Seriously. I got a screamin' deal on a merino jersey and it's the best piece of clothing I've ever put on my body in my entire life. I want to wear it every day. Unfortunately, people would look at me funny. So instead, I thought I'd hit up the classics forum (You guys dig wool, right?) and get some suggestions for places to buy nice wool jerseys.

There's the obvious google search, but I'd also be interested to hear which ones you prefer and why, what businesses have good service, etc.

Yeah I hate it when I run out of steel wool too. That is what this thread is about.... right?

Exactly. Cotton didn't make my nipples bleed hard enough. I thought the best approach would be jersey made entirely of steel wool. Do you know where to get any?

seriously?

https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ather-Clothing

Why all the cold comments? I thought it was a reasonable question, even if it has been covered before... so have a million and a half other topics.

Anyway, I am sure you will here from others about wool jerseys soon. We had a group buy for some from Oregon Cycle a while back but we didn't get enough interest. That would have been my first.

For me it's got to be Rapha.
It is expensive but the quality is fantastic and the styling is cool - no big logos or advertising and subtle colours.
The jerseys are a merino mix which is ultra soft and comfy - the merino LS jersey is luxurious and stylish.
I currently live in New Zealand where the merino sheep grow and i'm addicted to the stuff!

Merino wool is wonderful and wish all my clothes were made of it. I'm getting there. I got some second hand merino wool sweaters a few years ago and was hooked. I live in the pacific northwest where it is always damp but my lambswool sweaters were too itchy to even contemplate. Way better than cotton or synthetic! Perfect for summer and winter and everything in between. May I plug cashmere as well? Like wearing kittens. I find the fancy schmanzy merino jerseys at high end bike shops very itchy. Rivendell(rivbike.com) sells a great selection of merino clothing at decent price as do most bicycle clothing online stores. I am a big fan of Icebreaker which costs the earth but it's so soft, wonderful, and lasts. Icebreaker is big on marketing and being sexy, but I love the stuff. I have a pile of it. I buy it on sale and on ebay. If it has so much as a snag, it will be on sale. I have not heard of Rapha! Smartwool makes merino activewear and is okay. Ibex is an american company that specializes in merino and has oodles of cycling stuff plus new merino knickers for men. Made in the USA. All kind of pricy. But if you are looking for a merino sweater check out the gap or other such stores. In the winter they bring in cheap merino sweaters that quickly go on sale. I also scour second hand stores for merino sweaters etc.. I can fit into sweaters that have been shrunk.
Just don't put merino in the dryer!

Seriously? Wool is not just for cool weather. That's why I thought I'd ask the people inclined towards "classic" things who might know about both cool and warm weather wool items.

Thank you for those of you who have weighed in with actual opinions. I do appreciate it.

I believe illwafer's post wasn't so much about "why wool?" but more about "why not search the forum for a thread on wool?".

I have a couple Kucharik SS jerseys and find them to be comfortable: https://www.kucharikclothing.com/-c-43.html

This is good info.

This is the one my wife bought me for my birthday.

https://www.rapha.cc/merino-jersey-1

I wouldn't have the fiscal "guts" to order this on my own.

I usually pick up Merino wool outer sweaters for a song at a local second hand shop. $20 max for a nice used one is at the top end of the pricing scale for me.

Found one for $2, as it had a loose stitch under the arm.

Restitched it quickly with some thread I keep in my fishing vest, and I am good to go.

My short sleeve wool jerseys are from Ibis and Swobo. My long sleeve are Swobo and Portland Cycle Wear (from a C&V group buy). I wear one or the other all year round though I also like wearing short or long-sleeve wool t-shirts.

Try backcountryoutlet.com for some screaming good deals.

Neal

Yep, wool is a great year round material. I buy from my local Massachusetts company, Earth, Wind and Rider:

https://www.ewnr.com/

Scott

https://www.sierratradingpost.com/sea...s=True&page=10

Here's 372 results from a 'merino' search at Sierra Trading Post. Lots of socks.... I didn't scour the results for screaming deals, but I've gotten bargains on lots of stuff from this company. Great customer service.

+1 on thrift stores. I've picked up some nice sweaters for a couple dollars.

I can't spend 170 or 150 or 120 bux on a Jersey. I rarely spend that much on my bikes!

I've got 2 of these...got em on sale for $30 each. Its 95% Merino Wool. I run mine through the washer and dryer same as my other clothes with no problems.
https://www.sierratradingpost.com/p/,...e-For-Men.html

Just ordered one of these. https://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product...8_10000_200477
100% merino wool. $50 plus there's always coupon codes for around 20% off kicking around.

The Oregon Cycle ones look nice if not just a little pricey. If there was interest in trying a group buy again I'd be in....thats the only way their prices get down low enough for my (admittedly cheap) tastes.

^1
I'd be in as well. Their knickers look alright too.

I now have cold weather "Therminal" tights from Specialized made from some wonder stretch synthetics that's suppose to breath and dry out as needed while riding, but keep you warm and dry. It's a definite improvement on synthetic material cycling clothing from the 80's, but I still do get the clammy feeling when I wear it.
I still have my old (cheap) Italian made wool tights I bought from Performance in the early 80's. I'm really tempted to wear them again, but they do have a few holes on them (I suspect moths). They also seem a bit smaller than I remembered them to be. I'm hoping it's because I accidentally shrank it at one time and just not me expanding after many years not wearing it. Damn, I do miss the the comfort rain/shine warm and cold wearing them!
Wool is Real!!

Chombi

Last year, I got a long sleeve polo shirt of merino wool from Costco for $20. Unbelievable. Also unbelievably stupid that I bought only one. Check Costco this fall and winter! You never know what they'll have.

I'm holding out for titanium wool. Isn't that what the pros use?

The steel wool jerseys are indeed not as light as the titanium ones, but steel flexes just as well and breathes the same. Aluminum wool will fail for sure in 5 years flat.


Seriously, thanks all for the input. I think I'd be in for the group buy as well if it came up again.

And Zaphod, I scored the short sleeve version of that from performance for 50 bucks. If they have my size left (doubtful) in the long sleeve on nashbar by payday, I may order that as well. It's amazing. Very soft and comfy.

Zaphod, be careful putting merino in the dryer. Unless it is a blend of some sort it will shrink. It only takes one time that the water is too hot or the dryer goes on for too long. Also from a longevity standpoint, clothing breaks down faster in the dryer. I will warm up my woolies in the dryer but that's it. I always have to rescue wool things from my husband's laundry and he's shrunken quite a bit of wool.
And merino does not have to be expensive or bike specific, anything from the gap etc or second hand will do. It's good to have layers and you can be creative too if you sew.

I'll keep it in mind Heather, thanks. So far I've been putting my jerseys in the dryer for a long time with no ill effects. Some is a blend with as much as 10% not-wool, some is 100%. Guess I've been on a looooong lucky streak

Sweaters get laid out to dry though....its probably been about 10 years since my last 'accident'...that one was a doozy I shrunk a favorite sweater of mine down from a Men's Large to about a Women's Petite. That was like heavy Itchy wool though, and knitted.

Remember you don't have to wear bike specific clothes to ride a bike.

The Aussie Merino Skins that Rivendell sells are fantastic. They're around $50 to $60 for long- and short-sleeve t-shirts that are extremely comfortable, durable and go through the wash with everything else just fine. I've seen the same thing other places as well, but not significantly cheaper.

Of course the best deal is the $3 thrift-store sweater.....those do tend to shrink in the wash as mentioned though.

Chris

Yeah, last fall Target had Merino sweaters for like $25 or something. Only v-necks unfortunately but still very nice for the price.

Look around and you'll find things. I've become a real fan of Merino wool in the last few years. I got a couple of the cheap Costco polos, they're OK. Rivendell (of course) has some merino shirts and tights that I like and use regularly. Short sleeve for summer! www.rivbike.com I've bought one or two things from Sierra Trading Post as at least one other post has mentioned.

None of the things I have are actually called bike jerseys, and none have a rear pocket, but other than that they work well for me.