Many people will be aware of Icebreaker’s great products for other outdoor and active sports, however recently the New Zealand moved into the world of cycling attire, with the GT Bike Range. Shorts and bibshorts are available, along with road and mountain-bike specific jerseys. Additionally, a Commuter range is also available.
Given the athletic demands of marathon mountain biking and stage racing, I chose to test a more fitted SS Cadence jersey and the complimentary Cadence shorts.
Icebreaker was launched in 1994, and developed a layering system based on natural fibres, specifically merino wool. In 1997 Icebreaker started sourcing their merino direct from the producers. If you’re curious, you can find out exactly who the wool in your garment came from by using the code on the tag. This is called the ‘Baacode’ and lets you track the whole production of the item you now own. Icebreaker has always been committed to ethical manufacturing and sustainability. This Baacode system lets you look at the process and judge it yourself. Their website provides more information, along with some intriguing Ram based artwork.
SS Cadence Jersey:
The jerseys designed for the road range use a slimmer race fit, so I found this was more suitable to test for the marathon and stage-racing mountain-biker. Not only is the jersey more fitted, but it also has an elasticated dropped tail, helping it stay in place. This features five separate pockets. Not only do you get your typical three jersey pockets, but you gain two more useful ones. Firstly, inside the back left pocket there is another MP3/phone pocket, with a reinforced hole for headphones in the back of it. This holds against the body, not the outer pocket, so your boombox of choice will stay pretty still. The middle pocket is narrower, and holds a minipump pretty steady. The right side boasts an additional zippered pocket on the outside of the standard pocket. This is great for keys, or something you just can’t afford to have fallout – like a pasta party meal ticket.
The construction is top quality. Most seams are flat locked and double stitched. More basic stitching is employed under the arms to reduce bulk and the chance of chaffing. Overall, the jersey design is well thought out.
Wool – some love it, some are yet to love it. The jersey uses 97 per cent wool, and has the lovely benefit of not stinking after use. I was tempted to wear this jersey for the entire test period without washing it. But then I would not be able to comment on its durability out of the washing machine. So I used it for four training rides in a row, in a mix of hot, cold and wet conditions. Thankfully for everyone else, there was no discernible odor emanating from the jersey. And frequent washing since then hasn’t pilled up the material either.
Some people may find the thought of a woolen jersey overly hot and restrictive. However using it in the varied conditions of Sydney’s Spring, I found it covered a wide variety of temperatures with ease. The Icebreaker jersey never felt clammy, it never felt cold against my skin when wet, and even held its shape in those conditions.
So was it perfect? Not quite, well not for me. It is a lovely piece of clothing, however clothing is very personal, and there are two points which I would comment on. While the jersey is fitted, my torso is just the wrong length for this cut. The pockets hang too low for my liking. Note that they do not hang lower than most jersey on the market, they’re just not as high as the Italian cut jerseys I normally race in. It’s not as though I like my jersey to fit like a skinsuit, but I like my spares and food to stay where I put them, no matter the conditions. The other comment is on the zip. It is a lovely zip, and has a great backing flap for comfort. But it only runs down to the middle of the jersey. Thankfully, the Circuit Jersey is full zip. So really, my only niggle is the fit. And it’s a minor point, and a highly personal one. This is a great jersey, with sound environmental principles.
Cadence Shorts
If jerseys are personal, shorts are more so. Handling the Icebreaker shorts, it is easy to notice that their construction doesn’t utilize such a high percentage of merino. 85 per cent is made from the wonder wool, with the bum and back-inner leg utilizing nylon and spandex for strength in such a high friction area. Icebreaker have always maintained that although the want to use merino, they don’t want to use it if there is a better option for a set job.
A lot of bike shorts and bibshorts can be judged on their chamois – and the Icebreaker shorts are no exception. Icebreaker have chosen a multi-layered, supple chamois that was easy to get along with, right out of the biodegradable bag. It didn’t bunch up, and I had no comfort issues for the entire testing period in the previously mentioned range of conditions.
All stiching is flatlocked for strength and comfort, and the leg length seemed ‘right’. Like socks, I think shorts are meant to be an appropriate length. Not Anquetil short, or Lance-Long. Somewhere in the middle is where I run my tanline. And the Icebreaker shorts matched this mentality. However they were shorts, not bibs. This took some getting used to, but partway through the testing period, I started to re-evaluate my ‘bibshort only’ stance. They stayed put, and the elastic hem was subtle enough that it didn’t feel like an elastic band around my middle. Given the sensitive nature of a Stage Racers stomach mid week – quality shorts are a very useful inclusion. The Circuit bibs are also available and utilise the same chamois, materials and design.
Like the jersey, durability and comfort has been fantastic. Thankfully I didn’t crash, but the merino shows no signs of pilling or abrasion, despite some overgrown singletrack forays. With all good garments, the fact that I was wearing it and was meant to be thinking about its performance wasn’t always obvious. They were comfortable to wear and let me carry on riding my bike.
So where do merino wool performance clothing items fit into a marathon or stage race mountain-bikers wardrobe? Right near the top in my opinion. If the fit suits, the merino option is a fantastic choice for many races. When you are out racing in rugged areas or high places for over four hours, you frequently cross weather systems. Wool does a great job of keeping you warm when wet, and dries quickly. At the end of the day, or stage, it can be washed easily and air dried overnight. Many racers at stage races already do this with their synthetic kit. But the odour of day three does make me wonder how effective their washing technique is. Quality merino clothing like that produced by Icebreaker may be the ideal remedy. Find a stockist, try some on, and enjoy a long lasting, comfortable, stylish set of clothing from an environtmentally conscious company.