TNF's Biking Kit For Spring 2010

You could, of course, use some of The North Face's new for spring 2010 Performance Collection clothing and equipment on a mountain bike, but the company also has a small range of bike-specific clothing.

The kit, they say, is aimed squarely at more casual trail and trail-centre riders rather than Lycra-clad race snakes and designed to be able to soak up the odd crash along the way.

The 'Action Sports Collection' includes some hefty-looking baggy shorts with Cordura-reinforced sides, vents and a raise waist band at the rear. There's a built-in liner complete with a pad from an Italian bike short specialist.


There's a bike-specific lightweight waterproof jacket as well, the Lands End in both men's and pink women's - Buffalo Creek - versions. It's hoodless and made from HyVent ripstop Nylon with lots of venting at the back of the jacket, underarms and sides to try and keep temperatures down.


Cut is designed for a streamlined biking stance with a pronounced drop-tail, pre-curved elbows and angled pockets for easy access. There's also a rear zipped-pocket for foot and kit stowage on the go.


Also in the collection are laid-back crew-neck tops made using a bamboo carbon fibre for fast wicking and drying - there's a more technical zip-neck top jersey too - and while the tops look non-technical, they're cut with a longer back for coverage even when leant forward.


Last but not least, there are bike-specific packs in the shape of the Crank 25 and Switchback 15 complete with helmet or pad-friendly pockets for those fireroad grinds in the sun, lots of compartments to organise tools, spares, food an so on and a knobbly E-VAP closed-cell foam and mesh back designed to ventilate and wick at the same time.


The E-VAP perforated foam is also used in the shoulder straps and hip-belts and while the holes do help with cooling, the bit we like is that it won't absorb fluid like some foams.

More details at www.thenorthface.com