Have we discussed?
https://cyclingtips.com/2022/03/specialized-x-fjallraven/
Seems some 'interesting' colours and items, I'm still not convinced by G1000 for proper outdoor work, and hard plastic panniers I would like to see a review of...
(And no, no one mention socks and sandals)
I like fjallraven stuff, works well on those many days where it isn't raining but just feels damp.
One of the jackets wouldn't be my first choice for a riding one though.
sandals and socks - is this an ironic vibe, it’s not 1st April yet…
I think the plastic pannier is a great idea for urban trips - just put your carrier bag in and a strap over the top., but probably not a Fjallraven prices.
I’m still not convinced by G1000 for proper outdoor work
I've got two or three of their jackets/smocks, one i've had for over 15 years that gets used for commuting type cycling in the winter and garden work etc. It is G1000 and quite waterproof once it's been waxed, and only needs redoing a couple of times a year (takes 20 minutes or so) wouldn't fancing riding hard in it, as it might be "breathable" but its also pretty substantial! For sort of flat bar sightseeing/heavily laden tourists on their cast iron kalkhoff e-bikes in torrential rain. I can kind of see the point...
The heavy duty front and lightweight back has been done before though, lots of training jackets in the 80s/90s had that horrible foamy plastic insulated front and a lighter weight fabric ish back. Before the advent of proper tech materials.
Steve Irwin as a style inspiration? It's a thumbs up from me.
I think the plastic pannier is a great idea for urban trips – just put your carrier bag in and a strap over the top., but probably not a Fjallraven prices.
Yep they look to basically be klickfix mounted 'buckets' which would suit shopping and other stuff. Does kinda feel like something you could fashion for yourself perhaps... Hmmm.
In all seriousness I like it, happy to see more options than current MTB and roadie kit offers for just riding your bike.
I'm kinda 50:50 with Fjallraven stuff - I have a jacket and 3 pairs of trousers. All bought in the occasional sales.
It's not waterproof at all even with shed loads of wax and then the more wax you add the less breathable it becomes and it's not all that breathable to start with.
It's fairly durable when pushing through gorse/shrubbery when out with the dog.
It's massively over priced aspirational wear.
I don't think we are necessarily the target market.
Riding to work isn't exactly fashionable. I know a lot of us make it work because it helps with fitness and we already have a lot of the kit required. But for the vast majority of people, there are a lot of barriers. It's easy not to care about how you look, and it's easy to look like a lycra'd-up FPKW. But it's definitely hard to look fashionable.
Plus, the whole 'bucket+bag' pannier thing actually seems like a great solution.
If this stuff makes biking and bike-commuting simpler and crucially *more fashionable* and ultimately increases uptake, then I'm all for it.
Plus, the whole ‘bucket+bag’ pannier thing actually seems like a great solution.
It does, doesn't it?
I’m kinda 50:50 with Fjallraven stuff
Perhaps because their range is a strange 50:50 (ish) split between genuine outdoor clothing/equipment and fashion items?
It’s easy not to care about how you look, and it’s easy to look like a lycra’d-up FPKW. But it’s definitely hard to look fashionable.
I get what you mean. I just don't care about 'actually fashionable', just give me something that works on the bike as well as in a pub, fairly timeless style, durable. Outdoor brands can do it well but bike clothing is pretty bad in general imo. Plenty of fashions for bike genres and tribes which is fine for those who want to define themselves that way but there's very little that's just for riding a bike, could be XC MTB, gravel or road riding/touring.
Dropping the gnar (MTB) or aero (road) BS would help. I ride the same kit for road, MTB or gravel, it's just 'bike clothes'. I might not wear my best lightweight WP jacket off-road, that's all.
Then there's the waste and churn of fashion in general but that's getting onto a rant.
This is a strong look!
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Perhaps because their range is a strange 50:50 (ish) split between genuine outdoor clothing/equipment and fashion items?
Doesn't that seem to be the trend for most outdoor brands?
Make your name on mountain/arctic exploration, sell massively expensive and capable gear to actual proper outdoor adventurers, then eventually create a cheaper range to sell to people walking the dog in Kent. Eventually realise you make more profit selling the cheaper range then change your focus completely.
Go bankrupt or get bought out by a venture capitalist, because your reputation for high end kit is gone, because you don't make high end kit anymore.
I think the plastic pannier is a great idea for urban trips – just put your carrier bag in and a strap over the top., but probably not a Fjallraven prices.
Feels like an IKEA/Decathlon collaboration could knock these out at the right price with a suitably EuroScandi vibe.
Yes, it looks a bot whole earth PB and sandals, but actually......
I think the plastic pannier is a great idea for urban trips – just put your carrier bag in and a strap over the top.
I'm tempted to get some of those and use the old HT as a shopping cart. The local Budgen is too far to walk, and my camelbak too small to schlep the CWW and Craft beer and parma ham in sensible quantity, so this could be an opportunity to reduce car use.
There's a woman with a really lovely YouTube channel where she tours on her Brompton, and she wears Fjalraven trousers - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0MoCMVgdY7VUCZ55i0Pvng/videos
The carrier looks similar to Bike Bins, I’ve got one in the garage somewhere:
https://www.bikeradar.com/reviews/accessories/bags/panniers/bikebins-panniers-review/
However looks like unavailable now, tried to raise money on Kickstarter but failed.
I think the plastic pannier is a great idea for urban trips – just put your carrier bag in and a strap over the top.
+1 on this. A rigid pannier makes a lot of sense. Also means the actual bags should stay clean when it’s wet (it’s easy enough to give an outlieb a wipe or a hose diwn but they still end up looking dirty.
Recently picked up a utility bike for nursery runs that has a big plastic crate on the back. Was thinking this morning how much better it is that soft panniers. Love it. Reckon these would be great.
Used to be quite a common mod over here for city bikes, get a bottle crate and zip tie/bolt it to the rack.
Unfortunately, the manufacturer caught on and changed the design to a segmented one, so instead of one big space for 20 bottles to neatly fit into, you now have 20 little, bottle shaped spaces, rendering the crate useless for anything else.
sandals and socks – is this an ironic vibe, it’s not 1st April yet…
socks and sandals are not just acceptable, but comfortable and practical in warm and dry weather.
Ah, dry weather <dreams wearily>.
