Foldable Bikes Party: Sportful goes gravel, adds tail flap to rain shorts

Wednesday, 7 October 2015

Sportful goes gravel, adds tail flap to rain shorts

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Adventure appears to be the buzzword for road cycling in 2016, and Sportful has a few new pieces designed for big rides and foul-weather conditions. Here we look at two pieces in the R&D concept line — where an integrated baselayer replaces shoulder straps on a bib short — and the new Fiandre wet-weather gear.

R&D bib short and jersey

As its name implies, the R&D line explores new concepts, and for the coming season, big adventure rides are a focus. The R&D Jersey features slight wind protection on the chest, mesh on the sides and high-capacity pockets — all aimed at big days on the bike.

The $179 / £120 jersey has a snap about three quarters up the zipper. The idea is that upon cresting a hill after a long slog, you might want to quickly cover your sweaty chest before the descent, but don't have time or the agility to zip up the jersey. Here, you've got some wind-protection in a snap.

The most interesting piece though is the R&D UltraSkin Short $249 / £120, which ditches the traditional shoulder straps for an integrated baselayer, which zips up like a skinsuit. That's not the only zipper on the short, either: a small one is placed on the shorts as you'd find on a pair of jeans for nature breaks. The thinking here is that a baselayer is a necessity for long days, and that a baselayer alone is more comfortable than a baselayer with bib straps over the top of it.