am thinking of saving for some decent mountain bike specific stuff (as the waterproof jacket/trousers i currently have,really make me overheat/boil in the bag feeling).am looking for stuff that would be especially good in winter/wet weather (sorry 😳 but for all year round use (moon on a stick no doubt 😉 thanks in advance 🙂

Any of TNF bike gear is top notch. Super waterproof and breathable…actually more waterproof than any other jacket I have owned in the last few years.

Waterproof trousers OTT unless its winter IMO

Go for some tights with windproof panelled / roubaix tights with some endura superlight shorts to keep your bum warm (mudguards are good too).

eVent stuff is good, but even that gets boil in the bag, as does Gore-tex. I think spending loads of money (more than £150) on a jacket is asking for trouble as your bound to fall off on the first ride and put a hole in it.

Take spare gloves / thermal tops for when you get cold, much better to have a nice dry baselayer to put on after a few hours.

Tried a few supposedly great waterproofs over the years but came to the conclusion:

1: Always get too hot
2: Always get wet eventually

I don’t bother at all these days. You only get wet once per ride

wool base layer, windproof top.
warm and wet is good.

+1 for TNF. I also have a pair of Briko waterproof trousers, have proved to be really good in the 2 years I’ve had them (been re-proofed once), have leg zips up to the waist band so fairly easy to put on.

As ton, i think a windproof / water resistant top as its the best compromise between waterproof / breathable. I’m liking the look of Gore active shell, but its expensive.

Pertex top and a spare base layer is probably the best.

Trousers?

On a bike?

Softshell will be better than a waterproof in most stuff because it’ll keep you warm, and almost as dry. Waterproof 3/4s are a good bet, and when it’s freezing cold put some tights on underneath.

Gore Paclite £100 ish trousers……….last 10 years ish

Montane Event £150 ish jacket…………. breathes better than most…more waterproof than most…longer fit which I like…cover crutch….comforting!!!!

Endura stealth is an amazing jacket but only good for ten degrees or less

Paramo Vasco for me, generally just a base layer underneath. Jacket is discontinued now but Paramo have a very similar jacket in a lighter weight material.

I’ve got a mavic jacket with front zip which is either mesh or can be closed fully. Also has under arm zips. Cost 200 plus but worth ever bit. Got 3/4 endura waterproof shorts which were around 100. The pockets are shit quality as the “bottom” of both ripped (welded internal seam). Sealskin socks which will get we but keeps the heat.

The mavic jacket is just awesome.

Endura Venturi 2 jacket and venturi 2 trousers kept me bone dry standing in the pee’ing down rain for 6 hours watching bsb at oulton park the other month….pretty good on the bike an all.

I’ve been messing about with different combo’s of waterproofs for years. I was really happy with the Endura eVent waterproof 3/4’s (as an all year round solution) and the Endura eVent Venturi jacket, but the quality took a bit of a dive when they replaced the eVent material with their own brand. I now use the Endura Stealth Extreme tights in the winter as they’re thermal and waterproof with an Endura MT500 jacket and switching the tights for a pair of Humvee shorts with the clickfast liner in the summer. The tights are really comfortable and don’t sweat at all. I even wore them in July on a shitty day and a climb up Helvelyn. The Humvee shorts are quite cheap and they come with the padded liner that you can put under the tights for minus temperatures. I just use a cheap Nike base layer from Sports Direct that’s plenty warm enough under the jacket. This tights and Humvee combo will last for years where as the previous all year round 3/4’s was lucky to last for one year, so you’ll spend more initially but save in the long term. Hmmmmmmmm I like tights….. (to quote Homer) ‘it’s like you’re totally naked !’