Kit that you use across multiple sports
Flâneur
Posts: 3,081
Comments
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Last year I spotted a kid out riding in the hills. I don't know what he was riding but I suspect it was a supermarket special. Anyway this stuck with me because he was wearing a horse riding helmet
Each to their own but it was an unusual sight to see. tick - tick - tick0 -
Last year I spotted a kid out riding in the hills. I don't know what he was riding but I suspect it was a supermarket special. Anyway this stuck with me because he was wearing a horse riding helmet Each to their own but it was an unusual sight to see.
Common sight in the new forest, people cycling to the stables.
why take two helmets into a shower?
my isetta is a 300cc bike0 -
I did see a family cycling through the market in Kingston with life jackets on. Saves on buying hi-viz I suppose.0
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I did see a family cycling through the market in Kingston with life jackets on. Saves on buying hi-viz I suppose.
or in case one of the children pushed the other one into the river?0 -
I use some of my bike kit (base layers etc) to go running in. And my running shoes are quite handy for bike commuting, none of this clip in rubbish
I also use some of my MTB kit (jacket, shorts, helmet etc) for road riding/commuting - not really sure if that counts as crossover though?"I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]0 -
always used running and cycling base layers/tops in either activity, much more so in winter.
i cannot ride in trainers at all, so fair play to anyone who can! running in cycling shoes is also difficult, esp with cleats on.0 -
You just need a decent pair of flat pedals with some decent pins, they keep normal trainer soles in place enough to make it perfectly rideable (CBA with clip ins commuting in London - too much clipping and unclipping). Bloody painful if you do slip off and get a pedal in the shin/calf though.i cannot ride in trainers at all, so fair play to anyone who can!"I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]0 -
All my riding is done with quality walking kit. I do not like tight lycra clobber as most of my cycling is commuting or family stuff with plenty of walking around as a normal person activities. For me having my lunchbox on show in lycra is not a good, I feel slightly naked TBH. I am never going to be a top road cyclist, nor want to be, so for me tight lycra makes no sense.
Instead I wear a pair of hiking shorts from Mountain hardwear. They were expensive 15 years ago when I got them and fit perfectly. No friction or rubbing anywhere and the fabric is light, stretchy and it had excellent DWR coating so until the last year or so it still shed water a bit. Now not so much. It is also highly durable (about 10-15 years old now despite heavy use over the years. Four way stretch really helps for on the bike IME.
The tops are wicking base layers from walking (all have scooped backs to some degree) and they fit nicely while being very technical fabrics in use. The warmer layer consists of a Haglofs fleece that is not windproof but significantly wind resistance. It is slim and tight fitting (think they call it athletic fit). With the long body and arms it really fits like a cycling jersey. Plus I can pull the sleeves down and use the thumb loops on colder days where full gloves are not needed or even when they are for added warmth. I have found that keeping the wrist well covered is a very good way of making clothing perform better for warmth. It is often the gaps in clothing types that cools you down a bit if the kit is at its limit.
I wear running trainers (slightly with a trail running slant) with an ion mask coating (not sure but it does seem to shed water more than normal shoes do).
I used walking sealskin socks and gloves. The gloves have leather palms which are very durable and seem to grip ok in the wet. The socks help with the gap at the ankle that may form between the waterproof trousers and the shoe when commuting. Plus they stop wind whistling through the shoe and are waterproof so I tend not to use the overshoes (never got any since socks suit me ok).
My waterproof trousers are from walking but are pre-bent/articulated with a decent velcro strap at the bottom. They are fairly snug fit too (tapers nicely down the leg). Make a good cycling waterproof trousers for commuting and family rides IMHO.
My waterproof jacket is a technical climbing style jacket (cut short but with a scoop back). This has gore tex active fabric in a very minimalist design (few pockets and they are all wicking mesh not extra layers of fabric to stop moisture transmisson. Pit zips have a unique design IMHO that works in heavy rain without letting in much water IME. The arms are long and highly designed to allow you to ice climb in winter without raising the hem of the jacket. This means they easily cope with stretched out positions on the bike. IMHO it is as close to a cycling jacket design without actually being one. Top kit on and off the bike.
Basically I own very little cycling specific clothing. The kit is different. I prefer panniers to rucksack (although my lightweight sack used for wildcamping and walking is more than good enough for commuting by bike).
I have seen people use cycling waterproofs as day to day waterproofs around town. No way they were cycling as the other clobber is street clothes. I have seen people wearing cycling waterproofs and softshells walking in the hills. I have even seen a climbing helmet that was designed for cycling use too, even whitewater kayaking use as well. It was not good at each individual use but was a big compromise to make it useable in each. Poor vents since you need to stop rocks hitting the head through vents is one compromise against cycling for climbing (and kayaing).
Basically as I see it all really good kit can have a decent life outside of their core use.0 -
Maybe I should get one for riding back from the pub along the towpath.I did see a family cycling through the market in Kingston with life jackets on. Saves on buying hi-viz I suppose.
or in case one of the children pushed the other one into the river?0 -
I use unpadded bib tights under my trousers on the ski slopes. Apparently very popular with Nordic skiers.0
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Maybe I should get one for riding back from the pub along the towpath.I did see a family cycling through the market in Kingston with life jackets on. Saves on buying hi-viz I suppose.
or in case one of the children pushed the other one into the river?
Yeah but you'll probably just die slowly of hypothermia then as you wait for someone to fish you out rather than drowning in a couple of minutes.
I hope I haven't talked anything bad up for you...please be careful!0 -
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Doing a sport that isn't cycling?
What the hell are you? A maniac?
Unless you are entering races then you aren't doing a sport, it is taking part in a recreational activity.0 -
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Base layers will always be popular - cycling, walking/hiking, golf, ice hockey, roller derby, and at work sometimes in winter when it's close to or below zero. As is my Altura jacket - golf, shopping, walking.
Worn a cycling jersey for roller derby before too. Also, my current cycling gloves are actually running gloves - it's not quite cold enough for full winter gear yet when I'm on the way home from a night shift. When that happens I'll probably just use my snowboarding gloves.
My mate looked a bit of a pillock a few years ago at Leeds Festival in his Galvin Green golf waterproofs though.The only disability in life is a poor attitude.0 -
I wear lycra on MTB :shock:And the people bowed and prayed, to the neon god they made.0
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I have crossed over lots of running and biking kit at various times.
Currently toying with the idea of how well something like a Garmin 810 would work as a walking / running GPS.
I am ok at navigation so spending lots of money on a dedicated walking gps is a waste as it would rarely get used. My thoughts are that a unit like an 810 would serve as a decent bike computer so I'm at least getting use out of it. Bit of a map nerd so would definitely want a unit with OS maps.
Prefer not to use phone as a gps. If in mountainous area, phone is there for emergencies, not navigation.0 -
I bought Under Armour base layers for football - now these are the only base layers I use for cycling. Absolutely brilliant tops.
I also have a Rapha Winter Collar which my wife steals to wear when she's watching over the kids in the playground at school (she's a teaching assistant) - not sure if that counts or not ?!?!?!0 -
I use a Nike compression baselayer (among other cycling specific ones), which I have had for about 10yrs. It's the best baselayer I own and bar the logo washing off, it's as good as new. Say what you like about Nike, but they make quality kit.Ben
Bikes: Donhou DSS4 Custom | Condor Italia RC | Gios Megalite | Dolan Preffisio | Giant Bowery '76
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ben_h_ppcc/
Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/143173475@N05/0 -
Base layers for skiing and cycling. My skiing neck buff thing also gets used as a hat for winter cycling as it can be pulled down over my ears.Advocate of disc brakes.0
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Ice climbing gloves when it's really cold and wet0
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I'm actually wondering whether my haglof's winter base layer/mid layer fleece can actually be bettered by a proper cycling top. It's a tight athletic fit like a cycling top, longer body with a lower back, long arms, deep chest zip, excellent fabric that wicks when worn against the skin but resists wind when a mid/outer layer and I really like the thumb loops in the cold since they go neatly into my gloves. The only feature a cycling top for winter/Autumn has is the rear pockets, but these would not be good with other activities besides I don't use them.
I really believe if a piece of kit from one sport is truly good in another activity then why not use it? The real benefit of good sports clothing is they make your sport more comfortable or enjoyable. That's important not the sporting label given to the use of kit.0 -
I'm actually wondering whether my haglof's winter base layer/mid layer fleece can actually be bettered by a proper cycling top. It's a tight athletic fit like a cycling top, longer body with a lower back, long arms, deep chest zip, excellent fabric that wicks when worn against the skin but resists wind when a mid/outer layer and I really like the thumb loops in the cold since they go neatly into my gloves. The only feature a cycling top for winter/Autumn has is the rear pockets, but these would not be good with other activities besides I don't use them.
I really believe if a piece of kit from one sport is truly good in another activity then why not use it? The real benefit of good sports clothing is they make your sport more comfortable or enjoyable. That's important not the sporting label given to the use of kit.
No reason why thr haglof wouldn't work, I keep thinking about my stretch torrentshell and my squarmksh hoody for rain and ain't jackets, just not in the mood to replace if I stack it.0 -
All my walking kit was bought at good prices so less of an issue if they get damaged. I never pay full price for walking kit. All good kit though. I've got a few good stores that I can get good discounts from. Two of them give me discount now without me even.asking. Benefits of buying too much over the years.0
