So, Q for the MTBers

[Nooch]

Just curious -- flats versus clipless, and what the heck do you ride in, clothing wise? I seem to be the only person that shows up to trails (in my neck of the woods) in 'roadie' kit...

Just monday morning musings..

[Matthew]

Clipless. And I also ride in my "road" kit.

[Gummee]

Originally Posted by Matthew

Clipless. And I also ride in my "road" kit.

I ride in my '2nd best' stuff from the road when riding mtn bikes. No sense risking the 'good stuff' in a fall

M

[chiasticon]

Originally Posted by Gummee

I ride in my '2nd best' stuff from the road when riding mtn bikes. No sense risking the 'good stuff' in a fall

same. and I do this for CX practice too. it's not just that the potential for crashes is a bit higher off road, it's that you can snag your clothing on tree branches and rip it. I'd rather rip cheaper/older stuff than my sunday best. I've toyed with the idea of riding in more casual MTB clothing, and I do have friends that do it. I'm comfortable in "roadie kit" though and I think it works well for evacuating sweat, so not sure there's a real need to change.

I ride clipless. same as I do on the road and for CX. never really thought about not doing so as I think it gives you more power through the full pedal stroke. plus you can wear stiffer shoes and not get a hot spot where the pedal sits.

[chunkylover53]

Clipless all the way. Wear what ever you want and feel comfortable in. I personally like baggies, other guys I ride with are all lycra. Then you show up at a trail head in BC and all the local young rippers are riding flats, and wearing flannel shirts and pants...

[Nooch]

I should mention, I just swapped (and only have like, two rides on them) to flats and 5.10's, as more of a confidence booster -- i can drop a foot down easier to recover, so I've been taking a few more risks the last two rides. That said, the climb up to the top of the trail sucked a bit more.

I know this is all in my head and some straight up fashion police nonsense, but I feel 'not right' wearing 5.10's and road kit... like, it just doesn't match, lol..

[commonguy001]

I've gone back and forth between flats and clip in pedals a bunch of times, currently clipped although I like both.
I usually wear my road bibs with a pair of shorts over them if only to keep them from getting tore up... not sure it makes that much of a difference. If I'm doing a longer day with a s-ton of pedaling in the heat I'll just wear my roadie kit as it's cooler and you can unzip your jersey.

My main trail head that you see a ton of people at has basically no one in lycra but it's mostly used for enduro type riding or the shuttle pick-up point for a DH run. It's one of my usual stops on longer gravel rides and I don't think anyone has given my road kit a second look. I've actually chatted with a number of guys/gals who do the big OMTM rides that go through there and they've always been super cool with great route suggestions.

[p nut]

Summer, I wear road jerseys. Fall, I wear button down flannel. Some cheap shirt from target.

Shorts. My favorite is Catella Highland. Deep pockets for phones and other stuff. Tighter fitting than most MTB baggies. Good stretch. Good abrasion resistance (got to test that out on a crash or two).

https://catella.cc/product/highland-short/

Club Ride shorts are nice as well. But a little more baggy than Catellas.

Pedals: Clipless. Unless I’m on the fat bike or Rivendell cruiser.

[bigbill]

Clipless pedals. Like others, I wear older road stuff but in the last few months I have bought some MTB shorts and liners. The liners are PI and have the same chamois as some of my favorite road bibs. Most of the time I'm in a Tshirt but I'm also in the land of single digit humidity. When it gets cool, I wear one of my five Descente long sleeve jerseys that I got for $20 each about 13 years ago.

When this whole ATB/MTB thing was young, we wore our road stuff because that's what we had. Then it became an extreme sport and fashion followed. Tinker Juarez is around here, he wears lycra, and you don't get much cooler than Tinker.

[Jaybee]

Originally Posted by p nut

Summer, I wear road jerseys. Fall, I wear button down flannel. Some cheap shirt from target.

Shorts. My favorite is Catella Highland. Deep pockets for phones and other stuff. Tighter fitting than most MTB baggies. Good stretch. Good abrasion resistance (got to test that out on a crash or two).

https://catella.cc/product/highland-short/

Club Ride shorts are nice as well. But a little more baggy than Catellas.

Pedals: Clipless. Unless I’m on the fat bike or Rivendell cruiser.

This is kinda where I am as well. Tech T in long or short sleeve depending on temp. Maybe a flannel. Slim fit "baggies". Old bibs underneath, knee warmers if it's 55 or less. If you want cheapie shorts: Target golf shorts are a decent fit and durability though not nearly as well finished and fit as the Catellas or similar.

Flat pedals and 5.10s are fine. You'll get used to the pedal stroke.

[eippo1]

I use the Shimano 9120 pedals. Can clip in or can use the platform if I'm coming into a turn and want to have the foot ready to stomp down.

Also love using Dakine, Yeti or PI mtb bike shorts because I can easily ditch on my side and my shorts will not shred. Also had a pair of road shorts snag on a branch and finished the rest of the ride with a slit going all the way up to the top of my thigh. I wear either road bibs or a more breathable insert underneath. Also go for looser mtb jerseys with no pockets so that I can be more comfortable with my bladder backpack.

[NHAero]

These Catella shorts have a chamois like a road short?

Originally Posted by p nut

Summer, I wear road jerseys. Fall, I wear button down flannel. Some cheap shirt from target.

Shorts. My favorite is Catella Highland. Deep pockets for phones and other stuff. Tighter fitting than most MTB baggies. Good stretch. Good abrasion resistance (got to test that out on a crash or two).

https://catella.cc/product/highland-short/

Club Ride shorts are nice as well. But a little more baggy than Catellas.

Pedals: Clipless. Unless I’m on the fat bike or Rivendell cruiser.

[DRZRM]

Yeah, I ride Five Tens with flats on rocky trails, though there are a few trails here that are engineered to be fast and swoopy (Raystown PA) and I'll swap out to Sidi's and XT clipped in pedals. I generally wear MTB baggies over padded liners or bibs just to protect them (and me) in case of a crash, and generally wear my road jerseys that are a bit less fitted on top.

[fmradio516]

I first started riding clipless because i was having a hell of a time getting up long, technical climbs without bouncing my feet off the pedals. Then i set up my suspension+tire pressure right, and changed to flats. I was also falling at least once every ride because i couldnt get unclipped in time. I also think riding clipless can lead to "bad technique" if you want to get super techy on the trails. Ive been riding flats all year and havent even thought about going back to clipless...

I ride in a baggy jersey(w/a baselayer) and baggy shorts(cheap Zoics w/liners from REI are fine, unless you get a pair with bad zippers)

[ltwtsculler91]

Well if the rest of us still mountain biked, we'd be out there in roadie kits too

That said, I really like the Gore Windstopper shorts to throw over tights for the winter to keep warm and from getting cut up. Jacket, just use the older ones