..........................................................................................................................................................................................................

endura gv500 reiver s/s jersey and bibshort

gravel cycling, as a genre, has obviously provided one or two headaches when it comes to simple categorisation. with developments already splitting down the middle, those offering gravel augmentation have had to make an early decision as to which particular fork in the (gravel) road they opt to follow. already, international bikeshows have shown gravel bikes featuring suspension, along with others who have dispensed with drop bars to replace them with the flatter variant. marry suspension with flat bars, and surely you have a mountain bike?

older cyclists may recall the inimitable john tomac, the inspiration behind tioga's farmer john tyres and several other mtb products. a man whose principal metier was offroad, was also known to compete on the road during the summer, outfitting his mountain bike with drop bars in order to replicate his road-going position. he could arguably be credited with having ridden the first true gravel bike.

but whether gravel is regarded as an adjunct to mountain biking or a descendant of road-cycling, depends pretty much on from which side of the loose stuff you arrived.

editor of cyclist magazine, pete muir, explains in his editorial this month, that he is on the receiving end of mail informing him that gravel is an abomination, dangerously close to mountain biking and "...has no place in a road-focused magazine such as cyclist." mr muir has responded by explaining that he sees gravel as "...an extension of road-riding...", an opinion i'm not entirely sure that i share. however, if such a diversity of opinions exist, how does, for instance, a purveyor of cycling apparel decide down which road to venture?

for instance, if opting for the more mtb train of thought, as already witnessed from one major cycling apparel provider, the range is almost compelled to feature baggy(ish) shorts and technical t-shirts, as opposed to the more standard, close-fitting cycling jersey with three rear pockets, accompanied by a pair of lycra shorts. the latter is the route taken by scotland's endura with their gv500 gravel range, items from which they were kind enough to send in my direction (and a range that also includes technical tees).

following on from the gt500 offroad shoes reviewed but a matter of weeks past, i was sent a reiver jersey in paprika to match not only the aforementioned shoes, but also remarkably closely, the principal colour of my specialized crux cyclocross bike. the jersey was joined by a pair of gv500 reiver bibshorts and a hooded, paprika coloured waterproof jacket. a review of the latter will need to wait until the rain begins to fall once again; the curse of the waterproof reviewer struck once more, its arrival coinciding with unbroken sunshine.

the short-sleeve jersey, in truth, is not a great deal removed from a regular road-going cycle jersey. though sunshine prevailed throughout the review period, the temperature never quite matched the picture-postcard views, leading me to accessorise with a pair of endura tartan armwarmers. if i might, once again, briefly refer to the waterproof jacket, it offers the opportunity to pack tightly into its mesh-lined chest pocket. the potential problem appeared to be the size of that pack, its dimensions and bulk threatening not to fit easily into any one of the jersey's three rear pockets. yet blow me down, did it not fit easily into a pocket that appeared to be far too small.

genius.

constructed from elastane, nylon and recycled polyester, the jersey commendably feels more like natural fibres and provides a very comfortable fit. though i can't pretend my exertions would have overtly troubled its constitution, it does offer a high degree of breathability and gossamer weight. and, having mentioned the three rear pockets, in true road-style, there is also the obligatory zipped fourth for keys or coffee money. aside from being able to stuff the waterproof jacket into one of the three main pockets, the other two comfortably swallowed a mini-pump, tyre-jack, digital camera and essentials case. despite such heavy cargo, the jersey retained its form impressively, without edging any closer to the rear tyre.

the bibshorts, to introduce an immediate spoiler alert, are amongst the finest bibshorts it has been my good fortune to wear. the fit was superb both on the legs, grippers, waist and elastic bib straps. the right leg features a large mesh pocket, while the left sports a similar sized mesh enclosure, but divided in two. i have seen riders wearing similarly featured bibs, jam these with everything but the kitchen sink, however ungainly it appears. having filled the rear pockets, i'd no real need to utilise the mesh pockets on the shorts, but i did try the digital camera in the right and pump and tyre-jack in the left, without either creating any impediment to my smooth, supple pedalling style or hindering my lightning quick speed.

a guy can dream, can't he?

in the true spirit of their origination, i spent many a happy hour or so, perambulating some nearby gravel tracks, constructed during logging operations a few years back, with both feet clad in a pair of tangerine jagged socks (referring to the pattern, not the comfort factor) and the mt500 footwear. of course, there's nothing stopping anyone from referring to any item of cycle clothing as gravel related, and i may be guilty of reviewing by association, but for my gravel efforts, these products from endura are absolutely ginger peachy.

totally gravellous.

endura's gv500 s/s reiver jersey is available in paprika (as reviewed) and olive, in sizes ranging from small to xxl at the remarkable cost of £89.99. the reiver bibshorts are available only in black, in the same range of sizes as the jersey, priced at £129.99, considerably less than the price you'd expect. a review of the waterproof jacket will follow when it rains.

thursday 31 march 2022