Sportful Bikewear Summer 2023 Review
15.06.23 07:20 3392023-06-15T07:20:00+02:00Text: Hannes & Julia Lederer (translated by AI)Photos: Erwin HaidenAttention, Ladies and Gentlemen! Our annual Best-of the Italian tailors, 100% individually selected and subjectively reviewed. Because performance is also a matter of style...15.06.23 07:20 4772023-06-15T07:20:00+02:00Sportful Bikewear Summer 2023 Review
15.06.23 07:20 4772023-06-15T07:20:00+02:00 Hannes & Julia Lederer (translated by AI) Erwin HaidenAttention, Ladies and Gentlemen! Our annual Best-of the Italian tailors, 100% individually selected and subjectively reviewed. Because performance is also a matter of style...15.06.23 07:20 4772023-06-15T07:20:00+02:00
Pedaling is simple, Sportful says: All it takes is to move your legs in a nearly circular motion alternately. Usually learned in early childhood and done millions of times since, the question of how to move is thus quickly dealt with (no biomechanics experts were apparently present when writing the 2023 catalog texts).
The Italians seem to find the question of why much more fruitful; the question of what drives people – "deep down" – to pedal: From the athlete to the traveler, from those who have just discovered the bike to those who can't spend a day without it.
There are those who pedal for self-fulfillment and others who want to prove something. Some pedal to let their thoughts run free, others to spend time with their friends. Everyone has a different motivation, and none is more important than the other.
Deep down
In the annual motto of 2023, Sportful addresses our motivation for cycling
Conclusion of the profound intro: The Sportful Spring/Summer Collection 2023 takes all these motivations seriously and embraces them. It is, loosely translated, a collection that includes all ways of approaching cycling. Moreover: "'Deep down' is the way we understand cycling and the passion with which we have always conceived and developed our products."
And, by the way, the motto also serves the Italians as inspiration for their graphics, color combinations, and designs, which are meant to be anything but shallow and superficial.
Any questions?
Glitch Bomber Jersey
For those who find the standard top too plain, they will be pleased. Because with the bright colors, you clearly stand out from the crowd. Meanwhile, the newcomer retains all the advantages that make the Bomber Sportful's fastest jersey: low weight, tight fit, aerodynamic features.
Although the material and cut are supposed to be the same, the jersey feels a bit different on my skin. Perhaps one or the other has noticed in the photos that the sleeves ride up on me. The standard Bomber doesn't do that.
Perhaps, however, I just need to train my 'guns' more, then it would fit more snugly.
Features of the Sportful Glitch Bomber Jersey:
- Smooth, stretchy polyester fabric with more structure at the back
- Sleeves made of compact stretch fabric
- Open pockets with gussets for more capacity and number holder made of micromesh
- Full-length YKK® Camlock® zipper for easy one-handed opening
- Four colors available for women (XS-XXL) as well as for men (S-XXXL, here: Multicolor Black)
- RRP € 109.90
The trick with the two mesh pockets over/on the back pockets only became apparent to me after the photo shoot. It's a bit fiddly to place a race number there correctly, but what wouldn't you do to save that extra watt or two. Plus, you don't end up poking holes in your nice new jersey with old, rusty safety pins.
Total Comfort Bibshort
Designing short pants, the hardest part is finding the right compromise between comfort and freedom of movement. A thick seat pad provides better comfort on the saddle but can restrict pedaling freedom, which can lead to uncomfortable friction. If the seat pad is too thin, the exact opposite effect occurs. With the Total Comfort Pad – now in its second version – the entire Sportful experience has been utilized to eliminate this compromise.
The seat pad is designed to be invisible. Its generous padding with foam up to 18 mm thick prevents any pain that might arise during long rides. At the same time, the structure with varying thicknesses and the overall shape do not restrict freedom of movement.
- Gradually compressive fabric and four-needle seams with no seams at the waist
- Two different types of straps: open in the middle, thinner on the sides
- Fabric-made leg end without external application, with support ensured by the heat generated from the skin.
- New multidensity, three-layer Total Comfort MD seat pad
- Available for women (XS-XXL) and men (S-XXXL) each in black
- RRP women €159.90, men €169.90
Light Pro Jersey
Light, lighter, Light Pro! This essence of lightness is by far our favorite jersey!
On hot summer days, there is no alternative for us. It is aerodynamically tight-fitting, yet almost imperceptibly comfortable like a second skin.
Almost a whisper of nothing, yet robust enough to pack the highly stretchable back pockets full of everything you need for long tours. And the mesh pocket for the race number is also included here.
- extra breathable construction with innovative, especially lightweight fabrics
- minimalist seams at the collar for comfort and a tidy look
- 3 open pockets with increased capacity plus an extra pocket made of micro mesh as a number holder
- highly stretchable material on the shoulders for a perfect fit
- laser-cut sleeve ends
- four designs for women (XS-XXL, here: Shaded Nightshade) and for men (S-XXXL, here: Shaded Green)
- MSRP € 99,90
Flow Supergiara Jersey
The Supergiara Jersey also gets a fresh coat of paint for the new season. An abstract painting graphic is intended to give adventurers off paved roads a boost in style.
The fit remains sporty and tight-fitting.
- 6 pockets on the back for maximum storage space
- reflective elements on shoulders, flanks, and back
- elastic hem at the bottom and YKK® zipper
- raw-cut sleeve ends
- Four designs each for women (XS-XXL, here: Nightshade Green) and for men (S-XXXL, here: Leather Jade Cream)
- RRP €109.90
Ah, noble readers, hear my word,
for today I praise a pair of shorts*,
that is addictive, I must say,
with its comfort during long wear.
The Total Comfort Bib, truly made for women,
is the most comfortable shorts Sportful has ever achieved.
I won’t beat around the bush,
it's the one I give the highest score.
For designing shorts, oh how difficult:
Comfort or freedom of movement? The choice is not fair.
But the Total Comfort Pad in version two,
manages the balance between the two.
The padding, so generous and fine,
encompasses up to eighteen millimeters of pure foam.
No pain that disturbs long rides,
with full freedom of movement - the competition grumbles: outrageous!
Thanks to the structure and leg closures,
the Bib sits perfectly without must.
Moreover, I find it practical:
The slanted silicone rubber bands make it beautiful.
Thus, I hereby recommend the Total Comfort Bib,
not only for women, but for everyone who likes it.
I hold Sportful's most comfortable very dear,
for its comfort and style, even on the longest bike day.
*Product information for the Total Comfort Bib above.
