On Jan 8, 2:55 am, Michael Press <
[email protected]> wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>,
> Colin Campbell <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > I used to buy and wearDescenteapparel, before they stopped making
> > cycling wear. I agree, it was of high quality. I still have and
> > occasionally wear a long sleeved jersey from that time, and a friend of
> > mine wore his shorts until recently (and maybe he still does).I bought aDescenteexploded polyester ski jacket (no I
> do not ski) twenty years ago and it is still intact and
> warm.
>
> --
> Michael Press
Your feedback is important, because I know from experience that they
have always had some "dogs" in their product lines For some reason, I
guess they did not have good design QA. The earlier jerseys (some or
most) were pretty crappy. I also remember that there was an "upgrade"
pair of shorts that I had forgotten until I read your reply. They used
thinner fabric and were not in the same class quality wise, and at
about $120 in the mid 80s, that was creeping in on Assos territory :>(
Still, believe it or not I still have 5 pair that I use (indoors at
home only) that are still functional enough to be among the most
comfortable. My biggest frustration then was that the excellent "basic"
shorts were not available in bibs but the crappy upgraded models were
available with bib straps. I also should say (if I have not already)
that they made the best skin-suit at the time and though it was very
expensive at $300, it was well worth it and still is as good as all but
the very best of today's selections. They were Swiss made, so I don't
know if they were actually made by Assos or possibly a fabric supplier
for Assos. As far as the chamois you mention, the current models are
all newer designed at look really comfortable. I wil take a chance on
the Aero-X, which look like the best option for me that I can actually
find in stock somewhere.
Since I posted the original article, I did score 2 pair of the Sportful
"Tour" bib shorts (the only model I have seen in the US) and every
aspect of the construction is top quality. I can't expect any better or
even imagine how the could be improved The MSRP is $120 and I have seen
them in the Italian Nat'l team World's and Olympic versions and also in
solid black and solid red. They were reviewed by Cyclingnews.com and I
find them to be as close to perfect as possible. The compression is
just right, such that I bought the last of 2 sizes and both fit great
with enough room for the crotch (a common problem these days with the
"Power Lycra" and similar fabrics is the crotch has the same
compression as the thighs, and that is not possible to survive wearing
them. I tried a pair of 10-panel bibs that were really excellent, but
the crotch nearly killed me. Several wash cycles with 30-minute
exercise sessions allowed the fabric to stretch just right everywhere
but the crotch. I really thought they were great aside from that. I
then tried 2 pair of Sportful, and they have all of the best attributes
of old Descent and the 10-panel Cannondale and zero compromises. I am
using 2 sizes and the slightly less compressed thighs of the larger
size are perfect for wearing either alone or with thermal base layer,
and the smaller of the 2 is probably best without a base layer, though
I have not tried.
Pearl Izumi has a new style called "Vertech" that just hit the
retail channels in the last few days and they look really good with a
hi-tech chamois that looks as good as the Sportful and though still and
8-panel design, they are more fitted between the top of the buttocks
and the top of the shorts (with a few extra seams to accomplish that
fit). Some riders have bigger buttocks that can benefit from this fit
and both the Sportful and the PI Vertech use vented fabrics for the bib
straps and all of the shorts above the areas covered by the jersey. I
think that the PI models also have a vent on the bottom hamstring area
and these vented sections are something important to me for the rides I
do, with the weather hitting 100+ degrees for many days through spring
and summer.
That leads to one more issue I want to ask about. I have used vented,
full zippered jerseys with light colored fabrics for these hot months
and the ideal color for me is a medium grey or silver in the middle
with while thigh panels. I have not seen this exact combo, but I plan
to use this for the upcoming team apparel design. I also have several
shorts with white thigh panels, and plenty of solid white jerseys. They
do get worn looking sooner than other colors and I recently noticed
several brands of specific laundry detergent for Lycra and similar
fabrics. It is not cheap and with my schedule (I ride twice a day
several days a week with and never use the same clothes, so there are
lots of wash cycles and anything I can do to help the fabrics last
longer and even better, even the white sections can stay brighter that
would allow me to feel better about spending more per item since they
will last longer. So, if anyone has some tips on washing, and
especially if there are specific soaps that work well, I would
appreciate that a lot.
One last thing is that if anyone has some experience with recent Pearl
Izumi models (the medium priced Microsensor or Ultrasensor with 3D.X
chamois, I would appreciate hearing about those, and how they compare
to others you have used.
I will post again when I have tried the Descente Aero-X with the
"Strata" chamois, and or the Microsensor Vertech to compare to the
Sportful "Tour" model (AFAIK, the only model shipped to the US,
though there are several different colors that make them look very
different, all of the Tour shorts use identical construction and
materials).
Thank you to all.
