- You ready for a ride then, Neil?
- Well, we did say we were going to ride, so.
- Oh, you did, yeah.
Poor English weather riding.
- It's not gonna stop us.
Come along for a ride with us.
- Hurry up, get ready.
- Go and get ready.
- [Doddy] Mountain biking's all about being outside
in the great outdoors and the elements.
But when the weather takes a turn for the worse,
do you really need bells and whistles
technical clothing to have a good time?
Or is normal riding gear okay?
But more importantly, is Blake even that bothered?
(dramatic music)
Neil and I have been on the phone to our partner, Gore,
to get kitted out with various levels of weather-proof gear,
so we can explore and illustrate this,
using some of the best gear on the market.
But Blake, being the free rider he is,
he's only got the casual clothes on his back.
- I went for a ride yesterday, and all my gear is soaked.
And all I've gotta do is put my helmet on,
and take my jacket off.
Then I'm ready.
(upbeat music)
- So, just put my final shell layer on now.
Takes a bit of time, this layering,
but it does mean that at the end of the ride,
I can literally just take off my waterproof top and bottom,
get in the car and go home.
Whereas, I'm not really sure what Blake's thinking.
I think he's had a bash on the head.
(laughing)
Hey Blake!
- I ain't gonna be warm.
Hoodie and jeans rolled up so they don't,
get caught in the chain.
- Windproof, waterproof, warm,
breathable.
- Nah.
(upbeat music)
- [Doddy] Blake hasn't caught up washing his mountain,
of wet and dirty riding gear from the last few days,
so he's been forced to take the foolhardy choice,
to brave the weather today in normal clothes.
Neil's going middle of the road,
so he's wearing a base layer and a windproof jacket up top,
three quarter bib shorts below his normal,
trail baggy riding shorts, and a set of kneepads on there,
for additional warmth and protection.
And lastly, there's me, and being a tech-head,
of course I'm head to toe in warm and waterproof layers.
Up top there's a waterproof jacket,
over a windproof midlayer, and of course a base layer.
These are worn with three quarter length bib shorts,
and waterproof shorts just for good measure.
Topping it off are a pair of insulated,
winter shoes with waterproof lining.
- What took you guys so long?
Flipping heck, your like, dressed for,
what weather you dressed for?
- British winter, mate, yeah.
So we're good.
- Well, you ready?
Go on!
- Just stay at back already. - You guys are boiling.
(laughing)
(upbeat music)
- [Doddy] When you're taking on winter weather,
layering is absolutely vital.
Sometimes, using windproof clothing is sufficient,
but waterproof clothing layered on top,
makes all the difference when it's really wet out.
(upbeat music)
The initial base layer will keep the,
warmth from leaving your body,
and also wicks away sweat which makes you uncomfortable.
A mid layer sits above that initial base,
and provides extra warmth and insulation.
The addition of an outer shell layer on top,
keeps the wind and water out.
(upbeat music)
- [Blake] It is freezing.
- [Neil] It is pretty windy.
I am loving the windproof double layers.
- [Doddy] How you feeling down there, feeling all right?
- [Blake] Sheltered now, I tell you.
My neck is frozen, I'm not gonna lie.
- [Neil] I've got Merino socks, and my feet are a bit wet,
and I feel my ass starting to get wet already.
- [Blake] I don't think I got the memo,
to wear some great clothing.
- [Doddy] Unsurprisingly, I'm optimum level of warmth.
- [Both] All right.
- [Doddy] Good chance for a little,
Insta-banger up here, isn't it?
- [Blake] No, I think we should make a move.
- [Doddy] It's in the area,
of standing natural beauty, though.
- [Blake] Yeah, and I'm not standing.
(upbeat music)
- [Doddy] Hold on.
Yeah.
- [Blake] Which way are we going down?
- [Neil] We're not going yet,
let's enjoy the view for a bit.
You can see the islands out in (mumbles) as well.
- [Doddy] Oh yeah, real nice.
- Can we go?
That way looks nice and dry.
Should we go that way?
- Go on then.
- [Blake] What, down the dry bit?
- Yeah.
- Hehe yes!
Not on the wet and muddy bit?
Come on Doddy,
enough Instagramming.
Ah!
(upbeat music)
Oh ho ho!
- I reckon we've missed the worst of the rain,
but it's a case of getting wet,
from the ground up, rather than the sky down.
- From the sky down.
- Lot of moisture, isn't it?
- My feet and lower half are soaked,
but I'm still warm,
still pretty cozy. - Look at this,
look how wet I am.
(laughing)
- How are the jeans?
That looks disgusting.
- They are horrible.
I've got a really cold bum.
And cold legs.
- Do you know what?
- What? - I'm really dry.
- Ah, stop rubbing it in.
- There's a little bit of moisture on my feet.
It's always gonna go down there,
but the neoprene's still nice and warm.
It's all good.
- I think we've still got more wet to go, have we?
- Some sheep over there, if you want to,
get some Merino wool for yourself.
Maybe go and track one down.
Knit some socks up whilst we're here.
- I think we've a couple of rivers to go through.
- Oh my goodness.
(laughing)
I might be hike-biking across those.
(upbeat music)
- [Doddy] Oh, through the goal!
(upbeat music)
- [Blake] Whew!
- All right boys, how you feeling?
Pretty muddy.
- Actually, well not surprisingly, I'm all right.
My feet are wet, but they're nice,
and warm and comfortable.
- You look cold.
- You do look cold,
to be fair. - I'm cold.
Jeans are not very flexible when they're wet.
They get heavy, and makes my legs feel,
like they're full of lead.
- It's not stopped you having a laugh though,
has it, to be fair?
- No, that is true. I'm still loving it.
- These shorts are pretty saturated.
I can't feel my saddle now.
- Yeah that's a good point.
- I swear by Merino.
Merino socks are warm.
But I have to keep going.
If I stop, you get a bit cold.
- Get cold quick, yeah.
- Yeah, quick.
I'm already cold.
- It's not raining, though.
We haven't tested that out.
- Yeah, to be fair, you got away with that one Blake.
- I know.
Yes!
Because I know this is not very waterproof.
- I'm quite surprised about that one.
- [Blake] I put something in to the weather gods.
(upbeat music)
So obviously not the correct,
riding attire for such a day like this in the mud,
but that didn't stop me from having fun.
But now, I am frozen.
My bum, my legs,
my chest, my arms, my hands.
That's why I've got my hood up, my neck was freezing.
I need to get changed into something warmer,
that's for sure.
And my bike needs a wash.
(upbeat music)
- Well I'm still pretty warm, actually.
It's a tale of two halves, really.
So top of me, it's really soft,
really comfortable, and completely,
dry and warm at the top.
Bottom half is completely wet,
and a bit uncomfortable, but still warm enough for now.
I think for a long ride, I definitely,
would start getting cold.
(upbeat music)
- I'm pretty much just as comfortable,
as I was at the start of the ride.
My feet are wet, but they're nice and warm.
Admittedly, I'm head to toe in waterproof gear,
I'm wearing insulated clothing underneath,
totally windproof, and if you want to ride,
in really wet and muddy conditions a lot,
it's a good idea to have this sort of stuff.
Obviously Blake still has fun whatever he does,
but he's clearly not in the right gear for today.
Unfortunately, he didn't actually get wet today.
I think we need to rectify that problem.
(mellow music)
- Let's see how long we can stand
before we get wet, Blake.
- All right.
I think I'm like,
(water spraying)
I'm wet.
(laughing)
(water spraying)
- That's pretty good. - Wow!
- Yeah.
(water spraying)
Yeah, little bit, little bit.
Not a lot.
(water spraying)
- I don't think you're going to get wet at all.
- You're going to get cleaned.
- He's getting cleaned.
- Nothing's gonna happen.
Oh, my phone's in there.
- Look at how that's rolling off you.
- Wow!
(spitting)
- Do your bum while it's there.
- Wow, I need my bum washed.
Wet, wet!
(laughing)
- All right, can't see anymore.
- See if my phone's still working.
Oh yeah, it's dry, it's fine.
- Well I'm not convinced--
- You got a little bit there.
- I think it might have just felt damp,
where it got saturated.
- I don't think it did come through, though.
- Pretty flipping good, those things.
- I'm wet.
- Good enough for another ride, I reckon.
Anyway, to the pub.
- Yeah, let's go get some food.
- To the pub.
I only brought one pair of clothes.
Uh oh, looks like I'm going to be struggling a bit.
(upbeat music)
- There he is.
(laughing) It's not the first time
you've been naked in a pub, is it?
- Well, I'm going to learn my lesson,
from this ride, that's for sure.
You didn't have the appropriate attire, did you?
- No, I didn't.
- Do you want a whiskey?
- Yes please.
(laughing)
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- Yeah, and if you wanna find out,
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you should be wearing in weather like this,
click down here.
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- Give us a thumbs up, like.
Come on, give us some of that Gore clothing, Neil.