Modern merino

With the chilling prospect of winter looming ahead of us, dhb has unveiled a new range of kit equipped to fight the forces of nature

For cyclists, winter can be a dark and unsettling time, when the bicycle is banished to the shed and our finest summer kit placed at the back of a drawer. However, modern technology has found solutions to many of mankind’s problems over the years, and dhb has harnessed its wonders to make winter riding more comfortable, more affordable and even more appealing.

‘One of the key things we say at dhb is that we don’t pretend winter doesn’t exist, but with the right kit it doesn’t have to be a problem,’ says brand manager James Pullinger. The material at the heart of dhb’s solution is natural merino wool. Following the success of dhb’s merino base layers, the brand has now expanded the range to also include merino long and shortsleeved jerseys.

Merino wool has often been sought after for its unique material properties. As thick and luxurious as the wool that smothers merino sheep may look, the diameter of each strand of wool is actually less than a third that of a strand of human hair – under 24 microns. This ultra-fine quality offers it exceptional insulation properties without sacrificing breathability and softness. Ask anyone who’s ridden with merino clothing – it just feels good.

A wolf in sheep’s clothing

‘We all love riding in merino base layers. I think most of our team start a ride this time of year and the question is, “Which merino base layer should we wear?”,’ says Pullinger. As dhb designs and tests its kit in the South East of England, its merino jerseys are purpose made for Britain’s unique mixture of cold and damp weather.

For example, while merino does possess water resistant qualities of its own, dhb has blended its merino with nylon and polypropylene, the latter’s advanced wicking properties ensuring that where the merino would normally deform and become irritable against the skin, instead water moves to the outer surface of the jersey. ‘We were keen to create something that doesn’t have an itchy, pure wool kind of feel,’ Pullinger adds.

While technical winter kit has traditionally been restrictive in terms of cost, dhb has hit an impressive price point for its merino-based items, with the Merino Long Sleeve Jersey for instance costing only £80. This isn’t a sign of cost-cutting, though, as dhb’s merino is sustainably sourced and not diluted with cheaper materials. Thankfully, there’s a men’s and women’s specific cut of each garment too.

Complementing the new merino range are garments such as dhb’s FLT Roubaix Bib Tights and Classic Windproof Gilet. The FLT (Flashlight Technology) tights use highquality reflective panels to increase visibilily on dark rides. The FLT tights also boast an Elastic Interface® Pad, Roubaix lining and breathable mesh panels to create a premium cold weather garment that doesn’t overheat during head-down hard winter efforts.

For a brand traditionally associated with value and utility, the on-trend burgundy colourways of the jersey and subtle fluorescent highlights in the tights shows that affordability, technical performance and good design no longer need to be separated. After all, as much as we need to survive winter, we may as well survive in style.

‘At dhb we don’t pretend winter doesn’t exist, but with the right kit it doesn’t have to be a problem’