best vest I’ve ever owned was one of their commuter models from like 2010, still wear it at least weekly in the winter.
Their cold weather tights with the windproof groin cover is a real life/meatus saver
The Shak is definitely not a base layer. It’s pretty heavy.
I wonder if you’re thinking of the same pre-OOB base layer I bought a few of. Dark gray, full zip, hand pockets, and more seams/shaping at the shoulders. Nothing on the tags on mine to say what it is tho. Thin, but heavier weight than the Woolies base layers.
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My og ibex jersey was also an outer layer. It was thick and sturdy and had a reflective hit on the right arm. I wore that thing every day it was sub 40f for like 8 years. Washed it like four times lol.
I’ve had the shak for 2 years and it’s also great and looks less like bike guy apparel which is nice because all the people I meet at work already think I’m a big weirdo for showing up to meetings on a bike. Then they have a five minute conversation about how hard it is to find parking and I just shrug.
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Oh right, forgot they had actual cycling specific stuff. I was pretty underwhelmed by their bibs, should probably sell them and the shorts sometime.
The Shak is great. It’s a more casual fit for me, so it gets worn in the winter as just regular clothing with a t-shirt underneath.
I had a pair of 3/4 bibs that were great until the chamois disintegrated. Then I had some short bibs from them and they were meh.
16 and snowy here. The studded Marathons perform great, tons of grip in changing conditions. Sadly, the commute is absolute balls because of the infrastructure. Our bike path system gets maintained for snowmobiles over winter, so it’s way too deep for the cargo bike.
The sidewalks aren’t plowed, and the shoulders are filled with rocky, chunky ice debris from cars. The only option is to ride with cars in the road, which isn’t too bad I guess, but does not feel safe.
Why does America suck so bad at cycling infrastructure?? Winter commuting does not have to be so inaccessible.
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That bike is dope. Where are you located? It was like 25 with flurries here this morning.
UP iirc
my experience up there is the cars and big and drive fast and its not exactly welcoming for road riding, even before winter
godspeed tarcker
@b-roll REI makes a merino half zip long sleeve base layer that I find to be truly excellent and reasonably priced
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i also have this and endorse
I love merino but seem to have a knack for destroying it after modest use.
Smartwool undershirts are luxurious but I’m afraid to even touch one in the store.
Sold out and got a mid-weight fleece thing from NFace.
We’re talking 20 minute commutes, so this should do until I kill it.
10 years later smartwool still hasn’t shut down my prodeal. holler if you need.
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Merino is good, but doesn’t wick sweat away quite as well as I need.
Marquette, Michigan. People are deeply into fat biking here with tons of groomed trails, but in our hearts we’re still fat midwesterners and we make no provisions for commuting by any way but car.
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You got it. F250 +/- meth.
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So, basically Castle Rock with snow.
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That’s most of America, I think.
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Have lived in most of America, can confirm. We now just have City Culture and Exurb Culture evenly dispersed across the land.
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So it went from short sleeve mild to two feet of snow and I actually abandoned a ride last night. They hadn’t plowed everything yet and it took me an hour to walk .5km with the kids. Hopefully it’ll all be plowed by Thursday.
Oh, also, I went down the other day on some black ice and put a hole in some of my warm bibs. I really need some new ones now.
Here we go, I guess.
Ain’t winter until you’ve ruined at least one piece of very expensive clothing with a comically stupid wipeout on some invisible slippery surface.
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