Ortovox and Arc’teryx are betting mountain bikers are willing to spend on technical clothing

This week two outdoor clothing brands known for high quality, technical gear are jumping into the mountain bike market. Ortovox and Arc’teryx are bringing shorts, pants, and jackets designed specifically for mountain biking at price points that reflect their premium materials and construction.

Ortovox launches with a full line of men’s and women’s clothing, bags too

Ortovox got its start in Germany in 1980 selling avalanche beacons before moving into outdoor sportswear. Over the years the brand has built a name for itself in the skiing, climbing, and mountaineering markets.

The all-new Ortovox mountain bike line is so extensive that it’s broken into two separate lines known as Trail and Free. At launch, the Trail line is focused around long-sleeve jerseys and pants while the Free line includes shorts and short sleeve jerseys. Men’s and women’s specific versions are available for each with prices ranging from about $115 for a jersey up to $200 for a pair of pants.

Ortovox makes use of premium materials in all their clothing, preferring recycled fabrics and avoiding materials treated with PFAS. Their Sequence Gore-Tex mountain bike jacket, available in two colors for men and two colors for women, retails for an eye-popping $575 while matching Sequence Gore-Tex pants are priced at $460.

Not only is this the first mountain bike collection from Ortovox, it’s also the brand’s first foray into cycling apparel. With this launch, Orotovox is introducing chamois bib and liner shorts too, featuring pads designed by SQLab.

And if that’s not enough, Ortovox has bags and hip packs for riding. The $170 Sequence Daypack 15 “does not require a hip belt and offers complete freedom on the bike – remaining firmly in place on drops and technical trails” according to Ortovox. The hip pack, on the other hand, boasts a padded waist band and side pockets for two water bottles.

Ortovox is bringing MTB first aid and safety training too

Building on its legacy of providing safety equipment and know-how, the Ortovox Safety Academy is being expanded to cover mountain bike first aid. As a part of the expansion, Ortovox is parternering with German Mountainbike Initiative e.V. (DIMB) to develop a MTB-specific first aid guidebook and training courses.

Arc’teryx drops Rhoam MTB “limited-time apparel capsule”

Arc’teryx is another outdoor brand that’s been around since the ’80s. Based on the North Shore of Vancouver, Arc’teryx got its start with technical climbing gear and has since expanded into skiing, hiking, and trail running gear. Now, they’re dipping their toes into the mountain bike world.

“When we set out to create our first mountain bike kit, we applied the same technical expertise used in our climbing and snow shells to deliver perfect articulation for on‑bike body positioning,” said Ashley Anson, VP Design at Arc’teryx in a press release. “Our team spent countless hours riding in some of the toughest conditions on the North Shore; this capsule is the result of mountain athletes designing for how they ride, move, and experience the outdoors.”

Unlike Ortovox, Arc’teryx is taking a more measured approach to their Rhoam mountain bike line with just a few pieces to start. Rhoam pants, jackets, and shorts will be available in men’s and women’s versions, and in two or three colors depending on the item.

Arc’teryx touts the technical features designed specifically for mountain biking like jacket hoods that fit over a helmet and pants that are cut to fit knee pads and a chamois liner. Naturally the fabric and material choices are technical too, featuring Gore-Tex, Fortius™ DW 2.0, softshell fabric, and something called Aequora AirPerm™ fabric.

All of that tech comes at a price, specifically $450 for the Arc’teryx Rhoam jacket, $280 for the pants, and $180 for the shorts. That’s a bit pricier than Arc’teryx hiking gear, though still in line with what buyers expect to pay for clothes from a label Forbes once called a “cult brand.”

Bringing competition to the premium end of the mountain bike apparel market

Ortovox and Arc’teryx are poised to compete with more established cycling brands offering mountain bike lines like Rapha and Velocio, both in terms of quality and pricing. 7Mesh is another bike-specific brand known for using highly technical fabrics and materials, and was itself started in 2015 by former Arc’teryx employees.

Outdoor apparel juggarnaut Patagonia officially launched their first mountain bike collection back in 2016. More recently, in 2024, Outdoor Research dropped a full line of mountain bike apparel. However, some cycling clothing brands — including Gorewear, which shut down on Tuesday — have struggled.