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From Away.com

Urban Mountain-Biking Gear
Stylin' on the Singletrack
On the Body: Apparel for Him

By Nathan Borchelt

Intro/On the Bike | On the Body: Apparel for Him | On the Body: Apparel for Her | On the Body: Accessories

outdoor adventure image
Pearl Izumi's Canyon Top
Tops:
In many cyclists' minds, Pearl Izumi is the Prada of the bike world, making trail-worthy attire that doesn't sacrifice style for substance. Their Canyon Top ($45; www.pearlizumi.com) introduces a très casual jersey in an otherwise neon-saturated scene. This loose-fitting, crew-neck short-sleeved top is made with a mini-waffle fabric, offering greater surface area to enhance moisture management and a concealed, zippered back pocket for on-the-trail essentials. Colors range from a near-tropical Calypso Green to an emo-rocker Tarmac gray, while wide stripes on the shoulder seams give it extra fashion flair. For fall days, however, we suggest you toss on Sugoi's long-sleeved Hurricane T ($60; www.sugoi.com), a subtle-but-sporty, tri-color jersey with a knit architecture that lets warm air circulate in a "micro-environment" between your skin and the fabric—meaning comfortable warmth, easy sweat evaporation, and nominal weight.
Sugoi's Hurricane T
And to protect you from any sudden rainstorms, trust the U.S. ski gurus of Salomon Sports to get the right apparel just right. Their STL Jacket ($130; www.salomonsports.com) is a stylin', breathable soft shell with a sleek profile, stretch elements at the shoulders and elbows, a micro-fleece-lined high-crew collar, and a slew of hidden zipper pockets—inside, out, and on the sleeve. It won't hold up to a hard downpour, but it makes ideal upper-torso armor in conditions extending to a steady drizzle.

Shorts:
Mountain bikers long ago ditched the smuggling-grapes aspect of the ultra-tight spandex cycling shorts by following the skateboarder credo of making it baggy, and now most mountain-bike shorts on the market will give you the loose style you want and the padded comfort you need. At the top of our list is the Salomon Pro Dirt Short ($80; www.salomonsports.com), which comes with a "TwinSkin" inner lining equipped with a truly comfortably four-way pad that can be worn with or without the "SmartSkin"outer layer—a baggy, cotton-touch nylon fabric with hand pockets, sizeable cargo-style thigh pockets with diagonal zipper vents, and stretch elements at the hips. Pearl Izumi's Canyon Shorts ($65; www.pearlizumi.com) rank as a close second—the inner lining is just as comfortable as the Pro Dirt Shorts, and the all-black sensibility offers a classic, go-anywhere casual style.

Pants:
Cold-weather full-leg coverage used to mean the tights-under-shorts combo or rubber bands cinched around the ankles to keep the cuffs out of the crankshaft. Sugoi has changed all that, packing comfort, convenience, and a degree of hip into their Bully Radial Pant ($100; www.sugoi.com). The baggy poly fabric is weathered to look like a pair of canvas pants—only quicker drying and more durable—and is coupled with a narrow strip of poly/spandex along each leg's outer seam and across the rear waistband to give you stretch where you need it most. Velcro closures at the cuffs amend the chain-snag woes and the cinch-waist buckles assure good fit. But if you have an odd waist-to-leg-length ratio, you may unintentionally end up sporting a pair of high waters. As with most cycling pants and shorts, the sizes range from S to XXL.

Pearl Izumi's Groove
Shoes:
Serious cyclists commonly become unintentional tap dancers once they dismount and clog around in their cleated shoes, but you won't be mistaken for a drunken Gregory Hines if you're wearing Pearl Izumi's Groove ($65; www.pearlizumi.com), tailor-made for the recreational off-road rider. Suede and cordura uppers lend the shoes a skateboarder-meets-bowler aesthetic, the dual-density mid-sole offers stiffness while pedaling and flex when walking, and the hard rubber treads give you good grip and keep the cleats from clicking on the pavement. The most attractive feature? The clever way the laces are kept from shredding in the sprocket—just tuck 'em into the pocket concealed in the shoes' tongues, clip in, and go.

Next Page: On the Body: Apparel for Her

Intro/On the Bike | On the Body: Apparel for Him | On the Body: Apparel for Her | On the Body: Accessories


Nathan Borchelt is the lead editor for Away.com