Do you ever wish you could design your own riding gear?

Why can’t I have a waterproof jacket with zippable vents on the forearms? I run warm even without a sweaty jacket on so vents in the forearms along with an exhaust vent in the back would be perfect for cooling down while you’re riding along. I get that zips are a point of entry if water but really, water is going to get in anyway if you spend enough tine riding in the rain.PPit zips and/or chest vents are OK but arm vents would be amazing.

In a bid to stay cooler, I bought an MT500 with its 40k breathability (mage cheap from CRC). It’s ok… All that breathability though means it’s not a warm jacket when you need it to be. It’s as though it’s too warm for summer and too cold for winter.

Socks: I want a sock with a built in gaiter. Mid calf length. The gaiter and everything above should be waterproof with the bottom part in either summer or winter weight merino. The non waterproof bit sits inside your waterproof boot and the top part with the gaiter keeps the water and the muck out of your boots.

I’ve got some Grip Grab gaiters which work OK but they need a sock of a particular length. Too long a sock means it pokes put the top of the gaiter and they’re not long a ough to cover tall socks that I want to wear in winter.

Boots: SPD, non insulated for summer use. Robust material with a reinforced toe box. Ankle height, waterproof with an aggressive sole for walking in muddy/ sandy/ rocky/ loamy surfaces. I don’t want Five Ten style flat bumpy soles. I don’t care how sticky the rubber is, they’re not great for walking in. I need something that digs into soft ground.

MattOutandAbout posted a thread about the Shimano XM9s being discontinued. The Mavic boots which I currently have are excellent but again, discontinued. Lake MX180s would be perfect. Discontinued.

For keeping cool in the summer I’ve got some older TLD Ruckus shorts that are great. Zippable vents in the inner thigh and perforated material in the waste band so air is dragged through as you move along. It works so well to keep you cool but the newer version is completely different.

Do they do this because no one buys them? Maybe I’m on my own in wanting the type of kit that I want.

It seems that all the new gear is aimed at looking ‘bike magazine fashionable’ while waiting around for an uplift or mooching around the carpark of a trailcentre while talking about the need for a Fox 38 to tackle that last drop off properly. Does anyone make actual functional gear any more?

That turned into a bit of a rant…

If you could design your own kit, what would you have?

Also, if anyone knows of anything that fits the above bills then do let me know!

Do they do this because no one buys them? Maybe I’m on my own in wanting the type of kit that I want.

Sort of. I used to go out with a technical outdoor clothing designer. All the stuff I thought would be great, she generally said was too niche to be commercially viable. I suspect things are actually worse in the cycling clothing market because while riders are prepared to spend £ks on bikes, they want a super breathable, totally waterproof jacket that’s also durable, light and packable that retails for under £100… or something like that.

Top-end mountaineering jackets in Gore-Tex Pro are now retailing around £500. High spec fabrics, more complex designs etc, but I think bikers are less willing to spend on clothing generally. Anyway, I suspect the answer is that you are ‘too niche’ to be commercial. The market has decided and not in your favour would be my take.

Most warm or softshell jackets focus on the body. I rarely get a cold core but my arms and hands get cold. So I’d like the reverse. Normal fleece body, wind proof, warmer sleeves.

A  waterproof glove that doesn’t absorb on the upper outer fabric. I don’t care about breathability in very wet conditions. Saturated material acts like a heatsink in the wind.

That and saddle bags. I like the castelli ones but it needs to be a little bigger and about 20cm long to fit a mini pump inside rather than underneath. The Vel ones are pretty close. I’d like one a touch larger for gravel inner tubes.

An ice suit.

A big yes. I’ve always been very fustrated by mountain bike clothing, mainly by lack of vents. Cycling uphill and off road generates a huge amount of heat, but then cycling down in the cold wet mountains requires a lot of protection. It’s always been a balance to get this right, involving pulling up sleeves on jackets not designed to have the sleeves pulled up, and unzipping flimsy lighweight zips which break after a month of use.

Roadie clothing seems to work well nowadays, and walking clothing has for a long while, but mountain bike clothing seems to be variation on either of the two above groups and yet not quite totally fit the bill.

A big yes. I’ve always been very fustrated by mountain bike clothing, mainly by lack of vents.

+1 – so many “mountain biking” tops lack any way of controlling ventilation apart from taking them off. I can’t think of the last time I bought anything for my top half that was labelled as mountain bike kit (apart from my helmet).

I think cyclists do spend money on clothing, you just have to look at the proliferation of high end brands. Rapha are no longer an outlier of expense, there are some way more expensive. However this is mainly the roady market which is fairly international and also fair weather focused. Northern European MTBers are probably too much of a niche for a lot of brands.

This still leaves the question why local brands aren’t tuned in to the needs of their local markets? Just to expensive to get Chinese factories to produce low run lines?

Boots: SPD, non insulated for summer use. Robust material with a reinforced toe box. Ankle height, waterproof with an aggressive sole for walking in muddy/ sandy/ rocky/ loamy surfaces.

+1 I wear my mw7 through autumn and spring with light socks. Little insulation. Hopefully they’ve not messed up the fit as they did on the me7.  Also it looks like the latest version has a stupid “xc” sole rather than the “enduro” walking sole on mine

the ex9 looks interesting (if super expensive) as does the ex700. But I don’t think any Shimano shoes fit me since they messed with the lasts.

Personally id like to be blue to buy some riding trousers with a 35 “ inside leg.

I think cyclists do spend money on clothing

I do tend to be tight when it comes to mountain biking jackets on the grounds I keep wrecking them (brambles especially for the not win)

Or worse, when you find the perfect item of riding apparat and when it wears out, you find that it is no longer made and everything else on the market is inferior.

I like simple designs without the bells and whistles but made from quality materials and made well, like extra stitching in high stress/wear areas etc.

I think 7Mesh pretty much does this but at a premium price which is beyond most folk’s (including myself at times) budget.

See my grumbling on the what jacket thread.

MTB jackets (and reviewers) seem to have a weird obsession with pockets, just stop it, they add weight, bulk and complexity/expense whilst reducing breathability. Bikes have cubby holes, we ride with bags, pockets are largely irrelevant. Vents are really useful but either left off or poorly thought out. Hoods are left to flap in the wind if you’re not using them (and I don’t ever).

And if you do ever find the right thing then you end up with the weird ass sizing, it’s like the designers have never met a real person before. Alpkit at least do short/regular/long leg lengths but for some reason don’t carry that concept over to jackets. Everyone else it’s not even that smart.

I’ve started looking at the feasibility of making my own.

all jackets must have a napoleon chest pocket that fits a modern sized phone

Anyway, I suspect the answer is that you are ‘too niche’ to be commercial.

I toyed with the idea of going into making mountain biking clothes, and even got the stage of contacting some designers to scope out the market. One woman I spoke to told me bluntly that you need to make a choice; It’s either going to be  a side-gig (becasue you’re interested in clothes design and manufacturing) it’ll always be a small niche that’ll end up taking up way too much of your time, but not pay enough to give up working and do it full time. Or alternatively you go for world domination and become gigantic as that’s where the profit actually is in clothing and you have to sell your soul to make clothes as cheaply as you can.

Besides, Rapha one of the biggest names in niche cycle clothing, hasn’t made a profit in years.

There’s loads of cycling clothing that’s not fit for purpose, I generally try to buy from places like 7mesh who actually seem to give two shits about whether it works or not, or see if I can get what I want from other outdoor sports manufacturers as they tend to be a bit more useful

MTB jackets (and reviewers) seem to have a weird obsession with pockets, just stop it, they add weight, bulk and complexity/expense whilst reducing breathability. Bikes have cubby holes, we ride with bags, pockets are largely irrelevant.

I’m the opposite.

I want pockets on jackets. My bike has limited storage and I don’t want a pack.

Jerseys with a rear or side zip up pocket are great for me in the summer too. I could wear a roadie top but the world doesn’t need to see that.

Shorts and Trousers with Velcro on the sides to tighten the waistband can get in the sea. Especially if I have to put stuff in the pockets, which then drag the trousers down. Especially if I’m having to carry a work phone.

I wish trousers came with a a leg length to fit slightly above average people. I can buy trousers on the high street that fit but MTB clothing doesn’t even come close.

I wonder whether decent clothing sometimes gets discontinued because it’s too good. I own lots of clothing but always end up wearing my favourites and now won’t bother buying new stuff until I really need it

I wish trousers came with a a leg length to fit slightly above average people

Came to say exactly this, why are they always so short

Tight fitting jerseys with rear pockets are sensible, stick things in those by all means. But jackets fit looser and any pockets on the front with things in weigh them down and pull them, zips leak and the things in them can get soaked.

MTB jackets (and reviewers) seem to have a weird obsession with pockets, just stop it,

And shorts, with pockets. Why? I pedal, legs go up and down and up and down and up and down. I don’t want keys, phone, wallet bouncing around on my thigh. I don’t want to fall on them either.

There are a few options:

For venting jackets, you can easily add pit zips to any jacket. I often do that on my rain shells, (well, have a local seamstress do it), and it works fine. Forearm vents would be harder, because I think those would need to be waterproof and taped, but long, waist to elbow pit zips vent great and do not need to be waterproof.

Made Outdoor  Apparel makes custom waterproof jackets and bottoms. You choice of features, AND custom sizing.

Commuting:

I’d like merino lightly padded mesh boxers … To reduce sweat, small amount of comfort, not to smell so I can wear them all day.

Smart-casual shorts (summer) / trousers (winter) that are technical but also normal looking, have a bit of venting, also splash and mud proof.

Smart-casual shirt/top that is technical but also normal looking. Big enough chest button/zip pocket for a phone.

MTB:

MTB jerseys are too loose and don’t have a pocket eg for a phone. Roadie tops are usually too tight/figure hugging and look silly with baggy shorts. I’d like something in between (should probably check out ‘grrrravel’ gear) .. with a couple of pockets (at least one zipped, probably on the chest so it doesn’t interfere with a bum bag).

As others have said, MTB waterproofs need to breathe/vent better, be lightweight but also properly waterproof but also robust, have a chest pocket, not a big flappy hood, and be under £100.

Down/insulated gilets. I’ve a couple. They’re ok for warmth-without-sweat for steady state road rides, but for MTB, any burst of energy, I just find my back gets immediately sweaty.

Why can’t I have a waterproof jacket with zippable vents on the forearms? I run warm even without a sweaty jacket on so vents in the forearms along with an exhaust vent in the back would be perfect for cooling down while you’re riding along. I get that zips are a point of entry if water but really, water is going to get in anyway if you spend enough tine riding in the rain.PPit zips and/or chest vents are OK but arm vents would be amazing.

^^This is kind of the reason why I’m more of a fan of Gilets for all flavours of cycling once summer is over; normally used in conjunction with arm warmers. While I have a few jackets I try to avoid taking all but the most packable ones.

My ideal Autumn/Spring Gillet has light/minimal synthetic insulation under a waterproof fabric on the front/over the shoulders, while the rear/sides have vented, uninsulated panels to stop me boiling and pockets of course for the arm warmers when they inevitably come off.

Also a bit like with your vented forearms want, for Spring/Autumn/Early Winter I want arm warmers but with a water repellent/DWR type stretch fabric around 3/4~2/3rds of their circumference and a stretchy mesh or perforated lycra panel that you could align with your inside arm to stop you overheating so easily would work well during periods where the temperatures are variable but also cope with showers/spray. surely that is a product that could be knocked up relatively cheaply(?) for a few niche weirdos like me.

I also like the idea of adding a mesh pocket, a bit like you get on Cargo Bibs now, to the forearm of an arm warmer so you can stash a snack or other items on your left/right arms, I’ve stuffed things like bars or gels inside my left cuff before, a pocket would be a smidge more comfortable IMO…

but generally I am happy to trade some insulation and/or water tightness for ventilation for a good chunk of the year TBH.

“And shorts, with pockets. Why? I pedal, legs go up and down and up and down and up and down. I don’t want keys, phone, wallet bouncing around on my thigh. I don’t want to fall on them either.”

Conversely I like to carry my phone and keys in my shorts pockets. I won’t buy baggy shorts or riding trousers without decent pockets.

I’ve got a couple pairs of Pearl Izumi riding trousers, they’ve got rear facing pockets one big enough for a smartphone. Well thought out as they keep stuff out of the way when pedalling . Contrast with Altura Trail shorts , the slogan is Tried , Tested Trusted , really? If so why put pockets on the front of the thigh ???

One brand that seems understated and underrated I find is Madison seems well thought out and reasonable prices as well .

And I agree with the gilet comments.

I’m yet to find a jacket that I don’t overheat in.

I won’t buy baggy shorts or riding trousers without decent pockets.

With zips on the pockets too please.  I only need to store my phone but i don’t want to have to wear a bag to ride my bike.

I’ve got a couple pairs of Pearl Izumi riding trousers, they’ve got rear facing pockets one big enough for a smartphone. Well thought out as they keep stuff out of the way when pedalling .

I have A pair of their shorts with the reverse pockets and they are brilliant. Contrast with the last Fox shorts I bought which had moved the pockets further onto the top of the thigh and made them too short for a current model phone (where is the older pairs we’re in a better position and big enough).

Definitely want pockets on shorts even if I don’t carry anything in them when riding but getting to the trails and the pub afterwards phone keys gloves.

On jackets, however, I’m with the minimal approach. I’ve got an old not too tight Endura roadie jacket that’s perfect. Napoleon pocket for a phone and a pocket lowdown on the back. Anything in hand warmer pockets either swings around or gets in the way when you’re actually riding.

I do use pockets in baggies if they’re present, again just for a phone and keys, but I think the ideal solution is really ‘Bib-Baggies’ with an integrated liner that’s more like a cargo bib and all you have in the baggy bit is a hand access slit so you can shove stuff into an inner mesh pocket on your thigh, all sewn together so there’s no need for waistbands or other stuff, a lightweight trail baggy (water repellent of course)…

Ah the eternal battles of Mountain Bike Clothing…

Reasonable Looking vs High Performance

and

Reasonable Pricing  vs High Performance

“Reasonably priced” Mountain biking waterproofs are either breathable and not waterproof or waterproof but not breathable.

Add in the fact you’re also kicking out a ton of heat riding up hill and  the fact they’re probably dirty.

I’m a big fan of Vests/Gilets, be that the wafer thin DHB one I have at the moment or the sadly dead Howies and Roach ones I have used in the past.  Both the howies and Roach one had sleeves you could stash just in case.  That being said they look a bit weird.

Pockets on shorts – yes please but just big enough for an iphone and not flappy.  The Dakine shorts I own seem to get this right but I’m big of thigh so things tend to be tight-ish on my thighs which helps.

Zips on jerseys  – no thanks, yes you can vent but they are lumpy and scratchy.  They’re simply not needed if you have a nice mesh facbic like the stuff Dakine, Madison and Setup use.

Gilet with a water proof back please!

If that’s what you want, why not get a sewing machine and get busy?

Spoiler alert it took me 3h to sew a new arse into some trousers that had worn out

And now face a quarter of the choice that you already have and nowhere to feasibly try it on and you’ll have the joy of being a female mtber. It seems most manufacturers don’t have a clue on women and mtbing, I’d love for them to send me their prototypes or ideas and me given them feedback and actually get it right.

I’m convinced more thought goes into the graphic design of logos on much MTB kit than actual function…It seems people will pay a fortune for a loud ‘FOX’ top, but not so popular for a more subtle top.

See, on the cost front, I’m happy to pay for decent stuff.

Madison got a shout up there ^ and I have to say, all the Madison stuff I’ve got (which is quite a lot now) is excellent. The first thing I bought of theirs was some Zenith 4 Season shorts in a sale from a PSA on here years ago. They were ~£40 a pair reduced from £75 I think.

I bought a pair and as soon as I’d tried them on, I bought another pair. They were good material, fit me really well and I just had a feeling that they be good for riding. I’ve got 8 pairs now, some of which must be 6 years old and haven’t worn out yet. I keep buying them in case the ones I’ve got wear out or Madison stop making them. I think I’ve still got 3 pairs in the packaging that I haven’t even opened. They just don’t die.

Would I pay the £75 for a pair? Yeah, I would now because I know they’re worth it. If it wasn’t for the initial sale where I bought them for £40, would I still have paid £75 for them as an unknown entity? Probably not.

Its always a gamble throwing money at something when you have no idea if it’s any good. Are you paying for descent materials and construction? Or are you paying for a £10 pair of shorts with a fancy name embroidered into them? There’s not really any way of knowing until you’ve actually bought them and although you can look at them and try them on, you’ve still got no idea how well they’re going to perform or last until you’ve worn them and by that point, theres no sending them back.

I’ve got some TLD Resist waterproof trousers that again, I took a chance on when they were cheap. They retail for £150. Having worn them, they’re probably worth paying full whack for. They’re well thought out/ designed and nicely made from what seems like good material. They fit me well and work exactly how they should.

Would I have taken a punt on them for full RRP? No chance. It’s just too much money to throw away if they turned out to be rubbish.

I think a lot of people are happy to spend money on decent stuff. It’s the whole, not knowing if it’s decent thing that puts people off.

Less logos and huge branding please.

Some of the Leatt stuff is crazy, like who the heck would dress head to toe in that.

Waterproof riding trousers for me. There’s some that are <almost> perfect but as far as I can find none that are really built for a proper sized kneepad, and across the board they’re short.

Kneepads really doesn’t need much change, a tiny bit more room. But the length, honestly I don’t get it at all, mtb trousers work best if they’re long so they drape over your shoes and help keep water out and don’t pull up when pedalling. Too short by a mm is as bad as too short by two inches but too long by 20, 30mm is imo no problem at all.

Best bike jacket I’ve ever had was a Salomon ski softshell, got it super cheap in sale in a Whistler ski shop. Can’t find anything quite like it now especially for a reasonable price. All the soft shells I’ve tried since soak up water like a sponge whilst this was pretty good at beading it, but still stayed breathable and “just right” temperature wise. Don’t think it was made of any fancy GoreTex or similar expensive materials either.

I gave up on hard shell jackets for MTB in all but the worst weather DH days. It’s either a waterproof gilet or an old softshell with DWR nowadays. The softshell breaths much better than any Goretex (other brands are available) riding jacket and with elasticated cuffs I can just pull the arms up to expose my forearms or unzip the jacket to cool down. On wet days, I combine the gilet and the softshell.

don’t get me wrong, I have had several Goretex jackets and still use them for other activities/sports, but I sweat like a nun at a penguin shoot and no hardshell will breath enough for me on a pedalling day.

as for wanting to make kit my wife is a wiz with a sewing machine so she’s dismantled old worn out kit we liked, made patterns and made new versions of them for us a few times. The hard part is finding the right material

And +1 on @golfchick and women’s riding gear. There’s a lot of dross out there, still a lot of shrink and pink, and really really difficult to find a shop with things to try on.

I’m going to say that Pearl Izumi and Polaris are some of the better ‘detailed’ and designed gear. Functional, and Polaris need a better colour chart.

Places like Stolen Goat, Elevenate and Scott do some good colours for women, but Scott and Stolen Goat sizing and designs are ‘variable’.

I want to say Endura strike a middle ground, but with the variable sizing and iffy build quality of my last few purchases, I keep saying away.

I want to say Endura strike a middle ground, but with the variable sizing and iffy build quality of my last few purchases, I keep saying away.

They used to be my absolute go-to for MTB clothing but like you say, the quality and the wild variability of fit now makes them a bit of a lottery.

And a +1 on shorts and trousers being too short but my other bugbear is how everything now is cut for kneepads which makes them ridiculously baggy. I want some nice knee length “baggy” shorts with a velcro or drawstring hem to pull everything in and prevent flappage.

@crazy-legs I can highly recommend Gore C5 baggy shorts, they’re not overly baggy with the medium really fitting my 78kg 1.8m build perfectly. They also have Velcro waist adjusters. My current pair are about 4 years old and are still going strong. And I’m a right fussy bugger when it comes to mtb shorts.

https://www.gorewear.com/en-uk/c5-shorts-100585