PROTECTION | LUGGAGE | TYRES & TUBES
If you’re going mountain biking in the Alps this summer it’s time to get your gear organised! Gearing up for a trip to the Alps is an exciting prospect for any mountain biker. The chat in the run up to the trip will be all about bike spec, suspension tuning, rotor size, tyre pressure and packing your pride and joy to survive the curse of the baggage handler. If you’re like most people, you’re going to ride more vertical drop in a week in the Alps than you will the whole of the rest of the year. So, you want to make sure both man and machine are up for it. Having the right kit goes leaps and bounds towards making sure your trip goes off without a hitch. Read on for tips on essential gear for your trip to the Alps this summer.
Side note: We’ve done our best to select kit that we’ve used ourselves and for each category, we’ll try to pick the best and a budget option, so you can see them side by side.
MTB Protection
The simple reality of the matter is that you are going to crash at some point during your trip to the Alps. If you take that as a given it’s far better to get some pads and a decent lid before you go than to scrape up your knees and limp into the local bike shop in Morzine. Besides, the extra confidence you get from being padded up gives your riding a boost, you’re more relaxed and you enjoy the biking more.
Knee Guards
If you only get pads for one part of your body, make sure you get the knees. High speed down dry, dusty trails is pure fun until you slide her out a bit far and lose it on a corner. Save yourself some grief, get some decent knee guards.
Fox Launch Pro
POC JOINT VPD
Troy Lee Designs Raid
Elbow Guards
Good elbow guards should really feel like a second skin so that you can forget you’re wearing them. Then if you do stack it, you want them right where they were when you started the ride, not swivelling around your wrists. We’re looking for good protection, comfort and a design that stays put.
IXS Flow Elbow Pads
TLD EGL Elbow Guards
POC Joint VPD Elbow Pads
Body Armour Suits
If you’re heading to the Alps to ride downhill, then you’ll want to seriously consider adding a back protector to your arsenal of protective gear. Better still is to get a body armour suit where a back protector is integrated with the shoulders, elbows and lower-back/midriff pads. The advantage of everything being connected means that, assuming you buy the right size, the pads don’t move around. The disadvantage is that it’s roasting hot. We’re looking for protection, comfort, good adjustment and breathability. And that combo of attributes is the reason why you won’t find any real bargain basement offerings here.
661 COMP PRESSURE Suit
TLD UPL BODY ARMOUR
POC SPINE VPD JACKET
Enduro MTB Helmets
Believe it or not, how good the helmet looks is only the second most important consideration when making your buying decision. The number one thing you should be concerned about is whether your helmet will protect your melon if and when you stack it. An enduro helmet, although open faced, covers more of your head than a classic XC lid and that’s extra protection you want to have on high altitude Alpine singletrack. In our selection, we’ve taken into consideration the helmet’s construction, the venting, the fit, plus adjustability and the overall comfort.
TLD A1 MTB Helmet
BELL SUPER 3 HELMET
POC TRABEC HELMET
Full Face MTB Helmets
If you’re planning on hitting the bike parks in the Alps, then an open-face lid won’t cut it. You’re going to need to go full face. Yes they’re heavier and warmer, but they’re also massively confidence inspiring and if you do take a spill over the bars you’ll be all too glad of the extra protection. As with the enduro helmets, there are a lot of boxes to tick including construction, venting, fit, adjustability and comfort.
With a full facer a good level of protection is almost a given as all the helmets either meet or exceed ASTM Downhill standards. However, a major consideration is fit. Without the adjustability of an XC or enduro helmet, you need buy a helmet that’s snug enough not to move around but at the same time doesn’t have pressure points. It’s often down to whether a particular brand fits your nugget. 661 for example are typically a bit roomier while a Fox will likely be a bit more snug.
661 Comp Full Face
Fox Racing PRoframe
Giro Switchblade MIPS
Luggage
Yes it’s true, you can hire a bike when you get out to the Alps. If you’re lucky it will be a decent enough machine. But, nothing quite beats riding your own bike. For a lot of riders the extra hassle of taking your bike apart, transporting it to the Alps and putting it back together again the other end is fully worth it. A good bike bag makes things a lot easier with a well organised system for packing the bike and wheels, and decent baggage handler proof padding.
Bike Bags
With a proper bike travel bag you take a lot of the hassle out of travelling with your bike. You can pack and store your mountain bike securely in about half an hour. With most bags you don’t need to do much more than remove are the handlebars, pedals and wheels. The last thing you want to be doing after sneaking in a cheeky half day in the bike park is to have to spend 2 hours getting your bike packed. So, we’re looking for bike bags that are roomy enough to carry a DH bike and with decent protection for the bike frame, wheels and vulnerable components.
Brand X Bike & Wheel Bag
Easton Double Wheel bag
Evoc 280l Bike Travel Bag
Duffel Bags & Holdalls
A holdall is such an essential bit of kit for any biking trip, but it will really come into its own on your trip to the Alps. Use it to stash all the gear you couldn’t squeeze into your bike bag when you’re travelling. Then, when you’re in the resort you can throw your pads, helmet, goggles and a change of clothes in there and keep it in the uplift bus or the bike shop at the bottom of the lifts. Super handy.
Osprey Transporter
The North Face Base Camp
Evoc Transition 55l
Hydration Packs
A decent hydration pack is an absolute must for your trip to the Alps to carry all the essentials for both you and your bike. On a typical downhill or enduro mountain bike trip to the Alps you’ll be out on the trails all day, so we’d recommend a mid-sized pack. Look for something between 10 to 18 litres capacity with room for a 2-3 litre water bladder. You’ll have room inside the pack to stash a spare inner tube, essential tools, a pump, some trail snacks and a waterproof, and not a lot else. And, you’ll be able to strap your pads and helmet to the outside.
We’ve selected packs that blend comfort with functionality. These are all lightweight but sturdy, have a comfortable ventilated back panel, have plenty of compartments and mesh pockets to organise smaller items, and are compatible with a 2-3 litre hydration bladder.
Camelbak Mule
Osprey Raptor 14
Evoc FR Enduro
Tyres & Tubes
Your wheels and tyres are arguably the most important bit of your bike. Get some good stiff wheels with decent rubber attached and you’ll be rewarded with predictable handling, a faster rolling bike and a more confidence inspiring ride.
Tyres
Do yourself and your biking buddies a favour and get hold of some decent tyres for your trip to the Alps. Flat tyres are the most common mechanical issue on the trails and you can avoid the misery of holding up your group while you swap out tubes and beg for the lend of a pump just by investing in some fit for purpose rubber. With this selection, we’re looking for a tough tyre with reinforced sidewalls and loads of grip on mixed terrain.
Maxxis Minion DH
Schwalbe Magic Mary
Please leave a comment below if you’re unsure about the gear you need for your biking trip to the Alps, or if you think we’ve missed something that should be included in this list. Bonnes vacances!