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Beginner mountain bike gear
To paraphrase Mark Twain, “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out about padded mountain biking shorts.”
Mountain biking is an awesome sport, isn’t it? It’s hard to find something that competes with the exhilaration you feel as you sweep down some gnarly single track. What’s not to like?
Hmm, well the butt pain that you get at the end of a day’s riding can certainly take the edge off that excitement, can’t it?
Thankfully, there’s an easy answer to that bruised bum from cycling. That’s the wonder that is baggy bike shorts with padding.
Shall we take a look?
MTB clothing what to wear
When you start off mountain biking it’s easy to get confused (and frightened!) by the long list of very expensive kit that you apparently absolutely must-have. What folk don’t often tell you though is that most of this kit you can pick up along the way as you get more into your new pastime.
That said, there are a few items of clothing that you should have from the very beginning:
- Good quality cycling helmet
- Protective glasses
- Padded bike shorts
I’ve included a quick recommendation in the links above for the first two, but today our main focus is firmly on the butt. I’ve done some research to find the best padded shorts for mountain biking, based on the key features and customer reviews. Let’s take a look now.
These padded shorts from Santic are an excellent starter piece of kit that will keep you comfortable in the saddle all day long.
They have really good padding to cushion your butt and a looser more roomy fit with a drawstring waist that makes them especially good for larger riders.
They come in five different color options and sizing from Small to 3XL. They also have a pair of very handy zipper pockets to keep your wallet, phone, and car keys from getting lost halfway down the trail.
Australian’s have a name for this style of clothing: they call them ‘Shy Shorts’.
Whatever you call them, these baggy mountain bike shorts are fantastic. Most of the time you see the standard range of tight-fitting spandex or lycra cycling shorts for women (like these). They’re great, but not everyone feels comfortable in such a snug pair of shorts, so a pair like these from Astek are excellent.
They’ve got padding on the seat to cushion your butt, plus adjustable waist tabs, and a length that goes down to just below the knee. They’ve also got six roomy pockets for all your stuff and come in sizes from Small to 2XL.
A great value pair of MTB shorts from Ally, these are a comfy pair of outer shorts made from tough water-repellent fabric.
They come in two colors, sizing from Medium to 2XL, and have numerous handy pockets (7 in total!)
On the inside they’ve got a removable pair of padded liner shorts, which is great news as well.
Mountain bike training plan for beginners
If you’re new to the world of mountain biking, then check out this video. It’s got some great hints and tips for starting you off in the sport and getting you going (plus having a ton of fun!)
Enjoy.
What to wear mountain biking in summer
Thanks for joining me today. I hope this list has given you a few suggestions for the perfect pair of padded shorts for mountain biking. Mountain biking is great fun but, if you’re in pain (in the butt or anywhere else!) then it can feel like more of an endurance event.
Pick the right pair of shorts for you from the list above. Click on ‘Buy Now’ and take your MTBing to a whole new level!
Happy cycling!
**Please note that our reviews are based on customer reviews, star ratings, and online complaints. Therefore, Bicycle Volt are in no way liable**
