Club Ride is “mountain lifestyle clothing,” designed from a biking perspective but intentionally made to be multi-functional. Founder Mike Herlinger wanted to “create clothing that spoke to the lifestyle led by the mountain bikers, hikers, raft guides, and ski bums creating their own opportunities in mountain towns.” Ten years later, Club Ride has spearheaded the bike lifestyle clothing category, and it’s easy to see why. As someone living on the road full time in a modestly-sized Vanagon Syncro, space is at a premium, and I don’t have the luxury of carrying clothing for all occasions. I’m always on the lookout for tasteful, multipurpose apparel that’s comfortable for everyday life on the road but manufactured using technical fabrics that are also expedition-ready. Club Ride ticks all the boxes and does so in style.
The company’s clothing features a timeless aesthetic that wouldn’t look out of place hiking, bikepacking, overlanding, or simply grabbing coffee downtown. Each product has been carefully considered and incorporates technical fabrics to optimise performance during strenuous activity. I particularly like how Club Ride takes a classic garment, such as the flannel, redesigns it completely, but still manages to retain the charm of the original. A great example is their M’s Shaka Flannel, which has a vintage appeal. Upon close inspection it is constructed of two-way stretch mid-weight poly woven yarn, is quick-drying, integrates underarm vents, RideLight reflective accents, a hidden sunglass cleaner, and two zippered pockets. Hence, these products offer established alpine style with updated mountain functionality. The company does have competitors—Kitsbow comes to mind—but considering many of Club Ride’s comparable products are half the price, I think this bolsters their appeal. Additionally, they offer a lifetime warranty for each product and a crash replacement program (i.e., if you accidentally damage an item, you may qualify for a discount to replace it).
I can see why so many people (including my girlfriend) rave about their apparel. If you’re investing in a premium garment, why not choose one that offers both timeless style and multi-functional performance? Ultimately, features such as anti-wrinkle, quick-dry, UPF (ultraviolet protection factor), vents, and two-way stretch “make as much sense in the saddle as they do behind the wheel or flying to the other side of the world to ride bikes.” Amen.
