What's in my Gear Bag?
What’s in my Gear Bag? - Jason Fryda, Essentials Product Line Manager Fall is one of my favorite times for mountain biking. Leaves are changing, the air is crisp and dry, and summer thunderstorms have subsided in Colorado. This is important because I can lazily roll out of bed and do an afternoon ride without fearing the wrath of the heavens while enjoying the last few weeks of riding in the high country.  This is my go-to riding kit for fall trail shredding: Launch Kicker Shorts: These are my favorite shorts in our mountain bike collection. Super stretchy, unrestricting while pedaling, and the longer inseam is very All-Mountain. What is All-Mountain you may ask? Well, that is up for debate. I’ve read a few media outlets call it ‘All-Marketing’ because we’re all just mountain bikers. That is true, we’re all just mountain bikers, but the reality is mountain biking has become really diverse in an already very diverse world. Mountain biking in CO can be something totally different in the Midwest or in Europe, and the bikes and apparel follow suit. Here at Pearl Izumi, defining our MTB clothes into XC and All-Mountain collections helps us describe, in one simple term, the state of mind the product is designed for.  That is for All-Mountain, you and/or your riding are a little more rad than cross country, but not as big as gravity. In the end, we are all just a bunch of mountain bikers, but a little guidance never hurt anyone. Transfer Cycling Liner: A new S11 product, these are designed to replace worn out liners in your MTB shorts, to be layered underneath your street clothes for the city commute, or for underneath chamois-less winter tights.  They combine our Elite MTB chamois with Minerale fabric, which means they dry really fast. And the 9” inseam is the same as a regular short, so they’ll hold up your warmers just fine.  I used to be a bib guy with my baggies, but for long sweaty grinds, I like the fact I have one less layer underneath my hydration pack.  They are also nice and compressive so I don’t miss the bib straps for keeping my chamois in place. Thermal Knee or Leg Warmer: Whether I wear the knee or leg really depends on how cold it is outside. I’ll usually opt for the knee.  They are sized to go down mid calf and when you combine them with the Elite Tall Wool or Elite Thermal Wool Socks, you have nearly full coverage.  Transfer Lite or Transfer Baselayer: Here again is weather dependant whether I wear a Transfer Lite or Transfer basealayer. I like wearing  a baselayer in the fall because if it is a bit chilly, I can zip down my jersey and not have my bare chest exposed to the cooler air.  Usually this where I’d hear the, “With your chest hair, surprised you need  a baselayer” comment from the peanut gallery, but believe it or not, I am evolved just enough where the hair on my chest doesn’t really insulate. Launch LS Jersey: I love this jersey. The sleeves are stretchy enough for you to roll them up to your elbow if the sun is out. And the deep front zip allows me to vent while climbing, and then a taller collar when you zip it up for the descent.  I have both colorways, but I probably wear the black with the baby blue and white stripes 90% of the time. I love me some baby blue. Stockton Jacket: Although the thunderstorms have subsided, experience crouched beneath trees wet and shivering during a thunderstorm has taught me to never leave my rain jacket at home. It might be a little extra weight in the pack, but being prepared helps me be a lot less scared if the thunder and lightning  does roll in. I love the Stockton because it is highly stylish (1st consideration), but also because the sleeves are long enough and scalloped to keep my wrists from getting soaked, the collar is tall enough for me to tuck my chin in on a rainy descent, and the hood is tall enough to put over my helmet to keep rain from falling down my back on the climb. This jacket may be in our Front Range collection meant for beer runs and happy hours, but I find it to be a damn good MTB rain jacket too. Elite Tall Wool Sock:  Tall and comfy and my feet won’t freeze if I go through the odd stream crossing. Launch Gloves: One of 5 new PI MTB gloves for S11, the Launch is one of my favorites. We mixed breathability and protection with a n awesome lightning bolt theme and out came the Launch Glove. I’ve worn these from Whistler to Colorado to Moab and can’t be more excited for when all you Facebookers out there can have a taste this coming Spring. X-Alp Elite Shoes:  Also new for S11, these are my full time MTB’ing shoes. Traditional Performance oriented upper with our ultra hike-able X-Alp bottom.  In CO, mountain bicycling and hiking go hand in hand if you intend to have an adventure and explore a bit. And if you’ve done an hour long hike-a-bike to access the goods in performance style MTB shoes, you’ve done one too many. Brian Lopes and Rad Ross Schnell have been riding these shoes all summer as well (Lopes one the Air DH at Crankworx wearing them).  Speaking of Rad Ross, did you see his single speed world champs bike complete with BMX style top tube protector?  So choice. You can pick up Rad Ross and Lopes’ shoes this spring as well . Post Ride kit:  If I didn’t have the luxury of rolling into my garage and sitting in my chamois post ride(which in Boulder happens a lot), below is my après ride (Yes, that just happened), burrito eating on the drive home, frosty swilling when I get home kit. Organic Cotton T: Nothing beats this T.  So soft, so sustainable and so many sweet designs to choose from. Launch Jacket (Baby Blue): Tall, fuzzy collar. Need more be said?  This thermal riding jacket was originally a Spring 10 product but was put on hold. I snagged a sample and when the mercury dips ever so slightly, it’s all I wear. Look for it in our line next fall.   Pearl  Seek IV Trail Shoes: Trail running is the main purpose for my Seek IV’s but they are also my daily duty, office, and everything shoes, including my post ride sneaks.  I like!  Elite Tall Wool Sock: Fresh pair if I remembered. Jeans: Whatever hit the magic combination of low price and aesthetic my wife likes at the Nordstrom Rack. You didn’t see underwear in the post ride kit, did you? Not a mistake!

What’s in my Gear Bag? - Jason Fryda, Essentials Product Line Manager

Fall is one of my favorite times for mountain biking. Leaves are changing, the air is crisp and dry, and summer thunderstorms have subsided in Colorado. This is important because I can lazily roll out of bed and do an afternoon ride without fearing the wrath of the heavens while enjoying the last few weeks of riding in the high country.  This is my go-to riding kit for fall trail shredding:

Launch Kicker Shorts: These are my favorite shorts in our mountain bike collection. Super stretchy, unrestricting while pedaling, and the longer inseam is very All-Mountain. What is All-Mountain you may ask? Well, that is up for debate. I’ve read a few media outlets call it ‘All-Marketing’ because we’re all just mountain bikers. That is true, we’re all just mountain bikers, but the reality is mountain biking has become really diverse in an already very diverse world. Mountain biking in CO can be something totally different in the Midwest or in Europe, and the bikes and apparel follow suit.

Here at Pearl Izumi, defining our MTB clothes into XC and All-Mountain collections helps us describe, in one simple term, the state of mind the product is designed for.  That is for All-Mountain, you and/or your riding are a little more rad than cross country, but not as big as gravity. In the end, we are all just a bunch of mountain bikers, but a little guidance never hurt anyone.

Transfer Cycling Liner: A new S11 product, these are designed to replace worn out liners in your MTB shorts, to be layered underneath your street clothes for the city commute, or for underneath chamois-less winter tights.  They combine our Elite MTB chamois with Minerale fabric, which means they dry really fast. And the 9” inseam is the same as a regular short, so they’ll hold up your warmers just fine.  I used to be a bib guy with my baggies, but for long sweaty grinds, I like the fact I have one less layer underneath my hydration pack.  They are also nice and compressive so I don’t miss the bib straps for keeping my chamois in place.

Thermal Knee or Leg Warmer: Whether I wear the knee or leg really depends on how cold it is outside. I’ll usually opt for the knee.  They are sized to go down mid calf and when you combine them with the Elite Tall Wool or Elite Thermal Wool Socks, you have nearly full coverage. 

Transfer Lite or Transfer Baselayer: Here again is weather dependant whether I wear a Transfer Lite or Transfer basealayer. I like wearing  a baselayer in the fall because if it is a bit chilly, I can zip down my jersey and not have my bare chest exposed to the cooler air.  Usually this where I’d hear the, “With your chest hair, surprised you need  a baselayer” comment from the peanut gallery, but believe it or not, I am evolved just enough where the hair on my chest doesn’t really insulate.

Launch LS Jersey: I love this jersey. The sleeves are stretchy enough for you to roll them up to your elbow if the sun is out. And the deep front zip allows me to vent while climbing, and then a taller collar when you zip it up for the descent.  I have both colorways, but I probably wear the black with the baby blue and white stripes 90% of the time. I love me some baby blue.

Stockton Jacket: Although the thunderstorms have subsided, experience crouched beneath trees wet and shivering during a thunderstorm has taught me to never leave my rain jacket at home. It might be a little extra weight in the pack, but being prepared helps me be a lot less scared if the thunder and lightning  does roll in. I love the Stockton because it is highly stylish (1st consideration), but also because the sleeves are long enough and scalloped to keep my wrists from getting soaked, the collar is tall enough for me to tuck my chin in on a rainy descent, and the hood is tall enough to put over my helmet to keep rain from falling down my back on the climb. This jacket may be in our Front Range collection meant for beer runs and happy hours, but I find it to be a damn good MTB rain jacket too.

Elite Tall Wool Sock:  Tall and comfy and my feet won’t freeze if I go through the odd stream crossing.

Launch Gloves: One of 5 new PI MTB gloves for S11, the Launch is one of my favorites. We mixed breathability and protection with a n awesome lightning bolt theme and out came the Launch Glove. I’ve worn these from Whistler to Colorado to Moab and can’t be more excited for when all you Facebookers out there can have a taste this coming Spring.

X-Alp Elite Shoes:  Also new for S11, these are my full time MTB’ing shoes. Traditional Performance oriented upper with our ultra hike-able X-Alp bottom.  In CO, mountain bicycling and hiking go hand in hand if you intend to have an adventure and explore a bit. And if you’ve done an hour long hike-a-bike to access the goods in performance style MTB shoes, you’ve done one too many. Brian Lopes and Rad Ross Schnell have been riding these shoes all summer as well (Lopes one the Air DH at Crankworx wearing them).  Speaking of Rad Ross, did you see his single speed world champs bike complete with BMX style top tube protector?  So choice. You can pick up Rad Ross and Lopes’ shoes this spring as well .

Post Ride kit:  If I didn’t have the luxury of rolling into my garage and sitting in my chamois post ride(which in Boulder happens a lot), below is my après ride (Yes, that just happened), burrito eating on the drive home, frosty swilling when I get home kit.

Organic Cotton T: Nothing beats this T.  So soft, so sustainable and so many sweet designs to choose from.

Launch Jacket (Baby Blue): Tall, fuzzy collar. Need more be said?  This thermal riding jacket was originally a Spring 10 product but was put on hold. I snagged a sample and when the mercury dips ever so slightly, it’s all I wear. Look for it in our line next fall.  

Pearl  Seek IV Trail Shoes: Trail running is the main purpose for my Seek IV’s but they are also my daily duty, office, and everything shoes, including my post ride sneaks.  I like! 

Elite Tall Wool Sock: Fresh pair if I remembered.

Jeans: Whatever hit the magic combination of low price and aesthetic my wife likes at the Nordstrom Rack.

You didn’t see underwear in the post ride kit, did you? Not a mistake!

Posted 2 years ago
4 notes
What’s in my Gear Bag? Peter Curran - Product Line Manager, Men’s Cycling Apparel While never officially a Boy Scout, I am chronically over prepared when it comes to my cycling apparel quiver. Sunday night I glace at the week’s weather and load up my duffle with my kits for the week, making sure my preferred, or as I call them, varsity, kits sit in the middle of the pile for the harder, mid-week lunch rides at work. Looking good means feeling good and I need all the help I can get to hang onto the fast pack. For reasons of space limitations, I have concentrated on my road gear bag here; maybe in the spring I’ll get the chance to write an MTB related version, if I don’t get reprimanded for some of the opinions expressed here. Also, it’s important to stress that to make it through 12 months of cycling, you don’t need everything I list here, although it would be nice so we could get fat raises. Take your core kit of shorts and jerseys and add pieces relevant to the weather you experience to extend into the shoulder seasons of fall and spring, and then take the plunge into some dedicated winter outerwear to bridge the winter months. Spring/Summer In the warmer months, I have a staple of the following kits to ride days filled with high pressure weather systems: P.R.O. Bib Short-This is like having butter in the fridge, always a use for it and you never should be without it. I was going to make a low-fat joke here, but it felt too obvious. Great for the moisture transfer and great compression on a long ride. P.R.O. LTD Bib Short-Ride what the pros ride. We used just make these with the Garmin graphics, now we have a lot of options with other graphics. That’s good for us at PI, since a bunch of the Garmin guys live in town and we felt like total kooks rolling by them wearing the same kits. P.R.O. LTD Jersey-Same as above. The sleeves on this jersey feel like kittens are rubbing your shoulders-they feel that good. Just in case you’re an animal lover, that’s a just a figure of speech. It’s really just a synthetic made to feel like kitten fur. It has ColdBlack also, which makes black fabrics feel as cool as white fabrics. P.R.O. Climbers Jersey-This is a full mesh jersey that is only thing to wear on the sweltering hot days in the high altitude, sunny climate of Colorado. I’m sure it would be equally delightful in the high humidity areas at sea level. Elite Jersey-Sometimes you feel like a graphic, sometimes you don’t. When you want a great jersey without rocking a graphic, this is the one. It has IceFil technology, so it feels cold when you sweat. Elite Tall Sock-I have enough for each day of the week, all in black. Love them…they cause a bummer of a tan line, but I have been known to suffer for fashion. Barrier Lite Jacket-A staple jacket above all others, this packs down to a fist size ball that tucks into a rear pocket, usually my rider’s left side. It’s easy to throw on before a descent or when it’s drizzling…and if you can do it while riding, all the better because it looks pro and chicks dig it. Thermal Arm and Knee Warmers-Again, like the butter analogy above, these should be the foundation of any rider’s bag. So versatile, they can make the difference between pain and pleasure. Veer Long Finger Glove-I have freakishly giant hands for someone who is 5’10”…like XXL, alien, conversation starter hands. I personally don’t like half finger gloves, but that’s me. I get annoyed by the ends in the joints of my fingers, and I feel like a hobo hopping a freight train. I do get a lot guff from fellow PI lunch riders about wearing them because they say I’m expecting to crash, but then I give them a freakishly large middle finger and the guff-giving abruptly stops. Elite RD II Shoe-Since I get a deal on product here, you were expecting me to list the P.R.O. Shoe, right? I just liked this one for my own feet. Plus, I like not having the pressure to perform like a pro. Better to lower expectations and surprise people…”did you see that? He won the sprint, and on ELITE shoes to boot!” Fall After a summer of stocking my gear bag with exclusively Bib shorts and Short sleeve jerseys, the cool mornings and evenings start to call for the Rubbermaid® bin of fall/winter gear to be brought up from the basement. In addition to my summer kits, I add the following until the temps drop to another level: Transfer Sleeveless Minerale Baselayer-Perfect for adding another layer to take the edge off when the temps drop below 70 degrees, without adding a jacket. Now in wind-proof Short sleeve version! P.R.O. Thermal Bib Knicker-I found a pair of these in my sample closet when I started and wore them my first fall here. Little did I know it was not “cool” to wear knickers…knee warmers were the preferred fashion statement, or least that’s what Tony, the shoe Product Manager told me in an awkward, half dressed locker room moment. Nothing against knee warmers, but if you don’t need the removing option during a ride, knickers feel a little simpler. Now a few more people are wearing them on the lunch ride. You know what that’s called? Trendsetting. Cyclone Toe Cover-My toes are perpetually cold from years of New England snowboarding, so these puppies find their way in to the shoe area of my bag about this time of year. Elite Tall Wool Sock-Just a great warm, tall sock. I like tall socks…it’s interesting to see people ride with no-show or low socks now that tall’s are so popular…they don’t look right to me…it’s a proportion thing…you know what that’s called? Fashion. It’s like looking at pictures of yourself from the past and laughing at what you thought looked good, but really, you were just bringing shame upon you and your family. P.R.O. Softshell Lite Glove-Wind and water resistant softshell back of hand and thin, non-padded tactile palm…delicious. Transfer cycling cap-Great to take the chill off your noggin and rock some reflective brand love. Winter When winter arrives, it’s time for another rotation of the quiver to combat cold temps and precipitation. It’s also time for a weather disclaimer-Pearl Izumi is based in Boulder, CO, where the winters tend to be favorable for year-round pedaling with temps just above freezing and typically dry roads that are free of salt. However, while I commiserate with my northern cycling brothers and sisters sentenced to long months of snow drifts, ice and bikes marooned in the garage, it’s a great place for testing product 365-days a year among a core group of racers, commuters and all-around gear heads. For the sustained sub-50 degree weather, my gear bag looks like this: Transfer Long Sleeve Minerale Baselayers-Sleeveless, Short Sleeve and Long Sleeve all go in the bag to customize the transfer and temperature regulation depending on the thermometer. We have new Barrier Liner shorts coming out for fall 2010 and my boys and I are stoked to try them. Elite LTD Thermal Jersey-Thermal long Sleeve with killer graphics. It makes me excited to be cold…not really. Any thermal top is good alone or worn under softshell or shell jkt for extra warmth. P.R.O. Softshell Jersey and Jacket and 3x1 Jacket-If I had a new religion to preach, it would be about the joys and life changing experiences of owning cycling apparel made out of softshell. Hands down it is the most versatile, layering reducing, quiver killing cycling product you can buy. Our softshell is like a laminated sandwich of honest to goodness cycling happiness: brushed fleece interior, water-resistant, breathable laminate film and a durable knit outer face. All layers stretch as one and move with you through cycling movements. The jersey has a softshell front and thermal back for dryer conditions and the jacket is full, 360 degree softshell for colder, wetter conditions. The 3x1 is a power house of softshell, removable Primaloft insulator and balaclava that knows no boundaries. Amen. P.R.O. Softshell and Elite Amfib Cycling Bib Tights-My decision on which tight to go with depends on temperature and expected exertion level. The P.R.O. Softshell tight is made from highly technical, aluminum thermo regulating fabric that is thinner and more breathable than its AmFib cousin, and packs in more features. This is the tight for the high aerobic sessions and looking pro since it’s available in white. AmFib is for the burly, blustery days when you should pat yourself on the back for getting out there. In fact, use both hands to pat yourself, it will keep them warm. I’m also a fan of the built I chamois. Some riders like layering up under a tight to keep them warmer and to be able to wear a tight multiple days. I like the simplicity of one layer down there, and I wash them a lot…of course, I’m talking about washing the bibs. Barrier Lobster Glove-Hailing from the great region of New England, I like the Maine’s iconic food reference here with the name “lobster”, and the fact that I have mild frostbite in my finger tips from living there. I’m a mitten guy for snow riding, and these come about as close as you can to those open chambers of lovely warmth for the bike. Softshell Shoe Cover-Remember what I said about finding religion with softshell? It holds true with the feet as well, and I seem to remember something about a foot related incident from my Catholic youth. Locker room tip: Keep your shoes inside the booties for fireman-like speed putting your shoes on for the ride. Elite Thermal Wool Sock-I like these because not only do they keep you warm, but they extend past the top-of-the-shoe-bottom-of-the-tight-top-of-the-bootie-area, which can get as cluttered as the sentence I just wrote. Barrier Skull Cap-Let’s face it, wearing a hat under your cap doesn’t look cool, but the age old adage about the top of your head being a chimney where heat escapes, is true. This little unit covers your ears, which are always cold for me. (see: “time living in New England”, above) In addition, I keep a full set of junior varsity (JV) accessories such as back up glasses, extra gloves, hats etc., in case the first string varsity gets lost or a buddy left something at home. Sunscreen, food stuff, and an extra tube and C02 cartridges also live inside of my bag and yes, it’s a very big bag, for which I take endless crap for, since our locker room at Pearl is the size of an aisle on a short school bus. That’s about it for my quiver of apparel I hope it’s given you some ideas on how to build your own four-season quiver.

What’s in my Gear Bag?

Peter Curran - Product Line Manager, Men’s Cycling Apparel


While never officially a Boy Scout, I am chronically over prepared when it comes to my cycling apparel quiver. Sunday night I glace at the week’s weather and load up my duffle with my kits for the week, making sure my preferred, or as I call them, varsity, kits sit in the middle of the pile for the harder, mid-week lunch rides at work. Looking good means feeling good and I need all the help I can get to hang onto the fast pack.

For reasons of space limitations, I have concentrated on my road gear bag here; maybe in the spring I’ll get the chance to write an MTB related version, if I don’t get reprimanded for some of the opinions expressed here. Also, it’s important to stress that to make it through 12 months of cycling, you don’t need everything I list here, although it would be nice so we could get fat raises. Take your core kit of shorts and jerseys and add pieces relevant to the weather you experience to extend into the shoulder seasons of fall and spring, and then take the plunge into some dedicated winter outerwear to bridge the winter months.


Spring/Summer

In the warmer months, I have a staple of the following kits to ride days filled with high pressure weather systems:

  • P.R.O. Bib Short-This is like having butter in the fridge, always a use for it and you never should be without it. I was going to make a low-fat joke here, but it felt too obvious. Great for the moisture transfer and great compression on a long ride.
  • P.R.O. LTD Bib Short-Ride what the pros ride. We used just make these with the Garmin graphics, now we have a lot of options with other graphics. That’s good for us at PI, since a bunch of the Garmin guys live in town and we felt like total kooks rolling by them wearing the same kits.
  • P.R.O. LTD Jersey-Same as above. The sleeves on this jersey feel like kittens are rubbing your shoulders-they feel that good. Just in case you’re an animal lover, that’s a just a figure of speech. It’s really just a synthetic made to feel like kitten fur. It has ColdBlack also, which makes black fabrics feel as cool as white fabrics.
  • P.R.O. Climbers Jersey-This is a full mesh jersey that is only thing to wear on the sweltering hot days in the high altitude, sunny climate of Colorado. I’m sure it would be equally delightful in the high humidity areas at sea level.
  • Elite Jersey-Sometimes you feel like a graphic, sometimes you don’t. When you want a great jersey without rocking a graphic, this is the one. It has IceFil technology, so it feels cold when you sweat.
  • Elite Tall Sock-I have enough for each day of the week, all in black. Love them…they cause a bummer of a tan line, but I have been known to suffer for fashion.
  • Barrier Lite Jacket-A staple jacket above all others, this packs down to a fist size ball that tucks into a rear pocket, usually my rider’s left side. It’s easy to throw on before a descent or when it’s drizzling…and if you can do it while riding, all the better because it looks pro and chicks dig it.
  • Thermal Arm and Knee Warmers-Again, like the butter analogy above, these should be the foundation of any rider’s bag. So versatile, they can make the difference between pain and pleasure.
  • Veer Long Finger Glove-I have freakishly giant hands for someone who is 5’10”…like XXL, alien, conversation starter hands. I personally don’t like half finger gloves, but that’s me. I get annoyed by the ends in the joints of my fingers, and I feel like a hobo hopping a freight train. I do get a lot guff from fellow PI lunch riders about wearing them because they say I’m expecting to crash, but then I give them a freakishly large middle finger and the guff-giving abruptly stops.
  • Elite RD II Shoe-Since I get a deal on product here, you were expecting me to list the P.R.O. Shoe, right? I just liked this one for my own feet. Plus, I like not having the pressure to perform like a pro. Better to lower expectations and surprise people…”did you see that? He won the sprint, and on ELITE shoes to boot!”

Fall

After a summer of stocking my gear bag with exclusively Bib shorts and Short sleeve jerseys, the cool mornings and evenings start to call for the Rubbermaid® bin of fall/winter gear to be brought up from the basement. In addition to my summer kits, I add the following until the temps drop to another level:

  • Transfer Sleeveless Minerale Baselayer-Perfect for adding another layer to take the edge off when the temps drop below 70 degrees, without adding a jacket. Now in wind-proof Short sleeve version!
  • P.R.O. Thermal Bib Knicker-I found a pair of these in my sample closet when I started and wore them my first fall here. Little did I know it was not “cool” to wear knickers…knee warmers were the preferred fashion statement, or least that’s what Tony, the shoe Product Manager told me in an awkward, half dressed locker room moment. Nothing against knee warmers, but if you don’t need the removing option during a ride, knickers feel a little simpler. Now a few more people are wearing them on the lunch ride. You know what that’s called? Trendsetting.
  • Cyclone Toe Cover-My toes are perpetually cold from years of New England snowboarding, so these puppies find their way in to the shoe area of my bag about this time of year.
  • Elite Tall Wool Sock-Just a great warm, tall sock. I like tall socks…it’s interesting to see people ride with no-show or low socks now that tall’s are so popular…they don’t look right to me…it’s a proportion thing…you know what that’s called? Fashion. It’s like looking at pictures of yourself from the past and laughing at what you thought looked good, but really, you were just bringing shame upon you and your family.


Winter

When winter arrives, it’s time for another rotation of the quiver to combat cold temps and precipitation. It’s also time for a weather disclaimer-Pearl Izumi is based in Boulder, CO, where the winters tend to be favorable for year-round pedaling with temps just above freezing and typically dry roads that are free of salt. However, while I commiserate with my northern cycling brothers and sisters sentenced to long months of snow drifts, ice and bikes marooned in the garage, it’s a great place for testing product 365-days a year among a core group of racers, commuters and all-around gear heads. For the sustained sub-50 degree weather, my gear bag looks like this:

  • Transfer Long Sleeve Minerale Baselayers-Sleeveless, Short Sleeve and Long Sleeve all go in the bag to customize the transfer and temperature regulation depending on the thermometer. We have new Barrier Liner shorts coming out for fall 2010 and my boys and I are stoked to try them.
  • Elite LTD Thermal Jersey-Thermal long Sleeve with killer graphics. It makes me excited to be cold…not really. Any thermal top is good alone or worn under softshell or shell jkt for extra warmth.
  • P.R.O. Softshell Jersey and Jacket and 3x1 Jacket-If I had a new religion to preach, it would be about the joys and life changing experiences of owning cycling apparel made out of softshell. Hands down it is the most versatile, layering reducing, quiver killing cycling product you can buy. Our softshell is like a laminated sandwich of honest to goodness cycling happiness: brushed fleece interior, water-resistant, breathable laminate film and a durable knit outer face. All layers stretch as one and move with you through cycling movements. The jersey has a softshell front and thermal back for dryer conditions and the jacket is full, 360 degree softshell for colder, wetter conditions. The 3x1 is a power house of softshell, removable Primaloft insulator and balaclava that knows no boundaries. Amen.
  • P.R.O. Softshell and Elite Amfib Cycling Bib Tights-My decision on which tight to go with depends on temperature and expected exertion level. The P.R.O. Softshell tight is made from highly technical, aluminum thermo regulating fabric that is thinner and more breathable than its AmFib cousin, and packs in more features. This is the tight for the high aerobic sessions and looking pro since it’s available in white. AmFib is for the burly, blustery days when you should pat yourself on the back for getting out there. In fact, use both hands to pat yourself, it will keep them warm. I’m also a fan of the built I chamois. Some riders like layering up under a tight to keep them warmer and to be able to wear a tight multiple days. I like the simplicity of one layer down there, and I wash them a lot…of course, I’m talking about washing the bibs.
  • Barrier Lobster Glove-Hailing from the great region of New England, I like the Maine’s iconic food reference here with the name “lobster”, and the fact that I have mild frostbite in my finger tips from living there. I’m a mitten guy for snow riding, and these come about as close as you can to those open chambers of lovely warmth for the bike.
  • Softshell Shoe Cover-Remember what I said about finding religion with softshell? It holds true with the feet as well, and I seem to remember something about a foot related incident from my Catholic youth. Locker room tip: Keep your shoes inside the booties for fireman-like speed putting your shoes on for the ride.
  • Elite Thermal Wool Sock-I like these because not only do they keep you warm, but they extend past the top-of-the-shoe-bottom-of-the-tight-top-of-the-bootie-area, which can get as cluttered as the sentence I just wrote.
  • Barrier Skull Cap-Let’s face it, wearing a hat under your cap doesn’t look cool, but the age old adage about the top of your head being a chimney where heat escapes, is true. This little unit covers your ears, which are always cold for me. (see: “time living in New England”, above)


In addition, I keep a full set of junior varsity (JV) accessories such as back up glasses, extra gloves, hats etc., in case the first string varsity gets lost or a buddy left something at home. Sunscreen, food stuff, and an extra tube and C02 cartridges also live inside of my bag and yes, it’s a very big bag, for which I take endless crap for, since our locker room at Pearl is the size of an aisle on a short school bus. That’s about it for my quiver of apparel I hope it’s given you some ideas on how to build your own four-season quiver.

Posted 2 years ago