Stay comfortable with Shimano’s Evolve lineup

Shimano’s Evolve apparel lineup is marketed as a fall / winter gravel lineup that is designed to emphasize all-day comfort on or off-road. The collection combines modern materials to provide warmth without bulk to handle chilly mornings or cooler afternoons. In this review, we have nearly the full men’s kit here which includes the Evolve Bib Tights, Evolve Merino All-season jersey, and the Evolve Prima Wool Jacket and Prima Vest. The Evolve Bib Tights retail for $200 and are rated for 40-50 Fahrenheit range with Shimano’s Sterrato 2.0 endurance chamois. On top you have the $140 Merino All-Season long sleeve jersey which is a Merino wool blend and has five pockets for extra utility. As the temperature gets cooler you can layer on top with the $150 Prima Wind Vest and the $200 Prima Jacket for protection from the elements. Together it’s the perfect kit for cooler weather or variable-weather rides and has extra cargo features targeted toward gravel cyclists.

The Shimano Evolve cycling kit combines high tech fabrics such as Primaloft for warmth and comfort for cold weather riding.

EVOLVE BIB TIGHTS

The Evolve Bib Tights have a full length design that provides complete protection from the elements without the need for leg warmers. Shimano has designed the bib tights to be soft, warm and breathable to provide all-day comfort during cold-weather rides. The bib shorts have a claimed enhanced construction which uses compressive materials to support leg muscles and lightweight elastic bib straps for comfort. The Evolve Bib Tights are offered in two color options: bronze green and black. For this review we have the black version which has an all-black design and reflective Shimano logos on the back side.

The strap design has a Y shape on the rear which splits the two straps near the neck and then comes down the chest separately. The straps have a nice flat design to prevent any chafing with an elastic material to make it easy to put on and take off. The front of the bib tights is fairly high compared to other bib tights though, which may require removing the straps for restroom stops. As with a lot of gravel gear, the Evolve Bib Tights feature side mesh pockets on each side for convenient access to gear or snacks. It’s a nice feature that lets you quickly access items or pack more food for longer rides where you need more calories. Shimano has also incorporated their Sterrato 2.0 chamois which has fast-drying materials and long-lasting comfort for challenging endurance rides.

EVOLVE MERINO ALL-SEASON JERSEY

For cooler weather riding, it’s hard to beat a full length merino wool jersey. Shimano markets the Evolve Merino All-Season Jersey as designed for year-around use with temperature ranges from 40-60 Fahrenheit depending on how you layer it. Shimano offers the jersey in three unique colors: mirror brown, mirror gray and moss green. For this review we have the mirror gray color which is an off-white or almost slate color that mimics the off-white color of a mirror. It’s an unusual color that reminds us of POC helmets and should be a lot easier to keep clean than a full white jersey.

Shimano has gone for a premium look with a solid color scheme and minimal branding with no logos on the front. You can visually see the different materials used on the front, arms and rear panels. The front and sleeves of the jersey has lightweight synthetic materials while the rear panel has Merino wool. Unfortunately it’s a pretty low percentage of Merino wool with only 30% for the back panel. The jersey is mostly polyester but has a lightweight and breathable design that is designed to accommodate mixed weather conditions. On the front there is a full length front length zipper with contrasting black color and zipper garages. A raised collar for additional weather protection and standard set-in-sleeves. The sleeves also have reflective logos on the sides and elastic cuffs.

Shimano has incorporated five pockets in the jersey with your standard three rear pockets and a zippered waterproof pocket on the right side. There is an additional fifth mesh pocket on the left side for even more storage or to hold snacks. It’s a relatively narrow pocket but more convenient to access as it’s right off the side. Reflective details along the edge of the pockets provide additional visibility in low light conditions.

EVOLVE PRIMA JACKET

The Evolve Prima Jacket is the ultimate outer layer for the Evolve lineup that combines Primaloft insulation with Merino wool. This is a lightweight jacket that provides warmth and breathability to handle anything from 30-50 degree temperature ranges. Shimano only offers the jacket in a black color which shares the solid color scheme design of the Evolve lineup. Branding is limited to a reflective logo on the arm which gives the jacket a premium appearance. There are also reflective elements along the waist and cuffs for additional visibility which is critical when you have an all-black jacket in low light conditions.

You can visually see all the different materials on the jacket as there is a shiny puffer-jacket style material on the chest and up the shoulders. The front has the Primaloft insulation region which is windproof yet still breathable to keep core temperatures regulated. Along the arms and backside you have a 48% merino wool blend that provides additional temperature regulation. On the front there is a full length two-way zipper which makes it easy to access jersey pockets beneath the jacket or quickly vent off some heat. The jacket also has a tall raised collar for additional warmth and protection from the elements.

At first glance the Evolve Primaloft jacket looks like it has no pockets or openings but there is a hidden zipper along the right rear seam. It’s a pass-through zipper which can be opened for venting or to reach inside to access pockets underneath the jacket. It’s also easy to miss the built-in stash pocket on the other side with an elastic pull that lets you fold the entire jacket into a small bundle for storage and traveling.

EVOLVE PRIMA WIND VEST

The Evolve Prima Wind Vest is a lightweight windproof vest that provides warmth without the bulk of a full jacket. Shimano markets the temperature range from 30-55 Fahrenheit depending on how you layer it. The Evolve Prima Wind Vest is currently offered in three different color options: green, mirror gray and mirror brown. We have the mirror gray color to match the rest of the kit which has a nice off-white color that can almost be described as a slate gray. All the color options have a solid color scheme with a black front zipper and a bronze stripe along the chest and rear panel. The stripe is reflective which gives you additional visibility in low light conditions and has a Shimano logo along the chest. It’s a modern take on the classic stripe cycling kit designs that looks good in any of the colors.

On the front there is a full length two-way zipper which makes it easy to access jersey pockets beneath the jacket or quickly vent off some heat. The vest also has a tall raised collar for additional warmth and protection from the elements. On the rear you can see the shiny wind proof material used on the front and the more breathable rear panel material along the shoulder seam. There are no pockets with this wind vest to keep everything lightweight and easy to pack. Shimano has integrated a built-in storage bag to easily store and pack the vest which is a nice touch. You simply roll up the bag and then pull the elastic straps to compress everything together for easy storage.

RIDING IMPRESSIONS

We went with a size medium for all the items in the Evolve kit for our 6’1” 165lb test rider and found everything to fit well. Even though Shimano markets the Evolve cycling apparel as a part of their gravel collection, the fit of the items is closer to a road cycling outfit with a slim contoured fit. The only difference we noticed is that it’s not as skin-tight as some of Velocio’s apparel and the inclusion of additional pockets on the bib tights and jersey. With the mirror gray finish of our jersey and wind vest, the Evolve kit looks at home in any condition and has a premium finish that matches boutique apparel brands like Le Col.

We were impressed with the overall kit as the jersey, jacket and wind vest provide a nice combination of warmth and breathability. On cold 40 degree Fahrenheit mornings we added a base layer underneath the jersey and added the Prima jacket on top. The jacket’s puffer design and insulation provides impressive warmth for how thin the jacket is. While it’s not a full winter setup, the Prima jacket and even Prima wind vest provide an excellent combination of warmth and breathability that won’t leave you sweaty as the temperature rises. In particular, the Prima Vest is a great shoulder weather vest that has insulation typical thin wind vest but can still be worn in warmer temperatures than the Prima jacket.

THE VERDICT

Overall, we found the Shimano Evolve cycling apparel lineup to have premium quality and excellent warmth. Shimano has combined natural fabrics like Merino wool along with a slim form-fitting design for bib tights, jersey, jacket and wind vest to optimize comfort and warmth. The full kit can be worn together on cold rides, or separately to match the different weather conditions. We were impressed with the Primaloft insulation which helps the Prima jacket and Prima wind vest provide warmth while still being breathable. Details like solid color schemes, minimal branding and retro stripe design let the Evolve kit look great for gravel, road or any type or riding. As far as negatives, the only things we’d improve would be to move the bib tight pockets up a bit and add more color options to the Prima jacket. That said, the Shimano Evolve apparel lineup is an great choice for cyclists looking for premium looks, warmth and breathability for riding in cooler conditions.

Disclaimer: The product for this review was provided by Shimano. 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.