Wrist sweatband for snot purposes
Genius.
I produce a lot and the towelling on gloves isn’t enough
Lapsing into TMI now though.
Wet wipes.
Wet wipes.
I make do with a mini-roll of toilet paper in a plastic bag.
That reminds me, must re-up after last week's alfrescopoop.
Wrist sweatband for snot purposes
tampons or Richie Rude style nasal dilators could also work
A pair of gloves for each temperature range!
I often take two pairs, as I don't like my hands too warm, start with thicker ones then go to thinner and often end up with no gloves on.
I produce a lot and the towelling on gloves isn’t enough
You need to practice your "snot rockets". I can clear both nostrils very easily without needing to wipe afterwards.
Yup I do snot rockets but sometimes you just need to wipe
Depends how hot you run and where you live. Living on the South Downs I can’t ride MTB in gilets or jackets, I’d cook. Long sleeve jersey for almost all of winter does me fine. It’s rarely under 5deg here. Baselayer & 3/4 bibs for the few rides it is.
I see riders out in jackets and trousers in October, I’m almost envious.
I've found a pink marker so I'm going to make my plastic sandwich bag an exclusive "club" one!
depends on type of riding but "get you home" lights are useful if not an all i can possibly carry is a tube concealed in an orifice type...have some quite bright but tiny lezynes that run on think are CR2032 batteries in my tool bag (taped over to stop accidentally turning on)
This morning I would have to say painkillers. I hit the tarmac last night and this morning everything on my left side is sore. Thankfully no road rash though as the wet leaves helped me slide.
Arm and leg warmers.
Buff - I have dozens, almost always free ones from events.
Overshoes - I tend to buy relatively cheap ones, they do a season on road shoes then get moved to MTB shoes where (at a push) they last a winter of CX/gravel/all-purpose riding and end up in tatters from walking on them. But at least they've kept the shoes clean and dry!
A thin Primaloft gilet for all but summer riding, prefer it to a warmer jersey + windproof jacket or gilet combo.
The right polyester sports briefs so I don't need to use trad lycra shorts. Comfier, suprisingly.
Roadie cap. Peaked helmets pretty useless in the wet in comparison. A Gore roadie cap is brilliant in the rain.
There's too much variation in riding style/type; location/exposure; and body/fitness to give a definitive list.
I generally do shorter rides 2-4 hours, in the south, so more forest than mountains. I generally don't do coats unless its really bad weather. Non padded but tight underwear is my preference, if my arse hurts I need to stand up more.
Trousers are a god send in the wet, keep your leg hairs dry which adds quite a bit of warmth and comfort. Also stops water running down legs into shoes.
To go as general as possible:
Shoes - get some proper shoes and pedals (flats or clips, whatever your preference) its your main contact point, and all your power goes through them. Old running shoes are not going to cut it.
Whatever your outermost torso layer is - make it cycling specific. Its cut longer at the back, shorter at the front and the shoulders slightly forward. Stops that hole appearing on your lower back which is cold, uncomfortable when combined with a backpack, and stops little mud dingle berries making their way down into your shorts
Some good ideas in here, never tried a roadie cap myself.
Interesting how we all cut our cloth different with regard to staying warm & dry. I don't like the faff of arm/leg warmers and prefer to just pick a jersey/tights combo and stick with it.
Gilet is handy for rides with temperature changes or standing around.
Gilet and armwarmers can cover you for many months of riding during the year. Caps, aswell as useful for keeping rain off are quite handy for this time of year when the sun is low in the sky.
Roadie caps are also useful for preventing helmet shaped sunburn on those less hairy heads in the summer.
Hardened roadie - I hate caps and I hate arm warmers! The caps come down too far and then you crick your neck, the arm warmers slide down my arms. You used to flip the peak up in the days before riding with a helmet#. Now that just tensions the helmet on the head. I have dedicated lighter jerseys with long arms instead of arm warmers. For summer, there are thin options for the follicle-challenged MC1R homozygotes like myself - as there are for arm covering too.
But a gilet is a year-round staple.
#I wear a club cap on my recumbent trike because 1) it's slow, 2) I'm upright and 3) I don't wear a helmet and need the cover.
Low budget allocated to MTB here
Activity shorts - Matalan £10
Black thermal long-johns: Lidl £3
Home-made arm-warmers (Mrs Rider’s stretchy thigh-socks with feet cut out) £2
Winter hi-viz cycling zip-up jacket with rear pocket (Lidl, £16)
Couple of hoodies (charity shops, £10)
Good solid tees (xmas gift)
Quality skate shoes (£3, unworn, local YHA shop) and have plans to DIY silicone waterproof
Buff headwear to keep ears and bonce and face warm £12?
Pogies for bars for extreme wind-chill or cold rain etc £25
a roadie cap and a buff works better than a traditional Belgian winter hat because you can get them under a helmet
I've seen riders wearing a roadie cap backwards in the summer to stop sunburn on the head and neck
lobster gloves for very cold days, the fingers in proximity keep warmer
Liner gloves, Buff type thing for neck / ear coverage, waterproof socks, overshoes, quality breathable waterproof, base layers and technical t-shirts all get used a lot alongside the usual shorts.
Generally I don't buy the high end stuff but I do have a Mavic rain jacket and Gore convertible gilet/jacket that have been well worth the cash - and I get loads of wear out of a HH Lifa base layer.
I've been mountain biking since 2005 and road cycling since 2007 and think - in my opinion - I now have the perfect collection of cycling clothing for riding in the lowlands of Scotland. Used to always use a Camelbak off-road but these days only use one on long rides.
Normal setup for both road and off-road for 3/4 of the year are (listed from head to toe):
Road
Road helmet
Road cap
Buff
Short sleeve merino base-layer
Long sleeve road jersey
Lightweight windproof (well fitted) jacket.
Short fingered gloves
3/4 bib shorts
Merino socks
Road shoes.
Off-road
Mountain bike helmet
Long sleeve merino base-layer
Short sleeve cycling jersey
Lightweight windproof (well fitted) jacket.
Long fingered gloves
3/4 bib shorts
Baggy shorts.
Merino socks
Flat mountain bike shoes.
I'm a big believer of buying quality kit that is well made using good quality materials that fits nice (not too baggy and not too restrictive). Keep an eye out for 7mesh kit in the sales and look at hillwalking brands for shorts as they're cheaper than mountain bike shorts with a less baggy fit.
Hope that helps.
Skull cap under helmet.
Most of my unexpected staples I didn't know about when I started have been listed - arm and knee warmers, gilets, caps, buffs. Waterproof wallet/phone case probably my most recent revelation after years of ziplok freezer bags that often became single or double use plastic waste after keys and coins went through them.
Most phones are now waterproof. As are £5 and £10 notes. Just goes in the pocket of my (non waterproof) shorts or trousers.
Exped xxsmall dry bag if you don't want to use single-use plastic for the phone.
I faffed about for years buying roadie caps made of special technical fabrics until I tried some normal cotton (or cotton/poly? I dunno) caps and realising they work loads better.
I'm also really glad that I have a fairly waterproof phone now - just goes straight in my pocket without the faff of a wee baggie.
Mtb - Kneepads after a couple of bad crashes - not wanting a knee infection again.
Base layers - thin and thicker -
I’ve decided the Under Armour got / cold gear are pretty good for not too much money. Although no Fox logos allowed apparently (on this thread) I tend to wear a Fox technical T in all weathers - with varying base layers on temperature and a Royal Racing Matrix coat on top of its honking it down with rain. Done minus 3.5 degrees snowy weather for a whole day in a cold gear base layer / tech tee / royal racing coat - that was a push up day at Windhill.
Commuting- buff to go round your neck when it’s cold - and a thin skull cap to wear under the helmet when really cold.
Either activity I’ve decided I like BTwin socks from Decathlon - quick thick ones without going to full thermal. Cheap ish and seem to be lasting well for commuting or mtb.
I want one of those plastic bucket things posted a page or so ago - great idea for standing in to change by the car and then dump kit in afterwards!
Waterproof shorts. Even some experienced riders don't know how good they are
Gilets- yes they make you look french but in warm wet conditions they are marvellous. Nobody really cares if their arms are wet.
Glacier Gloves- neoprene drysuit gloves made for window cleaning, but they're the absolute bollocks for cold riding if you struggle with frozen hands (like me- bad circulation). Only downside is that they make your hands smell like they've been inside a dead animal.
Waterproof shorts. Even some experienced riders don’t know how good they are
Wore mine on the commute to work this morning, then change in to me 'executive' shorts once at work 😉
