50TO01 RIDE APPAREL REVIEW

MTB TECH TEE
The 50to01 MTB Tech tee is a relaxed fit short sleeve tee made from 90% polyester and 10% elastane. The elastane gives it the stretch that is key to moving with you on the bike, and aids in its durability when the inevitable tumbles happen. The stitching is designed to be flexible too, further boosting the durability and comfort. A thick quality print is found on the chest and at the rear hem to give the identity, which should last for many rides and washes. The MTB Tech tee is available in either “United Red” (tested) or “Latte” colorways in sizes S-XXL, and retails for £50 (approx $60).

LONG SLEEVE MTB JERSEY
Essentially a long sleeve version of the MTB Tech tee, the Long Sleeve MTB Jersey is designed to offer more coverage to protect from crashes or to keep warmer on the cooler days in the woods. The graphics are sublimated, and the long sleeves terminate with an elasticated cuff to keep things securely in place. The Long Sleeve MTB Jersey is available in “Bumble Bee” tested, “Black n White” or “Red Zapper” colorways in sizes S-XXL, with a retail price from £40-£58 (roughly $47-$68) depending on the design.

ALL DAY MTB PANTS V2
Version two of 50to01’s “All day MTB pants” have been tweaked, both in material and fit, to offer the performance that they desired for long days in the saddle. The pants are made from a 80% Nylon and 20% Elastane blend fabric, with a grid reinforcement pattern to aid in durability when you take the inevitable spills when trying to land your next jib [BMX/Skate/Snowboard-inspired trick]. This material is touted to breathe well and have enough flexibility to comfortably move with you, regardless of the shapes you’re pulling on the bike. The crotch is triple reinforced, and there’s a ratchet clasp on the waist with a flexible adjustment strip to let you get the pants cinched down without restricting movement.

The general fit is fairly relaxed but tailored to add space around the knees for a decent thickness of knee pad. There’s a casual look and feel overall though, avoiding any skin-tight “racer” notions, and leading to further increased flexibility of movement. Each leg is given a single zipped pocket, deep enough to easily fit a large phone or tool. There’s a white contrast patch near the elasticated cuffs for style, and some select printed graphics with a durable thick feeling. The All day MTB pants V2 retail for £115 (roughly $135), and come in a singular black/white color offering in sizes XS-XXL (roughly 28”-38” waist).

BASE LAYER
The 50to01 base layer is a simple ultra-stretchy, tight fitting synthetic base layer designed to add an extra layer of warmth whilst wicking and drying effectively. The body is very long to allow the Base Layer to be tucked into your waistband, with stretch stitching to let it move freely. The Base Layer is available in Heather Grey only, in sizes S-XXL and a retail of just £20 (approx $24).

THE DIRT

When I pulled the All Day MTB Pants out of their paper packaging, the tracksuit style looks had me a little concerned they’d look out of place on the bike. The finish felt a little rough to the touch and didn’t quite give notions of incredible comfort, but upon putting them on these feelings were transformed into adequate comfort both on and off the bike, and a look that gives a casual vibe that I was happy to get on board with. The elasticated ankle cuffs look a little unrefined but proved to perform well and kept the relatively baggy lower legs in check; there’s plenty of room around the knees to fit a mid-sized knee pad without restriction, and just enough room to fit my large thighs. The ratchet waist closure does the trick, offering a good range of adjustment to get the fit dialed in.

There’s not a huge amount of give in the material of the pants, but when combined with their slightly looser fit than many, there’s ample freedom to pedal and move around unhindered. I was able to ride comfortably on both long days in the saddle and quick rides in steep and gnarly terrain without ever feeling restriction by the pants, and the plus side is that on the frequent occasion that they became saturated by the Scottish autumnal slop, they didn’t suffer the same “sag” that many can. This saturation comes quickly though as there’s no DWR treatment applied to the fabric, though I did find some success by applying a wash-in DWR treatment to add a little protection. The material breathes reasonably well, but the pants aren’t the airiest overall – perfect for the typical mid 10’s to mid-single digit riding conditions outside of the UK summer, but not too sweltering until it creeps into true shorts weather.

The grid-pattern material generally feels hard wearing and durable, but an unfortunate spill managed to put a tear into the shin early in testing. Whether other pants would have suffered the same fate is unclear, these things are such a lottery. Otherwise, they’ve held up great, from tangles with shrubbery to pedal pins and abrasive mud on the saddle. All in all, if you dig the looks and aren’t put off by the baggy lower calf and ankle area, these pants perform well and come in at a reasonable price tag compared with many.

The cut on the jerseys is quite generous, with a baggy style that’s very much as relaxed as the guys who designed it.  In my mind the jerseys really look great, and the association and support of the awesome guys in the 50to01 squad give a sense of pride when repping their ridewear on the trails. The feel of the material on the jerseys had me a little concerned initially. It gives a very synthetic feeling to the touch, with a soft and almost slimy feeling that didn’t exude comfortable and high-performance notions for when things heated up. Much to my relief though, this didn’t prove to be entirely true out on the trail. The 50to01 jerseys don’t quite hit the ranks of the airiest ultra-performance materials out there but do a good job of wicking sweat and keeping things relatively cool, and crucially avoid any uncomfortable sticking sensations that can quickly cause discomfort.

When you get them really wet, they’ll leave you with a bit of a chill as they don’t dry out super-fast or have much in the way of temperature regulation, but that’s typical of a synthetic garment. Similarly, after a long ride they’d get a bit of a smell forming while they waited for a wash, meaning they won’t be your dream multi-wear top. However, they offer a comfortable, good looking and durable jersey to throw on for a ride, so unless the conditions are particularly hot or wet, they’ll do the job just fine.

The baselayer material has a similarly ultra-soft and smooth feeling as the jerseys, which makes for a comfortable layer to add to keep some extra warmth in without overheating. The cut is tight to the body like a baselayer should be, with an ultra-long body to allow for tucking into pants and ensure full torso coverage at all times. Similar to the jerseys, if you get super sweaty or rained on hard, the baselayer won’t regulate temperature as well as a more natural fiber, but for £20 to throw on and keep a little warmer in all but the worst of it, I really can’t find reason to complain.

The Wolf’s Last Word

50to01’s Ride Wear is comfortable, durable, and most importantly shows support for an awesome crew of guys who are pushing the sport in their own niche way. It’s not the most technically high performing apparel on the market but goes about its business in a low-fuss way that many will enjoy.

Price:
All Day MTB Pants V2: £115
MTB Tech Tee – £50
Long Sleeve MTB Jersey – £40-£58
Baselayer – £20

Website: 50to01.com