More Than Just Clothing: Your Performance System
Serious riders know that your kit is more than just clothing—it's a system of performance equipment. Every piece, from your helmet to your shoes, directly impacts your safety, comfort, and control on the bike. Dialing in your apparel is just as important as dialing in your suspension. This is our guide to building a professional-level kit that works with you, not against you.
The Core System: Your Contact Points
The most critical pieces of your kit are those that connect you directly to the bike. This is where quality matters most.
- Hands (Gloves): A good pair of full-fingered gloves is non-negotiable. They provide essential grip on your handlebars, protect your hands in a crash, and help damp trail vibration, reducing fatigue on long descents.
- Feet (Shoes): Whether you ride flat pedals or clipless, a dedicated mountain bike shoe is a must. Their stiff soles ensure maximum power transfer into every pedal stroke, while armored toe boxes protect you from rock strikes.
- Seat (Shorts & Chamois): A high-quality pair of padded liner shorts (a chamois) is the key to comfort on long rides. On top, a durable pair of baggy shorts made from a stretch material provides crash protection and freedom of movement that you can't get from standard athletic shorts.
Protection & Vision: Your Safety Essentials
These are the pieces of gear that keep you safe and allow you to focus on the trail ahead.
- Head (Helmets): This is the most important piece of gear you will ever own. A modern trail or enduro helmet offers extended rear coverage and often includes advanced safety technology like MIPS to protect against rotational impacts. -
- Eyes (Glasses & Goggles): Protecting your vision is critical. A good pair of riding glasses or goggles shields your eyes from debris, branches, and UV rays. Different lens tints can also enhance contrast, helping you read the trail better in changing light conditions.
The Final Piece of the Puzzle: The Ultimate Upgrade
We've talked about how your kit connects you to the bike. But what connects your entire system—you and your bike—to the trail? **Your wheels.**
Just as the right shoes improve power transfer, the right wheelset can transform your bike's acceleration and handling. Just as the right helmet improves your safety and confidence, a durable, professionally built wheelset gives you the peace of mind to charge into technical terrain without hesitation.
Dialing in your kit is crucial. But the single most impactful upgrade you can make to your bike's performance is a set of high-quality, hand-built wheels. If you're ready to complete your performance system, head over to our interactive Custom Wheel Builder to design the perfect wheelset for your perfect kit.