[silverxxxmike]

Im new to the forum, but have done some searching. What are you XC guys wearing for a non-race ride during the summer shorts wise and then what are you wearing in the fall pants wise?

Shirt and jacket info would be great too!

 

[oldfart]

Pants? Real cyclists wear tights to actually ride. You might wear pants for DH riding where the protection they offer is a good thing, but "pants" in general being baggy and heavy and hard to move freely in are too restrictive to actually ride in. Coasting is different and DH doesn't have the amount of pedalling involved where restrictive clothes will slow you down much.

If it's wet and crappy out overshorts are good for keeping you a bit drier on the backside and offer a bit of scuffage protection when you butt slide. The heavy fabric is more durable than a lycra short and will slide over the lycra underneath too.


I always wear bib shorts or bib knickers or when it's colder bib shorts under non-chamois bib tights. Overshorts for wet days or cold days for added warmth.

Upper body generaly gets a Lifa polypro first layer followed by a jersey. I have wind panel fronted hjerseys, plain ones, full zip part zip, light heavy wool polysester all kinds. Jackets are light windbreaker type that pack small, goretex for rain and a heavier soft shell for really cold.

I have slightly too big shoes for heavier socks plus winter Shimano spd shoes. Helmet liner for cold days keeps me a lot warmer all over. Lots of gloves. The cold weather gloves tend to be kind of stiff and "wooden" feeling but I don't think there's much one can do about that. Insullation is insullation and simply makes a glove bulky.

 

[moff_quigley]

Pants? Who the heck wears pants? I have a variety of Zoic, PI, Nike, Hoss, and Oakley shorts (baggies). In the winter I have 3 weights (light to heavy) of tights that I wear under my shorts and long sleeve jerseys. I'll add a wind proof shell and other layers per weather conditions.

 

[sanjuro]

Tights my man. Put them under your baggies if you are package-sensitive.

Look thru my pants collection, and you'll notice rips on inside right cuff. Guess how that happened...

 

[Westy]

No pants and jacket for me. I always ride in a full tuxedo.

 

[cracked]

ok so now we're talking "style"

Let's say that we go to the DH park and it's cold..............or brisk...........I hate wearing jeans to ride.

Would it be a faux pas to wear tights under my shorts?? I don't wanna get egged for doing just that('cause there are so many other reasons to egg me) so close to Samhain!!

 

[silverxxxmike]

Ive been rocking cut-off dress pant shorts and small(er) t-shirts. I just need to suck it up and buy some gear. Anyone like any of the Fox shorts?

What about jackets?

 

[moff_quigley]

Ive been rocking cut-off dress pant shorts and small(er) t-shirts. I just need to suck it up and buy some gear. Anyone like any of the Fox shorts?

What about jackets?

You don't want a jacket. You want a wind breaker. Then you layer up under the wind breaker. I got mine at a Trek dealer that was closing out Nike stuff and another at a Marshall's of all places.

I've not owned any of the Fox apparel.

 

[TreeSaw]

Pants = Tights or leg warmers are the way to go. I personally prefer tights that have the chamois built right in and have them in 2 different weights (light and fleecy lined). I also rock knickers when it's not quite cool enough for full tights. I like to use knee and/or leg warmers on long rides when it's cold in the AM and warms-up in the PM as they're easy to store in my camelbak.

Jackets - windbreakers are great. There are some nice ones out there that the sleeves zip off of and it turns into a vest...great idea for longer rides when you need more layers at the top of a mountain or in the early hours of a ride. I have a nice Sugoi one that does this.

Fox apparel - depends on what you like. As a chick...I don't like their shorts (too short for my taste) but I have had a couple pair of mens shorts and a pair of DH pants that I like. My husband prefers the oakley shorts because they fit him better. He didn't like his Fox shorts that just pulled on because he didn't like how tight the hip section was.

 

[MMcG]

justbill does really well and he rides in jeans!

 

[Jim Mac]

I do 2 things when I trail ride when it's cold (sub 55 usually): I usually ride with my liner and DH thickness shorts plus some old fox neoprene knee guards - turns any shorts into a pair of knickers!

When it's colder (40 and below), I may actually switch to liner + knee pads plus a pair of DH pants. Never found them to be restrictive as some here have indicated - usually NEMA or Royal. Tights are OK, but I found this combo to work better for me. The again, I rarely ever ride more than 2 hours at a clip.

 

[TreeSaw]

Pants = Tights or leg warmers are the way to go. I personally prefer tights that have the chamois built right in and have them in 2 different weights (light and fleecy lined). I also rock knickers when it's not quite cool enough for full tights. I like to use knee and/or leg warmers on long rides when it's cold in the AM and warms-up in the PM as they're easy to store in my camelbak.

Jackets - windbreakers are great. There are some nice ones out there that the sleeves zip off of and it turns into a vest...great idea for longer rides when you need more layers at the top of a mountain or in the early hours of a ride. I have a nice Sugoi one that does this.

Fox apparel - depends on what you like. As a chick...I don't like their shorts (too short for my taste) but I have had a couple pair of mens shorts and a pair of DH pants that I like. My husband prefers the oakley shorts because they fit him better. He didn't like his Fox shorts that just pulled on because he didn't like how tight the hip section was.

I should note that I have knickers (50-60 degree temps); light tights or shorts with leg warmers (40-50 temps); windproof tights with a liner short (30-40 temps) and DH pants with tights underneath 20-30 temps. I have only ridden a couple of times when the temp was below 20 outside and they were relatively short (less than 2 hours) and with my liner shorts or heavy tights, DH pants and wool socks with flats and boots.