First Look: dhb's new mountain bike clothing range
dhb is internet giant Wiggle's in-house clothing brand. It's done a wide range of high-value road and commuting biased kit for a while, but now it's dipping its toe into the world of mountain bike kit. We've been sent a top-to-toe outfit to take a look at, so read on for some details and shots of our Jon looking like a teapot.
- First Look: Lapierre XR729 - fast and furious cross-country race machine
- Winter riding essentials: make the most of the cold weather
- Buyer's guide to mountain bikes: everything you need to know to get the best bike
We're big fans of mesh baselayers here. They're ideal for wearing under a jersey on chillier summer rides but also really boost the warmth of a normal base layer when the mercury has really dropped. At £18, the dhb lightweight mesh sleeveless base layer is impressive value though it's a bit of a shame this rather cool pattern will be hidden for most of the time though - unless you like rocking the Rab C Nesbitt look.
It's probably not one for the current weather unless you're particularly hardy, but the dhb MTB trail short sleeve jersey does a fine job of looking more expensive than the £30 asking price. It's made from lightweight polyester with a decent relaxed but not overly baggy cut. As well as red, you can pick from blue and black/grey colours.
More fittingly for the season are these dhb rain defence gloves, which cost £26. They use a breathable waterproof membrane to keep your fingers dry plus a fleece lining to keep you warm. The palm gets stitched in, padded reinforcement patches in high wear areas plus silicone on the brake fingers to aid grip. While the bulk and thickness mean they're not an everyday trail glove, we reckon they'll be very welcome on particularly horrible days.
Talking about horrible days, the dhb Aeron deep winter bib tights use a stretch waterproof outer and fleece lined inner to try and keep you as warm and cosy as possible. The full-length tights have zipped ankles to ease entry and exit, while the high-rise waist gets a zipped entry to make toilet stops less of a faff. The wrap-over zip protector will be very welcome to anyone that's ever caught hair in the zip too. At £110, they're a bit more of an investment but if you don't let wind, rain - and maybe even snow - stop you from riding, then it might be a welcome one.
These new MTB Trail Pro baggy shorts pack in plenty of features for the £60 asking price. There's a good mix of fabrics, with a thicker, hardwearing stretch panel around the bum that should serve to fend off a bit more water and any amorous advances from your rear tyre paired to thinner fabric on the inner leg to give less restricted movement. A couple of zipped hip pockets give a bit of secure storage and the waist is adjustable via velcro tabs. You don't get a liner with them but, to be honest, we prefer using bibs anyway. They're available in any colour you like, as long as it's black.
Softshell jackets are great bits of kit for wintery conditions, offering decent water and wind resistance paired to plenty of insulating warmth. The MTB Trail Hooded Softshell jacket is definitely one for the chillier days, using a decently thick fabric with full-length zip and a spacious hood. There are deep pockets with mesh liners running down either side of the front and these also double as pit vents if you need a bit of airflow. It's nice to see that the zips have pull-tabs on them to make them easier to find in thick winter gloves. It comes in black or blue and costs £80.
if the conditions are still a bit chilly but don't quite deserve a full softshell, the dhb MTB Long Sleeve Trail Thermal zip jersey might be more suitable. For your £45 you get a stretchy outer material with a rather cosy feeling fleece lined inner. A full length zip with neck protector at the top gives you plenty of options for cooling, there's a good-sized Napoleon pocket on the chest for keeping your sweets/maps/shopping list in and the hemmed cuffs have thumbloops so you can keep the sleeves in place. It comes in this grey or a blue finish.
Where would we be without a pair of socks to round this lot out? A place with very cold toes is where. The dhb Aeron Primalift sock uses the magical insulating power of Primaloft to help keep your toes warm without being overly bulky. A quick fondle shows that they're all soft and cosseting on the toes too, thanks to an 18% silk blend. The £7.50 price tag isn't to be sniffed at either.
You can find all these products and more over at the dhb site and we'l be doing full reviews of this little lot in due course.
You might also like:
- Review: dhb MTB Women's Long Sleeve Trail Jersey - a simple and understated jersey
- Review: Madison DTE Softshell short - warm riding shorts you need to have in your winter wardrobe