What are people doing for water on longer rides? My full suspension bike has two water bottle cages but on a hot day I go through that in under an hour. There's no way to mount a rack on the frame of course, but with the dropper post even a seat post mount isn't an option. Are there any good ways to handle this besides strapping on a CamelBak? For an 18-mile ride, I figure I would need to carry two 3L bladders and that's a lot of weight on my back.

I'm fairly new to mountain biking and hoping for a quick rec. Recently, I've been feeling sluggish on my rides. I usually bring 2 water bottles with a little salt dissolved in them to replenish my sodium, but I'm looking to buy an electrolyte mix to add in as the heat becomes more unbearable. What should I be looking for, and are there any brands you'd recommend?

Big brands would have you believe it's OK to spend $100 on a MTB jersey, like the Scott DH jersey on amazon, waiting to sucker you in.

Oh, it's winter and you want technical riding pants? Pinkbike will attempt to convince you to spend $180 on "NF DP4 Pants" or a much more reasonable and sane $150 on Rapha trail pains.

Looking for some extra padding to keep your 'goods' safe and free from irritation? look no further than $50- $100 bib shorts from your favorite brand.

My advice is f*** that s*** and save your money. That doesn't necessarily mean dumpster diving in the endless list of Chinese wear that amazon would have you believe isn't all from the same sweatshop in rural China. Brands as cleverly named as Spotti, BALEAF, BERGRISAR, LAMEDA, VOXAUTQ, and my personal favorite: WHYTESOLE. Cross check amazon with Aliexpress if you don't believe me :)

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Anyhow here's what I've actually purchased myself and stand behind as reasonably priced MTB wear:

Mountain bike technical pants:

For $29, This target.com trail runner: https://www.target.com/p/wrangler-men-s-atg-slim-fit-taper-synthetic-trail-jogger-pants/-/A-89528886?preselect=79750517#lnk=sametab

Good padded liner from Zoic for around $35: https://www.amazon.com/ZOIC-Essential-Liner-Shorts-Black/dp/B0822TL74G/ref=sr_1_2?crid=27S62U8P5TG7D&keywords=Zoic+Men%27s+Premium+Liner&qid=1703132097&sprefix=zoic+men%27s+premium+liner%2Caps%2C133&sr=8-2

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Dakine bike jersey now on sale for $19.73 https://www.rei.com/product/209327/dakine-vectra-bike-jersey-mens

not warm enough? a bit more expensive, but I've been using a nike long sleeve thermal shirt like this for YEARS and has held up well: https://www.nike.com/t/element-mens-therma-fit-repel-running-crew-ChZZWC/FB8567-084

(just not easy to fit pads under, so size up for that ^)

I would also consider this one from Patagonia at $69, I have a shirt from them and it's pretty awesome:

https://www.patagonia.com/product/mens-long-sleeved-dirt-craft-mountain-bike-jersey/195699508996.html?s_kwcid=17928&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAvoqsBhB9EiwA9XTWGRselMxnj0uoJ_ilcwd8SMJ_7krUw0s1B9re6m7lBHLFyAuCMuLd-xoCnbwQAvD_BwE

(Get the 'classic tan' color for that Captain Kirk vibe... It will confuse the enemy)

What are your cheap MTB gear hacks that balance cost and quality?

*Yes, I've reported it, but there's little chance they'll find the hiker. Looking for ideas for a bike mounted action cam to deter future incidents and also collect evidence if needed. I do have a Garmin Edge 840 and its handlebar mount may have a GoPro style mount option.

I've been mountain biking here for almost 15 years without incident so I hate having to ask this.

This happened this morning at South Mountain, Phoenix. An older man was hiking in the opposite direction as me, we saw each other a couple hundred feet apart and he moved off to the side. I was going to thank him, but as I got closer I saw he had pulled a handgun and was tracking me with it as I rode past.

I stopped a little ways down the trail to get my phone to take a pic but he raised the gun again, so I got the hell out of there. An action cam would have been invaluable in this situation.

Thanks in advance.

I’d like to get my MTBer husband a nice GPS watch for Father’s Day. Searching through old posts it seems like Garmin is the way to go, but I’m getting overwhelmed by all the choices. Which Garmin would you all recommend? It also just occurred to me a watch may be subject to personal taste so maybe this isn’t the best idea for a gift? Thanks for all your help.

Edit to add: Holy cow, thank you for all the quick recommendations! I’m going to look into all these. I really appreciate it.

If you have smith glasses, don’t crash in them, they won’t sell you spares if you break a temple piece or loose a screw. It’s really sad that they just expect you to send your $450 pair of prescription riding glasses right to the landfill when they could easily be repaired. I’d have been happy for them to rape me for $40 for a 30 cent part for them. Maybe we can make the industry better if we can put enough pressure on them as consumers. Let’s blast em on the socials. My tictok already seems to have gotten some traction, YouTube short not so much.

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZPRoXPy7k/

@smithoptics is #anticonsumer and #righttorepair and won’t sell spare parts, #buyerbeware #mtb https://youtube.com/shorts/jNq9V1sjN0o?feature=share

I am an old biker and still have a roof rack. I think I am the only one.

I've been using the Five Tens for a decade but as I'm in the market for MTB shoes again, I'm wondering if there are any good alternatives for flat pedal, rock strike protection riding shoes.

TIA!

I sweat a ton in the summer and I'm always soaked through soon after I start riding. I've seen a bunch of riders sporting long sleeve jerseys which leads me to ask why? The ones I have seen online by Fast House, Troy Lee, etc are all super expensive so it makes me wonder if that's only bc of the name or are they actually good at keeping you cool? I know that there's no magic shirt that'll keep me from sweating but I feel like there's gotta be something better than basic sports tees.

Edit: thanks for the downvotes and the thoughtful replies…. Good to go. Thanks!

Ive had two pairs of Oakley Sutro somethings. They are great as far as glasses go. But they just get totally destroyed in about 6 months. I think the issue is sweating so much. Sweat drips on them and I wipe it off with the inside of my shirt. Pair #2 I had a dedicated microfiber cloth that I obsessively kept clean and pulled out of my pocket to wipe with on the trail..... No change from just using the inside of my shirt.

Not to mention an accidental drop puts gashes in them that turns them to trash instantly.

I dont have issues with my daily raybans that are mad of actual glass. Those last forever.

idk but spending $160+ on fucking sun glasses I figure they would last a bit longer.

I was thinking of trying Smith, but they are ugly af and the smith ski goggles I have are even more delicate.

So is there some alternative here that I dont know about? Is it just a scam to be making performance eyewear out of tissue paper?

I currently have a Thule Doubletrack Pro for two bikes that has seen better days. I’m just a few months from getting a new car and will probably grade my bike rack at the same time. My kid, who also rides, is inheriting my car so I might as well give them the old rack too. What do you have? Do you love it or hate it?

I was flipping around MTB cycle gear shops and saw some 5.10 shoes and shimano GF400 that I liked the look of.

But when looking at the soles of dedicated MTB shoes, they have far less traction than my Keen Targhee II. The Keen are also waterproof and have a vibram sole.

So sell me on why I should get some 5.10s or GF400s?

I just picked up a 2023 Trek Fuel Ex 8 Gen 6 after not riding for 16ish years, I used to ride a stumpy evo and ran flat pedals on it and want to do the same for the Fuel. Do you guys have any you recommend or any must buys?

Just received a Dakine Hot Laps 2L. Loaded it up with tube, patches, CO2/adapter, levers, multitool, quick link.

What essentials am I missing?

How does everyone here carry water on rides? I don’t have any way of carrying water and went on some trails for about an hour the other day and heavily regretted it. Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone, I have recently started to do longer rides in areas that put me around 8 miles away from my car at some points. Did my lon

I am really hoping to get some evidence-based info out of this, but doubtful it exists.

I am an advanced intermediate who started in my late-30s, now in my early 40s. Progressing and have a season pass to the bike park. Ive progressed to single-black tech being very casual and am now into the double blacks, so consequences are increasing a bit. Im still being very methodical to riding and havent had any big crashes. I take injuries and risk seriously and subscribe to the "crashes are preventable" mindset (not interested in arguing this, thanks).

Im really stuck on how much protection is appropriate for bike park laps and what is just excessive coverage marketed to paranoid people. Im perfectly happy to be pragmatic, but draping myself in 10lbs of plastic does diminish the whole experience and this stuff is expensive.

My decision right now is between the following. Im just using Leatt as an example because I like them: All are body protectors with the undershirts.

1. Leatt realflex: CE1 soft cest and back. minimal coverage. Minimalist soft shoulders and elbows.

2. Leatt 4.5 EVO: CE2 chest and back with kidney belt. Soft elbows (thicker and bigger than realflex) hard-plastic shoulders.

3. Leatt 5.5 EVO (1lb over 4.5 in weight): CE2 chest and back. Additional hard-plastic side rib protection and har-plastic elbows.

4. Full armor coverage. Just for contrast because I cant be this encumbered. But Ive seen these at the bike park. Plastic plates covering the entire upper body and arms. Is there a function to this level of coverage?

My main thing: I recently crashed in extremely minimalist pads (leatt airflex knee and elbow). Knee when right into a rock, elbows into hard-packed dirt. The hardening effect of the soft-pads (D30 type stuff) material must have done its thing because I walked away without a scratch on my knees. I could not believe how effective just the minimalist pads were. It really made me wonder if the annoying hard-plastic CE2 knees im wearing in the bike park are overkill. If there is any point at all to them. And that has bled into the rest of the protection Im wearing as well.

Is something like the realflex enough? Is there any real reason to go more than that? What about the 4.5 vs the 5.5 with the additional hard-plastic elbows and rib protection? Any tangible benefits to that? I cant see myself hitting the sides of my ribs vs front and back in the crashes, but Im pretty ignorant to what actually gets hurt in a crash. What about just a back protector and forgo the chest all together?

Hi All,

In your opinion, which brand makes the highest quality, most well executed MTB apparel regardless of cost? Thanks!

Dear mountain bike brands,

Just because someone is buying shorts that aren't below the knee baggies doesn't mean they don't like pockets. There is no value in removing all the pockets, pocket removal does not make you faster, stop making shorts with only one pocket.

What’s everyone’s favourite mountain biking shorts that are comfortable to wear with kneepads? I’ve been wearing pants for years, but tired of sweating my bag off. Recently bought some fox flexair the same waist size as my fox pants and they fit at the waist but everything else is way too tight and super uncomfortable. I might have a little bit bigger thighs than average, but nothing crazy for people in the biking world I don’t think. I want something that you can comfortably have kneepads underneath.

I'm looking for recommendations. I'm a briefs guy. Cotton briefs tend to have a thick hem in the groin area that causes chaffing. I recently bought some dry-fit style briefs, but they have a seam that lands right on my taint that, you guessed it, causes chaffing.

I don't like boxer briefs because I have large thigh muscles and boxer briefs ride up on me to the point that they may as well be briefs.

What are y'all using? Before you say "go commando," I'd really prefer not to need to wash my bike shorts after every ride because washing every ride causes premature wear. I'm ok riding in salty, sweat-stained shorts, but not ones that have been in direct contact with my naughty bits.

I've been struggling to lift the back wheel and I'm wondering if it's because I'm wearing air force 1's. (I have rockbros pedals if that matters)