Time was if you’re weren’t into lycra or neon, you were stuck with cotton if you wanted to ride your bike around town. It’s no big deal if you’re a hard-core roadie, but if you just want to get to the Alehouse Pub without spending gas money, you’d either be sporting day-glow lycra or a sweat-soaked t-shirt. Luckily, that's no longer the case.
My favorite trend in outdoor gear is the way bicycling companies are working towards making tech gear that doesn’t look like tech gear - clothes that perform on a ride, but also look good once the riding’s done.
The hard part about making gear that looks good is making feel good on a ride. Usually, long sleeve collared shirts are far too hot to ride, or they soak up and retain sweat like a sponge, and any shirt that fits well doesn’t easily accommodate a cyclist’s hunched posture.
After a few near-misses in trying out commuter wear, it looks like I’ve found a winner. I’ve been testing the small Idaho-based company Club Ride’s Go Long shirt ($95), and it hits the mark both on and off the bike.
The styling of this shirt is sweet - a neo-western vibe, right down to the pearl snap buttons - and the slim cut is extremely stretchy, thanks to its polyester fabric. I took it to barbecues and ran errands without garnering the attention that a traditional cycling jersey would. The only comments I heard were compliments on how sharp it looked, followed by surprise that it was a cycling shirt.
Of course, a performance piece is only as good as its performance.
I was worried about wearing a full-sleeve shirt during rides in a Redding summer, but the polyester is lightweight and breathable, and the full-length vents along both sides of the shirt kept things cool on a 20-mile test ride. When I’d sweat during a commute, the fabric would wick it up and dry it out within minutes. No more looking like I was chased by a dog to work. It was a bit chilly during colder rides, but the Go Long has a zipper underneath the snap buttons to help stave off wind chill.
The only thing that betrays the shirt’s true nature as a cycling jersey is its gear pocket in the back. It’s big enough to hold plenty of food and it’s got a headphone port. I had my iPhone, two Honey Stinger Waffles, and a Brubar in the back with room to spare.
The Go Long is a rare combination of beauty and brawn; it kicks butt and it looks good doing it.
Take a closer look at ClubRideApparel.com.
