Mountain Bike
Road
What's behind it all?
Our demands on quality bicycle components are high. Our demands on Bike Wear are just as high. Because we love cycling. Countless kilometres and hours in the saddle - whether on roads, trails, trainers or gravel - have been incorporated into our new collection. And over time, the first rough sketches turned into chic, functional and modern bike wear styles that inspire us. During the development process, we had to constantly refine our sample products, sometimes rejecting ideas or completely turning them inside out. We have travelled to various manufacturers, visited production sites and rolled kilometres of fabric panels. All this to proudly present this collection to you now: With a clothing line for Trail and Enduro use on Mountain bikes, as well as a clothing line for Road and Cross Country use. And when both lines are combined, the perfect apparel for Gravel riding.
What development priorities did we set for our bike clothing?
In addition to material selection and composition, the cuts play a decisive role in technical cycling clothing. The functional fit is the be-all and end-all in the cut of a garment for sporty cyclists. This involves cutting and sewing together the individual parts - for example sleeves and torso sections - in such a way that the fit works in the cycling specific posture on the bike. Simply because it is completely different in front of the mirror and in an upright body position than in the saddle and with your hands on the handlebars. In addition, the requirements change from discipline to discipline. We therefore, looked at the most important varieties of cycling - and developed appropriate apparel for these requirements:
For Trail and Enduro Use:
Light yet robust Mountain bike shorts with plenty of freedom of movement without being a wind trap.
A Mountain bike jersey with an athletic fit, good ventilation and high abrasion resistance on the shoulders and the optional short or long sleeves.
For universal use on the Road bike, Gravel bike or MTB:
Comfortable, universal Bib Shorts for a moderately sporty seating position, which can be worn solo or under wide cut bike shorts.
For use on a Road bike, in XC racing or on a Gravel bike
Extremely technical, elaborately crafted Race Bib Shorts for a very sporty riding position.
A modern and close-fitting, comfortable, very light and well ventilated full zip jersey for Road or XC use on a Mountain bike - also an option for Gravel bikes.
What features distinguish the bc original apparel from others?
The details of all bc original garments follow a clear line: each style is uncompromisingly designed for use on the bike. Comfort, unrestricted freedom of movement and a sensible feature arrangement always took precedence over a deceptively long list of "extras". We have therefore equipped the collection with the functional must-haves and have deliberately avoided things we are not convinced by. An example: Sure, a cargo pocket on the thigh of MTB shorts offers storage space and looks really cool on some pants - but for sporty bike shorts with a body-hugging cut it is a no-go. Because it simply interferes with biking.
Material mix and double helix on the sleeves of MTB jerseys
We specifically designed the MTB jerseys from two different materials and placed them according to their functional advantages: On the torso (and on the inside of the sleeves), a pure polyester fabric ensures well-ventilated comfort and allows moisture to evaporate quickly thanks to its 3D structure and the resulting increase in surface area. In addition, this 2-way stretch material provides better ventilation on the chest, stomach and back compared to the more robust fabric on the outer sleeve sides. The 4-way-stretch material made of polyamide and elastane on the outside of the sleeves, on the other hand, offers unlimited freedom of movement despite the athletic fit and also a higher degree of resistance. This counteracts wear and tear and pilling when riding past trees and bushes and also can withstand a few wipe-outs... Speaking of pilling: We deliberately glued the arm cuffs and thus kept them flat. This makes them more compatible with bike gloves, especially if they have hook & loop fasteners.
The raglan sleeves ensure the clean look of our new MTB jersey and also offer a functional advantage: the seams do not run over the shoulder but along the sides. This reduces possible chafing. But the construction of the sleeves is particularly interesting: The two different fabrics are cut and sewn together so that they run from the elbow downwards like the double helix of a DNA strand and wind around the arm. As a result, the more robust material - especially in the riding position with the elbows flared - is always on the outside and covers the most exposed parts of the body. We came to this conclusion when we looked at the arms of all our Mountain biking colleagues: All of them had scars on their elbows and forearms from contact with trees, the ground or other "obstacles".
A little something for Trail and Enduro rides to see better and get to the top
Once you've owned a bike shirt with a sewn-in glasses cleaning cloth, you never want to not have one. At least that's what happened to us - at the very latest after the last descent over dusty trails (in Vinschgau and elsewhere): The glasses cleaning insert integrated into the hem is a real must-have. Just like the small zipper pocket for the lift ticket. Because we like to go downhill - and we also like to go uphill with the lift.
Technical MTB shorts with an athletic fit and minimalist waist adjustment
In the World Cup or at the Enduro World Series, racers have long since been known to reach for relatively tight-fitting shirts and trousers. This trend is also finding its way into bike fashion, which is why we have also decided on an athletic fit for our shorts. Combined with a super-stretchy 4-way-stretch made of a light, pleasantly air-permeable material, we have created robust, modern bike shorts.
But: No human body is the same. Therefore, trousers and shorts, especially those made of elastic material, require a waistband adjustment. However, a hook & loop solution did not seem to be the right choice. Because it is often susceptible to dirt. Or provides ends up tearing of bike jerseys, known as pilling. The choice fell therefore on a fine but durable strap solution. It is not bulky and is easy to use. And it looks pretty good too. Invisible and unobtrusive, but extremely practical is the minimalist Stealth Pocket on the right thigh. There's always room for a bit of money for a post-ride ice cream. Or a gel depending on your tastes.
Glued hem
Speaking of minimalism: we love glued hems. A glued hem is less thick than a seam. This in turn reduces friction and the risk of things sticking - especially when wearing knee pads. Besides, a glued hem looks damn elegant. That's why we have given our MTB shorts glued bottom hems.
Cut and chamois in the Bib Shorts
The bc original Bib Shorts and the bc original Race Bib Shorts differ with regard to the use: We designed the Bib Shorts for a somewhat more upright sitting position, for example also on a MTB, from four panels. For the inside we have selected and positioned the very high quality elastic interface padding, which is divided into three zones and is 11 mm thick. This means that in the sporty seating position we maintain exactly the balance between damping, comfort and direct riding feel that we imagine.
The Race Bib Shorts, on the other hand, are aimed specifically at cyclists who ride in a very sporty position on the bike, with a pronounced bend in the hips and a pelvis that tends to tilt forward. For the benefit of this lying posture on the bike, the Race Bib Shorts are sewn from six panels to ensure a good fit in this heavily flexed riding position. In addition, an extra-thin, very firm and only 4 mm thick chamois by SQlab is used. Its high foam density compensates for the low material thickness without sacrificing comfort - on the contrary: it adapts much better to the body contours and is not pushed up inwards in an uncomfortable sequence of pedalling movements. This reduces the risk of chafing, especially on long rides and in races. In principle just like a saddle. And who rides a soft padded saddle in when getting sporty?
Fit designed for the Road - but also suitable for XC and Gravel
The short-sleeved bc original Road Jersey offers a very athletic fit due to its body-hugging cut, thus supporting efficient moisture wicking and ensuring high wearing comfort. By name, the jersey works very well on the road in general - let's call it the Endurance in reference to Road bike categories. At the same time, it is also an option for XC athletes and can also be used for Gravel. Nevertheless, it comes with a flat stand-up collar that is raised at the back to protect against the sun. The sleeves are long in a modern fashion and have a laser cut finish. In short: it’s an athletic cut, very functional, light and modern Road jersey designed by bike-components.
bc presents
