Wicking / Drying / Ventilation
The RideDryWear nylon material is incredibly soft, supple, and comfortable on the skin; it feels somewhat silk-like. It is also very stretchy, moves with you, and allows for an unlimited range of motion in the arms with no binding whatsoever. The nylon material wicks moisture as well as any Patagonia capilene or other technical polypro layer that I’ve used. (Club Ride actually categorizes the wicking of the Bolt as “Turbo” to indicate it as their fastest wicking material, versus the “Quick” and “Non” listings of other products in their line.)
The Bolt is also very quick drying, so you don’t look like a sweaty fool at the bar. Unfortunately, I’ve found this material, like most synthetic fabrics, to eventually retain odor. I am a smelly person to begin with, so I have to wash this shirt every ride or two to keep things unoffensive.
The shirt is closed both with cool-looking snaps and a zipper, a system they refer to as Air2Flow. First, you zip it closed, then you snap it closed over that. The system seems a little redundant at first, but the idea is to make air flow more manageable while climbing, i.e. easy to use with one hand: pop open the snap buttons, and adjust the zipper up or down. I didn’t have the opportunity to ride in any conditions warm enough that I needed to open the zipper (I’ll have to report back on any notable findings this spring), but the zipper closure is also designed to block wind blowing through the snaps on descents or cooler days, which worked well.
Ventilation is more than adequate with inch-wide stretch mesh panels sewn in under the arms and down the side of the shirt. I’ve found this to really help keep my armpits cooler and drier than they would be in my other tops I’d using while riding. One zippered pocket on the small of the back and two snap pockets on the chest offer more than enough secure storage for my needs, as I always ride with a hydration pack. The rear pocket has a hole for any cords associated with headphones for those of you who ride with music.
Bottom Line
The Club Ride Bolt shirt has quickly become my favorite mountain bike jersey. I have no complaints about the Bolt shirt, and I wonder what took people so long to start blending stuff like this in the first place. I appreciate the blend of technical materials, performance, and causal style.
Club Ride apparel is made in the USA, and I’ve found the quality and craftsmanship to be as good or better than any other cycling apparel I have owned, like Pearl Izumi or Race Face. (See my review of the Club Ride Half Rack Knickers, too.)
If you’ve ever wondered why mountain bike clothing can’t work well and look great, then I highly suggest checking out Club Ride.