GOREWEAR’s ultimate cycling kit

GOREWEAR’s new Spinshift cycling collection is one of their latest apparel collections that’s designed with premium materials and fit. It’s been designed to compete with high-end brands and offers weather protection and the latest fabric technology. In this review, we’re going to be looking at the full kit which includes the GORE-TEX Jacket, Cargo Bib Shorts and the Long Sleeve Jersey. The Spinshift GORE-TEX jacket retails for $270 and combines a fully waterproof construction with lightweight GORE-TEX ePE membrane. GOREWEAR has designed the jacket with reflective details and taped seams to provide protection without any bulk. Under the jacket you can wear the $130 Spinshift Long Sleeve jersey which is constructed from recycled breathable fabric with a form fitting design. Finally, the $180 Spinshift Cargo Bib Shorts+ completes the kit with four pockets, raw cut hem and recycled knitted fabric. Together, the Spinshift offers comfort and performance for cyclists.

The GOREWEAR Ultimate Bib Short+ and Spinshift Breathe jersey combine premium materials and a race-like fit.

ULTIMATE BIB SHORTS+

As one of GOREWEAR’s most expensive bib shorts, the Ultimate Bib Shorts+ are designed to provide the ultimate support for intense rides. These bib shorts are even an ISPO 2023 award winner due to their use of high-tech textile technologies. GOREWEAR only offers the bib shorts in a single black color scheme with white bib straps. Constructed from 79% polyamide and 21% elastane for a next-to-skin fit. Branding is limited to GOREWEAR ghosted onto the legs and reflective hit points along the legs. The bib shorts are designed to have a race fit with anatomically shaped panels to provide compression where it is needed.

The Ultimate Bib Shorts+ use engineered bib straps which consist of wide single piece straps. With the wide straps ensure the pressure is evenly distributed for comfort on short or long rides. It’s a unique one-piece design with perforations along it to allow for breathability. The straps form a Y shape at the rear with the two front straps joining together near the neck. As a nice easter egg, the straps have a plus sign pattern cut into the fabric along the front of the straps. One of the other features of these bib shorts is the 3D printed chamois. This was developed in collaboration with Elastic Interface which produces most of the chamois on the market. It’s a multi-layer design that is designed to provide comfort on long rides and eliminate any pressure points. The chamois has an interesting front cup which uses a separate fabric piece that attaches to the front of the bib shorts.

SPINSHIFT BREATHE JERSEY

The Spinshift Breathe Jersey is part of GOREWEAR’s premium Spinshift lineup that is designed for high effort rides and long training rides. This is one of the lightest jerseys in the lineup and is developed for warm weather riding. The jersey is constructed primarily from recycled polyester and a small amount of elastane for additional stretch. It’s a very soft material that features a slotted mesh texture and thinner mesh material on the arms. GOREWEAR currently offers the jersey in four different eye-catching horizontal color fades: blue to purple, gray to white, black to gray, and blue to dark blue. It’s a cool design that splits the jersey down the middle with the two colors and has a snake-like pattern along the center where they blend together. The design makes the jersey look two different jerseys depending on what angle you are looking at it at.

The Spinshift Breathe Jersey has a full length front zipper with GOREWEAR printed vertically along the center for a premium look. The sleeves are attached using a Raglan design to optimize mobility and comfort. You can also see the different mesh fabric zones with more breathability along the arms than the front panel. The sleeves are also quite long for additional coverage and more protection from the sun. On the top of the jersey there is a thin collar which is consistent with the warm weather intent of the jersey. For storage there are three standard pockets with reinforcements and a fourth zippered pocket for small valuables. To keep the jersey in place there is also silicone gripper along the drop tail along with a reflective GOREWEAR logo on the center pocket.

RIDING IMPRESSIONS

We chose the size medium jersey and the bib shorts for our 6’1″ 165lb test rider based on previous experience with the brand. As with the previous GOREWEAR items like the Spinshift and C5 Thermo gear, the size medium has a form-fitting yet comfortable fit. Both the Ultimate Bib Shorts+ and the Spinshift Breathe jersey are what we’d describe as race-fit with a body contouring fit that doesn’t leave much to the imagination. GOREWEAR has used a great combination of elastic and compressive materials to provide support where you need it while not restricting motion or causing pressure points. We found both items to have an excellent fit that’s on point with other premium kits like Q36.5 Clima. The Spinshift Breathe jersey is highly breathable and lightweight which makes it great for warm weather riding and can be paired with base layers or vests for additional warm on colder days.

As far as the Ultimate Bib Shorts+ they felt comfortable and have a next-to-skin feel that quickly makes you forget you’re wearing them. The aggressive fit and upgraded material feel higher quality and have a more aggressive fit than GOREWEAR’s more looser fitting items like the C5 Thermo which looks more professional and has great performance. Although we were impressed with the bib shorts and believe GOREWEAR has made them competitive with higher-end brands their not quite as nice as our Velocio Concept bib shorts in terms of feel. As with the Velocio bib shorts, the high retail price will be a barrier for many cyclists and tough to justify as you can get 80% of the fit and feel at lower prices. That’s why we’d recommend waiting for a sale to pick up the bib shorts, while we’d be quick to recommend the Spinshift Breathe jersey with it’s unique graphic design.

THE VERDICT

Overall, we found the GOREWEAR Ultimate Bib Shorts+ and Spinshift Breathe jersey to be a premium and extremely comfortable cycling kit. GOREWEAR has utilized their top materials and construction methods to maximize performance and compete with boutique cycling apparel brands. We think GOREWEAR has hit the mark as the Ultimate Bib Shorts+ and Spinshift Breathe feel and look premium with formfitting design that doesn’t limit movement or cause discomfort. The unique graphic design of the Spinshift Breathe jersey is also a clever variation of the traditional horizontal fade and is one of our favorite designs of the season. There isn’t much as to say as far as negatives aside from the premium price point of the Ultimate Bib Shorts+. That said, if you’re looking for a premium cycling kit with modern looks and materials then you won’t be disappointed with the Ultimate Bib Shorts+ or Spinshift Breathe jersey.

Disclaimer: The product for this review was provided by GOREWEAR. The views expressed on this website are solely those of the authors and are here to help people make an informed choice before a purchase. The authors or the blog itself does not get any monetary compensation from the product manufacturer or third-party websites/vendor links that are posted here.