Rolling through summer requires lightweight kit. Rolling up to the taco shack, soda shop or bar after the ride requires style. The Summer 2020 collection from Club Ride Apparel offers both, and their padded liner shorts continue to be some of the best.
In this review, we check out their newest men’s and women’s casual/performance riding kits, show off the details, and see where they fit into the lineup…
Men’s Detour jersey & Joe Dirt mountain bike shorts
New for 2020 are the Detour Jersey and Joe Dirt shorts. What stands out about them is their ability to mimic non-riding clothing while being incredibly lightweight and breathable.
The Detour Jersey (in Ochre Red or Khaki, $89.95) is an ultralight 85% polyester/15% spandex material that captures that tiki shirt appearance perfectly. But look closely and you’ll see that the pattern is mountain bike treads:
It uses snaps on the front and has a zippered pocket for cash and cards on the rear. I wouldn’t put anything heavy in that pocket, maybe a couple gels and cards, ID, and bills…the fabric is so light, it would pull the jersey askew if you weighed down one side.
The upside to 80g/m² material is that is wicks and dries super fast. The day we shot these photos was hot and humid, but it never got “clingy” or soaked. I tested size Large and it fit well, just baggy enough to move freely and match the shorts’ fit.
The Joe Dirt Shorts (three colors, $69.95) were a bit of a surprise. The material looks like a heavy woven, but they, too, are surprisingly light. If you don’t like the feel of synthetics or nylon, these are 98% cotton with 2% spandex for stretch. There’s nothing about their appearance or feel that shouts “mountain bike” shorts, but they play the part perfectly once on the bike.
The pockets are good for off the bike, I didn’t like riding with anything in them. The side snap pocket just barely fits an iPhone X Max with a Quadlock case on it. Without a case, it’d probably snap shut…not so with it. Cash, cards or a gel would be better when riding.
At 6’2″ the 11″ inseam hit me just right. These aren’t really the type of shorts I’d wear knee pads with, but if you have skinny legs they could work…the openings aren’t the baggiest, but perfect for XC to trail riding. Or commuting…they have reflective accents, too.
I normally wear a 33″ waist and tested size Large. Adjustable velcro tabs inside the shorts allowed for enough adjustment to keep them up while riding, so I’d say these would work for 33-35 sizing.
Despite being cotton, they didn’t get soaked with sweat or feel too warm. The pockets are a light mesh, so don’t add layers of insulation. Club Ride’s Mountain Surf Short is a more typical, lighter poly/Spandex blend if you’re looking for something a little more technical and lighter.
Women’s Savvy Short & Belle Vista jersey
Kristi tested the women’s Savvy Short and Belle Vista jersey. Her’s her thoughts after few rides…
I have 38″ hips, and the size Small Savvy Short (Cayenne Red, $69.95) fit well. I typically don’t like shorts made for mountain biking. I feel like they are too baggy in all the wrong places for me. Though still bigger than shorts I would wear normally, these shorts didn’t feel like that. The fit was comfortable and didn’t pull awkwardly while pedaling because of the small amount of stretch from the Spandex.
The fabric is very light and felt good on a hot day. The fly opens with a fabric lining, so all you do is snap the fly together to secure. There is an elastic tie inside so you can adjust it around your waist. The lone zipper pocket on the shorts is on the right side and was barely big enough to hold my iPhone XS (not Max) with case. I did like the easy access to the back pocket – it has no zip or velcro closure, just a slight flap that’s easily bypassed.
I have a 35″ bust and size Small Women’s Belle Vista Shirt (Carribean Blue, $69.95) fit well. I liked the super lightweight fabric which kept me cool, felt soft and didn’t feel too plastic-y. It also stretched enough to be comfy while riding.
I liked the styling of the band collar, cuffs at the sleeves, and chevron shaped gusset at the side. There is one pocket at the right side that zips and opens toward the back of the shirt. I’m picky about prints, so I liked the simple plaid design and blue color.
I’m 5’6″ with a slightly longer torso than legs, and the length and fit of both pieces seemed spot on.
Club Ride padded liner shorts review
Kristi: I tested the Women’s Drift Chamois 2 hour (Royal Blue, $44.95, shown on left). The size Small fit well. I could’ve used less padding – they felt like a diaper while walking, but were very comfy for riding. I would call it a 4 hour padding. The padding section is thicker in the center with thinner padding extending about an inch around it that’s been molded to shape to the body. This thinner padding was what was making me feel like I was wearing a diaper, but I can see where it would be good to have for longer more active downhill rides i.e. protecting the inside of your leg during more aggressive turning.
Tyler: Club Ride’s padded liners have been some of my favorites for years. Their bibs (R.I.P.) were awesome, too. On days when I don’t want that extra layer under a jersey, these Gunslinger 2-Hour Shorts (Chili Print, $44.95, shown on right, size Large) are my go-tos. On bigger days, the Woodchuck 3-Hour shorts have a slightly thicker pad and longer inseam for more support. Both are supremely comfortable and outlast their claimed ride times.
Club Ride’s styles shift from season to season, but the jerseys and shirts we’ve tested over the years have consistently been comfortable and durable. To be totally honest, some of their shorts have been hit or miss for me, but these and the Mountain Surf are on point when on the bike, and work pretty well for casual stops post-ride, too. So much so, that we both ended up just hanging out (sans chamois) in the kits for the rest of the evening of this photo shoot day.
They offer a 30 day return window if you get something and it just doesn’t fit or look right, and a lifetime warranty on materials and construction.
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