Eight of the best deals going, from Patagonia pants to my best £7 riding glove
This riding kit is all top drawer stuff, by which I mean it’s so good I’m either wearing it, washing it or packing it into my gear bag. I’ve tested hundreds of different jerseys, jackets, helmets, shoes and so on over the years, but this is the stuff that’s stuck around because it just works.
This isn’t my first rodeo either, I’ve replaced things like the Crypto glasses and of course the Five Tens over the years as they wear out, and obviously I always want to get them at the best price. Step up Black Friday, the time of year when retailers drop their prices to ridiculous levels and we pick up some audacious bargains.
Check out our Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals hub page if you’re after discounts, we’ll be compiling them right up until Christmas. But this is my own personal recommendation and what I’d be rebuying if anything had worn out (this year I need a new pair of Briskers, the last set has a hole in the thumb). I’ve been searching out the absolute lowest prices for this goodie bag of stuff then, with affiliate links to the lowest priced deals.
The Camber’s on sale now for £25, which is insane given how good it it
1. Specialized Camber MIPS MTB Helmet
Specialized Camber MIPS helmet for just £22.99! | Now 58% off full price
The Spesh Camber is a 5-star Virginia Tech helmet with MIPS liner for just £23, and I think that’s bonkers good. This deal from Cycle Store is limited to just two sizes, but seeing as we’re talking about Large (58-62cm) and XL (60-63cm) it should fit the majority of riders. Read our full review of the Specialized Camber MIPS
The Camber is an entry level helmet from Specialized and one that I absolutely love for its fit and protection. It looks really similar to the more expensive Ambush 2 lid, but without some of the bells and whistles. You still get a MIPS liner for extra protection and good venting, but there’s single-density EPS rather than dual-density on the posh lid.
For me though, the Camber just fits like a treat where the Ambush 2 never feels comfy. Perhaps it’s just my wonky head shape, but it sits low and steady and the straps sit perfectly round my ears. Protection wise it gets a Virginia Tech 5-star rating too.
The Dirt Craft Pants are my summer favourites, but I’ll wear them all year round if it’s above freezing
2. Patagonia Dirt Craft Pants
Patagonia Dirt Craft Pants 20% off | Was £129.95, now £103.96
Patagonia’s Dirt Craft Pants are my go to bottoms for everything down to about 5° They’re super comfy to ride in and suit riders like me with longer than average legs (I’m 6ft1in and ride a size 32in). I can also appreciate that they’re made with recycled ocean plastics, so you’re doing your bit for the planet.
The perfect riding trousers for me have to be lightweight because I run pretty hot on the bike, and with a really minimal weave and laser ventilation holes the Dirt Crafts fit the bill. Not ideal for sub zero temperatures then, but I’ll wear them three seasons out of four.
The material is really stretchy too, and the whole thing comfy and unrestrictive. There are zippy pockets for your phone, and I like the simple button closure. Best of all though, they look cool, and I’m a sucker for nice riding gear.
3. Specialized Alpha jacket
Specialized Alpha Jacket 37% off at Spesh | Was £150, now £95
If I could choose just one jacket to ride in for the rest of the winter season, the Specialized Alpha Jacket would be it. Mostly we don’t actually ride in heavy rain, meaning insulation and comfort is my top priority, and the Alpha has it in spades. This is truly an investment piece then, especially if you’re an e-biker. Read our full review of the Specialized Camber MIPS
I’ve got two Alpha jackets now, partly because I want to ensure I always have one available and not stuck in the wash cycle. And partly because I wanted a black one and a gray one. Sad, right?
Why’s the Alpha so good? Spesh designed it as a mid layer but it works brilliantly as a jacket for e-bike riding, the inner fleecy layer insulating you a treat while still wicking away sweat. It’s much better than a waterproof jacket unless it’s really raining hard then, because while you might get wet you won’t be cold.
There’s also no hood, which sounds like a bad thing but I’ve never found one very useful. Instead it hangs around flapping about behind my helmet.
Smith’s Shift Mag glasses are brilliant but they also cost well north of £100: the Cryptos are 99% there for justv £30
4. Madison Crypto glasses
£24.99 for Madison Crypto Glasses at Fawkes Cycles!
The Madison Crypto Glasses are an absolute steal at £25, the clarity is great and they’re really comfy perched on the nose. Clear lenses are the best option for me too as it’s almost always overcast or under the trees kinda riding that I do. Read the full review of the Madison Crypto Glasses.
I love Smith’s Shift Mag XL glasses because they have great coverage and clarity. But so do the Madison Crypto glasses, and they do the same job for a hell of a lot less. The lenses are interchangeable so you can swap up for a tinted option, but my preference is for a totally clear one as my kind of mountain biking in the UK is almost always under tree cover.
White Five Tens are surprisingly resistant to mud thanks to their wipe clean uppers, but you’re best off getting them in muted tones for winter
5. Five Ten Freerider Pro
£39 for Five Ten Freerider Pro canvass at Evans!!!
For £40 Evans is practically giving away the Five Ten Freerider Pro, it’s the best shoe out there for flat pedal riders and usually retails for £130. Amazingly the deal is still available for practically all sizes too, so stock up while they’re still around. Read our full review of the Five Ten Freerider Pro.
The original and still the best flat pedal shoe on the market, the Freerider Pro from Five Ten has more grip and better damping than anyone else’s shoe. They also cost more money than anyone elses, which makes this deal an incredible find.
eBay’s 100% Brisker glove deal is available in the best colour, this dayglow orange
6. Ride 100% Brisker
£23.99 for the 100% Brisker glove!
The 100% Brisker is my absolute favourite riding glove for cold weather, you get all the insulation of a proper winter glove without any of the usual hand bulk. Read our full review of the 100% Brisker glove.
I’ve never found a winter glove as good as the Brisker, which is strange because you’d think the award winning idea would be easy to replicate. 100% has taken a regular glove and shoved a decent amount of insulation on the back, keeping the palm thin for the best bar contact. And that’s it, there’s nothing complicated going on, but other brands always end up making the palm too thick and losing the touch we need. I mean, why insulate the palm when there’s a squidgy pad of warm rubber in contact with it?!
7. Decathlon Merino jersey
Decathlon Merino Jersey £27.99!
Merino wool jerseys usually cost close to £100, but Decathlon has managed to put this piece together for less than £30. It’s still comfy to wear too, the fabric is thin and smooth and it’s one of my favourite base layers.
Since re-discovering merino wool a few years back I’ve worn it non-stop, first with the old Specialized Merino jersey, then Patagonia’s Capiline, and now Decathlon’s trekking shirt. It’s thin enough to wear in warm weather and wicks sweat too, and I put it underneath regular jerseys on really cold days too.
8. Fasthouse gloves
Fasthouse Elrod Blitz glove | 79% off, was £34.99 now £7!
Fasthouse makes my favourite summer riding glove in the Elrod Blitz, there’s a great connection to the grips thanks to its Clarino palm and they seem to last a really long time too. And £7 for a set of gloves! You can’t really go wrong. Read my full review of the Fasthouse Blitz Glove.
The Fasthouse Elrod Blitz gloves have one of the nicest palms of any summer glove, its really thin and tactile but I’ve yet to wear through it or rip the material. On the back it’s stretch and comfy too, and I like the long cuff that slides snag free underneath a jersey cuff.
Usually we earn a small commission from retailers when recommending products here, but not this time because Fasthouse isn’t on our affiliate list. I’m putting it in though as this genuinely is my real riding gear and this deal’s just too good for you to miss.