When the box from DannyShane arrived, I was honestly excited to check out their kit. I had read the marketing messages about their bamboo white ash infused fabric, but I wanted to test it out for myself to see if it was hype, or reality. I’m happy to report, it works great.
First off, the Rigby Black jersey. It is part of the Retrospective line that is styled to be a little more reserved and give a classic look. In the black, white, red, and light blue color way, it resembles the current RadioShack Leopard Trek color scheme. The first time I zipped it up to check the size, the Rigby felt like a solid, well-made garment. Attention was taken to make sure that there were no long strings left from stitching. The fit is exactly what DannyShane promotes, an athletic, form fitting cut, but not a tight racing jersey. Even for this somewhat out of shape tester, the fit is great. While I usually wear a medium in my race kits, the large was very comfortable fitting and not too loose. I could have gone with a medium, but I’m happy I didn’t. Overall, sizing is pretty similar with many other brands.
The next item to try on was the Shelby S2 Bib short. Personally, I like a fair amount of compression in my bibs, so I usually go with mediums. On the DannyShane website, they even say to go smaller as they will stretch during the ride. For the Shelby, I went with a medium, and was not disappointed. The 100% recycled nylon and Lycra in an 8-panel cut fits snug to my legs and provides plenty of support. The straps on the bibs are comfortable to wear, and didn’t dig in. The leg band at the bottom fits comfortably with gel circles and a little bit of compression to hold them in place. Again, construction was spot on, and leaves you with a feeling of confidence that these bibs will last.
The final item in the box was something new for DannyShane. The Mabry Polo Shirt is part of their new Lifestyle line, an area I hope they expand on. These items are made to be comfortable and functional on the bike, but able to be worn off the bike too. They are made of the same bamboo white ash material as the jerseys to keep you cool on hot days. Following in line with the Rigby jersey and Shelby bibs, the Mabry Polo fits great, and is well made.
After several rides in the Rigby and Shelby, they have held up well. The Rigby has been extremely comfortable to wear in temperatures ranging from the high 50’s up to 100 degrees. The bamboo white ash infused material pulls the moisture from your skin, and evaporates quickly to keep you cool and comfortable. The material is very soft on your skin, giving it a very airy feeling and is comfortable all throughout the ride. A nice feature on the back is a small zippered pocket big enough to hold your ID, some cash, and a key. This keeps it out of the larger pockets and safe from possibly falling out when you are digging for a gel mid ride. About my only complaint on the jersey is the size of the rear pockets. The center pocket is as deep as most other jerseys, and can easily hold an iPhone, along with other items. The side pockets are cut at a slight angle, which helps when you are reaching in. On the other hand, they are a little smaller, and not able to carry as much on longer rides. Making the pockets a little deeper, while keeping the angled cut on the sides would make this jersey just about perfect.
The Shelby bibs still retained their compression fit, even after several washes and hang dries. The all black styling gives way to a smart white stripe down the left leg, and gives it a little flash, and has stayed pretty crisp so far. For those wearing embro in the cooler temps though, I would recommend being careful when applying to make sure that it does not stain. The chamois has been comfortable on rides of around 3 hours. Personally, I recommend still wearing chamois cream, but like saddles and helmets, everyone has their personal opinions on what works. Some may find the chamois a little bulky. It was not as thin as my race kit chamois, but still remained comfortable and various bike/saddle combinations I tested.
The Mabry Polo has been one of my favorite items of the test. It has made its appearance in the office during the week and on casual Fridays and some weekend assignments. Most people didn’t even realize it was made by a cycling company. A small zippered pocket on the back is about the only tipoff that it is not a normal polo shirt. When I told coworkers and friends about the bamboo white ash infused material, they were shocked. “That’s made from bamboo? It’s so soft!” is what I heard the most. Moisture management is just as good as the Rigby jersey too. Champagne and beer are managed well also. I found this out first hand. While opening a bottle of prosecco right out of a car after an hour drive, half the bottle was sprayed on me. Party foul, I know, it was a first for me, as my bubbly skills are usually impeccable. After rinsing the Mabry Polo out in the sink, I put it back on, and joined the party outside to face the heckling crowd. To my delight, it was dry in about 40 minutes. It was the same story after being sprayed with beer while shooting the podiums at the recent Iron Hill Twilight Crit in West Chester, PA. A quick air dry left me comfortable to grab a beer with friends afterwards.
DannyShane has you covered for all occasions. Their jerseys and bibs will keep you cool, dry, and comfortable, without being a billboard, and their polo shirts will keep a cyclist covert in the pub or the office. With the eco-friendly materials, and great styling, what more do you need?
Rigby Jersey – $115.00
Shelby S2 Bib Shorts – $195.00
Mabry Polo Shirt – $95.00
Heckling Editor, Image Taker, Crash Test Dummy, and Beard Master at Bikeworldnews.com
~Veggie Powered Athlete~
Location – Lancaster, PA
Current Testing Rigs – 2024 Van Dessel Arch65, 2019 Van Dessel Full Tilt Boogie, 2018 Van Dessel Motivus Maximus LTD, 2016 Van Dessel Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, 2015 Bianchi Sempre Pro, 1978 Trek TX900
Dream Bike – I’ll tell you when they make it
Discipline – Cyclocross, gravel, road and duathlons (ride/run)
Favorite Rides – Quiet country roads of Amish Country, some of the best roads around.
Food of Choice – Sweet potato roll
Beer of Choice – Unibroue Grand Reserve 17, aged four years
Bourbon of Choice – Widow Jane 10 Year