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Trek is getting back into the clothing game and entering at the premier level. The new Trek (not Bontrager) clothing looks to challenge the top-tier lines in fit and sustainable fabric choices. The new clothing line looks to separate itself from the back with less material waste, less packaging, and a world-class ride — did they achieve it? Read on and find out…
Why Trek, not Bontrager?
The first question that came to mind is, why Trek? The line is more tailored and a bit more premium-focused than the Bontrager clothing — though they do use some of the same Bontrager naming conventions, like RSL, Velocis, Circuit, and Solstice. When you see the line, it’s easier to understand.
Sustainability and fabric choices
A large part of the Trek clothing story is the choice of fabric and the environmental impact of clothing production. Clothing (particularly fast fashion, single-use consumer-style) is the 3rd most polluting sector after oil & gas and agriculture and maritime shipping combined. In more precise terms — of the total fiber input used for clothing, 87% is incinerated or disposed of in a landfill.
To combat the waste that products like this have on the planet, Trek has included recycled materials in 100% of the new road line. By doing this, they saved nearly 46 Tons of landfill waste.
Environmental impact — Less packaging all around
Trek also switched up the packaging from large hang tags to 100% recycled content that is Forward Stewardship Council (FSC) certified. They eliminated nearly 400lbs of plastic laminate from jerseys and short hangtags from previous models. Remember those chamois hangtags? Those are gone too, and by doing so, saved over 750lbs of paper.
We’ve seen this move to sustainable and compostable packaging with smaller brands, and it is nice to see a large brand like Trek jumping on board.
New Trek Itailan made chamois
The new Trek bibs and shorts all arrive with a redesigned Inform chamois, descending from Pro, Elite, and Comp in the Solstice line. The new chamois is “Made of Italian materials and was developed in the Trek Performance Lab.” That being said, it’s hard to narrow down the factory just from the look, which is classic and not overly padded like some modern pieces (at least in the Pro Inform model). The cut is narrow but hits all the crucial spots, with a wicking and soft outer material that is very noticeable on hot days.
2022 Trek Bibs and Shorts
The new Trek line comes in three different tiers and is available in; bibs (men and women) and shorts (men and women). What differentiates model to model is the fabric, compression, and grippers. The color options for the shorts are black or deep dark blue — classic and should match most of your kit. Plus, an all-new youth short for the lil’ shredder in your peloton.
Trek Velocis Bib/Short
- Ride Type: Great for rides up to 2.5+ Hours / 50+ Miles / 80+
- Chamois: Pro inForm Chamois-Lightweight, breathable fabric
- Cut: Fitted cut
- Low profile bib straps-Raw edge leg opening
- Premium silicone leg grippers-UV protection 50+
- Styles: Mens, Womens, shorts, bibs
- Colors: Black/Deep-Blue
- Price: $124.00
- Sizes: XS-XXL
Trek Circuit Bib/Short
- Ride Type: Great for rides up to 2.5 Hours / 35 Miles / 56 KM
- Chamois: Elite inForm Chamois-Lightweight, breathable fabric
- Low-profile bib straps-Raw edge cuffed leg opening
- Low-profile silicone leg grippers-UV protection 50+-Fitted cut
- 30-Day Unconditional Guarantee
- Styles: Mens, Womens, shorts, bibs
- Colors: Black
- Price: $125.00
- Sizes: XS-XXL
Trek Solstice Bib/Short
- Ride Type: Great for rides up to 1.5 Hours / 20 Miles / 32 KMFEATURES:
- STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® tested-CompinFormChamois
- Midweight, breathable fabrics
- Low-profile mesh straps
- Extended mesh waistband-Cuffed leg band with a compressive fit
- UV protection 50+
- Fitted cut
- 30-Day Unconditional Guarantee
- Styles: Mens, Womens, shorts, bibs
- Price: $100.00
- Sizes: XS-XXL
2022 Trek Road Jerseys
The new Trek jerseys have two stories; updated if and construction and fabric crafted from recycled plastic water bottles. Each jersey contains a percentage of recycled materials, and it goes all the way to the top. The Trek RSL jersey boasts 95% post-consumer recycled poly and 5% pre-consumer recycled elastane in the main fabric. The Trek Solstice jersey is made from 100% recycled polyester. The recycled material and elastane don’t seem to affect the fit or the function, especially in the Trek RSL jersey.
Trek RSL Jersey
- Fit: Pro-Fit Cut
- FEATURES:-bluesign® product and STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® tested-
- Microfiber polyester materials on the front and back
- Full-length mesh side panels-Elongated, raw-cut sleeves
- Full-length zipper
- Three open back pockets with built-in support
- 30-Day Unconditional Guarantee
- Color: Black/Dark Blue
- Price: $160.00
- Sizes: XS-XXL
Trek Circuit LTD Jersey/Circuit
- Fit: Fitted Cut
- FEATURES:-STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® tested
- 37.5™active-particle technology-Raw edge sleeve with silicone gripper
- Three open back pockets plus an additional inset card pocket
- Drop-tail design with silicone gripper
- Full-length zipper
- UV protection 50+
- Color: Black/White, Charcoal/Black Deep, Blue/Red Mulberry/Blush
- Price: $75.00
- Sizes: XS-XXL
Trek Solstice Jersey
- Fit: Semi-Fitted Cut
- FEATURES:-STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® tested
- Soft, breathable primary material
- Three open-back pockets
- Drop-tail design with silicone grippers
- Full-length YKK zipper
- Zipper garage and chin guard
- UV protection 50+
- 30-Day Unconditional Guarantee
- Color: White, Black, Yellow
- Price: $45.00
- Sizes: XS-XXL
Trek performance socks
Trek Race reflective sock: A reflective performance bike sock with a taller 5″ length and soft compressive yarn made with recycled materials.
- Sizes: S-XL
- Colors: Black/White/Yellow
- Price:$20.00
Trek Race crew sock: A performance bike sock with a taller 5″ length and soft compressive yarn made with recycled materials.
- Sizes: S-XL
- Colors: Black/White/Yellow/Red/Blue
- Price:$18.00
Trek Race quarter sock: A performance bike sock with a traditional 2.5″ length and soft compressive yarn made with recycled resources.
- Sizes: S-XL
- Colors: Black/White/Yellow/Red/Blue
- Price:$16.00
First ride impressions
I was excited to take the Trek gear out of its packaging (or lack thereof). We received a sample clothing of RSL Jersey, Velocis bib short, Circuit jersey, Circuit short, and Race crew socks.
The material is very soft and shares many qualities of high-end cycling gear that I’ve worn over the years. The packaging is minimal, understated, and confident. It’s a nice change from piles of chamois pad sales fliers that can come with a new short.
I like the color pallet for the pieces I received, black for the RSL/Velocis kit, and Dark Blue/Red for the Circuit kit. The colors are classic and look great with accessories.
On the bike
The fitted RSL jersey is a Pro-Fit, but the fabric is very stretchy, and the pockets allow for easy stuffing of food, jackets, or other ride gear. You might need the jacket when you leave the house because this jersey is shear; you can see the bib straps through the jersey. This thin material is something that I would love to have in the summer but can be tough to navigate in the spring.
I found the kit comfortable on my rides, and the new Trek chamois is super nice. The chamois volume is minimal, and its low profile can appear uncomfortable, but it is not. I found myself reaching for this kit for indoor rides — that’s when I know I like a short. The RSL/Velocis short combo is a great companion in super hot conditions. The jersey is super ventilated. The short echos that and adds supportive compression, something notable on longer days in the saddle.
The new Trek race crew socks are super solid, 5″ crew socks have a decent amount of compression, but not enough to be challenging getting them on. The socks are thin, but the construction is robust enough to stand up to many washes. The performance is trustworthy, and so is the construction, nothing worse than a sock that rips or deteriorates in the washer/dryer.
Switching from the RSL to the Circuit jersey, I quickly noticed the thicker fabric and grippers. This jersey is more of a long haul; you’ll have it in four years still under the same construction. The wide gripper on the front of the jersey keeps it secure from riding up, and the four pockets in the rear are a nice touch. The material does seem to pick up some debris and particles of dust more than the usual polyblend.
The Circuit bib shorts have a very familiar feel, the gripper is one I’ve seen on higher-end shorts, and the length is right on the money. They have a similar strap setup to the Velocis line with a thick-cut fabric emblazoned with the Trek logo. The straps are secure but not overly tight. The back is a solid mesh construction with enough room for the lower back to breathe. The Circuit bibs have a different chamois, but the posterior feedback was the same as the Velocis — solid.
Trek has released a very impressive line of road clothing with a sustainable twist that doesn’t affect the fabric’s hand or performance. We look forward to seeing what additions Trek makes to this line with accessories and possible mountain bike gear in the future. Until then — we’ll be rolling the RSL on hot days and the Circuit for the long training days.
For more information on Treks road clothing, checkout: Trekbikes.com
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