You are weatherproof with this MTB winter clothing

DRY WEATHER | +20 °C to +10 °C

Fog in the morning, sun at midday, and in the afternoon the long shadows are already pushing cold air back into the forests. Finding the right outfit now is a challenge for bikers. On late summer autumn days, only one thing helps: the tried and tested onion principle. This allows you to avoid overheating layer by layer and constantly adapt your outfit to the current conditions. Start with your head. A racing cap is perfect for the transitional period and also makes a fashion statement. The brightly coloured Cinelli race caps are regularly designed by international artists. The graphics on the High Flyers cap are by English illustrator Stevie Gee. Further down, a scarf around the neck closes the gap between the head and upper body. The Buff Arrowhead is made from Primaloft's new Thermonet fabric and is said to be four times warmer than normal microfibre. The only disadvantage: because you don't get a sore throat, you don't have to suck as many herbal sweets.

The first layer on the upper body is particularly important because it should wick sweat away from the body quickly. The Craft Extreme 2.0 is an inexpensive classic vest made from Coolmax fabric and is particularly suitable for high intensities. A thermal jersey with a brushed inside is best worn over the top. This provides a lot of warmth, but transports moisture better than a windbreaker, for example. Pearl Izumi offers several fluffy models with a sporty fit and three classic back pockets. A lightweight wind waistcoat is the best wind blocker for the cooler morning hours. It protects the upper body from cooling down and disappears into the jersey pocket with the first rays of sunshine - or, like the lightweight Bontrager Circuit waistcoat, into its own breast pocket. For those who want a little more insulation during the break, Gore has recently launched a wind waistcoat with Primaloft lining, which cuts a fine figure not only when biking. A lightweight softshell glove such as the Stratus Glove from Alpine Stars ensures warm fingers and a good grip.

There are plenty of options underneath: normal cycling shorts can be made suitable for autumn with knee or leg warmers. Warm, soft and with wide cuffs, the Classic Warmers from GripGrab are particularly comfortable to wear. They are also available for the arms as an extension of the jersey. Knee-length cycling shorts are often ridiculed. However, models such as the Castelli Nano Flex 2 are perfect for autumn and spring. They keep your knees warm at all times, always sit in the right place and also have a water-repellent coating. Just like the MT500 Spray Baggy from Endura: its waterproof seat area protects the bum from swirling morning dew. The robust shorts with practical pockets, ventilation openings and width adjustment are perfect for changeable autumn weather. And because the British know a thing or two about rain, Sealskinz offers waterproof socks that are hardly any less comfortable than normal models. A silicone band holds the MTB Thin Mid model firmly to the leg just below the calves. So there are really no more excuses when the trails are still covered in puddles from the last rain shower.

1st Cinelli High Flyers Cap: Brightly coloured designer race caps from Italy
2. Buff Arrowhead Multi: Multifunctional scarf made from Primaloft Thermonet fabric
3. Craft Active Extreme 2.0: Classic vest for mild temperatures
4. Pearl Izumi Select Thermal Jersey: fluffy long-sleeved shirt
5. bontrager Circuit Windshell Vest: Inexpensive windbreak
6. Gore C3 Winstopper waistcoat: Softshell waistcoat for multisport athletes
7. Alpinestars Stratus Glove: Lightweight softshell glove
8. GripGrab Arm / Knee Warmers Classic: Flexible warmth for arms and legs
9. Castelli Nano Flex 2 Knicker: Water-repellent three-quarter trousers
10. Endura MT500 Spray Baggy Shorts II: Water-repellent bike shorts
11. Sealskinz MTB Thin Mid: waterproof merino sock

WET COLD WEATHER | +15 °C to +5 °C

Wet and muddy - that's November at its best. Anyone who dares to take their bike out in this weather often wishes they had a dry suit. It just doesn't wear so well. A rain jacket tailored to the needs of bikers is much better. The Smudd from Triple2 is guaranteed PFC-free and treated with an environmentally friendly impregnation. The Sympatex membrane has small foam dots to improve the jacket's insulation and breathability. The Bluesign-certified jacket not only repels rain, but also any bad environmental conscience. Endura's new Singletrack jacket proves that good rain protection doesn't have to cost a fortune. Its large hood can be stowed away under the high, soft collar. Ventilation openings prevent heat build-up, and front pockets keep your hands warm during breaks. A particularly breathable first layer is needed so that you don't drown in your own juices in a rainy outfit. The mesh-like fabric of the Q36.5 vest adapts extremely well to the shape of the body and therefore releases perspiration to the outside particularly quickly. Clever: the seamless shirt can be easily shortened in length if required.

Legs and feet are flooded from all sides in the terrain. Hatch tight is the motto here. So slip into the 2.5-layer Tremalzo Pants, quickly adjust the leg cuffs and hip width with Velcro and hit the trails. All the materials used in the rain trousers are Bluesign-certified and ecologically safe. The seat area is additionally reinforced with a three-layer material, and some air can reach the legs via waterproof zips on the sides of the thighs if required. Overshoes complete the rain outfit at the bottom. They are the cheapest way to protect your feet from the wet and prevent them from cooling down. The neoprene overshoes from GripGrab do not require Velcro or zips and extend particularly far up the calves. This means that the water runs off the outside instead of running into the shoe from above. For frequent riders and bad-weather bikers, it is worth looking at a completely waterproof shoe, as water can no longer even penetrate through the sole. However, the prices are steep. The Northwave Extreme XCM GTX was derived directly from the new Race model. Accordingly, it is also a sporty shoe. The upper has been extended with a neoprene cuff and ends just below the trouser legs. A Gore-Tex membrane covers the inside of the shoe and reliably keeps water out.

Land under! When it gets really ugly outside, you can stay indoors - no question. Or you can slip into the Dirtsuit from Dirtlej. Water, wind and dirt bounce off the three-layer full-body suit like bullets off Iron Man's armour. Fresh air flows into the suit via six ventilation openings. Thanks to the large hood and numerous adjustment options, the dirtsuit can be flexibly adapted to the wearer. The long version of the dirt suit was unfortunately not available for our photo shoot, but will be back on sale soon. With waterproof gloves and a rainproof cap, even the last hatches can be closed. With the Moro, Roeckl has managed to laminate the outer material, an OutDry membrane, and the lining completely on the inside. This means that slippery palms, which are usually associated with multi-layer gloves, are a thing of the past. If you don't like wearing a rustling hood over your helmet, you need a waterproof helmet cap. These are few and far between on the market, but they do exist. From Gore Bike Wear, for example. The Equipe Gore Tex Cap fits perfectly under your helmet and, thanks to its mini visor, also keeps splash water away from your goggles.

1. Triple2 Smudd Jacket: 2.5-layer jacket with environmentally friendly finish
2. Endura Singletrack Jacket II: Inexpensive rain protection for trail bikers
3. Q36.5 Base Layer 3 LS: Lightweight vest with good moisture transport
4. Vaude Moab rain trousers: Rain protection for biker legs
5. GripGrab RacethermoX: Neoprene overshoe for heavy rain
6. Northwave Extreme XCM GTX: waterproof race shoe
7. Dirtlej Dirtsuit Core: Rain suit for the nastiest weather caprices
8. Roeckl Rebelva: Winter glove with windstopper softshell membrane
9. Gore Bike Wear C7: Waterproof racing cap

Stefan Loibl, BIKE test editor: Getting on your bike when it's ten degrees and raining takes a lot of effort. Once the seat cushion is wet, the fun is over for me. A good pair of rain trousers and a rain jacket with a longer cut rear are therefore a must for me.

FREEZING COLD WEATHER | +5 °C to -5 °C

Biking below freezing becomes a challenge. The body cools down extremely quickly in the wind. But the MTB clothing industry also has the right fabrics for this. A warm vest as a first layer is essential for bike rides in winter. The Transtex Warm Seamless fits like a second skin and is made from a sophisticated mix of materials. In addition to cotton and synthetic fibres, Tencel fibres made from wood are also processed in the company's own knitting mill. The seamless Löffler shirt is designed to keep you warm on the outside and dry on the inside. Until recently, you had to combine several layers on top to achieve the desired protection against the cold. Today, even in frosty conditions, a single layer is enough - Primaloft makes it possible. The Bike-Iso jacket is filled with 60 grams of this lightweight, wind-repellent and breathable insulation material. The cut has been optimised for cycling posture, so that draughts do not enter the neck or the comfortable cuffs.

More and more bikers are choosing loose-fitting softshell trousers for their legs. There is a good reason for this. The loose fit allows an air cushion between the trousers and the skin and therefore insulates better than classic tights. It also gives you the option of combining short or long, thin or thick cycling shorts underneath. The Attack Fire Softshell from Fox is warmly lined on the inside and water-repellent on the outside. It is windproof anyway. A stretch finish on the leg prevents the trousers from getting caught in the chainring. For those who prefer a more classic look, there is of course still a large selection of winter cycling trousers with a tight cut on the market. The inexpensive Element Windstopper Softshell from Gore Bike Wear particularly caught our eye. Their zips at the leg ends make them easy to get into, and thanks to adjustable straps, the trousers always sit where they should. Do you need even more protection from the cold, especially on your wind-exposed thighs? You'll get it with the Primaloft-filled Power Trail Shorts. The wind- and water-repellent overtrousers can be opened completely on both sides and quickly pulled over your shoes, even during short breaks.

The extremities are a particular focus of the frost. The further away a part is from the centre of the body, the faster it cools down. Gloves with a good lining are therefore essential in winter. But be careful: too much lining on the inside worsens the grip. The Pivot 2.0 is only insulated on the outside and has a waterproof OutDry membrane. Thanks to touchscreen fingers, even smartphones can still be operated. There are again two options for the feet. If money is no object, the robust Minaki Mid CPX will keep your toes warm even in snowstorms. For a third of the price, BBB offers the ArcticDuty OSS made from a thick layer of neoprene. The toes and heels are reinforced with robust rubber inserts. A little tip for flat pedal riders: Endura's MT500 Plus is the first overshoe for bear paws in the programme. The robust rubber sole is specially designed for this purpose and should not be rubbed by pins. The Shelter Hat 2.0 from Craft is fluffy and soft on the inside and has wind-repellent material on the forehead. A full-length windstopper is actually unnecessary on the bike and only rustles annoyingly on the ears in the wind. And if the temperatures really do take on Siberian proportions, there is always the Castelli balaclava. Its bib reaches down to the chest, windstopper inserts protect the face and forehead, and even the neck is reliably covered by the WS Balaclava.

1. Löffler Men's Shirt Transtex Merino long-sleeved vest: Body-hugging warmth dispenser
2. Löffler Hr.Bike Iso-Jacket: Warming shell with Primaloft lining
3. Fox Attack Fire Softshell Pant: Winter trousers with a casual cut
4. Gore Bike Wear Element WS Soft Shell Bibtights+ : wind-repellent bib shorts
5. Gore Wear C5 Windstopper Insulated Shorts: Primaloft overtrousers
6th Giro Pivot 2.0: warm, waterproof winter glove
7. Vaude Minaki Mid: Robust winter shoe with grippy sole
8. BBB ArcticDuty OSS*: Winterproof neoprene overshoe
9. Endura MT500 Plus: Overshoe for flat pedal riders
10. Craft Shelter Hat 2.0: Warm hat with wind stopper
11. Castelli WS Balaclava*: Balaclava with neck warmer

Stefan Frey, BIKE test editor: With the right combination of vest and jacket, I can do without the elaborate layering system for mountain biking in winter. Depending on the temperature, I choose the right functional shirt, sometimes made of merino, a Primaloft jacket over it and I'm ready to go.

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