Non-plastic MTB Clothing

[tomato paste]

'Green' mountain bike clothing--is this a thing? Cotton or wool, rather than polyesters, nylon, or other hydrocarbon derivatives.

Note that a search for 'green MTB clothing' will return green colored plastic clothes, as one would imagine!

 

[Pdoz]

Are you looking for enviromenral reasons or a preference fir organic textiles?

Some manufacturers are producing recycled synthetics , eg

Mens 3/4 Sleeve Jersey | Camo Storm

A mountain bike jersey that is as stylish as it is comfortable, moisture wicking and breathable with 3/4 sleeves for a bit of extra protection. Mesh side panels and a zip pocket. This is classic mens mountain bike clothing.

dharco.com

Others offer a blend of recycled synthetics and natural fibre but mostly in their less technical range.

Troy lee has " environmentally certified" Poly spandex mixes

I generally prefer the feel of cotton but it's an environmental nightmare. The bamboo and hemp composite sporting clothing I've tried doesn't seem to breathe as well. Ultralight merino can be awesome for comfort if you are comfortable wearing animal products - not as durable as synthetics bug very versatile

I've used icebreaker , but have been wondering about these

Merino for Outdoor People - Australian, Ethical, Sustainable

Discover Merino wool clothing that welcomes wilderness. Sustainable and ethical (non-mulesed), sourced and made in Australia. Long-lasting gear inspired by Tasmanian lifestyle. Men and women: Beanies, socks, base layers, jackets, hoodies and gloves - We got you covered! Spend $180 - FREE...

www.blueymerino.com

 

[tomato paste]

Largely environmental and health reasons. Apparently all this polyester contributes to plastic particles in your blood, which contributes to *infertility* (news to me). This is (apparently) an issue for women, as, and I quote 'female newborns' eggs, which are created during gestation, are being found to have plastic particles inside', so the plastic can contaminate 3 generations simultaneously, if a mother is in contact with large quantities of plastic and plastic particulates (such as polyester dryer lint). And the clothing doesn't degrade, but rather accumulates, largely in the oceans, which then enters as particulates in our food supply. Pretty much all sports clothing is polyester, so not sure what the marketing gods have dreamed up as the solution.

 

[Slowroller]

There are only few companies making wool blend liner shorts, but quite a few making wool jerseys, which are my favorite. I normally don't wear cycling jerseys on mtbs, just shirts and inner top layers I like. Cotton, silk and wool variations. Can't stand 100% plastic clothes personally from a comfort perspective let alone an environmental one. It's nearly impossible to avoid all plastic in clothing though, it's everywhere.

 

[Gary]

*Whispers* you don't actually have to wear mtb specific clothing to ride a bike for a couple of hours in the woods and hills... But Shhhhh.....

 

[Mikerb]

............I have not seen any signs of the world population shrinking due to "plastic" clothes!

 

[Philly G]

*Whispers* you don't actually have to wear mtb specific clothing to ride a bike for a couple of hours in the woods and hills... But Shhhhh.....

I don't believe it

 

[Philly G]

I very much prefer merino over polyester. Merino stays warm even when it's damp, and doesn't stink. Better temperature regulation as well. Polyester gets cold and clammy and reeks after just one ride. Mixture of Icebreaker base layers and Mons Royale. It's more expensive, but for comfort and the environment, natural fibres all the way.

 

[Pdoz]

*Whispers* you don't actually have to wear mtb specific clothing to ride a bike for a couple of hours in the woods and hills... But Shhhhh.....

Vomits ( Gary cycling naked and whispering)

 

[Pdoz]

I very much prefer merino over polyester. Merino stays warm even when it's damp, and doesn't stink. Better temperature regulation as well. Polyester gets cold and clammy and reeks after just one ride. Mixture of Icebreaker base layers and Mons Royale. It's more expensive, but for comfort and the environment, natural fibres all the way.

Have you noticed icebreaker summer weight clothing has been mixed merino synthetic for a few years now? I think anything under 200 count.

I get good longevity from merino country but their "175" weight clothing seems a lot thicker than , eg , icebreaker 200 . At least their larger sizes fit full bodied people
Men

 

[steve_sordy]

My mostly polyester wicking tee shirts don't get clammy and cold. They don't reek either unless I try to wear them more than once without washing them.

 

[flash]

I like natural fibres too. But I react badly to Merino and Merino mixes over about 25%. For a lot of my travel and day to day I wear silk, which has the benifits of Merino and is lighter. Incredible for travel and hiking. Might be good on the bike too.

Silk Clothing for Women, Men & Baby by SilkBody | SilkLiving

The home of the best silk clothing by Silk Body. Full range of silk dresses, tops, underwear, cardigans and jackets. Also silk baby and children's clothing.

www.silkliving.com

Gordon

 

[Philly G]

Have you noticed icebreaker summer weight clothing has been mixed merino synthetic for a few years now? I think anything under 200 count.

I get good longevity from merino country but their "175" weight clothing seems a lot thicker than , eg , icebreaker 200 . At least their larger sizes fit full bodied people
Men

I've been buying the "coolite sphere" for summer, it's a blend of merino and "Tencel", which is made from wood fibre of all things. So still a natural material

 

[Gary]

Anyone who says merino doesn't stink is probably a smelly bastard

 

[Mcharza]

Anyone who says merino doesn't stink is probably a smelly bastard

I say, but already know i'm a bastard

 

[Philly G]

Anyone who says merino doesn't stink is probably a smelly bastard

Perhaps! ? But in my experience, polyester blend clothing really pongs after just one ride, the merino, simply doesn't. It will eventually stink with continued wearing, but not as bad, or as quickly, as polyester. Whether the wearer stinks or not is another matter entirely!

 

[wildsau2]

merino all the way

 

[willeco]

I very much prefer merino over polyester. Merino stays warm even when it's damp, and doesn't stink. Better temperature regulation as well. Polyester gets cold and clammy and reeks after just one ride. Mixture of Icebreaker base layers and Mons Royale. It's more expensive, but for comfort and the environment, natural fibres all the way.

Partly true. Modern fabrics don't stink either, but obviously you have to wash them after use...which is what I do after each ride...
But that's something I did even long before modern fabrics were on the market and real chamois was used in bike pants...

 

[Philly G]

Partly true. Modern fabrics don't stink either, but obviously you have to wash them after use...which is what I do after each ride...
But that's something I did even long before modern fabrics were on the market and real chamois was used in bike pants...

Since I'm only sharing my personal experience, it's 100% true

 

[aarfeldt]

*Whispers* you don't actually have to wear mtb specific clothing to ride a bike for a couple of hours in the woods and hills... But Shhhhh.....

100% correct....it HAS to be emtb specific !

 

[Gary]

You mean just like normal cycle clothing but with less effort gone into it?

Lidl has you covered

 

[Norcalsl]

Once you go Merino you will never go back..

 

[Rusty]

Well, considering the sheep are sheared with elecric clippers that may be powered by a coal fired power station (or not) and usually baled in nylon based bales, transported to auction in diesel trucks, transported from auction in diesel trucks, shipped to the manufacturer mostly in diesel powered ships, processed in mills that are usually not all that eco friendly, that packaged in plastic bags and shipped off to the wholesaler/retailer .... well, not that eco friendly.

Now, if you were to buy some home-made stuff right off a craft farm you will probably find it much more green ....... but it will also cost you a lot more green.

 

[aarfeldt]

You mean just like normal cycle clothing but with less effort gone into it?

No....more fullbody effort will be used, to get the desired fun out of it.
This is a common misunderstanding
Goretex has you covered.

 

[apac]

Wtf is Merino?

 

[Philly G]

Well, considering the sheep are sheared with elecric clippers that may be powered by a coal fired power station (or not) and usually baled in nylon based bales, transported to auction in diesel trucks, transported from auction in diesel trucks, shipped to the manufacturer mostly in diesel powered ships, processed in mills that are usually not all that eco friendly, that packaged in plastic bags and shipped off to the wholesaler/retailer .... well, not that eco friendly.

Now, if you were to buy some home-made stuff right off a craft farm you will probably find it much more green ....... but it will also cost you a lot more green.

Unfortunately diesel trucks, diesel trains, diesel ships, jet-fuel airplanes are a part of the supply chain of almost everything we buy, certainly my bike, and all the components I have bought to upgrade it. Everything would have come in a container, on a ship. We are lucky in this country that most of our electricity is hydro, so at least the sheep shearing is eco-friendly. The eco part is not necessarily in the supply chain, but in the fabrics themselves. Polyesters shed micro plastics, whereas merino does not. Merino is also, in my experience, much more comfortable to wear. Win win

 

[tomato paste]

*Whispers* you don't actually have to wear mtb specific clothing to ride a bike for a couple of hours in the woods and hills... But Shhhhh.....

Lol, right? I wear my work boots and jeans while riding, but found I was getting lots of small grit in my shoes--so I made the next mistake, I bought MTB shoes that have closed tops that (hopefully) keep the crap out. And, when I ride up the hill looking like I stepped out of flea market all these punk kids with their fascist uniform kit makes me feel like some kind of alien. GD marketing guys winning again, creating all kinds of demand for unnecessary consumption!

20 years from now, once all polyester production is shifted *back* to cotton, we'll find out that of course cotton production is actually poisonous. But seriously, this plastic contamination thing is a thing in our household now.

 

[Philly G]

Wtf is Merino?

Shame on you. A third of all the sheep in the UK are in Wales

 

[tomato paste]

............I have not seen any signs of the world population shrinking due to "plastic" clothes!

I know, right? A bunch of my family are med folks, and this is becoming a thing. I'm not even sure I'm linking the best articles here below, but a quick google scholar search pulls up a bunch. I don't speak medicine, so I have no idea what half this stuff means. And just like someone mentioned above *plastic is in everything*, and apparently the big sources of ingestion are polyester clothing (lint particles) and the soft plastic wrapping for food stoarge (there's even a plastic lining the inside of canned food, it's *everywhere* now).

 

[Rusty]

Semen quality in workers

Awww damn - you just HAD to bring that up didn't you.

emtbforums semen expert @Zimmerframe in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 .............