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ashmei breton jersey and cycle bib shorts

ashmei breton jersey

when first i moved to the hebrides, islay featured two annual festivals. fèis ìle, which still continues to this day, is held during the last week of may, and is perhaps better known as the islay whisky festival, a mantle taken on at the turn of the century, both to aid the ailing fèis ìle, and celebrate islay's ascension to the upper ranks of scotch malt whisky.

the second festival took place each august and was known as the islay celtic festival. it was far more of a music festival than its compatriot, featuring celtic song, music and dance from not only the west of scotland, but occasionally from ireland and also from the brittany region of france. though i will doubtless receive e-mails, brittany is where accordion playing seems to have matured to a greater level than its scottish counterpart.

ashmei breton jersey

the language spoken in french brittany apparently originates from britons who migrated across the channel in the early middle ages, and the existence of islay's celtic festival was not only in acknowledgment of that fact, but to celebrate a common heritage. cycling's most notable breton, would have to be bernard hinault, a rider noted every bit as much for his ability to repel boarders from a tour de france podium as for his ferocity on the bicycle.

perhaps more in the light of the latter than the former, ashmei cycle clothing have chosen to name their most recently released cycle jersey in similar manner. aside from being a remarkably lightweight jersey, it marks the beginning of a new phase at ashmei, underlining their commitment to sustainability. in uk fashion circles alone, garments are designed, produced, sold and frequently discarded at an alarming rate. it is the basis of modern-day marketing where, to capture and subsequently hold the attention of the customer, it has become necessary to offer new product at least annually, if not more frequently.

ashmei breton jersey

if we assume we are all a bunch of flighty individuals, grabbing the very latest, while consigning last year's to landfill, that's probably a cycle that will very quickly become unsustainable. so, in order to break the chain of events described above, ashmei's breathable breton jersey is fabricated from 100% recycled polyester, derived from polyethylene terephthalate (pet) bottles. each jersey rescues a dozen bottles from the council tip.

for the intrepid cyclist, what does this mean? in pragmatic terms, other than offering us the ability to be unbearably smug, it doesn't mean a great deal. by that, i mean no disrespect to ashmei; in fact it is intended as fulsome praise. unless you read the label, you'd never know the difference between the breton and any other top quality cycle jersey.

ashmei breton jersey

its carefully coutured fit is less agressive than others on the market, making it arguably a better choice if the competitive realm is non too high on your list. the sleeves offer a decent length, and in true ashmei style the cuffs are intangibly seamless, yet grasp your upper arm with soft tenacity. they moved not one iota throughout the review period. i found the dark grey hoops on a very light grey background perhaps a tad understated and uninspiring, but the breton jersey is also available with the same grey hoops on a moss green background.

ashmei bibshorts

the full-length front zip features a decent sized zip-pull, easing the unzipping process when effort turns to heat. i confess i'd have liked perhaps another half-centimetre of length on the torso, as i found myself pulling the (medium-size) hem to cover the white mesh of the bibs more often than i'd have liked to admit. so doing, tended to pull the neckline downwards too. however, this only applied to standing in the queue for a takeaway coffee; on the bike, the fit was nigh on perfect. the three expected rear pockets are marvellously capacious, swallowing a digital camera, coffee money, spare gloves (it was raining) and a very badly rolled up waterproof jacket with ease and aplomb. and aside from a fourth, zipped pocket, there's also a pump pocket.

ashmei bibshorts

but if ashmei's jersey is a garment worth owning, just wait till you try their bibshorts. it has often been said (frequently by me), that the pad inside a pir of bibshorts reminds you of what it was like when in nappies. this particular sensation is, if anything, exaggerated when donning a pair of ashmei bibshorts. the high-density foam chamois pad asserts a certain connection with passoni, but once that pad has been sat comfortably on the saddle, the joy and happiness has only just begun.

i have worn many, many pairs of top quality bibshorts, and believe me, these are amongst the very best of the best. were it not for a complete lack of chill around my nether regions, after only a kilometre or two, i would have sworn i wasn't wearing any shorts. though the pad is nappy-like when first worn, in the saddle, its existence all but evaporates. unparalleled comfort is all yours.

ashmei bibshorts

the shorts themselves break from the lycra mold by employing a microfibre elastane fabric that's both wind and water resistant. the latter feature was easy to see on my first ride, when the rain didn't let up for the first hour or so, resulting in a myriad of water beading on both legs. i would have liked the lower portion of the bibs to come higher up the torso, but based on a few recently reviewed bibshorts, it looks like this might be a design feature/trend. nonetheless, ashmei's bibshorts tick all the available boxes and a few others besides.

and though not marketed as a part of a breton range, they did complement the jersey almost to perfection.

ashmei's breton jersey is available in grey/light grey, or grey/moss green, in sizes ranging from xs to xxl. retail price is £138. the ashmei bibshorts are available in either navy or black, also in sizes xs to xxl (size small reviewed). price is £178.

ashmei.com

wednesday 8 july 2020

twmp ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................