#bibs

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Team Dream Bicycling Team Kits

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Team Dream Bicycling Team Kits

You know what? I like stripes. A lot. I didn’t at first but then I wore one of these kits and I realized that they look damn nice. It doesn’t hurt that Sean’s also a rad dude. He’s worked with Endo customs on a set of compression bibs. They’re tight, won’t lose form, won’t fade and come in all black, including the logos. I have a pair and they rule.

TDBT has home jerseys, away jerseys and a wind vest up for pre-sale. See the full offering here. But hurry, the pre-order ends October 6th!

I’m Stoked on the Tennyson Collective Kits

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I’m Stoked on the Tennyson Collective Kits

Tennyson and 43rd are the cross streets at which you can find Pearl Velo, Berkeley Supply and Avery County Cycles, some of my favorite shops in the USA. They believe in riding, racing and having fun! After last year’s SSCX team kits, a lot of locals asked about ordering one.

The Tennyson Collective doesn’t necessarily embody the three shops, as much as it embraces the community and its vernacular. The trolley was designed by their friend Josh Shively after the original trolley that ran in the shop’s area until 1950.

Pick up the new Endo Customs made Tennyson Collective kit or a t-shirt here!

Ten Speed Hero: Women’s Bibs

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Ten Speed Hero: Women’s Bibs

Developing a women’s bib short isn’t easy. As the team at Ten Speed Hero point out, “This is not a sock. This is not designed to fit all.” Female bibs made right. That’s what TSH was going for. 8mm chamois and a special cut for women, they’re designed to fit women and women only.

Pick up a pair at Ten Speed Hero. Might I add that I love their product shots?

Geekhouse Bikes and Cuppow Club Kit Pre-Order

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Geekhouse Bikes and Cuppow Club Kit Pre-Order

Photos by Heather McGrath

The long-awaited Cat 1 for Fun, Geekhouse Bikes and Cuppow! Club kits are now available for pre-order. These Endo Customs explosions of radness are made by Endo Customs and are guaranteed to enable you to have fun on the bike.

Best of all, if you can’t fork out the money for a kit, Geekhouse also has a cap, bottles and a sock pre-order and they’re made by Defeet (Aireator Hi-Top), the best socks around!

Pre-order your dose of fun at Geekhouse!

Summer Essential: The Rapha Lightweight Bib Short

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Summer Essential: The Rapha Lightweight Bib Short

It’s usually hotter than hell in Texas come this time of year but lately, we’ve been lucky. The 90’s have only just now crept in, but with all the rain and cloud cover, the roads and trails are still busy, even at the peak times. Naturally, with rain comes water holes, rope swings and excessive #Corndogging, meaning you’re usually spending some wet chamois time on the ride home. My usual kit of choice comes from Endo, but I’ve also been enjoying the Search and State bibs and these Rapha Lightweight Bib Shorts. All of which get heavy rotation from me, as I usually ride in the morning and evening come the summer months.

For the past few weeks, I’ve had the Rapha Lightweight bibs on more than I expected. As the name implies, they’re lightweight, super comfortable, fast drying and quite minimally branded. The signature asymmetrical leg band and classic fit can mesh quite well into any jersey combination and with a few extra details, you can tell Rapha took some time to think of the people who live in miserably hot conditions. A high-wicking mesh, more breathable fabric, SPF protection and a “thank god” cut-away back section keep your spine cool and ready for a cold water bottle squirt.

But my favorite feature of these shorts is how fast they dry. With all the rain we’ve had in Austin, a mid-ride dip in the Greenbelt, Barton Springs or other hole is inevitable, and sometimes a creek crossing depending on how dialed your route is. Regardless as to how you find yourself getting wet, these shorts dry out faster than any other bib I’ve had and that goes for the post-ride wash as well.

One concern is the fit. Since they’re a bit stretchy, you might consider going down a size, depending on how tight you like your shorts. The fit on the Lightweight bibs is a lot like the Classic bibs, with a little more room than the Pro line but since the fabric is lighter, I find it stretches about 30 minutes into a ride. I wear a large here, but could probably squeeze into the medium. This is also probably do to my own weight loss as well though. Bottom line is: try them on first if you can.

Bibs are one of the most essential items in one’s kit. Options are great and all the bibs I mentioned above are worthy of anyone’s drawer, so next time you see these in your shop, feel them, try them on but don’t be afraid to pull the trigger… Check out some more narrated photos in the Gallery.

Review: Search and State S1-A Jersey and S1-S Bibs

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Review: Search and State S1-A Jersey and S1-S Bibs

Without a doubt, green is a color of spring…

I’ve been a supporter of Search and State since I first caught wind of their operations in New York City. Their S1-A jersey is a staple in my daily rotation (see my older product review here) and now, the S1-S bibs have been providing me with comfortable rides on all my bikes. S&S’s line is minimally branded, made in New York City from technical fabrics and is far from your standard cycling apparel.

So far, I’ve logged about 10 rides in the shorts, washed them, hung them out to dry and even dried them on medium heat. They still look brand new and they hold their black dye. I know the price might seem a little steep, but bibs are something you’ll wear much more than a jersey. Plus, they’re each made by hand in NYC and domestic production is a little more expensive for a reason.

As far as fit is concerned, I’d rate their sizing a bit like a club cut. If you’re unsure which size to get, go down. I usually wear an medium or large in club bibs and XL in race cut. Here, I’m wearing a large and the fit is comfortable, without being restricting. What I’m most impressed with though is the detailing and how soft the fabric feels. That and they look great with any jersey…

While this particular color-pairing looks great on the road, it also beckons for the ‘wood, so I took to the trails yesterday afternoon before shooting these photos. Check out my thoughts on these two garments in the narrated Gallery.

Search and State S1-A Riding Jersey $125
Search and State S1-S Riding Short $210

The Endo Customs Necronomicog Kit Pre-Order is On!

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The Endo Customs Necronomicog Kit Pre-Order is On!

Look, I know this is a very metal kit and some of you aren’t into metal. TOO BAD. Even Tracko wears this kit and he’s as hippy as they come. Since the last run of the Endo Customs-made Necronomicog kits, I’ve received a ton of emails asking to do another run. Well, you’ve got a month to pre-order this time and I even listed it close to payday.

You have until June 1st to place your order. Expect shipments mid-July (maybe sooner).

Click here for the jersey – $115
Click here for the bibs – $135
Click here for one pair of arm and one pair of knee warmers – $75

These kits are made in Los Angeles from only the best quality materials. Almost every kit I wear is made by Endo and I wouldn’t use anyone else!

Giro Introduces the New Road Apparel Line

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Giro Introduces the New Road Apparel Line

After months upon months of design, development and prototyping, the Giro New Road line is now available at select shops. I’ve had hands on experience with many of these pieces and I’m very impressed with the concept and construction. While they look like casual silhouettes, these jerseys are part of an innovative design that allows you to access pockets on the bib “briefs”. Some of these products are meant to work as a kit and others are to be treated as a normal jersey. It’s hard to describe but the product photos below explain better than I can.

The technical, merino blends fit great and have clean, modern lines but most importantly for me, the New Road line is made in the USA and is still affordable. I have and will commend Giro for developing, designing and manufacturing this product line in the state of California.

There’s more to come but for now, you can see the product shots below.