Gearzilla » Cycling

Ibex Breakaway 2 Jacket

nborchelt — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 13:00:36 +0000

shop.ibex.com
When you wear this piece for the first time, it feels much too stylish to be dragged through the muck. But like that pretty-boy quarterback who can actually stand up to the game’s rough and tumble, the Breakaway jacket performed for our tester when conditions required on road crud-splattered winter bike rides and blustery, wet day hikes. (It’s easy to wash, too; just put it on a delicate cycle and line dry.) A durable shell at the torso and arm areas keeps wet and wind out, while a four-stretch Climawool weave on the back and inner arms lets the piece breathes easily when doing aerobic activities like biking and running. The fabric blends merino wool with Lycra and nylon to create a warmer, more durable layer . There’s a front-panel chest pocket and cavernous back pocket to stash exercise essentials, without overloading the shell with zips and trimmings (no bad thing, as it cuts a svelte outline for uses other than outdoor exploration). A patch of reflective fabric near the bottom of the left sleeve also adds another layer of visibility that was often appreciated by our commuting cycle test team, while the stylish two-tone aesthetic didn’t scream that we’d rather be on our bikes—a touch of style that helped in more fashion-forward spots we occasionaly frequent after the long ride toward home.

Rapha City Wind Jacket

nborchelt — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 13:00:52 +0000

www.rapha.cc
A wispy jacket that can be scrunched up and stashed in a pocket, you’d be forgiven for accidentally putting this out with your plastic-bag recycling (big mistake, though, given the price tag). In fact, this jacket may qualify as the biggest example of looks can deceive. Our tester managed to put this piece to the sword on fall and winter bike rides when conditions would fluctuate from balmy to windy to wet. The lightweight jacket—designed after the transparent rain capes worn by pro cyclists to allow for visibility of sponsors’ logos and race numbers—is surprisingly warm and comfortable. In fact, our tester even wore this out during a late-night bar hop and was pleasantly surprised to be the recipient of multiple compliments and requests to finger the lightweight micro ripstop nylon (yeah, we know, the sacrifices we ask our gear testers to make here at Gearzilla…). But cycle-specific detailing like the elastic cuffs, a drop tail, laser-vents, reflective logos, and a burly DWR laminate do keep it firmly in place on the saddle.

The Invisible Bike Helmet

nborchelt — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 13:00:05 +0000

Okay…Invisible may be a stretch. But the Hovding helmet certainly qualifies as the stealthiest helmet on the market. The helmet is fully disguised as a short, over-padded scarf that gas-inflates with a burst of helium when internal accelerometers and gyrometers indicate abnormal movement. Think of it as an airbag custom-designed to cover your head, one powered by a rechargeable battery that plugs into a USB port (approx. 18 hours of coverage per charge). The product is the brainchild of two Swedish cyclists who were annoyed by the clunky, fashion-frozen helmets on the market and set out to make an invisible one. Seven years later with more than $1 million in venture capital funding, the Hovding hit the market in 2012, and has received a slew of European awards. Question is: will it win the hearts of the helmet-abstaining urban hipster? The different “shell” styles (which retail for $75) that cover deflated helmets should help.

Check out a cool video profile of the inventors.

Available in M and S sizes; If the bag inflates during an accident you can’t re-use the helmet. You can return it to be recycled and Hovding will offer a replacement discount. They also analyze the “black box” inside the helmet, which records ten seconds of crash data to help inform future product iterations.

Nutcase Multisport Helmet

nborchelt — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 13:00:25 +0000

www.nutcasehelmets.com
Inject a bit of joy into your daily ride by ditching the boring helmet of yore and wear burst of mad color and design from Portland, OR-based Nutcase. The structure of the helmet itself is fairly straightforward: an injection-molded ABS shell with a poly inner foam for high-impact protection, paired with three sets of differently sized internal pads to help achieve the perfect fit. Up top you find two front intake valves, with seven top-mounted and two rear-mounted exhaust vents, an adjustable spin dial for the perfect fit, and a great, anti-pinching cloth-lined magnetic chin strap that clasps together like magic—all of it CPSC-certified for safe bike riding. But Nutcase’s dedication to design—bright, brilliant patterns and colors (as well as more subdued varieties)—really set these helmets apart, from watermelon to polka-dot to paisley. The helmets do run hot compared to the more race-friendly models on the market. A midday urban ride in Portland and Washington, DC, left more than one tester warmer than a traditionally vented helmet, though they were great on 40-degree autumn mornings.. But these aren’t made for century rides in the heat of summer; they’re to let you express your inner child while on your daily commute. And naturally they make a bunch of equally fantastic (and equally safe) children’s helmets for $60.

Kate’s Real Food Tiki Bar

nborchelt — Mon, 12 Nov 2012 13:00:56 +0000

katesrealfood.com, 2.2 ounces
When you hear an energy bar tastes good, there’s typically an unspoken caveat: “for an energy bar.” But take it from us, the new Tiki Bar just tastes really freakin’ good. It comes from the kitchen of Kate’s Real Food, one our favorite culinary creators who got started by looking for a way to recharge while riding the tram between steep-and-deep runs at Jackson Hole; their first bar was naturally dubbed Tram Bar. The Tiki continues that all-natural tradition, with a dizzying list of ingredients: mango, cashew, coconut, almond butter, and honey, all hand-mixed and crafted. It’s a peanut-, soy-, and gluten-free burst of sunshine that’ll warm you on the long outdoor days ahead.

Rapha Windproof Shirt

nborchelt — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 12:00:00 +0000

www.rapha.cc
A utopia mix of form, fit, and function, the Rapha Windproof shirt is ideally suited to the urban cyclist who wants a high-tech medium-weight shell that doesn’t cast the impression that his life is only about biking. The smooth-to-the-touch stretchy poly has been treated with DWR to fend off light bursts of rain, and remains 100 percent impervious to bone-chilling gusts and squalls, ideal for fall and spring morning or evening rides, and suitable as a mid-layer for when the mercury dips into the lower double-digits. On a long trail ride in the mid 50s the shirt,provided the perfect degree of warmth and wind protection when paired with a thin merino layer.

But the little details are where the shirt really shines. We love the fashion-forward tailoring, with the button-down collar, zip and button central closures, and longer sleeves and a drop tail for ample coverage while pedaling. Other cycle-friendly details include wide, glove-friendly loop grabs to access the chest pocket, central zipper, and the small back-right pocket. The front buttons aren’t as glove friendly, however, and the batch of reflective fabric running parallel to the zipper on the back pocket could be a touch too cycle-geek-obvious to casual eye.

Inside you find loving elements like an upper liner decorated with a sly chain link print and pink piping at the collar seam for a pop of color. But perhaps nothing speaks the forward-thinking aesthetic of the shirt (and British-based boutique cycling brand Rapha) than the graphic on the left inner flap: a black-and-white illustration of a heart, with TNT stenciled across it. Below the drawing, a quote worth reprinting in its entirety: “Do you know how we keep going? Look, this is cocaine, chloroform, too. And pills? You want to see pills? Here are three boxes… In short, we run on dynamite.” –Francis Pellisier in Le Petit Parisien July

On sale now at www.rapha.cc for $115

Elemental Herbs All Good Lips Tinted Lip Balm

nborchelt — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 12:00:35 +0000

elementalherbs.com
Cracked, blistered lips are no fun—they feel bad, and look worse. But most of us hesitate to use chemically-laden chap stick or colors that even a lab rat would shun. The alternative? A tinted lip balm made with non-nanoparticle zinc oxide for ultimate sun protection, with all-organic additives like extra virgin olive oil (yes, olive oil!), comfrey, lavender, yarrow, and peppermint oil (which gives it a lip-smacking flavor). And there’s vitamin E to help with skin repair. The color comes from natural minerals, such as Elemental Herb’s Tinted Lip Balm. And did we mention color? No garish oranges or roller-rink reds here; we like the Copper Canyon, a pale bronzy-brown with a shiny hue. Also topping our list is Red Rocks, which hearkens back to the towering sandstone cliffs of Utah and Colorado. There are six mellow, natural-looking shades to choose from, and the small cylindrical containers slip easily into the small pocket on your running shorts, bike jersey, or ski jacket.

Rapha La Doyenne Classique Cap

nborchelt — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 08:00:20 +0000

www.rapha.cc
When we say we love the cycling aesthetic, it doesn’t mean we yearn to constantly wear body-hugging polyester adorned with Tour racing graphics. We know that there’s a time and a place for everything. But we also must admit that the British cycling apparel company Rapha makes us wish that tight-fitting jerseys were a bit more socially accepted. Thankfully, appropriateness is less of a question when it comes to their new, limited-edition La Doyenne Classique Cap. This black, all-cotton, three-panel cycling cap boasts classical peloton styling, with a dark green strip racing down the center, a La Doyenne Classique crest on each side panel, and “Rapha” written in subtle cursive under the narrow brim. It fits snugly under your helmet, adding another layer of protection from the sun and rain. And it looks cool—which is sometimes all that we ask of our gear. It comes in one size only–and fits like a cycling cap should; don’t expect a flat-billed baseball hat.

Rapha Challenges Riders to Join the Tour de France—and Win Big

nborchelt — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 16:00:57 +0000

The Tour de France may not get the national fanfare it once saw back in the Armstrong days, but for cycling purists not even the broken record of doping scandals can sour the sport’s premiere annual event. This year, British cycling apparel brand Rapha celebrates the Tour’s enduring legacy by issuing a call to cyclists everywhere to join the Tour’s peleton (the main pack of riders) by climbing the combined elevations of the Circle of Death. This fearsome loop through the Pyrenees boasts 22,575 feet in elevation gain, including Col d’Aubisque, Col du Tourmalet, Col d’Aspin, and Col de Peyresourde—all of it in just four punishing days, from July 15-22. Participants in the challenge will ride on those same days—and those who clock the same 22,575-foot gain (tracked via Strava.com’s GPS app and posted on their site) receive a Rapha Rising roundel, and will be entered to win a limited-edition Trek Madone 6.9 bike.

Rapha also wants to see who can clock the most elevation gain on July 18, the date of the famed Queen Stage of the Tour. The winner will get a Rapha Race Bag packed with a Circle of Death Jersey, Classic Big Shorts, and a pair of Grand Tour Shoes. And, of course, year-long bragging rights.

For additional info, check out the Rapha/Strava Circle of Death info page.

Looptworks Noll Messenger Bag

nborchelt — Thu, 05 Jul 2012 08:00:28 +0000

www.looptworks.com,
12.8 ounces
The unavoidable consequence of the gear and apparel industry is the mountains of fabric that‘s left over after the product patterns have been cut. Until recently, that material was trashed. But Portland-based Looptworks has found tremendous value in the trash of those manufacturing warehouses by producing “upcycle” products for the last few years, utilizing everything from remainders from a Malaysian T-shirt factory to transforming left-over fabric from wetsuit makers into laptop sleeves. Their product runs are limited—not to imbue them with a sense of exclusivity, but because limited fabric is the very nature of the company’s business model. Take the Noll Messenger bag, which is crafted from a cache of left-over waterproof fabrics–when the fabric is gone, so is your ability to buy ‘em. The hand-numbered packs boast a plethora of pockets—five interior and two exterior, along with a padded laptop sleeve. The 15-by-14-by-6-inch pack gives you enough space for your commuting kit or in-flight entertainment, along with a small clip on the shoulder strap. The Velcro closures seemed a bit too thin—until we realized we’d been inordinately programmed by other packs on the market to expect an acre of secure/noisy closer; we haven’t had an issue with losing anything from the Noll. The pack sits comfortably when walking or riding, the pockets on the flap are perfect for easily accessing travel documents, and the profile and appearance strike a refreshing pose beyond the typical messenger bags on the market. And the upcycle thing? It wouldn’t work if the bag didn’t. Happily, they both do.