Club Ride Bolt Jersey
Features:
- Lightweight RideDryWear wicking fabric
- Air2Flow hidden front zip system
- Quick-dry for moisture control
- Stretch fabric for movement
- Rear zippered storage pocket with media port
Color: Raven Devo
Size: Large
Duration of test: 3 weeks, 10 rides
Area tested: Lake Tahoe / Truckee, California
Conditions tested in: Cool fall riding weather, snow, rain, mud, sun, a little taste of everything.
MSRP: $90
I’ve often wondered why most mountain bike jerseys make you look like you’re either a roadie or a motorcross rider. It seems to me that the sport of mountain biking has been lacking its own style. A company called Club Ride is doing their best to change that, blurring the lines between technical cycling apparel and casual wear.
I don’t care for the look of spandex jerseys, and the downhiller style isn’t really my cup of tea, either. I do still like to ride in a shirt with fabric that wicks moisture and dries quickly, so I’ve been using button-down synthetic travel shirts or polypro hiking shirts for the past several years. When I recently came across an advertisement for Club Ride apparel, I thought maybe I’d finally found what I’ve been looking for.
Style
The Bolt is one of several shirts produced by the Sun Valley-based apparel company. One of the main attractions for me is the styling: it looks like a regular button-down, collared shirt. The main body of the shirt is solid dark blue, the shoulders are plaid, and snap buttons finish it off nicely. This shirt’s style and subtle color scheme are appropriate both on the bike and around town. If you stop at the store or the bar after a ride, you won’t look like you just got off the bike, unless you’re still wearing your helmet.
Fit
I’m six feet tall, 175 pounds, and a size large fits me quite well. I’d prefer about an inch more in the length of the cut, but for the most part this doesn’t really bother me. For most people, especially those who aren’t as painfully self-conscious as I am, the length of this shirt should be just fine. Occasionally, I find the shirt riding up under the waist strap of my hydration pack, but I experience that with all the shirts I ride in, so I think it is just the nature of the beast. The athletic fit of the shirt is comfortably loose without being excessively baggy. In my opinion, getting snagged by sticks and other obstacles is no more likely in this shirt than any other.