Ebikers – Curious Clothing Question

To start with, this isnt about if you like or dislike ebikes, so lets not go down that route… anywho…

Peaslake, Surrey Hills, yesterday morning (sunday 19th), the day started a little overcast, but a healthy 13 degrees at 9am, with the sun forecast to be in full flight an hour or two later.

And so it did, i think it peaked around 22 degrees. Glorious. Trails were 99% dry and running well.

Whilst being out, our riding group came across numerous ebike riders, which of course is more and more becoming the norm these days.

What perplexed us all was the clothing that the majority (if not all) the ebike riders were wearing.

Long sleeves: check. Trousers: check. Jacket: check (only on a few riders). Add into the mix that some had full face helmets and back protects…. i cannot fathom how they werent passing out from the heat.

I know there is an age old argument that riding an ebike means you dont sweat/put any effort in, but even if that was the case, the amount of clothing being worn didnt correspond to the weather conditions.

So, you ebikers, do you wear trousers and long sleeves in the blazing sun as per yesterdays experience? Or was it just bad planning at the start of the ride with the aforementioned overcast skys, assuming the sun wasnt coming out? Please explain to me how you survive that heat wearing all that gear, as i was sweating my nuts off in a t-shirt and shorts!

Any insight is greatly appreciated. Just so it doesnt blow my mind next time i am out 🙂

Thanks in advance!

I have seen the same.
I have been roasting, yet seem people happily riding around with full trousers and jackets.
Maybe they just run cold?

Same story at the Golfie, I assumed just putting less effort on the climbs, maybe more armour underneath? Although I’m guessing the climbs and need for armour are both less at Peaslake?

Not ebike specific, but I am pretty much a full time trouser convert, regardless of whether the bike has a motor or not.

With the lighter weight versions, I don’t feel any warmer than when most of my skin is covered with shorts, pads & socks anyway.

As for the rest, can’t help you there, but they do love a layer or two 😆

Saw loads of bikers out and about as I was walking around Ladybower with my wife. Saw everything from shorts and tees to what looked like full on winter wear. I do think MTB trousers are becoming more and more popular though, and if you’re on an e-bike I’d think I trade off a bit of nettle protection for a bit of sweat.

Do ebikes have built-in air con nowadays?

If so, I’m getting one 😁

Have you ever seen Prince Andrew on an e-bike?

I rest my case.

No difference for me, same clothing whatever the bike.

Can’t say I take much notice when out on the trails what others are wearing

My ebiking mate does run a wee bit cold but even still he always has a minimum of 4 layers on and the top one is usually a waterproof walking coat. He has also been known to ride in a pair of Wellington boots as well.
Thankfully he’s usually that far in front people don’t realise he’s with us.

I wear trousers and long sleeve jerseys right up to the point of major heatwave just to avoid tics and bush lacerated arms.

Standard e-bike attire from what I’ve seen. Dress up as if you’re on a MX bike.

Can’t say I take much notice when out on the trails what others are wearing

I doubt many people do, but when its a hot, humid day and you people are out dressed like its deepest winter it catches the eye

no ebike, used to wear a FF all the time, made no odds, except it was harder to drink from a water bottle, will also wear trousers if i don’t want to wear pads, and sleeves or no sleeves are an option for me. rarely wear a jacket… unless super wet or cold.

trousers make zero difference to temperature to me, upper body is more important. have a decent amount of ink on arms and legs so i err 0n protecting that

 i cannot fathom how they werent passing out from the heat.

Cough cough….

Saying that, I’m in Italy. Whilst I’m sweating buckets riding up a climb in shorts and t-shirt there’ll be a group of Italians in puffer jackets and long trousers.

Although it used to be the same in Germany. Nice warm spring day, 18°C, and I’ll be wearing shorts and t-shirt and friends will still be wrapped up with a bobble hat on.

Yep – standard ebike attire from what I have seen.  But if you’re not doing much (if any) work you will get cold.

Long sleeves: check. Trousers: check. Jacket: check

That’s a bit much for me, but to each their own.

Some folk run cold.  When many are in t shirt and shorts I am in longs and a jacket no matter the bike

So, you ebikers, do you wear trousers and long sleeves in the blazing sun as per yesterdays experience?

Yesterday had on the lightest summer t-shirt I own, shorts, usual helmet. Partner had short sleeve, thin base layer under, shorts. I sweated. If I’d been on my mtb I think it might’ve been too hot for me on the ride we did, so was glad of the motor. Didn’t see enough other people out to know what others were wearng. (Did see a couple of roadies at the bottom of a road climb. I wondered if they’d be able to keep up with us: No.)

I wear whatever the weather  calls for personally,  ebike or normal bike makes no difference but I definitely do see a lot of ebikers wearing way more than I would

No difference for me, same clothing whatever the bike.

Can’t say I take much notice whn

So that first picture, just under that text…. Is that the crux section of Cut Gate ( going up) a little bit past the NA junction and just before it levels out a bit before the stream?

Love that bit

Yes its in that area, taken last weekend

usually makes no difference what bike i’m on.  think trousers are becoming the norm for gravity disciplines anyway.

The only difference is winter when I’d maybe wear an additional layer on the ebike as blasting up them hills causes some windchill.

I also use trousers xc’ing as bridleways around the SDW winchester area this time of year as the tracks are overgrown.

so no, not ebike specific imo

when I go out with my club mates on the road bike I’m astonished at how many of them wear shorts and short sleeves when I’m in long sleeves, tights and a gillet. Unless it’s over 20 degrees I’m always in a long sleeve top when no one else is. I’m obviously a lizard ..

Don’t think it’s even just a bike thing. Out in the Peak yesterday, wall to wall sunshine, probably low 20s in the shade, I was in a single layer at 5am… Still saw walkers wearing puffer jackets at midday. Seems to just be the uniform. Better than going out in shorts and a vest and calling MR out when it clouds over and you get cold I guess.

I was out yesterday in shorts and tee (Fox of course 🤣)

But – in foul weather can wear a full dry suit, or in cold weather wear an extra layer to what I would on the pedally bike

Also more likely to wear a full face if I’m going somewhere that might warrant it. Regularly wear my Dropframe because I don’t get AS sweaty on the ebike

Me (last summer)

I’m astonished at how many of them wear shorts and short sleeves

I’ve a mate like this, It can be minus figures and horizontal freeing rain and he’ll be in shorts and short sleeves, he may (if it’s really bad) deign to put on arm warmers, but at that point most normal folk are passing out through hypothermia.

I was sweating like mad in the peaks yesterday. I went for shorts, there was a 5cm gap between bottom of pads and socks.

No falls, but one sheep I didn’t spot was hiding in the shade of a wall. It bolted across the front of me while I was zooming down hill on some super slippery gravel.

If I’d gone down on that I’d have preferred trousers to keep some of the grit out.

Not just ebike vs normal but I think my body thermostat is broken. This morning I walked the dogs at 7am, I was in shorts and a long sleeved t shirt and I bumped into 2 people in winter coats, 1 had a wooly hat on!

I’ve always just worn the same kit I usually ride. I don’t own one (yet) but when I’ve borrowed or hired one it’s just business as usual but more laps and descents.

V7,

I was there yesterday with my ebike, wearing t shirt and shorts.  Miss me? Heard of confirmation bias?

In general, I’d say that the OP has a good point, though it also depends on what sort of ebiker we’re talking about. It’s well known that blood thins as we age and that the elderly feel the cold more, so it’s no surprise that so many ebikers are wrapped up.

I wear what I do, when I go out on a manual, I might carry another layer if I’m with a mixed group, as they tend to be steadier.  A bunch of my own (50 + aged) friends are converting to (lightweight) long tops and trousers, as they simply had enough of death by a thousand cuts you get with brambles, As for extra armour, why the f*** not? Just because you haven’t had an accident where you’ve had issues, doesn’t mean others haven’t or simply do not want to hurt themselves. I’ve worn knee pads for years but other ppl think that strange on an ‘xc’ ride.

Live and let live, do your own thing, and stop worrying about what other ppl think (or maybe stop judging others?)

@raify – as i said in my opening post ‘most’. you clearly didnt fall into the ‘most’ category. So apologies if i you felt singled out. I wouldnt want to tar anyone with the same brush. I suspect you equally arent an ebiker that forces their way past on a single track, rather than waiting a few seconds until a reasonable passing point appears.

As others have mentioned, it wasnt a case of inspecting every riders attire, it was more noticing the ones that looked out of place. IE, trousers, long sleeves, possibly a jacket in the burning sunshine.

And i do see that trousers are the more practical/fashionable (delete as applicable) choice these days, especially with the youths.

To be fair, i do feel the cold a lot more these days than i used to, but then i do weigh a chunk less than previously.

Pretty much always wear shorts and a tech tee when on the emtb, along with a open face lid and i still work up a sweat

When on my non emtb bike i wear the same but a normal lid, and i sweat tons more!

Tend to ride early in the morning and be done by 10am due to this

Ive always been a heavy sweater, i run hot which is great for winter but not for summer,  if the temp goes above 25 degrees then ill stay off the bike till it cools down a bit

Rode Heaven of the South on saturday – 80km of xc, similar weather. Trousers and long sleeves. Both the thinnest ones I own. Only on a couple of the sheltered steep climbs with no breeze did I feel too warm. Not sure that would be any better in shorts and short sleeves.

That said if I go for a quick evening blast tonight it will likely be shorts and t-shirt.

My views on full face helmets on multiuse trails are not related to heat or crash protection.

Obviously it would be wrong to insinuate that they aren’t working as hard.

They just need the extra layers to offset the wind-chill of riding so much faster.

They also get cold quickly during the frequent stops to discuss torque and battery range.

Doesn’t matter what bike I ride I’ll be wearing the same, I run hot so never wear a jacket unless it’s raining (trousers, base layer and l/s in the winter, shorts and s/s in the summer).

Not sure it’s an ebike only thing, on the road and mtb I see people dressed in a way I could never do without overheating.

On a similar level, I often wonder why people insist on riding round a trail centre (ie not out in the wilderness) with a bag large enough to carry a weekend’s worth of camping gear, I mean what do they have in there?

Normal biker and an e biker here. I get absolutely freezing on my e bike in winter and really hot on my normal bike.
On my e bike i often wear loads of warm layers as i don’t work up a sweat really and the wind chill can make it even colder.

I’ll start by saying I don’t have an ebike (yet).

But on my meat bike if I’m at a winch and plummet type location I will be wearing full gear regardless of the weather. So long sleeves & legs, elbow and knee pads and a full face. Back protector coming soon. I like reducing the risk of extra holes in me!

If/When I do get an ebike, I will probably be a full gear rider more than not. If I’m doing laps then an ebike means more laps… and more laps means more chances to stack it.

I have found I can acclimatise to heat to a degree. I’ve not yet managed to get used to riding with bits of skin missing.

*ebiker, I always wear long sleeve shirt, normal helmet, gloves, 3/4 shorts and very long socks. Partly  for sun avoidance (*im strawberry blonde ) however, due to being proper hog-weeded quite a few times I now have the choice of covering up or bubble blistering up as my skin doesn’t seem to like sun/certain plants and I’m a xc based map follower who often ends up pedalling thru 5ft  high shrubbery where the hand of man clearly hasn’t set foot for a while.