Icebreaker to Debut First Running and Cycling Specific Lines

New Zealand merino pioneer to unveil first road, mountain and commute cycling and GT Running line at The OutDoor Show July 15th in Friedrichshafen, Germany and Outdoor Retailer in Salt Lake City August 3rd

Icebreaker, the New Zealand company that pioneered the outdoor merino wool apparel category (and a favorite of ours here at Bike World News, will debut its first lines of technical cycling and running apparel at upcoming trade shows in Germany and the United States. We’ll focus on the cycling range today.

If you like what you hear about Icebreaker, visit our store to get some for yourself.

Icebreaker Technical Cycling Apparel

Garments from the Icebreaker GT technical sports range have always been popular with cyclists, but Icebreaker has now responded to demand by launching a purpose-built line of cycling specific apparel for road, mountain and commuting cycling for Spring/Summer 2011. Icebreaker’s new GT Bike range features shorts and two different sets of tops: one set for road cyclists, and one for mountain bikers.

The styles designed for road cyclists have a slim, sleek, race fit to minimise air drag. The design style is bold, with clean, modern lines and colour blocking. Special features include: drop tail hems and a gripper at the back hem to keep the jersey in place; reflective rear details and branding, for visibility on evening and early morning rides; a three-panel back pocket for storage; and reinforced stress points on tops.

The bike shorts and bibs contain a very high percentage of merino – 85% – for lasting comfort and support in the saddle, with a minimal amount of spandex and nylon for durability, strength and resistance to pilling. Bike shorts can be judged on the quality of their chamois, so Icebreaker has partnered with an Italian manufacturer who supplies chamois to the world’s leading bike brands.

Icebreaker Creative Director Rob Achten says consumers have been asking Icebreaker for cycling specific apparel for as long as he can remember. “They’ve worn standard Icebreaker, but now they’ll be able to wear tops and shorts that are designed for the bike,” he says.

Natural, sustainably produced Icebreaker merino controls body temperature in all climates, is highly breathable to prevent the clamminess associated with synthetics, and protects road bikers from the sun’s harmful rays. It also resists odour and can be worn for days – sometimes weeks – without washing.

“The GT Bike garments have great functionality and great styling, so I’m sure road bikers are going to really happy to have their own specialist range at last,” says Icebreaker founder and CEO Jeremy Moon.

Icebreaker’s mountain biking garments have a sophisticated and functional design, built for durability over long distances. Eyelet fabric gives extra breathability in heat zones, and rear zipped security pockets are easily accessible to mountain bikers wearing a hydration pack.

Commuter Bike Apparel

Icebreaker is now at the forefront of meeting the rising demand for commuting clothing. People are tiring of being stuck in traffic jams each day, and are searching for a greener, more natural and more sustainable way of making the journey to and from work.

“Bike shops tell us that commuting is their fastest-growing clothing category,” says Achten. “The challenge for us was to create a range that had all the functionality you need on a bike but that looks good enough to wear in the office.”

Natural, renewable, sustainably produced Icebreaker merino is ideal for commuting because it resists odour. Commuters can wear Icebreaker’s machine-washable Commute tops all day, rather than having to change into another set of clothes when they arrive at work.

For those commuters who do choose to change into another set of clothes, Icebreaker merino is lightweight and low bulk – making it easy to stow away until its time for the commute home. Machine-washable Icebreaker merino also regulates temperature, protects against the sun’s harmful rays, and is highly breathable to prevent the clamminess associated with synthetic fibres.

The Commute range combines sharp urban styling with functional features for comfort and performance. Features include: gripper elastic around hems to prevent the fabric riding up and exposing riders’ lower back to cold weather; reflective tape for visibility; hip pockets that can be easily accessed by commuters wearing a messenger bag; and ergonomically-designed zip pulls.

Icebreaker has always been committed to ethical manufacturing and sustainability, and each Commute garment comes with its own unique “Baacode”. Customers can enter the Baacode online to trace the wool in their garment back through the supply chain to the New Zealand farm where it was grown.