GearTo Be DeterminedGarneau, Gear

Louis Garneau Custom Kit, Part II: product selection

GearTo Be DeterminedGarneau, Gear

We previously touched on our fit kit process, where the entire squad was able to sample the range of products under consideration for our 2014 custom kit order. Here we will detail what we ordered and why. And once we put some miles down in the new kit, we'll offer our full review of the new items that we ordered for 2014. [box type="shadow" align="aligncenter" ]We have written extensively about Louis Garneau's custom cycling apparel program. For our thoughts on the full range of Louis Garneau custom kit, see our prior reviews:

Jersey One: Elite Mondo Jersey

The Elite Mondo jersey was one of the new products in our 2013 Louis Garneau Custom Kit Order. We were incredibly impressed with the quality of this jersey - it is quite simply the most comfortable and breathable jersey we have ever worn. While this quality does come at a price premium relative to some of Louis Garneau's other jerseys, it was a no brainer to include this jersey in our order once again.

Jersey Two: Elite Aero Jersey

In 2013 our custom kit order included two jersey models - one premium jersey (the Elite Mondo) and one more basic jersey. With Louis Garneau revamping their jersey line-up for 2014, the basic jersey that we ordered last year was discontinued. As a result we had the choice of three jerseys to choose from for our 2014 order - and we sampled each during our fit kit party. In the end we settled on the Elite Aero Jersey, which is only a very modest step down from the Elite Mondo, giving it many of the same performance characteristics as the Mondo at a lower price point.

Bibs: Elite Power Bib

For the third year running, Team Sixcycle-RK&O will be using the Elite Power Bib.  While there are certainly some higher performance bibs available from Louis Garneau (including bibs that are fully sublimated), given our jersey design lines up perfectly with LG's stock fabrics we have always found the Elite Power Bibs as a great value option. The base level chamois is very good quality, though in 2013 we upgraded to the 4Motion chamois, an upgrade that we will be replicating in 2014.

Skinsuit: Course Team Skin

While we have ordered Louis Garneau skinsuits each year, never before have we been as excited about the skins as today with the introduction of the Course Team Skin. While other manufacturers went down the road skinsuit path (basically a skinsuit with pockets) before Louis Garneau, some of the innovations included in the Course Team Skin - like a full length zipper - without a doubt puts LG back at the front of the pack in this realm. With build quality on par with the impeccable Elite Mondo Jersey, we cannot wait to put some race miles down in this skinsuit. Stay tuned for more.

Lightweight Outerwear: Elite Speedzone Vest and Performance Prolight Jacket

We wrote extensively about the Speedzone Vest as part of our 2013 kit review. While the concept behind the Speedzone Vest at first seemed a bit bizarre, the functionality of the vest - with full access to jersey pockets - is incredible and the vest quickly became one of our favorite pieces of kit for racing and training. However we did feel we were lacking a piece of kit for those training days where the Speedzone doesn't provide quite enough protection but the Elite Thermal Jacket would be overkill. As a result we ordered the Performance Prolight Jacket in order to have a packable jacket. We'll have a full review of this new product as part of our 2014 custom kit review.

Thermal Outerwear: Elite Thermal Vest and Jacket

Both of these thermal outerwear pieces are tried and true for Team Sixcycle-RK&O. We have put both the Elite Thermal Vest and Jacket through their paces on some of the coldest days New York City has to offer and they performed admirably. Check out our 2012 kit review for more thoughts on these products.

Helmet: Course Helmet

Since 2012 the team has been wearing the Louis Garneau Diamond Helmet but for 2014 we are upgrading to the Louis Garneau Course Helmet. Lightweight, comfortable and with some of the best aerodynamics on the market (with none of the ugly that seems to plague other manufacturer's aero helmets) this is probably the second most exciting piece that we're looking forward to behind the Course Team Skin.

Accessories

As usual we are refilling on the full range of accessories including arm warmers, knee warmers, Vent Flex Gloves and the New Racer Cap. The latter carries a classic look and feel that we're excited to try out.

Louis Garneau Contact Info

If you're interested in speaking to LG about their range of custom apparel products, you can access their Live Online Help on their website our contact them here: http://custom.louisgarneau.com/contact/index.asp