When it comes to performance cycling, Team First Ascent Rider, Luke Evans, knows just the type of features one needs in a cycling kit, in order perform at your best. Having put the new First Ascent Podium range to the test, he shares with us his feedback on the new race kit.
Men's Victory Cycling Jersey
The ultimate race jersey, that's probably the best way to sum up the new First Ascent Victory Cycling Jersey. Lightweight and breathable are two features that manufacturers like to go on about with their latest and greatest kit, and whilst these are important elements to a race jersey there is so much more that is required in order to make it great.
The tailored race fit of this jersey combined with the clever panel placement, developed from different breathable and flexible fabrics makes this jersey hug the body. This allows the jersey to seamlessly wick away sweat even on the hottest of days, when you are toiling up some ludicrously long and steep climb like the Merino Monster in Tankwa Trek.
This amazing fit combined with deep tight pockets that provide heaps of space for you to securely stash nutrition in without having it bounce around and a clever zippered pocket to safely store your phone, and you have a jersey than can stand up to any race you dare to take on!
Men's Podium Bib Short
After my first ride in the new First Ascent Podium Bib Shorts, they seemed somewhat unremarkable, and I mean that in the best possible way. Let me put that ride into context, it was 65km's of incredibly gruelling, rough and rocky but sublime single track found at the Piket-Bo-Berg marathon, on a scorching hot day that just wouldn’t seem to end.
When I finished I was shattered and aching all over, but I had not even paused to notice that I had been in a pair of new bib shorts that I had never ridden in before. Normally if you were to tell someone that they had to do a long race in a pair of bib shorts they had never tried on before they would say you're in for trouble, but these just seemed to disappear into the background and not give me a second thought the whole day, which is exactly what you want from a top-end bib short. All-day comfort to the point that you're not even noticing that you're sitting on a piece of carbon-reinforced leather with a slithering of foam in the middle for a saddle.
First Ascent has really raised their bar with these new bib shorts, the multi-density foam chamois has smartly placed high-density foam that helps create the all-day comfort associated with the luxurious and ludicrously expensive European competition. Pair that chamois with high-grade light lycra that conforms to your legs and holds the chamois in place and some uber tacky silicon grippers and you have a winning combination!
