Club Ride has added a lot of new and updated products to their lineup, particularly in the Sub5 commuter line and for women. They say there’s tremendous growth in the lifestyle and commuter segment, which has the doubly beneficial role of getting more people on bikes now that they have more normal looking garb to roll in.
As they’ve grown, they’ve earned a little more pull with the textile mills, letting them do some custom fabrics and designs. The benefit is better, lighter fabrics that seem much more appealing for us humidity soaked East Coasters.
The origin of the mountain bike collection, the Go West, gets a new Steel gray color. The new Pure West is the same pattern but gets paisley shoulder panels. The Far West are more surfer style with paisley bodies and solid shoulders. The New West remains in the line but gets three new colors (Mantis green, Royal blue and Fig brown) and is now their best selling item because it’s the lightest, best wicking jersey. All are $89.
The Go Long (not shown) gets updated with paisley shoulder panels. No style changes, but it’s worth highlighting that it’s rated at UPF 30 and have mesh panels that run all the way up the sides and down the sleeves.
The Hitch is a new full sublimated polyester technical mountain bike tee. It’s a mid-lightweight material and gets you on the mountain without the big Fox or Dakine logos. It’ll come in gray, blue and green and retail for $45.
The Fuse (right) is a new 12″ inseam XC-style baggy short that includes their Gunslinger padded liner. It’s got two hand pockets, and a side and rear zip pocket with a media port on the former. Retail is $99.
The Rumble (left) has a bit lighter canvas twill material. It has more pockets and a 13″ inseam to make it a bit more technical. Retail is $79 with no liner. Both shorts use a snap/zipper closure with side straps to adjust the waist.
Not shown, they’re also introducing men’s and women’s full finger gloves. The Trigger and Ladyfinger gloves get a Velcro-free neoprene cuff so they won’t mess up the rest of your laundry. Fingers get mesh on the insides, too, with a touch-screen friendly pointer finger patch. Thumbs have a sweat wipe and top panel is a light but protective mesh. The palms have well placed padding that’s not too thick, not too thin. We simply forgot to snap a photo of them, but they’re darn nice looking!
The Wheel Clever (far right)is a new ultra lightweight long sleeve jersey that can double as a layering piece. It’s thin enough to be a bit see through, so it’ll go over a jog bra or similar, or under a vest. Retail is $65.
Not shown, the women’s western style button-over-snap Bandera (originally reviewed here) is completely redesigned. It switches from a woven to a knit, so it’s more breathable and stretchy. They swap the mesh side and back panels for a burnt out poly/rayon blend that’s thinner, and it gets two additional panels at the collarbone. They have a rear side zip pocket with media port, too. Retail is $89 and it comes in four colors/patterns.
From here, we transition into Club Ride’s growing Sub5 commuter offerings. The Transit Pant (photo on right) is a new, lighter commuter pant with a denim-look but with tons of stretch. Like the men’s version below, the side zip pocket gets a more subtle reflective detail.
The dressier of the two has a mandarin collar with zipper under the midsection so it can use just three buttons while holding it’s shape. It’s fashionable enough to go out on a date or to the office. The burnt out side panels keep it very breathable, and the rear side zip pocket is all but invisible. Retail is $90.
The Motion jersey (group photos, left) gets a split cap sleeve with two small chest pockets and a tear drop rear pocket. It’s made of their Sheer2Dry fabric, so it’s a very soft polyester. Retail is $80.
The DSG skort (Damn Sassy Girl, also above in group photos, on left) uses their lightweight PowerWeave Stretch material with the removable DamselCham mesh liner with thin padding. It has a short zipper on the back to close it around the waist and a simple elastic drawstring in the front to cinch it up as needed. A small zip pocket on the front finishes it off.
The Vibe (center) is an original member of the Sub5 lineup and gets updated with new colors (royal blue and lead gray) and better snaps. The Switch (left) is an all-new poly/rayon/lycra polo style shirt with simple, thin horizontal stripes that are burnt out to make it super light and breathable. It offers UPF20, has a few reflective bits and a small zip rear pocket. Comes in blue, green and gray and retails for $70.
The Fremont (right, and below) is a new button up shirt with snap epaulettes on the shoulder to help capture your messenger bag strap. It’s made of their RideDryWear fabric so it’s cycling specific but looks sharp enough to wear to the office. Retail is $90, and the fabric is made of recycled PET bottles.
Their commuter jeans get a new style called the Woody. It shares the features of the others, including the light 8oz denim with 2% Lycra, but gets a bit looser fit and a thinner reflective strip on the size zip pocket. All that means you can look more normal, and not so much like a hipster. Trust me, the original version is really snug. Retail is $110, down from $130, and that price drop carries over to the other denim pants, too.
There’s also new commuter friendly underwear. The men’s is the Johnson, the women’s is the Jewel. They’re thin Lycra material with minimal padding that’s supposed to be comfortable and flexible enough for all the time between riding (eating, drinking, hanging out) where you don’t want to have to keep changing back and forth.
All new for 2014 is their Open Road line, the first time they’ve made performance garments for the pavement crowd. It’s their tightest fitting lineup, but stops short of being skin tight Spandex. They’re designed to work just as well in the paceline as when you’re just out on a casual group ride and waiting in Starbucks’ line. As they put it, you can hang out at a coffee shop without “looking like a stuffed sausage with logos.”
The Precinct Jersey (right) is a really thin but extremely soft polyester. It has a two-snap top with chest zip pocket and side rear zip pocket with media port. Available in blue and black for $60.
The Burnside is a simpler, t-shirt style jersey with mock v-neck collar and single rear zip pocket with media port. Available in gray and black/blue for $50.
The Cross Vest is a simple wind and water resistant vest with mesh side panels and reflective bits. It’s a very smooth fabric, no crinkly, and has chest and rear pockets for $65.
Most of these items are Spring 2014, which means you won’t seem them popping up in your local shop (or on their website) for a few months.
