Mountain biking clothing has come a long way. From heady days of tight-lycra and short travel bikes to more travel, more comfort and, not unimportantly, more protection, what caused riders to go away from the aerodynamic, road-inspired clothing of the 90s to baggier, moto-inspired kits?
The Early Days
The first mountain bikes didn't have the sub-categorisation of today, and as a result, riders would often race everything from XC to downhill on the same bike. The clothing riders were similar, with riders not initially wearing anything other than their road-ready lycra.
As the years passed, however, downhill mountain bikers began to carve out their own identity. Initially championed by North American Shaun Palmer, the baggier, looser kit became more and more popular. However, its adoption certainly didn't happen overnight.
Shaun Palmer in 97 and 99.
Palmer had some of the most iconic kits of the period and helped break downhill away from the perception that it was merely an offshoot of XC.
The Teenage Years
By the early-mid 2010s, baggies were the kit of choice for racers and casual riders alike. The kits were a world away from the tight racekits of today. Big moto helmets, little upper body protection and wide, air-funnelling shorts were the choice of most racers.
Back to Basics
During the build-up to the 2017 season, there was a rumble of rumour as the off-season rolled on. The focus was on what wheel size riders would be riding in the first round. Different brands approached this differently. Some brands, having only just adopted the 27.5" standard, were caught a little off guard, whereas others, most notably Santa Cruz, were ready and waiting with bikes such as the full 29" V10. This bike was built for the tracks of time, which arguably had less technicality than the tracks of today and a higher average speed. That's not to say there weren't more technical tracks, but rather, the speed was higher than ever. The larger wheels weren't the only thing to change, though, and the race marked a step towards tighter kits.
As the years rolled on, riders settled on a closer fitting setup, with more comfortable body armour, that had an emphasis on comfort, function and style.
