Originally Posted by joelsp
Are specially designed biking shorts, that have the padding and such helpful?
I am just getting back in the swing of mountain biking, and I never bothered with the bike clothing before, but my new bike's saddle is a little less forgiving than my last bike's. Also, is there a such thing as padded biking gloves? Or maybe I should just buy more comfortable grips.
Also, any suggestions on good brands to go with, or is there really no difference?
The guy that sold me my bike said these accessories are hard to live without, but I just wanted to see if this is totally true before i drop some money on some biking threads.
Thanks!
I love my bike shorts. So soft, so cool, so comfortable. I'll forego 'em once in a while, but I'm a happier camper with them on. The padding works, and there are plenty of stylish options for mountain bikers (not so for roadies).
As for jerseys, when I'm on my mountain bike I'm just as happy in a plain ol' technical tee bought on clearance from Campmor or whatnot. The benefit of mt bike specific jerseys is usually just a rear pocket to stow stuff, but that's unecessary if you're using a Camelbak or a saddle wedge. On my road bike it's a different story, though. I'll use the pockets, and road-specific jerseys are closer fitting and more aero.
And finally, yes, Virginia, there are padded bicycling gloves. In fact, most have at least some padding. Gloves like Pearl Izumi's Gel Lights have pretty significant padding, but some people find too much padding to cause numbness on longer rides. Your grips (or handlebar tape) should be providing some cush', anyway. Think of your gloves as being there to give you better grip, to protect your hands in a fall, and to make you look all badazz.