Mountain Biking Clothing

Mountain biking expert, Rick Van Hoorn, explains  what clothing you should wear when mountain biking:

The first tip mountain bike rider should hear is to ride with a helmet. You can always fall and you shouldn’t do so with an exposed head. Once we understood that, how to choose a helmet and what is the difference between expensive and cheap helmet?

The first accessory you purchase to a new bike is a helmet and without any debate it is the most important safety accessory. The helmet does not have an infinite life – helmets manufacturers recommend replacing a helmet every two years since the materials used become obsolete and can no longer comply with the safety tag given to her. All helmets sold must be approved by the Standards Institute of your country. Standards Institute examines the international standards complied by helmet and by this gives final approve.

So why some of the helmets cost $50 and others $150? What is the difference between a cheap helmet and expensive one? Apart from protection, there are several other significant parameters that distinguish one helmet from another.

Comfort

First of all, a helmet is worn by the rider throughout entire ride and sometimes it takes several hours. Hence, one of the most important features of the helmet is comfort. Comfortable helmet that won’t be felt on the rider’s head during a long ride will accrue many positive points.

Ventilation

In hot climate countries, ventilation of the helmet is a primary requirement. There is no such thing as a too ventilated helmet, and in case of intense cold, one can always cover your head under the helmet.

Locking Mechanism

In the past, helmet was adjusted using straps only. Today, all companies have a rear linkage mechanism which fixes the helmet to the back of the head, thus preventing it from swinging. There are two main types of linkage mechanisms: peripheral mechanism, which is basically a ring that surrounds the head and by reducing or increasing the diameter, one can control the size of the helmet, and a back mechanism or half ring, which changes the back diameter of the helmet.

Padding

Padding is all that separates the hard part of the helmet to the rider’s head. First of all padding should contribute to the comfort. Beyond that, padding is responsible for the absorption of sweat from the head of the rider. Good padding absorbs will prevent leaks of sweat towards the eyes. Most helmets sold today are for mountain biking, but all the helmets have removable caps, thus all mountain biking helmets can become be suitable for road cycling.

Building Method

All the helmets today have a hard plastic outer cover. Its function is to keep the inner part of the helmet whose job is to collapse and thereby prevent damage to the skull. Outer shell can be welded or glued to the helmet’s body. Helmets with a welded outer skin are of better quality.

Appearance

Believe it or not, a helmet is a stylish accessory helmet and contributes to the rider’s appearance.

Summary

From mountain biking clothing point of view, a helmet is a primary safety accessory that must be used in each ride.

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