MTB Clothing

[Trevelyan]

Having received a £10 off voucher from chain reaction which expires tonight I've decided that I ought to bite the bullet and invest in some proper cycle clothing. Up until now I've just worn normal hiking trousers and a mixture of normal fleece and waterproof tops on the bike but I'm getting fed up of it now. I tend to cycle in all seasons but only for fun - I'm not a cycle commuter (too far although I might try cycle/train commuting on odd days when the weather improves).

I haven't got a huge budget so I'm definitely looking at the cheaper end. I want full length trousers so am looking at the Endura Singletrack, Humvee or Firefly trousers (all around the £50 mark). For the top I want something which is wind and shower proof so am considering one of the cheaper Endura jackets - something like the Gridlock, Flyte or Convert II. Whatever I get needs to be able to fit into my Mule backpack when I'm not wearing it.

Any comments / reviews from people with experiences of these would be appreciated. Also are there any other makes or styles in the same sort of price range (available from CRC) which I should consider?

[Vladimir]

I have the Singletrack 3/4 and normal length shorts - as long as you are fairly slim (if not get Humvess) these are probably the best items of cycle clothing I have ever bought - last forever, super comfy, look okay.

[Dibblington]

Just buy something cheap, if you buy clothed you really like that sod Murphy and his law states that you'll fall off and rip it all to shreds.

A mate of mine came out in a pair of £70 Troy Lee shorts and ripped them on the first ride, I coldn't help falling about laughing and telling him all about how my £2 surplus army store thick cotton baggies were still going strong after 2 years of riding and trips to the Alps.

If you're looking for brands, Endura do a range of good bang-for-buck clothing.

[waughie]

sports direct has some good offers on cycle clothing at the moment.

I've just got some padded Karimor cycle leggings for £13, good for keeping your legs a bit warmer and drier, a word of warning the sizes are way off!

They also have other bits and bobs as well, jerseys, shorts etc.

[Vladimir]

I stuck to non cycle specific clothing for ages - finally started getting a few items and wouldn't go back - no seam rub, flexy in the right areas, lasts longer.

No need to go mad on prices but mid range stuff like Endura and the better Altura kit is all you need.

[Digga]

Trevelyan said:

I haven't got a huge budget so I'm definitely looking at the cheaper end. I want full length trousers so am looking at the Endura Singletrack, Humvee or Firefly trousers (all around the £50 mark).

Humvee shorts are good.

I'd suggest you are better going for shorts rather than longs. I know very few people who wear longs at all, fewer still in the summer, whereas it is not beyond the bounds of sensibility to wear shorts year round on an mtb.

One of our Wednesday night singlespeed clan wears shorts & t-shirt year round. He is double hard though and uses the rides to acclimatise for his house, which he refuses to heat.


HTH

[Trevelyan]

Digga said:

Humvee shorts are good.
One of our Wednesday night singlespeed clan wears shorts & t-shirt year round. He is double hard though and uses the rides to acclimatise for his house, which he refuses to heat.

Funnily enough I don't heat my house either (bloody place leaks heat faster than the heating can replace it!). I still found it a bit nippy when I was out on the bike when the temperature was below freezing though. I could certainly do with a windproof top for those rides.

Thanks for the help everyone. I'll have another look at what's available and see where impulse takes me!

[Vladimir]

I wear 3/4 length shorts from about November to April - coupled with merino Sealskinz socks and my home made neoprene sock sealing "system" my feet stay completely warm and dry, even when submersed.

Endura Stealth jacket performs excellent warmth and waterproofing duties but can't wait to be back in proper shorts and t shirts (merino of course!)!

[robpearson]

I've got a fair few sets of shorts now, both Gore and Endura. The Gore have a velcro fit pad, and the Enduras have the lycra under shorts. The regular and 3/4 length are a really good fit, but I have one pair which are a denim effect, and they are much tighter around the thigh. I was also bought some Howies Merino padded liners to fit the Enduras, and the leg elastic on these had to be cut because they were so tight. Anyway, waffle over, both brands have lasted me a fair few years without falling apart :-)

[ad551]

I've got an Endura Windchill jacket - it is excellent.

[Vladimir]

Rob - Singletracks don't come with a liner. I use Altura Progels lycra shorts underneath (I ONLY wear them on their own on the road bike and when racing!!) - very very comfy, even on my pretty full on race saddle.

Humvee are a baggier fit - too baggy for me.

Just bought some Specialized Expert SPDs shoes (going VERY cheap at Evans!) - highly recommended too. Carbon sole, BG fit - now just over £60 - they retail at £130!

[Gooby]

I have / had singletrack trousers for 4 seasons abuse. They have been really good. The inner seam had gone now. I am pretty sure it is repairable but after 4 winters I think it is time to let them die. Endura is brilliant gear, if I had one complaint, the zips are not as long lasting as the rest of the kit.

[Trevelyan]

I went for the Endura Humvees in the end and invested in a clickfast liner as well. I also had my head turned by the Endura Convert II jacket at the last minute so splashed out for one of those. Hopefully being able to convert it to a gilet will make it useable in the spring and autumn as well. They should arrive in a day or two so I'll be able to see if I made a good decision or not! I'm fully expecting to have to exchange at least one of the items for a different size as one thing I gathered from my research is that Endura size guides can be a bit dubious at times!

[Trevelyan]

My order arrived today - I'm happy with my choices. The jacket is a good fit - I guess I'm between sizes on the trousers though. The size L I've got fits fine but is a bit tight around the thighs when my cranks are at their highest point but they'll be ok. I think that changing for an XL would make them too long and baggy.

One question for those more experienced than me though. How tight would you normally expect lycra liners to be? The ones I bought fit ok but the strip of elastic around the bottom of the legs feels quite tight to me. It could just be that having never worn liners before I'm not used to the elastic strip which is why I notice it - will I just get used to it?

[MrTom]

If the trousers and liners are uncomfortable now, they will be terrible 15 miles into a long ride. Send them back and keep trying other brands till everything is comfortable.

[Trevelyan]

I should clarify. The trousers are fine - they're not tight as in constrictive, the material just pulls tight along the top which I'd expect on a brand new pair of trousers really. That's why I'm a bit perplexed about the liners. They're the same size from the same manufacturer and fit fine, but the leg elastic just feels tight to me. The leg elastic is actually described as 'silicon leg grip' so it may be that they're supposed to be tight and once I'm used to the feel they'll be fine.