and corrasion materials are beneficial.
Part 3: Last Words on Mens Mountain Bike Clothing
You can save money on bike clothing by dressing up in almost any comfortable, athletic outfit. Although you should add some reflective pieces or elements. That is less of an issue when no vehicles are around, such as on a mountain-bike-only trail. Reflectivity is necessary on jackets and pants, which are worn in colder, darker weather.
A reflective element on your clothes should be visible to drivers approaching.
When in doubt, more exposure is always preferable.
