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On test: Spiuk Dual jersey and Top Ten shorts, December 1, 2005
Pass the paella, por favor
Steve Beletich pulls on jersey and shorts from Basque clothing maker Spiuk, with diet-altering results
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A smallish Basque manufacturer with an unpronounceable name, Spiuk was set up just six years ago and since then has expanded rapidly into European and American markets. Spiuk produces pretty much everything from sunglasses to helmets, shorts, jerseys, gloves, socks - the list goes on. Sister brand Kuips (Spiuk spelt backwards) is similarly spread across bikes, frames, forks, saddles, seat posts, and so on.
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The Dual jersey and Top Ten shorts on test are both made in the Basque country of northern Spain. The jersey is made from soft, stretchable polyester, and has a vertical waffle-like weave. Our test model is light blue, with navy blue panels in the sides, sleeves and collar. It's an understated, stylish design, with no hint of pretension or loudness. Small logos on the rear and front left breast are the only clues to the brand. The jersey has a hidden zip which extends almost to the bottom of the waist, and the compulsory three large pockets at the rear. What sets it apart from many other jerseys is the small, zippered fourth pocket, also at the rear. The jersey panels are stitched together with a tonne of overlocking, and there's grippy tape around the inside rear of the waistline.
The Spiuk Top Ten shorts are plain black Lycra, with white stitching and one-inch wide reflective strips down each side. Spiuk logos are glued to the legs and rear. Stitching again looks bomb-proof, and there's elastic grip-tape at the bottoms of the legs. The synthetic chamois is a two-piece unit based on a thick Coolmax central pad surrounded by velvet-like side panels. The bibs are made from a highly porous fabric which extends down into the small of the back, for maximum cooling.
For reasons that will soon become apparent, I have to state that I am 6ft 1in (185cm) tall and, at the time of writing, weigh 83kg (highly variable). The Dual jersey, in large size, fitted my upper body perfectly, but was quite loose around the middle. It was more of a pear-shape than your typical body-hugger.
On the road, this proved to be a comfortable, relaxed design, which promoted carefree riding. The stitching did not bite or chafe, and the fabric felt velvety-smooth. The standout feature was the small zippered pocket at the rear. Ideal for cell phone and keys, which is a godsend as I've previously had two sets of keys bounce out of jersey pockets.
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The shorts, in XL size, fitted my bottom half perfectly. The bibs however were waaaay too short. Thanks go to my mother-in-law, who sewed 20cm (8in) of elastic into each bib, just so I could put them on without cutting circulation to my arms. Thus these shorts are probably suited to someone around four inches shorter than me (5ft 9in, say), who has the same sized bottom end. Or perhaps I just need to move up to the XXXL size and adhere to a strict regime of deep squats and paella, in order to fill out the legs and backside, not to mention the jersey waist.
Once modified, the Spiuk Top Ten shorts were an absolute dream, probably the most comfortable I have ever worn. The padding is generous and very soft, although I thought it could be a little wider, in order to comfortably clear the edges of the saddle. The low-friction side-panels of the chamois prevented any chaffing, and the legs stayed put thanks to elasticised grippers. The other good news was that the legs allowed easy access for calls of nature. Guys will need no explanation here, suffice to say that these bib shorts allow you to get the job done before the bunch can get too far up the road. No muss, no fuss. Regrettably, the Spiuk logos are falling off, but thankfully the reflective side stripes are stitched in.
All up, the Spiuk Dual jersey, with relaxed waistline, was quite comfortable. The zippered rear pocket will ensure that this jersey maintains a high priority in my weekly jersey rotation. The Top Ten shorts were also very comfortable, and from their build quality I expect them to last a very long time. As mentioned, the bib length was extraordinarily short, so if you're considering a pair, best to try before you buy.
Suggested retail price: Top Ten bib shorts-US$119; Dual jersey - US$79.99
Pros: zippered jersey pocket, comfortable chamois
Cons: shorts' bib length
More information: www.spiuk.com
US importer: www.dpmsports.com
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