There is no rule against riding a bike in your regular clothes, but if you’re exploring rough terrains wearing mountain bike attire is a must. Choosing mountain bike apparel tailored to your riding style will make your journey considerably more fun and safer.
Mountain Bike Caps
With an adjustable snapback for fit and a mesh back that keeps you cool on warm days, the mountain bike cap is an essential piece of kit that serves both form and function for the rider. A mountain bike cap, like any other cap, provides you comfort and visibility. It will help keep the sun out of your eyes while fitting beneath the helmet. A hat absorbs moisture and prevents sweat from streaming into your eyes on hot, sunny days.
Mountain bike hats are very beneficial when raining too. This is especially true if you wear your downhill goggles or glasses while riding. When riding without a bike cap on such days, the goggles you’re wearing won’t be much of use since a lot of rain droplets will catch on to them and eventually hinder your visibility. So instead of removing your glasses altogether, these caps will let you see better in the rain.
Another benefit of wearing a bicycle cap is that it prevents your hair from flowing into your eyes. However, if you don’t have long hair, it can act as a shade for your head from becoming tanned on those sunny days.
Protective Gear
Because mountain biking isn’t the most gentle of pursuits, there’s a chance of you getting injured. The good news is that there is mountain bike protection gear that you can use to limit or even avoid some injuries. So, what kind of protective gear do you need for this kind of sport?
Helmet
A helmet is a must-have piece of equipment for mountain cyclists. Slipping, falling, or colliding with a tree or rock is far more likely than for commuters or most road cyclists. Mountain bikers often use a full-face helmet for downhill riding, and downhill and enduro racing cause it provides all-around protection. Full-face helmets are sometimes combined with a neck brace, which protects the head and neck from being flung back in the case of a severe accident, this is more of a concern for riders who perform high jumps and drops.
Gloves
The great majority of mountain bikers choose to wear gloves, particularly full-finger gloves because they provide better protection than mitts. Full-finger gloves protect the hands from collisions and undergrowth, and some gloves have padding on the palms to give additional cushioning.
Because the danger of crashing is substantially higher for this sort of riding, gloves designed towards downhill or enduro riders frequently include extra protection on the back of the hands. Gloves can also improve grip since the palm is intended to give greater traction on the handlebars.
Knee Pads and Upper Body Armour
Knees are often subjected to some of the most severe and frequent impacts in a collision. This is why it is highly recommended knee protection for riders of all skill levels and riding types. For racing and technical riding, some mountain bikers will use upper body armour, such as elbow pads and back protectors.
These are often intended for hard-charging gravity riders who are tackling the most difficult and gnarly terrain. The upper body armour ranges from basic roost protectors that merely cover your chest and provide little protection to full-body upper body armour that covers your chest, shoulders, and occasionally arms with rigid nylon shells for optimum impact protection. Many of them include spine protection and might also include neck guards.
Mountain Bike Shoes
The shoe/pedal interface is one of the most significant contact areas where the rider makes touch with the bike. Riders must feel confident when riding over uneven terrain and be able to pedal effectively over difficult, complex hills. There are two types of pedals available: flat pedals and clipless pedals.
Many trail and cross-country riders will prefer to ride clipped in, similar to road cyclists, with a system that attaches a cleat on the shoe sole to the pedal. Clipless shoes resemble road cycling shoes, but they include a recessed cleat and a chunky tread that allows the rider to walk more naturally.
Other riders prefer ‘flat’ shoes and pedals, which have a rough-textured surface and ‘pins’ that protrude outward to grasp the shoes. Flat pedal shoes resemble skate shoes or trainers and generally feature a lace-up closure with an elasticated band to tuck the laces into. For the same reason, they have a sole with a tread pattern that works with the pedal pins and is constructed of extra-grippy rubber. If you plan on riding during the cold, dark months, consider winter mountain bike shoes made with warm, waterproof materials.
Jacket
If you have the right gear, mountain biking can be done all year long and when the weather turns bad, a jacket will help keep the elements away. Because there are a variety of weather conditions you can experience, mountain bike jackets come in a variety of styles too, including a lightweight shell, a hybrid jacket, and a fully waterproof jacket.
A lightweight jacket is often composed of a water-resistant material that is meant to provide some wind and rain protection while yet allowing for breathability, which is generally achieved by mesh panels or holes in the fabric. A hybrid jacket combines water repellency, warmth, and breathability to provide the best of both worlds. A decent hybrid jacket is made of a softshell or padded fabric for enhanced warmth and elasticity.
A waterproof jacket does exactly what it says, it is meant to keep the rain at bay. A waterproof jacket made for mountain biking would often have a looser fit than a waterproof road cycling jacket in order to accommodate the layers and the body armour below, as well as allow a better range of movement.
Glasses and Goggles
Glasses or goggles are very much necessary to shield your eyes from the brightness of the sun and debris thrown up by your front tire. Most downhillers prefer goggles to glasses because they are more secure and provide better protection on lengthy, difficult descents.
Most trail riders wear glasses, so if you are one, look for glasses with interchangeable lenses and numerous lens choices, which will allow you to swap the lens out depending on the conditions. Clear lenses, for example, are ideal for riding in dreary or gloomy situations, whereas tinted lenses are ideal for minimizing glare or boosting contrast. However, if the weather is exceptionally ugly and muddy, goggles are an alternate option since they offer sealed weather protection as well as a broad field of vision.
Australian Way of Life 