Safety Smart Wear: Milan San Remo Kit + Polar Bottle Giveaway

The Right Kit:  Milan San Remo Bib Shorts with matching jersey by Safety Smart Wear.

May is National Bike Month!  In celebration we will be posting a series of articles to help you rock the road by bicycling. PLUS our GIVE AWAY WINNER of this LIMITED EDITION 24 oz ROSE THERMAL POLAR BOTTLE IS....

Johan E. of Roanoke, TEXAS 
  

Johan won this SWEET 24oz  LTD Ed. Thermal Polar Bottle!

CONGRATULATIONS JOHAN!!!!

 


Why Bib Shorts?

If there is one thing you don't need it's a chamois that keeps shifting and chaffing during your ride.  That's why getting the right fit is so important.  Once you do, you can become one with the bike and forget the rest.

Most of us start out wearing cycling shorts, which are major step up from cut offs.  One of my favorites would have to be Gore Bike Wear's pro oriented line for women cyclists.  Very lightweight with effective padding right where you need it.  However bib shorts are quite another thing all together.  They are like having wide stretchy suspenders holding up your cycling shorts.  The first set of bib shorts I tried were by Look of Italy and they were not women specific.  They also did not give much attention to the fact that women are not flat chested like men so the straps were a bit annoying.

Little things like that can make it uncomfortable so you'll think twice about wearing bib shorts, but even with that minor annoyance, you will find them SO much more effective for long rides.  What I've found is that with bib shorts, you no longer need to adjust or pull up your cycling bottoms. No more worrying about if your jersey is covering your backside when down in the drops. Everything stays neatly in place and comfortable no matter how hard you exert yourself.

SAFETY SMART WEAR

Safety Smart Wear is a Colombia, SA based athletic clothing company with international tastes.  They specialize in beautiful, yet highly technical sports-wear for competitive triathletes, cyclists, runners, swimmers and skaters.  The Milan San Remo Kit featured here is from their Espiritu Santo Safety Premium Collection and has an UPF of 30+ via Sun Smart.  Both the jersey and bib shorts are made of new advanced Lycra Sport from Invista, (also see our review under "Cycling Jerseys: Buying & Care Guide").  

However there are a few special additions to this kit that place it ahead of the curve.  One thing that I really like are the smooth, non-binding arm and leg openings with flat stitched seams.  They even out your leg and arm lines while working great with knee and leg warmers such as the new ones by Smartwool I am wearing in the lead photo. The fit is tight and very aerodynamic which is what you want on a road bike.  Flapping, loose fabric will only slow you down. The cycling jerseys from their Espiritu Santo Safety Premium line have a zippered rear pouch with reflective accents and three rear open pockets.

Safety Smart Wear Women's Bib Shorts

Italian made Espiritu Santo Microfibre Women's Chamois

What really impressed me with the Espiritu Santo Milan San Remo Kit is the business end...the bib shorts.  The chamois is delicately designed for the female form but amazingly effective in cushioning your bottom from road bumps.  The Espiritu Santo Milan San Remo Chamois is made in Italy by la Fonte Sport Pads and is just the right thickness with no bulkiness.  Made of four way stretch Microfibre, it is sheer and dries rapidly.  Flanged edges and flexible stretch in the chamois makes it fit like a second skin.

The real difference are the comfortable straps on the the Safety Smart Wear that take into account us women have breasts.  The airy straps converge into a "T" that links between your breasts.  This is WAY more comfortable than having a strap on each side doing a bad push up bra impersonation.  The "T" strap lays flat with no distractions.  Safety Smart Wear's creed is "Tested in the real world by real athletes" and may account for their meticulous attention to detail in this high performance cycling kit. The fit is more Italian so you may need to order a size up but I ordered my kit to size.  Tight but right the Milan San Remo has moved to the top of my favorite cycling kit list!  See Safety Smart Wear's 2012 Online Catalog. 

Saftey Smart Wear's 2012 Catalog featuring their Men & Women's collections.

 

Spring Bicycling Guide

It's official! The calendar now says spring so here are some tips and tools to get you out there. Commuting, recreation or somewhere in between, you'll appreciate our springtime montage of biking essentials.

A Fresh Start to Spring Cycling

ExOfficio's Soft Lace Bikini & Thong - something between you & your chamois!

Sport -Wash products by Atsko

Now that you are stoked for the cycling season, (o.k. at least I am), this is a good time to refresh or replace if needed your riding kit.  Most cycle tops and especially the chamois lined bottoms can hold odors and bacteria even after being washed several times.  The solution?  When you start sorting through your clothes this spring, throw everything into a wash basin and add a cap full of Sport -Wash.  Sport -Wash can be found in the Hunting and Camping Section of many stores such as Walmart and does a fantastic job of restoring permeability and removing smells.  You should also try their Shampoo & Body Wash.  It gently removes odors from your hair and skin and will keep you smelling quite pristine even after a long day on the road.

GORE BIKE WEAR Ozone Lady Tights

Once you've given your riding tights a thorough cleaning, you can prolong its freshness with a pair of ExOfficio's Give-n-Go collection underwear.  These new lace panties are oh so light but specially made to dry quickly and repel odors.  The lace says "Hey I'm still a woman" and looks especially nice drying in the sunshine!  Now I know some hard core cyclists opt for wearing nothing under their chamois but unless you want to constantly wash your tights, this is a much better idea.  It also makes me think of one unfortunate Italian cyclist who crashed during the Tour de France a few years ago.  He was "au naturale" too but when his tights ripped, everybody knew his secret!

Of course the main thing is to be comfortable in the saddle.  I've had cycling bottoms that we too big or had a very thick bulky chamois.  One was so bad that it kept getting stuck on the seat when I remounted after a light change.  You don't need distractions like that.  Better to be a little snug than too big.  Also look for other comfort features in your cycling shorts like flat-lock seams and no-roll, wide waistbands.

Multiple panels on the tights and princess seaming on the tops make for a better fit and an aerodynamic ride. Full or extra long zippers also help control sweat and over-heating by allowing you to regulate air flow to the skin.

You should have at least two pairs of riding tights, (one to wash, one to wear) and one jacket and two cycle jerseys to start off with.  If you wash them by hand, they will last for years of heavy use.  A very smart way to protect your investment!

PHOTO: GORE BIKE WEAR Phantom SO Lady Jacket in Light Red & Black.  This is the BEST!  Take the sleeves off when it warms up and put them in your panniers as shown here.  Now you have a short sleeved jersey and vest! Helmet & Cycle glasses by Rudy Project.  Jacket  Features:

• WINDSTOPPER® Soft Shell
• Detachable raglan sleeves
• Pre-shaped elbows
• Additional short sleeves
• Elastic sleeve cuffs
• Full length zip with semi-lock slider
• Zip-underflap
• 3-compartment patch pockets on back
• Reflective piping on back and sleeves

Terry Bicycles "Symmetry" Woman Specific Road Bicycle