"Too cold or too hot? Over-equipped or exposed to injury? Plagued by colds or scratches? Loaded like a mule or under-equipped? How should I choose my outfit and gear for riding?"

It can be a real pain in the arse to know what to wear for a mountain bike ride. And believe us, having seen cyclists in flip-flops, we prefer to make sure we never see that again! So we explain to you, point by point, how to dress for an escape on wheels, from head to toe, from summer to winter and for all bike practices, mountain bike or electric-MTB

Dressing up for a summer bike ride, the minimum:

To be carried with you:

a short-sleeves T-shirt, breathable and UV-resistant
soft, breathable mid-knee shorts,
Lightweight cycling gloves,
Closed-toe shoes (ideally with flat soles, such as sneakers or skateboards)
sunglasses (choose the category according to the terrain (forest or exposed)

To have in the backpack:

a water bottle,
a snack (cereal bar, nuts)
a repairing kit for a flat tire (if you are riding independently),
a windbreaker for the descent or in case of weather change.

Personal protective equipment:

The essential: the helmet.

It’s not even a question anymore, a bicycle helmet is a must. For mountain biking, choose an enduro helmet with a visor. The full face helmet is made for DH, on a route with little or no uphill pedaling.

The plus that is good for you: knee and elbow pads.

Highly recommended, wearing knee and elbow pads does not have to be uncomfortable and heavy. Choose light protections with padded fabric, effective in case of a fall but also in case of false movement, against the frame for example. If they are breathable, they will be even more comfortable when pedaling.

At Arav’e-Bike we have chosen the E-Traze and K-Traze models from Ion Bike, for maximum comfort and excellent protection. (included in the supervised escapes, available in addition to the independent rental of a VTTAE)

The little extras, depending on the practice or the season:

Take care of your feet:

As soon as you leave the roads or 4×4 tracks, you will need a good grip of the foot on the pedal. Choose a shoe specially designed for mountain biking, low or medium height. The classic sneakers will limit this grip, so in case of jerk you can miss the pedal and there it is the shin that takes.
To complete the protection of the legs, you can add protective socks for the shin and malleolus like the BD-Socks from Ion.

In case of cold :

Wear a helmet or balaclava and/or a neck brace,
Upgrade your summer gloves to warmer, windproof gloves,
Add leggings under the pants or wear well insulated softshell pants,
Add a second layer at the top to provide warmth.

For a sporting practice / hiking: cover yourself, just in case…

Adopt a ventilated long-sleeve T-shirt
Choose thicker fabric shorts (or even softshell pants) so you don’t get scratched when clearing brush or if you fall.
A padded shorts will be welcome during longer rides for more comfort.

In case of a planned stop during the outing:

Put a lock in the backpack to secure your bike during the break.

Dress with the three-layer technique: Breathability, Insulation, Protection against the weather.

This technique, well known to outdoor sportsmen, allows to stay at the right temperature and dry in all circumstances. It consists in:

A breathable garment as a first layer

(short sleeve in summer, long sleeve in winter), breathable and preferably ventilated. This one evacuates the sweat.

A second layer for warmth (in case of cold)

Ideally, in case of cold, this layer will have a high collar. In summer, this second layer can be removed.

The third layer protects against wind and weather

It also allows the cyclist to avoid suffocating. A non-breathable garment causes more perspiration and therefore cools the cyclist as soon as the effort stops. Choose a softshell type jacket, breathable and windproof. If it is light enough, it can be put in the bag for the descent. In case of bad weather, a waterproof and breathable jacket will be the best choice.

How to dress for the ATV on snow (fatbike)

During our guided snow bike escapes, especially at night or early in the morning, we go all out:

Protect the Head

Ski helmet for cold weather. If you don’t have one we will lend you a helmet, but take a neck warmer and/or cap (without pompom) to put underneath.
A ski mask (transparent or bad weather category 1 or photochromic) to see clearly in the night.

Protect the trunk

Ski jacket and pants highly recommended. If not, at least a pair of windproof pants with leggings underneath for warmth. The best thing is to respect the 3 layer system detailed above, it’s ideal (as for skiing).

Protect hands and feet

Ski gloves (no mittens) windproof and warm, socks and shoes type après ski warm and waterproof.

You are now briefed on how to dress for mountain biking. Take the time to think about the terrain you will be riding on and the weather conditions to make the right choices.

PS: During our guided tours with an instructor, full protection is included (helmet, gloves, elbow pads, knee pads) for more safety.

Bonus: a word from the editor

Ion Bike has an important collection of textiles and accessories for women.

Shoes, shorts, Tshirts but also protections: all the women’s items are designed and tailored especially for women, something still rare in the world of cycling. So let’s take advantage of it, we find everything we want.