Singletracks Mountain Bike News, Reviews, MTB Trails and Community › Protected: Forums › Mountain Bike Forum › Is it just me?
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March 14, 2012 at 16:57 #107347
I bought a mtb jersey so I’d have some pockets in the back but this "wicking" material drives me crazy! To me, it’s not only uncomfortable but feels hot and I can’t tell that it’s BREATHING at all! I went through the same thing with golf shirts, but luckily there are still companies that make 100% cotton golf shirts. Looked on Ebay for cotton jerseys and found ONE ugly one (tie dyed ain’t my thing….anymore). I’d rather drench a cotton shirt… Can someone’s momma make me one or two?
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March 14, 2012 at 17:30 #107348
I just wear t-shirts. I like the relaxed fit better and I don’t have to take out a loan to purchase one.
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March 14, 2012 at 18:26 #107349
I agree Scwimm t-shirts are the way to go.
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March 14, 2012 at 18:35 #107350
Yep,,T-shirts…
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March 14, 2012 at 19:21 #107351
Yes, Schwim’s t-shirts are very comfortable, but I typically wear "technical" t-shirts from Target. They are lightweight, breathable, and at a fraction of the cost of cycling brand wear. When it is colder I’ll wear a base layer and put a couple layers on top.
I’m a big fan of whatever works for you. I’m not into full kits, spandex shorts, etc., but if that is how roll, so be it. Likewise, if you are more comfortable in cotton t-shirts, go for it. The biggest downside to cotton might be sweating or getting rained on in cold weather. Once cotton gets wet, it is not easy to get dry. I imagine it could get cumbersome even in warmer temps if soaked with sweat. But again, if it works for you, that’s what matters.
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March 14, 2012 at 20:35 #107352
I haven’t worn a jersey yet, I go with the ‘active wear’ items everyone else is talking about.
I have a few from different manufacturers, the only one I know by name is dri-fit by Nike. I have both SS and LS versions of the dri-fit (bought through my paintball team) and those seem to work quite well.
I wear a camelbak on pretty much all my rides so I don’t need the back pockets. As an added bonus I can wear them while running/working out and I don’t look completely out of place! 😃
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March 15, 2012 at 04:16 #107353
Thanks for the input. I usually wear a camel bak but thought that on rides of 15 miles or so it would be nice to just carry a bottle and phone in a couple of back pockets. I just love me some cotton! Maybe my on line of cotton jerseys with a couple of rear pockets…😀
I guess I could always put the water cages and "bag" back under the seat but was hoping to keep as much weight off of the steel bike as possible. Thanks again! -
March 15, 2012 at 05:44 #107354
can not stand cycling jerseys on me either. cant stand the feeling of them on my skin while sweating. so it is cotton for me.
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March 15, 2012 at 06:18 #107355
I cannot stand a cycling jersey, but I do like the DH and FR jersey’s though. They are far more comfortable and fit better, plus they are breathable and still wick sweat away quickly. I also like them because they dry quickly, even while wearing it, whereas regular T’s do not, they stay soaked. I do wear T’s when it gets chilly enough though, usually with under armor beneath to wick sweat away. 😉
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March 15, 2012 at 06:55 #107356
cotton: absorb sweat and chafe
t-shirts: absorb sweat, flap in the breeze, and chafecycling jerseys: wick away sweat, don’t chafe, and pockets for FOOD!
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March 15, 2012 at 07:16 #107357"maddslacker" wrote
cotton: absorb sweat and chafe
t-shirts: absorb sweat, flap in the breeze, and chafecycling jerseys: wick away sweat, don’t chafe, and pockets for FOOD!
+1
Jerseys are a lot like lycra bike shorts…there’s a reason you see experienced riders wearing them, because they’re better. Most folks reach that conclusion eventually, if they try ’em.
Fit/cut is all personal preference of course. They’re not all skin tight. I like the club cut, tightish, but not too tight.
Full zip + 3 rear pockets = ideal (for me)
I like being able to carry stuff in the pockets, and the zipper lets you open it up for better airflow, and makes taking it off WAY easier.
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March 15, 2012 at 07:44 #107358"dgaddis" wrote
Jerseys are a lot like lycra bike shorts…there’s a reason you see experienced riders wearing them, because they’re better. Most folks reach that conclusion eventually, if they try ’em.
Or because they just want to look experienced. 😄
My crew of mtb friends are fully decked out in jerseys, spandex, and clipless pedals. They ride 2-3 times a month and make fun of my gear. I ride flats and wear whatever is comfortable and ride 100+ miles per month.
Just because it’s "better" for you, doesn’t mean it is for every rider.
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March 15, 2012 at 07:51 #107359
I merely stated facts, I didn’t claim anything was better than anything else. And of course there are weekend warriors/posers in every sport…
Before I got into mountain biking I did a lot of hiking and xc skiing. That is where I first learned how much of a difference it makes to wear appropriate clothing.
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March 15, 2012 at 08:12 #107360"jtorlando25" wrote
[quote="dgaddis":um1ht8o2]
Jerseys are a lot like lycra bike shorts…there’s a reason you see experienced riders wearing them, because they’re better. Most folks reach that conclusion eventually, if they try ’em.Or because they just want to look experienced. 😄
[/quote:um1ht8o2]True, we’ve all meet folks like that 😆
But, when most people use something, there’s generally a good reason. Whether it’s jerseys, lycra shorts, suspension, gears, etc.
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March 15, 2012 at 08:25 #107361"dgaddis" wrote
But, when most people use something, there’s generally a good reason. Whether it’s jerseys, lycra shorts, suspension, gears, etc.
Gears!? nawwww 😀
Your quote reminds me of that Surly blog post: [url:kv164746]http://surlybikes.com/blog/post/some_answers_to_just_about_any_bike_forum_post_ive_ever_read[/url:kv164746] -
March 15, 2012 at 09:38 #107362"jmitch" wrote
Thanks for the input. I usually wear a camel bak but thought that on rides of 15 miles or so it would be nice to just carry a bottle and phone in a couple of back pockets. I just love me some cotton! Maybe my on line of cotton jerseys with a couple of rear pockets…😀
I guess I could always put the water cages and "bag" back under the seat but was hoping to keep as much weight off of the steel bike as possible. Thanks again!If you really want back pockets on your shirts/jerseys, you could probably sew some on (or have someone sew them on if you’re as "handy" with a needle as I am 😆 )
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March 15, 2012 at 09:41 #107363"jtorlando25" wrote
Your quote reminds me of that Surly blog post: [url:31gzxo91]http://surlybikes.com/blog/post/some_answers_to_just_about_any_bike_forum_post_ive_ever_read[/url:31gzxo91]
That pretty much sums it up…
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March 15, 2012 at 12:36 #107364
I’m wearing bike gear on every ride
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March 15, 2012 at 15:38 #107365
Wow this post went viral! 😆
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March 15, 2012 at 15:57 #107366
I don’t like the cut of some bike jerseys, but I like the wicking properties of synthetic materials (and wool). I do wear relaxed-fit jerseys with the pockets on a pretty regular basis, but I also tend to wear baggier jerseys that don’t have the traditional style and fit. Lots of times I’ll just wear DH jerseys on regular trail rides because they’re so comfortable and relaxed!
Also, if you can’t stand the feel of lycra/spandex, I suggest you try out a merino wool jersey. It has great water-wicking properties, and is crazy comfortable. I reviewed one last year: http://www.singletracks.com/blog/mtb-ge … ke-jersey/ Yeah, the price tag isn’t pretty, but I have to be honest: this is one of the most comfortable shirts I have worn, bar none. That includes casual t-shirts. This jersey also has the benefit of having a relaxed t-shirt cut that doesn’t bind and can pass for casual when you go into a grocery store.
Parting shot: just remember the backpacker’s saying: "Cotton Kills."
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March 15, 2012 at 17:16 #107367
@jmitch, I agree with others on you should wear what works best for you. Although, cotton – aint best option. Even wearing cotton t-shirt with no pockets you can use bottle cage and saddle bag and will not notice those extra 100 grams on your bike. There’re way heavier components on any bike to upgrade for a real weight savings… I love my Camelback on every ride to carry tube, pump, food, water and sometimes waterproof. Have no need in jersey. And with Camelback a regular UnderArmor t-shirt works awesome.
I like that post on Surly site -
March 15, 2012 at 17:46 #107368
Whatever your comfortable in is the way to go. I usually where dri -fit type shirts. Most are made of a polyester blend. Under Armour and Nike are great. Not that expensive. Besides there are great deals all over the net. I prefer athletic fit but they are not skin tight. Cotton is too uncomfortable in extreme heat or in the rain. Once it gets wet it stays wet..
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March 15, 2012 at 18:37 #107369
My favorite jerseys right now are from Sugoi; I have three Hans and two Wallaroo jerseys. They are all relaxed fit, and just loose enough to be comfortable without bunching under my Osprey pack. The Fino Tech fabric on the Hans is a wicking, quick-dry material, but it does not feel overly synthetic. The Wallaroos? I’ll admit that I was skeptical about merino wool until I tried it, now I just think they are awesome!
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March 16, 2012 at 04:51 #107370
Damn….I like the WETNESS especially in the middle of summer here in Florida with the humidity at 200%. When I’m FLYING at 10 mph, the breeze just cools me right down! Seriously though, I think I’ll try a few of the suggestions on here and see what happens! Thanks!
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March 16, 2012 at 05:02 #107371"jmitch" wrote
Damn….I like the WETNESS especially in the middle of summer here in Florida with the humidity at 200%. When I’m FLYING at 10 mph, the breeze just cools me right down! Seriously though, I think I’ll try a few of the suggestions on here and see what happens! Thanks!
No, wetness doesn’t do anything for you.
Evaporation cools you down, because that’s actually heat leaving your body. You sweat, the sweat absorbs heat from you, then it evaporates into gas taking that heat with it. So drying off is what actually cools you down.
But I get you on the humidity, we get it like crazy here in the Augusta area too. Doesn’t mater what you wear, you stay soaked the whole ride.
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March 16, 2012 at 06:27 #107372
What is humidity? 😆
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March 16, 2012 at 07:10 #107373"maddslacker" wrote
What is humidity? 😆
Visit Virginia in about a month and we can show you. 😆 Our Singletrack friends in Georgia and Florida might get there quicker.
You folks in the West definitely get a "bye" on the humidity. 😄
I can’t wear cotton because of it. You can get some good deals on athletic wear at Goodwill sometimes.
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March 16, 2012 at 07:13 #107374"CraigCreekRider" wrote
[quote="maddslacker":1igmn8se]What is humidity? 😆
Visit Virginia in about a month and we can show you. 😆 Our Singletrack friends in Georgia and Florida might get there quicker.
You folks in the West definitely get a "bye" on the humidity. 😄
I can’t wear cotton because of it. You can get some good deals on athletic wear at Goodwill sometimes.[/quote:1igmn8se]
Highs yesterday were around 80 and it was ALREADY plenty humid… I thought it was supposed to be MARCH?!
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March 16, 2012 at 07:15 #107375
On a related note, what are mosquitoes?
For the record, I’m from back east … guess how much I miss it… 😎
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March 16, 2012 at 07:17 #107376
Today in Augusta: http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/fin … day=Friday
Predicted high of 86*F with humidity ranging from 30% to upper 80%
And we’re just getting started 😈
And yeah, the mosquito’s are back already. So are the spiders.
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March 16, 2012 at 07:51 #107377
Maybe we’ll have a late freeze and it’ll kill all the creepy crawlies off for the year…
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March 16, 2012 at 11:57 #107378"jmitch" wrote
Damn….I like the WETNESS especially in the middle of summer here in Florida with the humidity at 200%. When I’m FLYING at 10 mph, the breeze just cools me right down! Seriously though, I think I’ll try a few of the suggestions on here and see what happens! Thanks!
You would wonder, what the wetness will do to you on the descent from a mountain
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March 16, 2012 at 12:05 #107379
Clearly you have never been to Florida… 😆
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March 16, 2012 at 12:07 #107380"maddslacker" wrote
Clearly you have never been to Florida… 😆
True that, but I know there ain’t mountains… 😉
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March 16, 2012 at 15:31 #107381"ollysj" wrote
[quote="jmitch":nenqz4t6]Damn….I like the WETNESS especially in the middle of summer here in Florida with the humidity at 200%. When I’m FLYING at 10 mph, the breeze just cools me right down! Seriously though, I think I’ll try a few of the suggestions on here and see what happens! Thanks!
You would wonder, what the wetness will do to you on the descent from a mountain[/quote:nenqz4t6]
Now you do have me wondering….what would the wetness do? Hey now ya got me thinking, are there snow skiing areas that run their lifts in the summer? That would be a fun ride down…
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March 16, 2012 at 16:51 #107382
Now you do have me wondering….what would the wetness do? Hey now ya got me thinking, are there snow skiing areas that run their lifts in the summer? That would be a fun ride down.
There are plenty of places in the north east that run their lifts for some really exciting downhills all summer long…small lift fee of course
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March 17, 2012 at 03:01 #107383"jmitch" wrote
Now you do have me wondering….what would the wetness do? Hey now ya got me thinking, are there snow skiing areas that run their lifts in the summer? That would be a fun ride down…
It’s colder in the mountains and the wind chill, plus the wetness gonna make you sick. I always have another jersey or a jacket with we
Dunno about the US, but here some areas run their lifts during the summer too. I prefer to ride up by myself though 😀 -
March 17, 2012 at 06:43 #107384"ollysj" wrote
Dunno about the US, but here some areas run their lifts during the summer too. I prefer to ride up by myself though 😀
Yes, some of the ski resorts here are open for bikes in summer too.
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March 19, 2012 at 05:07 #107385
I use Target’s brand of activewear. I think it’s called C9 or something like that. One version of their t-shirt has vents running up the side under the armpits and is a semi-slim fit. They’re only $15 each and just as cool and comfortable as the more expensive Nike and Addidas stuff.
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March 22, 2012 at 10:18 #107386
LOL I like the answers!
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March 22, 2012 at 16:14 #107387
I, too, used to hate everything but cotton. I eventually forced myself to wear a polyester t-shirt a few times, and once I got used the (very) different feel, I’ll never go back. The reason is that it dries so much quicker and better than cotton. That might not matter too much when the weather’s nice, but if the temperature drops like it often does here in Oregon in the mountains, the last thing you want on your back is a cold, wet, cotton t-shirt. There’s a saying in hiking and mountain climbing circles: "Cotton kills." Hypothermia is usually the greatest danger you face in the wilderness, so it’s more than worth it to get used to the different feel of synthetic materials. I have found that the cheap-o Wal-Mart specials are just as good as the more expensive name brands–often even better.
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March 22, 2012 at 17:38 #107388"Funrover" wrote
LOL I like the answers!
Pretty funny..didn’t expect so many responses. Here in Florida, I’ve been riding in cotton wife beaters. I know it’s gonna hurt when I crash hard. BACON! Some of the "cool" mountain bikers in their tight fitting spandex "uniforms" seem to look down on me. WTF? LOL!
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March 22, 2012 at 18:23 #107389
I think it’s part of the fun of MTB, to order new toys!! I wear all proper MTB gear, loose and baggy; Fox, Jett and Dakine are pretty sick. I don’t want to dress like a roadie, even during a race. To each his own, if it works….. 😃
I just wanted to add….I actually feel out of place on MTB XC races cause everyone dresses in skin tight roadie attire…..I dress in only MTB gear.
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March 25, 2012 at 12:38 #107390
I hate the feeling of golf shirts too and if jerseys use the same material then i might stay away from them a little longer. I have been thinking of picking one up lately. 😎 I just wear fox ranger shorts (which ill never go back to cargo shorts after wearing them) a cheaper dri fit type of exercise shirt and in the cold morning illl put a windbreaker on also. I use a camel pak so no need for pockets on me. Its been working perfect for me and i ride 75-100 miles a month also.
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March 25, 2012 at 17:58 #107391
I used to only wear t-shirts but quickly discovered the benefits of tech shirts/ jerseys. Now, I have 2 that I swear by.
#1 is a zoic jersey I bought at LL Bean on sale. Very light, super breathable and doesn’t make me look like a sausage.
#2 is the fox baseline jersey. I picked one up off Chainlove last year for $12. It is now my absolute favorite. Light weight, breathable, 1/2 zip, pocket in the back, a chamois (handy for wiping off my glasses) sewn into the right hand side…what’s not to love?! And, you can find some decent deals on the 2011 stuff around the web.
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June 3, 2015 at 12:51 #107392
I use the Under Armour heat gear shirts and shorts. It’s actually cooler than going shirtless and keeps the sun from frying you. They have them with mesh sides and back as will as the armour vent version which is strips of mesh. I found the biking clothing two confining. The UA stuff is very light and loose and moves with you. Wet cotton is just horrible to ride in. The stuff grips onto you tight and keeps the air from getting to you. I sweat so much that I leave salt stains on clothes and when I stop after a ride it looks like I just stepped out of the shower.
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June 3, 2015 at 12:53 #107393
I’ve rode for years in loose fitting jerseys for mountain bike and tight fitting jerseys for road biking. I’ve tried t-shirts. Out here in California where it is hot, you wind up with a wet shirt for the whole ride, which isn’t comfortable, IMO.
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June 4, 2015 at 05:30 #107394
For the money and fit, I love the Old Navy active wear stuff. Shirts are normally less than $10 in solid colors. Breathable, moisture wicking, and light weight — they’re great for mountian biking.
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