Trail riding stuff.

[Ex-Call Centre Chimp]

So I've bought the trail bike but have no off road gear.
I don't want to be spending shed loads of cash but am happy to pay what it costs to get stuff that will do the job.
I'm assuming I'll need helmet with goggles. (I like the ones with velcro that attach to the side of the helmet).
Upper body armour to wear under my old touring jacket
Trousers
Knee protectors &
Boots.

I'm in Lincoln but am happy to travel 60 - 80 miles to get the right stuff. I've been round the shops in lincoln but they're all 'on roda' dealers only & their clothing reflects that.

Being new to this off-road malarkey I have no knowledge of where to go & which brands are decent, or even what is/isn't acceptable amongst the TRF elite.
I do have a good mate who knows a lot about what's what in this area but I've been mithering him non stop with questions since October so thought I'd give him a break & ask the advice of the collective on here.

So what should I buy & where should I go to get it?

 

[Norfolk Tiger]

I've found ex army gortex jacket and troos worn over decent armour works well without breaking the bank. If you go the cammo route and crash into the undergrowth you may not be found

 

[Ex-Call Centre Chimp]

Nice one, sounds like a plan. Bought on line I presume? Do you have a favoured site?

 

[JohnnyBoxer]

Try Leisure Trail at Long Eaton, Notts

Proper offroad dealers and happy to answer questions




Other than that

Helmet - do you wear glasses? If so a helmet with a visor is better than goggles, like a Tour X, but get something cheaper like a Airoh S4 or a cheap Tour X from here

Boots - Enduro boots - I like Sidi myself, as they fit me best, ask 10 people and you'll get 10 different answers from Alpinestars to Wulf

Jacket and Trews - personally I wear an old BMW Rallye suit, which has good armour already and is wonderfully vented for summer, in winter I just use leggings and a cheap waterproof jacket over the top - ex surplus army camo Goretex is cheap from ebay

Gloves - some waterproof ones, I use ones from a walking shop - cheaper and better than bike shop ones and proper enduro gloves in summer

Socks - you want decent armour padded, long socks from a dirt bike shop - I use hebo ones and they're comfy

Water - you'll need plenty - so buy a decent Camelbak, which doubles as a light rucksack for keys/money and bits and bobs - have about 2litres on board - you'll drink it

 

[Norfolk Tiger]

Nice one, sounds like a plan. Bought on line I presume? Do you have a favoured site?

I got mine from a local army surplus place but I'd think it would be easy to find online as well.

 

[Ex-Call Centre Chimp]

Top advice as usual chaps. Thanx.

 

[Paul C]

I don't get on with goggles. I use safety specs plus the helmet has a visor which I tend to use on the roads between the lanes.

 

[tuftywhite]

What bike did you get? Will you not be on it tomorrow?

 

[Gazza100]

Mark Philips has some off road gear, just up the A46 from Lincoln. Plus he's a good guy.

 

[Simian73]

Been trail riding about 8 years on ktm 400 exc and this stuff worked for me.

Helmet - proper mx type lid rather than a road lid ie tourx, anything upto £100 is perfectly fine if your on a budget,

Mx jersey and pants for summer but enduro jackets for winter/wet. To be honest I only ever wore my enduro pants as they where waterproof and built like a tank and very comfy. I had Thor enduro pants and a moose expedition jacket, again built very well and waterproof also plenty of vents for warmer weather. Have a look on ebay and there are plenty of mx jersey and pant deals and most also come with gloves.

Gloves - again a summer and winter pair, again went to Thor for the enduro glove, again built incredibly well and waterproof and warm but not too bulky.

Boots - budget around £100 should get you a decent pair unless you want to go the whole hog and go for alpinestars tech 10's. I went for forma enduro boot, fairly waterproof and built well. I used ex army goretex socks underneath. Bare in mind the mx boots generally have a smoother sole than an enduro boot so when you are pushing the bike through the mud it would be better with and enduro boot.

Goggles- if you wear specs then make sure they fit over them and into your helmet, some helmets have a smaller aperture and bigger goggles don't fit right.

I started with road textiles but soon realised this was the wrong direction and went for proper mx or enduro stuff. Way too hot and bulky and doesn't last well in crashes.

If you a fancy a little ride over to Beverly then have a look at Dennis winters, he has a shop on ebay and it looks like a small shop when you get there but it is an alladins cave with everything you will need.

Look T 1stmx.co.uk or dirtbikeexpress or racespec, these will have all the gear.

Hope this helps

 

[Ex-Call Centre Chimp]

Appreciate the help chaps, thanx again.

I went to gear4 KTM dealer in Market Deeping on Saturday, my wife wanted to go shopping in Bourne so it fitted in well.
Although the shop was chock full of stuff they were fecking hopeless. The kid I spoke to was clearly new & I have no problem with that, we all have to start somewhere but when he asked for some help off one of the more experienced chaps he was no better.
They couldn't even tell me the difference between 2 Fox crash helmets, 1 priced at £119 the other at £389, apart from the colour & the price. I guessed that the cheaper one was polypropolene & the more expensive one probably some sort of carbon fibre weave but they genuinely had no idea. I came away having bought feck all.
To be fair I was as bad as them though, flitting from product to product instead of just concentrating on 1 item or maybe 2.

Having had time to reflect & re-read the above I have far more of an idea of what I'm doing (I think) & will be heading to Long Eaton which is easier to get to than Beveley, on Saturday.

The only thing I think I've decided on is a pair of Sidi Crossfire boots.

 

[ButtonMoon]

Top boots !!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Ex-Call Centre Chimp]

What bike did you get?
Will you not be on it tomorrow?

Couldn't get on Saturday for the reasons mentioned above. Next time, hopefully.

Regarding the bike, pics & info here. http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showth...experienced-but-gentle-older-(or-younger)-man

 

[Bounce]

I think I've decided on is a pair of Sidi Crossfire boots.

+1...I've got a pair of Crossfire 2 boots, and they're supremely comfortable, whilst providing excellent protection....

I only starting getting more serious about green laning/enduro about 18 months ago, and I'm bloody hooked on it!!!! As for the riding kit, it ranges from dirt cheap to horrendously expensive, so consider how often you're going to ride, as there's no point paying a load of dough to use it twice a year.

Don't scrimp on a lid or body armour - these must be comfortable when worn & of course, offer you decent protection.

Spring & Summer - I tend to wear MX kit as it's lightweight & allows a good range of movement; I wear a Nike dri fit top & bottoms too, as it's v v light and wiacks away the sweat pretty well; I'm OK with goggles & use double skin lenses to prevent fogging up
Autumn & Winter - I use an old pair of revit pants & a light weight enduro jacket - both items have plenty of vents, are waterproof & breathable (Goretex army surplus kit is worn alot these day as it's inexpensive & very functional).

I also wear ski socks throughout the year (get them from TK Maxx don't you know!!) - they're brilliant, and keep my feet dry, cool etc and also give you an extra couple of mm of what I call 'soft comfort' in your boots.....

Items to carry: water (cos you'll get thirsty), a few essential tools (including your riding colleagues), 1st aid kit, fully charged phone (with camera ), a few high energy snacks.....and a stripped down wallet with a few quid, ICE card & your AA card......

If you do happen to get a puncture...then a repair kit/spare tubes amongst your riding group is recommended....

Enjoy your off roading mate, it's great fun and will improve your all round riding ability.

 

[Flipfly]

My kbc carbon hybrid mx helmet was 100 quid new and is comfy, airy and super light. All white so no fancy graphics.
Boots, used to wear tech 3 alpinestar ( proper stitched sole not the glued type) but now have goretex forma which aren't quite so protective but warm and dry. +1 for army goretex, but I now wear klim overland suit which is fankookintastic.