As winter draws in you will no doubt be reaching for your more rugged mountain bike clothing on a more regular basis. A little bit of TLC will help keep your jacket watertight and breathable in all weathers, here’s how to protect your mountain bike clothing:

After every ride

Dirt clogs the pores in the jacket’s waterproof membrane, stopping them from working as effectively. Keep the pores clear, however, and your waterproof jacket will stay breathable.

Wash off dirt with a hosepipe (not a jetwash) or in the shower (if you’re allowed). If you want to sling it in the washing machine then use a cool wash and avoid the use of detergents as these can damage the DWR (Durable Water Repellent) coating.

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Every three months

Check to see if water beads on your jacket. If it doesn’t then it probably needs its DWR coating renewing. This layer is what prevents the material underneath becoming saturated, at which point it stops breathing and you get wet.

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Granger’s 2-in-1 Cleaner and Proofer does what it says in on the bottle, safely cleaning your jacket and restoring the DWR coating.

To use, make sure all zips and Velcro flaps are closed and use the 2-in-1 as you would a normal detergent, washing on a warm wash with a rinse cycle. To finish, tumble dry the jacket on a medium heat until it’s dry.

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When it’s damaged

There are specialist repair shops that can fix all manner of tears, as well as repairing the waterproof taping. We’ve used Lancashire Sports Repairs in the past — they’re Gore-Tex approved and can also repair other waterproof materials and footwear.