Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Fashion & Style

Merino and Mud: Kitsbow Mountain Biking

Austin Parker
By

Kitsbow Mountain Biking
Spring is in rare form across the country, and that means urban and backcountry trails are in perfect condition for some serious riding. Whether you’re a serious enduro mountain biker whose idea of a good ride is a 30+ mile suffer-fest, or one of those crazy downhill riders launching 40 foot red rock cliffs, the last thing you want to be caught wearing on your next ride is nondescript decades old spandex. At the same time, having a set of purpose built biking clothes will be the difference between adding a few extra miles to your evening ride, or heading home after battling sweat and chafing – and losing.

We love the line up from California based Kitsbow because it not only keeps us from looking like the dreaded Middle-Aged-Man-In-Lycra, but hits all the right technical design notes to build the perfect mountain biking jersey and shorts. Kitsbow was born from a pair of friends obsessed with designing cycling apparel that took cues not just from performance driven metrics, but also from well tailored suits and high fashion. The result is a line of jerseys, shorts, and base layers sourced from top shelf Australian and New Zealand merino blends, and treated using industry leading Schoeller technical fabrics and water resistant nano treatments. Details like silicon gripper hems, strategically placed zippers, and ergonomic fits make the entire line a must-have for any performance minded and fashion conscious rider.

Related Videos

For summer weight apparel we recommend staying with their merino-nylon blended jerseys. Their unique fabric blends provide all the durability of a synthetic fabric with the enhanced temperature control and breathability (not to mention odor control in case things get a little too sweaty) of natural wool. the Rudy Jersey ($220) is our favorite. It’s understated style is at home charging mountain single-track, and in some places would even pass muster for office casual (we’re looking at you, Boulder, CO). Layered with the all new Wind Vest($175), you’ll easily weather spring storms and deep mud. As if that wasn’t enough, the A/M Midweight Shorts ($230) are easily our new favorites for everything from serious backcountry rides, to the evening bike commute to your local dive bar. Made with Schoeller dryskin fabric, they shed water and mud with ease, and have five pockets to protect your essentials from the elements. Whatever you choose, when you’re out on the trails with Kitsbow this summer, you’ll get more than your fair share of compliments and envious stares as you crush miles of mud on two wheels.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Altra Running Shoes’ Brian Beckstead Shares the Story of His Well-Trod Road to Success
alta running shoes

Although running shoes seem like they’ve been with us forever, the modern version as we know it has really only been around since the 1970s. Yes, Adolf Dassler created the ur-design in the 1920s, but real innovation in the arena didn’t start until running took off as a social phenomenon, coupled with Bill Bauerman’s 1974 waffle sole (yes, he made the first sole on his wife’s waffle iron). By the early 2000s, runners Brian Beckstead and Golden Harper were typical college students, working at their retail jobs -- and trying to create the perfect running shoe. Today, they head up a global running brand — recently joining apparel giant VF Corporation’s stable — and are literally changing the way we run.
Beginnings
The duo met on their first day in high school. “I started running in seventh grade,” says Beckstead, now Altra’s Director of PR and Strategy. “My siblings were runners, and they convinced me to try out for the cross country team. Golden was on the team, as well, so we became friends and I started working at his dad’s independent running store when I was 16.”

Brian Beckstead, Co-founder of Altra

Read more
A Quick Overview of the Sustainable Adidas Outdoor and Five Ten Line Essentials
hiking sunrise silhouette

Adidas Outdoor and Five Ten lines feature outdoor-ready footwear and apparel with next-gen technologies, providing not only comfort and functionality in the wilderness but also protecting those wild sanctuaries through sustainable production practices.

Sports footwear and apparel brands have established themselves as reliable sources for outdoor recreation and fitness gear, and it makes sense. If you’re an avid hiker, trail runner, or mountain biker, then you already know the importance of bridging the gap between comfort and performance. Adidas has been upping its game with footwear and apparel that work with you as you explore the world.

Read more
Get Equipped for Summer Hiking with the New Danner Mountain 600 Enduroweave
danner mountain 600 enduroweave action 2

If you’re anything like us, then you’ve likely been twitching your leg since we shared the news detailing Danner’s new weatherized boot collection for fall 2018. Only problem is, some of us can’t wait another six months before investing in hiking gear with the summer season just around the corner.

Thankfully, Danner — being the dedicated outdoor retailer they are — understands this. That’s why we’re excited to pass along some of other great options from the Portland-based footwear brand, particularly the recent Danner Mountain 600 Enduroweave release.
Danner Mountain 600 Enduroweave - $160

Read more