{Part 2 - Women's} Road Holland Review: Cycling Clothes for the Rest of Us

Recently, I wrote about the men's jerseys available from Road Holland, but I wanted to take the time to write separately about the women's product. If you are interested in some background information, or are in the market for men's cycling gear, please see this post first. In addition, I am going to do my best to get through this short review without chastising myself or my body. Also, please forgive any cheesy smiles/poses along the way. I generally ride alone, so having pictures taken brings out my inner-ham, apparently. But, on with thoughts on Road Holland.

The first thing I took note of with Road Holland is their sizing. By most cycling clothing standards, they offer generous options for women, ranging from XS-XXXL (from a 32.5" - 47.5" chest). I will be the first to admit, however, that this does not meet the needs of every cyclist on the road; but it is nice to see that effort has been put in to offer sizes outside the typical range (which is generally up to an XL, or a 39-40" chest measurement). In their shorts/bib offering, the sizing is pared down even a bit more, going up only to an XL (31" waist/37" hip max). Being a "bottom heavy" gal myself, I would love to see this extend as well. As with the men's section, I hold out hope that the sizes will extend even more in the future to include those who require larger sizes.

Road Holland's, The Harlingen

As for the actual garments, I was able to test out two different styles of the Road Holland jersey. The first is their long sleeved version, The Harlingen. This option is currently available in road black or royal orange. Because of dog hair issues in our house, I went with the orange, hoping that it will allow me to keep it (at least appearing) more fur-free over the long term. It's not that I roll around in their hair, but it manages to find its way on to most things we wear. But, I digress...  The Harlingen appears to have solid construction and is made of 61% polyester/39% wool (the garments themselves are made in Miami, FL). It feels soft to the touch and is easy to wear, zip, and remove when needed. Yes, foolishly I tested out a long-sleeved jersey in the midst of summers' heat. Call me crazy. I actually found a cool morning to wear it though, so it wasn't as bad as it seems. Come fall/winter, I think it will be a nice option to have in the cycling wardrobe.

The oranges don't quite work together here, but I suppose they are different enough to not appear
as though I'm attempting to match the bike?

This jersey comes equipped with the standard three-pocket design in the rear, and also comes with one smaller zippered pocket on the right side. The pockets are deep enough to hold snacks, maps, and so on, and things seem to stay securely in place. The one thing I really found myself wishing for with this jersey was thumb holes. Maybe I have short arms or I've grown used to wearing long sleeved items with thumb holes sewn in, but I really think this could be a good addition on future iterations of this jersey. It's a nice option to have, even if one isn't going to use them every time the jersey is worn. I would also love to see additional color choices. I definitely love black, but due to the hair issue mentioned earlier, I do my best to limit it, and despite the fact that I seem to have a lot of orange items in my cycling closet, I'm not really the biggest fan of orange (apologies to both my much loved Miami Dolphins and the local Denver Broncos).

As far as sizing goes, I am wearing an XL. I fall squarely into the size range for this size, but I think I could have easily gone up to the XXL to have some extra room. The fit is not uncomfortable, however, if one prefers a looser garment, I would suggest sizing up.

The Aalsmeer

I was also able to try out The Aalsmeer. It comes this year in three different colors: road black, bright white, and nantucket red (I opted for the nantucket red, and again, it's in the XL size). This short sleeve jersey is very similar to the long sleeve option described above with a couple of differences. The first is that the short sleeve jersey has two rear zippered pockets. I think both left-handed folks and those who want to secure more items on their body will appreciate the extra spot on this top.

As you can see, I've crammed things into the pocket - quite typical for me

The other difference is that the short sleeve version is made of 100% polyester mesh, rather than the partial wool blend. I have to admit I was hesitant about this because I really love my wool jerseys for breathability and comfort, but this truly wasn't a bad option. It feels just as soft as the wool/poly blend and did a good job with keeping me cool while riding.

The neckline is somewhat typical of most jerseys. I found that I actually had a significant amount of room to spare, even having it fully zipped up (unlike the men's version Sam tried - his fit, but there wasn't a lot of wiggle room). In other words, I didn't feel the need to unzip the top as I have on some other jerseys I've worn. I really love the color of this one too.

In addition, I have discovered a very small slit that is sewn into the inside of the middle rear pocket. I suspect this could be used to run earphones through the back of the jersey as it's just large enough to get a very small ear bud through. Perhaps this is not the intention at all, but it's actually rather nice to not be strangled by iPod wires (if one rides with headphones) or have them precariously dangling around the handlebars, making for some interesting braking situations (not that I would know anything about that sort of thing).

My one actual riding issue (and it's been the same issue with every other "grippy-bottom-banded" jersey I've ever tried) is that it does not want to stay down while riding. For quite awhile, I've just assumed this is due to my excess girth, but when talking to Sam, he said he has the same problem... they just don't stay put. Perhaps one day there will be a material available that actually keeps the jersey in place? I don't think this is the fault of this specific jersey, but rather an inherent problem with movement on a bike and the materials used for cycling gear.

Overall, I really like the product Road Holland is making, and I hope that as they move forward they will continue to incorporate sizes for larger folks. It's still early on in their business, and these things take time, but if you'd like to see additional sizes or other items, I would encourage you to drop them a note and let them know your needs. In the mean time, I'm getting out on my bike. After all, I have a century (okay, two) on its way and seemingly never enough time to actually ride.

**Quick edit to say that Road Holland is currently offering 20% off to those who would like to purchase any of their gear/accessories through the end of August 2013 via this link, so if you've been wanting to try it out, this could be the time to save.

*As with the men's review, I was offered a great deal on these jerseys in exchange for a photo. However, no request was made to write about Road Holland or their products. Any opinions, thoughts, etc that are not stated to have come from Road Holland or their website are my own.

{Part 1 - Men's} Road Holland Review: Cycling Clothes for the Rest of Us

If you don't happen to be an individual who's into the typical riding kit/jersey's found on many U.S. cyclists, you may already be aware of a company called Road Holland. I first found out about this company last year when one of the owners, Richard, sent a note in regards to a post I'd put up regarding plus-size wool cycling clothing.  Beyond being happy to hear about a company making cycling clothing in some slightly larger sizes, they are probably better known for their more classically styled, high quality jerseys. Admittedly, this may not be for everyone. I know plenty of cyclists who enjoy wearing the typically found jerseys (I live with one of them), but there are others who like to have the option of something high quality that isn't going to read like a billboard for various companies around the world (I fall into the latter group).

Since our household is split regarding what to wear while riding (though neither of us are horribly extreme in any direction), I thought it would be interesting to see what we would each think about the jerseys from Road Holland.

First, however, I just want to say that I love the philosophy of this company and the two owners (Richard and Jonathan seem like great people)! I can only hope that others - even in other businesses - will follow suit. Here is a snip-it from their "About Us" page:

In 2009, without a lick of apparel experience between the two of them (actually Schneider means tailor in German so Jonathan thinks his family was "in the business"), they started Road Holland.

The goals were simple:

- Make the kind of cycling clothes they and their friends not only needed (i.e. serious) but that they would also want to wear and not be ashamed of to be seen in post-ride (i.e. stylish).

- Be good guys in all they do. Whether that meant making things in the United States, treating each order as if it were the most important one in the world, or sponsoring local events, "doing good" would be the pillar of the new company.

Looking around for inspiration for the name, they drew upon experiences with close friends from the Netherlands and time spent visiting them. In the Netherlands, riding is more than just about the cliche of "suffering." In the Netherlands, everyone young and old rides whether for sport or for transportation. it's a way of life. People are also exceedingly nice in the Netherlands and Jonathan's favorite color is orange - the national color - so it all just seemed to fit.

But, on with thoughts about the actual jerseys we tried out. I'll start with the men's jersey that Sam tested for this post. The Hilversum is a full zip, short sleeved jersey, currently available in three colors: road black, summer white, or nantucket red. Knowing that Sam sweats profusely while riding, I immediately tossed out the idea of a white jersey, and ended up going with the black simply because I figured it would be the easiest for him to like and enjoy. The difficult part with black is that we have some very hairy animals, so keeping the black jersey hair-free may be challenging.

The Hilversum jersey from Road Holland

Honestly, I was a bit surprised at Sam's immediate reaction to the jersey. I assumed he wouldn't be horribly excited because he actually enjoys the flashier, bright jersey's he typically wears when riding (you'll note he still got in his fun gloves for the ride), but when he picked it up and put it on the first thing he said was, "I like the way it feels; it's soft, but it feels like quality. It reminds me of a mountain biking jersey I wear sometimes." What do you know? Score 1 for Road Holland.

Sam is wearing the size small (according to Road Holland charts, it is a 37"-39" chest range), but men's jerseys are available from size XS-XXL. According to Sam, this size fits well. It's not the race tight fit of some smalls, but it's not too much material either. From my estimation, he could probably wear an extra small, but obviously that would take away some of the room that he likes. He also has a good deal of muscle in his arms and shoulders, so that could create some discomfort there as well.

Fully zipped jersey. Lovely details at the zipper ends (both here and on the back pocket zippers).

As you'll note in the photo above of the full jersey, Sam had partially unzipped the front to keep it from "choking him." He wasn't horribly comfortable zipping the jersey all the way up, but I suspect this is typical for most men (though I could be wrong). It zipped up just fine, but I think he was uncomfortable having it up against his neck.

The rear portion of the jersey is pretty cool, too. It comes with a fairly standard three-pocket design, but also has two zippered outer pockets that can hold a key, a credit card, driver's license/identification, etc. The zippers tuck nicely behind their tabs and don't seem to get stuck on anything along the way. The three main pockets should be plenty deep for most, and could hold snacks or a number of items if the wearer so decided. While Sam is not one to typically use the rear pockets on jersey's, I think it's great that things will stay where they are put.

Since I had trapped Sam just before he was heading out for a ride with a local group, I asked him to just let me know what he thought when he got home. I think the greatest thing he had to say upon his return was that it was good. Meaning, there was nothing to complain about. It wasn't riding up in weird places or being a nuisance in any way. He wasn't too hot (and it was a really hot day), and everything went well. It was "good," which I think means he will actually continue to wear it.

In the end, for someone who isn't naturally drawn to the more subdued colored jerseys, Sam really liked this one. I think, if nothing else, it will certainly help him stand out in a group of typical cyclists. In addition, he's comfortable riding in it, and I think that's what really matters to anyone.

I would also share that just as I was getting ready to publish this post, I got an e-mail from Richard - just to check in and see how the jerseys worked for us. I have to think that a company that goes through the effort Road Holland does will be successful over the long term. Everything from shipment tracking numbers, order receipts, and contact e-mails has been pleasant and easy - and not pushy or annoying, as can sometimes be the case with businesses trying to get sales. I appreciate the efforts and I think many customers will as well.

I will be writing up some thoughts on the women's version of this jersey soon as well - hopefully, in the next few days. In the meantime, if you haven't heard of Road Holland, feel free to head over to their site to check it out. They have long sleeve versions, bibs, and a couple of other items to check out while you're there. Though the choices are limited, I think the products are quality, and in the end I'll take quality over quantity any day.

**The women's jersey review can be found by clicking here.

*In the interest of full disclosure, I was offered a great deal on these jersey's in exchange for a photo. However, no request was made to write about Road Holland or their products. Any opinions, thoughts, etc that are not stated to have come from Road Holland or their website specifically are my/our own.