Late last month, GOREWEAR quietly launched their updated Distance 2.0 bibs and a new Distance jersey. At a recent media camp hosted in San Diego, we had the chance to catch up with the team at GOREWEAR, learn all about the kit, and ride in it in the beautiful California sun. While we are still buzzing from that beautiful coastline, here are the details about both items, along with a comparison of the Distance and Distance 2.0 bibs, which saw some pretty interesting updates to an already solid bib.
GOREWEAR has made a name for itself by creating technical gear to get you through any ride, any time of year, but has also been focusing on long rides.
“Endurance is our comfort zone,” explains GOREWEAR Product Line Manager Amy Evans. “It might sound cheesy, but it’s true. You can pretty much wear anything on a short ride, and get away with it. When it comes to GOREWEAR, there are no excuses, you are riding any day of the year, any climate, any time, any condition. We have our own materials to get you there, and then we choose the best fabrics that fit into our portfolio for every other ride.”
The original Distance bib was created to be the bib for your longest days in the saddle. It blended a silky smooth material with a long-distance chamois from Elastic Interface, but there were some things that could be improved upon. The Distance 2.0 bib and Distance jersey are the new complete kit for long days in the saddle, but there is more to it than that.
“This kit is for the special rides, for the fast rides, for the long rides, and for your favorite rides,” continues Evans. “This is the kit you are going to use for that long Sunday ride with your friends. This is the kit you want to look really cool in when you are meeting new people. This is the kit for this really awesome event coming up and I want to feel fast and look fast.”
The Distance 2.0 Bib Shorts
When Evans was looking at the Distance bib at the beginning of the update project, she wanted to look at what worked and what didn’t, along with adding a jersey to the product line to create the technical pairing with a classy, modern look. The biggest piece of feedback about the original was the fabric and how soft it feels. It was the first thing that I noticed when I touched the original Distance bib. It really is soft and feels absolutely incredible against your skin. So instead of changing that up, they kept the ultra-dense, ultra-fine knit (think high thread count sheets) polyamide/elastane and went to work on finding ways to improve other aspects. For the bib, there were four main areas to focus on, the seams, chamois, straps, and leg openings.
Seams – The more seams, the more possibilities of a breakage point and chafing. The original Distance bib didn’t have a lot of seams to begin with, but GOREWEAR was able to remove half of them. This should improve durability even further, and help them last longer. It’s interesting to note, according to Evans, it is actually cheaper to make bibs with more panels than fewer panels.
Chamois – They had a great chamois, but because of how it was constructed, it made it more complicated to integrate into the shorts, which could lead to some issues. They worked with Elastic Interface to make a new chamois that is flat instead of the curve the previous version had. I could feel a difference when I first put them on and was walking back to get lunch during the training event. They also made the foam a little denser (additional comfort when riding upright or aero), and adjusted some of the shaping and foam build-up. All of this helped to create a chamois that is extremely comfortable and reduces the possibility of chafing even more.
Straps – This is one of the biggest updates. The bib straps on the Distance were stretchy and had a tacky texture on the back, which was great with staying in place with a base layer, but can wear on the base layer material or pull on body hair. It also tended to roll because of how thin they were. In my experience, they were comfortable, but a little finicky to get in place. On the updated Distance 2.0, GOREWEAR moved to an engineered one-piece construction. They are not quite as soft as the original as they are slightly thicker, but will stay in place, breath better, and are wide enough that they will not roll. Also, with how they are attached to the shorts, they can easily be removed and shortened for fit. They also updated the straps to be white to hide under lighter color/white jerseys.
Leg Openings – The raw cut edge worked great on the original, so they kept it for the update. The raw edge helps to comfortably adapt to various leg sizes without the sausage leg look. With a hemmed seam, it can be a bit more restrictive to larger legs. Also, instead of the silicone gripper, the 2.0 uses a silicone print that allows for more stretch and more breathability.
One other update is the front panel of the short. The original was a breathable fabric that was cut a little lower in more of a racing cut. This is great if you are a pro-level rider, but for the rest of us, it was maybe a little low. The Distance 2.0 short uses a Windstopper panel, which is cut a little higher and provides more support.
The Distance Jersey
When Evans got her first pair of Distance bibs, she asked what jersey to wear with it. They didn’t have a perfect answer, because there wasn’t a matching Distance jersey. So instead of grabbing a jersey off the rack and rebranding it as the Distance jersey, Evans worked with her design team to create something new with long-distance riding in mind.
Material – First off, she wanted to use a similar material as the bibs. It was so comfortable, so why couldn’t they make a jersey out of it. It’s a slightly different blend, and it uses a recycled polyamide and elastane, but it looks and feels identical to the bibs.
Sleeves – For the arms, they went with a longer sleeve to match current trends but also went with a raw cut for the same benefits on the shorts. Whether you have Chris Froome arms or are a track sprinter with some guns, the raw cut will remain comfortable.
Neckline – With many jerseys, the collar and neckline fit great standing up, but when you are in the riding position, you unzip it a little bit so you don’t feel like you are choking. Evans questioned why you should need to unzip it, so they went with a lower neckline. It still has a collar in the back for a little bit of extra sun protection, but the collar disappears into the neckline as it gets closer to the zipper. Not a super V or super wide like some TT suits, but just enough that most people probably won’t even notice it.
Pockets – Since this is a kit for long rides, they expect that you are going to want to carry more in your pockets. Drink mixes, food, tools, a flask, you know. So when they designed the pockets, they added some gussets at the bottom to help them expand to carry more, but still lay flat when not full. This, along with that lower neckline, helps to keep the jersey in place and not ride up in front and choke you. There’s also a small zippered pocket on the side to stash a key, money, and ID.
Gripper – Some jerseys have a gripper that tends to be a little too aggressive. Instead of holding it in place, it can actually make it ride up or even wear into your bibs. For the Distance jersey, GOREWEAR went with a printed pattern similar to the leg grippers to keep everything in place, but still remain comfortable. In front, there is a little stability added with a glued hem, keeping it ligh
Something else you might notice across both pieces is the new branding. On the original distance bib, they used the GORE logo, but have switched over to the full GOREWEAR name. The brand originally started off as Gore Bike Wear, before changing to GOREWEAR when they merged with the running side in 2018. The new branding shows full GOREWEAR, with the logos being a black reflective print for a classy look. The logos are on both sides of the sleeves and legs to cover whatever side of the road you ride on, with a small logo on the back of the jersey as well.
What Do We Think?
I’ll fully admit that a 30-mile ride isn’t really enough to test out the full capabilities of this kit, but it gave me a good preview. The best compliment I can give is that it is a kit I don’t want to take off. Comfort, looks, and performance are all on point for a top-level kit. The material used on the kit is one of the softest and most comfortable materials I’ve ever worn in a cycling kit. I feel supported where I need in the legs and through the top of the shorts, and never constricting. The chamois is comfortable and doesn’t feel like anything is out of place, even when riding on something other than my preferred Velo Angel. The straps work with or without a base layer and felt comfortable in place.
The jersey is a standout as well. The lower neckline is something that I wish all brands would do, to the point that I almost want to see if I can get my team kit altered to mimic the design. It looks great whether you are standing or riding, but is still subtle enough that most people wouldn’t even notice it. During the ride, I did stuff in a multi-tool, my phone, arm and knee warmers, and a light Ambient vest that they also gave us. I could feel the pockets stretching out as designed, and the jersey was comfortable to wear, even when loaded down.
During the ride, we couldn’t have asked for nicer weather. Temps in the high 50’s to low 60’s were perfect for the kit with a light mesh base layer underneath. I started off with the vest and warmers, but ditched them pretty early in the ride. The entire kit was nice and breathable, so I never felt like I needed to unzip to cool off, even after a few hard efforts up climbs. It wasn’t until an all-out effort up the aptly named Hill Street trying to keep up with Evans that I finally felt warm enough that I wanted to unzip a little bit. Any sweat was quickly wicked from my skin to keep me dry and cool.
We’ll need to get more time in the saddle before we can give you a full review, but initial impressions are very promising. I was a fan of the Distance Bib, so the updates and the new matching jersey already seem like they are making it an even better complete kit.
At $200 for the Distance 2.0 bibs and $150 for the Distance jersey, they are both a great value for the premium kit you are getting, rivaling more expensive kits from other brands. Both items are available for men and women, and come in a multiple colors to help you find what combination you like the best.
Men’s Distance 2.0 Bibs – XS-XL – Utility Green, Orbit Blue, Black
Men’s Distance Jersey – XS-XL – Utility Green, Ultramarine Blue, Orbit Blue, Lab Grey, Black
Women’s Distance 2.0 Bibs – XXS-L – Utility Green, Black
Women’s Distance Jersey – XXS-L – Utility Green, Ultramarine Blue, Orbit Blue, Black
www.gorewear.com
Heckling Editor, Image Taker, Crash Test Dummy, and Beard Master at Bikeworldnews.com
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