Today we’ve got a brand new feature for you. And because we can, we’re calling it Fresh Threads Thursday. Aside from being a really difficult tongue-twister to repeat in quick succession (go on, see how many times you can say it in a row…), Fresh Threads Thursday has been launched as an opportunity to bring you a detailed first look at new season mountain bike apparel.
Don’t stress – we’ll still be featuring kit in Fresh Goods Friday (along with A1 modelling poses). However, if we receive a big haul of kit from a single brand in the future (which often happens in the lead up to a new riding season), rather than trying to cram it all in to Fresh Goods, we’ll be featuring it here in it’s own dedicated piece so you can get a better look at the full range, and how it all sits together.
For our first instalment of Fresh Threads Thursday, we’re featuring UK apparel brand dhb – a name that many of you will be familiar with already. Having been around since 2004, dhb has grown a reputation for offering a wide range of apparel that covers gear for road cycling and commuting, all the way through to apparel made specifically for triathlon and running sports. As the biggest house brand for Wiggle, dhb places a strong focus on providing value-oriented garments that (up until now) has mostly been aimed at road-going cyclists. However, that’s set to change, as dhb has just launched an all-new mountain bike line that includes a variety of jerseys, jackets, baggy shorts and SPD compatible shoes.
So, without further ado, lets take a closer look at the new dhb apparel line in the very first Fresh Threads Thursday!
dhb MTB Trail Hooded Softshell Jacket
- Price: £80
- From: Wiggle
Arriving just in time for the colder months is the Hooded Softshell Jacket from dhb. Using a softshell construction with a windproof membrane layer, the Softshell Jacket is billed as being an insulating jacket that is water-resistant and windproof. The inside face fabric is made from a thermal fleece material that feels soft on the skin, and helps to provide warmth when the temperature starts to dip. The generous fit is semi-tailored, so there’s room for additional mid and baselayers underneath without resorting to the stuffed sausage look of a roadie jacket.
The jacket gets a DWR treatment along with a YKK Aquaguard™ front zipper, which dhb says will keep you dry and protected in light rain showers. The hood is designed to fit over your helmet if things start getting particularly grim, while each sleeve has an internal gaiter at the cuff as a further barrier to cold air ingress. But if for some reason the sun magically reappears and you start getting all hot and steamy underneath the jacket, there are two large zippered pockets on the front that double as mesh-lined vents for bringing in cool air.
dhb MTB Long Sleeve Trail Thermal Zip Jersey
- Price: £45
- From: Wiggle
Available in Black (pictured) or Blue, the Long Sleeve Trail Thermal Zip Jersey is pretty much what it says on the tin. Constructed from a stretchy marl fleece fabric, the long sleeve jersey is made to offer comfort and warmth, while remaining lightweight and packable. dhb says this one is “ideal for use in cool Autumn or Spring temperatures”, but with it’s snug close-fitting design and low volume form, we think it looks like a solid mid-layer option for proper winter riding too.
Coverage is provided by full-length sleeves, a dropped tail at the back, and a high fleece-lined neck collar. To help keep the stench at bay, a Polygiene® anti-odour treatment is used on the fabric. Other features on the long sleeve jersey include zippered side pockets, reflective logos, and a full-length YKK front zipper.
dhb MTB Long Sleeve Trail Jersey
- Price: £35
- From: Wiggle
As part of the new mountain bike range, dhb has a variety of jerseys in both short sleeve and long sleeve options. These will come in Black/Blue Marl, Black/Grey Marl, Black/Red Marl and a Black/Camo colours, depending on what sails your yacht. Shown here is the long sleeve trail jersey in the Black/Red Marl.
Made from a fabric mix of 88% polyester and 12% elastane, the jersey’s fabric is made to be quite light and breathable for wicking away sweat and moisture off your body when things start to heat up (that’d be the month of June if you’re lucky). Lighter mesh eyelet panels are used for the underarms, while the whole jersey gets an anti-odour treatment too. The fit aims to strike a balance between being baggy and fitted, so it looks casual without causing too much flappage in the breeze.
dhb MTB Short Sleeve Trail Jersey
- Price: £30
- From: Wiggle
There’s also a short sleeve option in the mountain bike jersey range, which also comes in five sizes from Small through to XX-Large, as well as three different colours, including this Black/Red Marl option.
dhb MTB Trail Pro Baggy Shorts
- Price: £60
- From: Wiggle
dhb will be offering two different baggy short options in its new mountain bike apparel range, with the MTB Trail Pro Baggy Short being the higher end option of the two. From the outside, they look like most other baggy shorts. There are two conventional zippered pockets on the sides, with a third smaller pocket on the back of the shorts designed for stowing things like keys and cash. The waist can be adjusted via two stretchy velcro tabs, while a strip of silicone lines the inside of the shorts around the back to keep them from riding down as you sit on the bike. To match the jerseys, there will be five sizes available from Small through to XX-Large.
Where the MTB Trail Pro Baggy Short gets particularly interesting though is in the hybrid fabrics it uses. The core fabric uses a two-way stretch for flexibility while pedalling, with the outer face fabric being made from tough nylon for durability and abrasion resistance. On the inside face of this fabric, dhb has utilised Polypropylene, which is a hydrophobic yarn is designed to move moisture off the skin and through to the outside fabric where it can evaporate. The idea here is to help with wicking away sweat in warmer conditions, though dhb also says that the fabric means you’ll be less likely to experience cold wet fabric getting stuck against your skin in wet and cold conditions. For further breathability, laser-cut holes are featured through the inside of each thigh panel.
dhb MTB Trail Baggy Shorts
- Price: £50
- From: Wiggle
For ten quid less, there’s the dhb MTB Trail Baggy Shorts. While these still have hand pockets on either side, they ditch the zippers and the rear zippered stash pocket in favour of a simpler design. They’re still made from the same high-tech fabric as the Pro Baggy Shorts, which uses a two-face later to put the tough nylon stuff on the outside where all the scary rocks and sharp tree branches are, and that clever Polypropylene face fabric on the inside where your sweaty legs are. They also get a nice amount of stretch to the fabric, as well as a ribbed stretch yoke on the back of the waist.
dhb MTB Womens Long Sleeve Trail Jersey
- Price: £35
- From: Wiggle
As part of dhb’s mountain bike apparel launch, the brand is offering several key garments in a women’s specific fit too. That includes both the long and short sleeve jerseys, which come in five sizes from a UK 8 through to a UK 16. They’re made from the same breathable mesh fabric as the gents versions, though as of right now, dhb is only offering the long sleeve jersey in the one colour; Navy/Cherise.
dhb MTB Womens Short Sleeve Trail Jersey
- Price: £30
- From: Wiggle
Coming in five quid cheaper than the long sleeve version, the MTB Womens Short Sleeve Trail Jersey is available in five sizes, and comes in the single Black/Turquoise colour.
dhb MTB Womens Trail Baggy Shorts
- Price: £50
- From: Wiggle
Likewise, the MTB Womens Trail Baggy Shorts draw from the same feature list as the gents version, but with a women’s specific cut. That means you’ve got the same high-tech fabric that uses a mix of nylon (84%), Polypropylene (11%) and spandex (5%), which provides a flexible and slightly stretchy fit that is designed to move with you on the bike.
dhb MTB Socks
- Price: £7.99
- From: Wiggle
dhb Trail Socks
- Price: £10
- From: Wiggle
dhb Winter Merino Trail Sock Long
- Price: £12.99
- From: Wiggle
dhb Troika MTB Shoe
- Price: £70
- From: Wiggle
To go with the new mountain bike apparel range, dhb has some fresh SPD-compatible kicks as well. These are the Troika MTB shoes, which come in a rather *ahem* bold urban camo finish. However, shy types need not worry as they’re also available in a flat matte black colour option too. These use a streamlined synthetic upper that’s adjusted over your feet with three large velcro straps, and compared to dhb’s road shoes, the Troika gets a slightly larger toe box to accommodate the use of thicker socks during winter. There’s a nylon sole for stiffness between shoe and pedal, and the cleat channel is designed to take any standard mountain bike cleat.
dhb Dorica MTB Shoe
- Price: £70
- From: Wiggle
For the retro classic types, dhb is offering it’s Dorica lace-up shoe in a mountain bike specific option too. It’s the same price as the Troika MTB shoe, but trades the velcro straps for a snazzy lace configuration. We’ve got them in an all-black colour here for stealth purposes, but there’s also a white option if you’re feeling confident in your abilities to keep them clean.
The same nylon sole is shared between the Dorica and Troika shoes, so you get the same toothy tread profile on the bottom of the shoe, as well as a hidden cleat mount that means you can walk around off the bike without the cleat crunching on the ground. Like the Troika, these will be available in whole sizes from EU 39 through to EU 48.
For more information about the dhb apparel range, head to the Wiggle website for all there is to know.
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Any inseam measurements for the shorts (can’t see them on Wiggle)?
I find many trail shorts too short in the leg as they are often designed for all the midgets out there under 6ft2.
@vmgscot – We were only sent samples in a Medium size for the baggy shorts, which measures up at 32cm. We’ll ask the question to dhb and find out the inseam measurement for the other sizes for you.
ST Wil.