A Fashion Fiasco

Q: I’m fairly new to mountain biking (about 6 months), and I see people wearing all kinds of different things out on the trail. Do I really need a full riding kit? Or, can I get away with something more casual?
Mike Srnik
Bentonville, Arkansas

A: When we started our mountain biking journey, we were overwhelmed with the fashion choices, too. Now more than ever, people wear all kinds of things when out on the trail or at the bike park. From full-on matching riding kits (helmets, shoes, and all) to street clothes and a half-shell lid, there is no shortage of options when it comes to what you can wear out in the woods.

Before we get into fashion choices, let’s cover the bases. As you probably know, you need to wear a helmet whenever you get on a bike. Whether it be a half-shell or a full-face helmet, wearing one is non-negotiable.

If you’re riding steep, aggressive and technical trails, or you’re at the bike park, we also encourage you to wear knee pads of some sort. Lighter and thinner knee pads are good if you need to climb a bit to get to your descent, but burlier and more protective pads are good if you’re riding the chairlift. Gloves are also a wise choice, but we understand that there is a growing crowd of riders forgoing gloves and riding barehanded.

Now that we’ve covered protective gear, we can get into what you’re actually wearing out on the trail. Although the wrecking crew wears matching riding kits in our photo shoots, our attire is usually much more casual when we are out riding. A short- or long-sleeve T-shirt and a pair of comfortable riding pants or shorts typically do the trick. There is no shortage of breathable, durable and casual-looking riding pants out there, and we will gladly be a tad warm in exchange for keeping our legs protected from brush and branches. If shorts are your thing, there are tons of casual-looking and comfortable riding shorts out there.

Although bike-specific clothing comes with benefits, as we discovered in our Costco-versus-mountain-bike-apparel shootout, you don’t have to spend a fortune or buy bike-specific apparel to get decent performance and style out on the trail. That said, there’s also nothing wrong with wearing a head-to-toe matching kit and looking like a factory rider. As the saying goes, “Look good, feel good.”

Modern riding kits are incredibly comfortable and offer the same comfort as more casual clothes, and many of them are low-key in their design and don’t make you look like a highlighter out on the trail. Like many other things in our great sport, it all comes down to personal preference. Ride in whatever gear you are most comfortable in, be it a T-shirt and shorts or a full jersey and pants.