Woolies?

[MaineMaid]

Hi everyone;
The newbie is back for more info...can you stand it???? As my title suggests; I've got a question about wool apparel. I've been cruising through that discussion group and it seems like all of you are wearing this stuff. I've gone to some of the manufacurer's web sites and read up a little on the fabric and weave. So, why wool for biking? It isn't itchy? Is it better than some high-tech stuff? Is it more versatile? All of the above?? Are you sick to death of my questions? Grin... thanks in advance.

Jan

[Veronica]

Merino wool my dear. Or if you're a Princess like moi cashmere!

No itchies!

V.

[jobob]

I used to feel the same way - wool, are you nutz!?! :eek:

But some wool is as soft and smooth as silk. I kid you not. I have a wool jersey by Wollywarm from Rivendell that I wear nearly nonstop in the winter months.

People are probably sick of me harping about Smartwool, but go over to the TE shopping section [shameless plug] and look at the Smartwool microweight tee shirts and longsleeve crewnecks. Soft and lightweight and wonderful. I've worn the microweight longsleeve crew as a base layer on cold morning rides and it works great.

[Bad JuJu]

There are lots of Smartwool and other kinds of wool fans here at TE. And this is not your grandma's wool--it's soft and not itchy, and some of it's even light enough for warm-weather riding. I have some lightweight smartwool socks that I wear all year round--and I live in Florida.

I'm no expert, but it seems to me that the advantages of good wool apparel over technical synthetics are that it's generally more durable and less likely to retain unwanted odors. Plus, I like that wool is a sustainable natural material.

[SadieKate]

Dahlgren alpaca cycling socks. Mmm, happy tootsies.

http://www.alpacadirect.com/Details.cfm?Category=1&ProdID=1498&Secondary=24

[Trek420]

Mmmmmmm, wool socks :p

Any time, any temp, happy feet are fast feet! You're faster when you're more comfortable...yep, any excuse to buy wool :p

[Bikingmomof3]

SmartWool is wonderful! Ibex is also wonderful, but mainly out of my price range. Merino is not an itchy wool.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Wear a polyesther jersey and sweat= B.O.!....throw in washer.
Wear a 100% merino wool shirt and sweat= NO B.O.!...wear 4-6 more times before having to wash it.

[MaineMaid]

I'm convinced!!! I worried about the itch but it looks like it's a non-issue; and I do love my SmartWool socks and wear them all year. My lbs has a pair of SM long underwear for $60...had a look at them this morning. Thanks again, everyone...(Jan muttering about putting THEM on lay-away too!!!).

Jan

[Blueberry]

Merino wool my dear. Or if you're a Princess like moi cashmere!

No itchies!

V.

V-

Inquiring minds want to know: Who makes cycling suitable cashmere? :p :p :p

(and yes, my itch prone self agrees that Merino is not so)

Carrie Anne

[Veronica]

Moths! That's who!

Evil, hungry moths got into my closet and munched on some of sweaters. The uneaten sweaters now live in a drawer lined with cedar.

My husband, who seems to think I can do anything, suggested I turn the ruined sweaters into bike jerseys. I wanted them to look nice, so I asked Irulan who has an outdoor goods sewing company to turn three sweaters into bike jerseys for me.

I'm wearing the red one in my avatar. I also have a pink one with buttons, that used to be a cardigan and a black merino one that Irulan sewed reflective tape onto, since I don't feel black is a good top half color on the bike.

You could do the same thing w/o moths and just get the sweaters at a Thrift Shop. I get a kick out of wearing cashmere while I ride.

V.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Clever!!!
I just bought a longsleeve 100% cashmere sweater at the Salvation Army last week! It only had one tiny moth hole, which I darned.

[jobob]

I'm wearing the red one in my avatar. I also have a pink one with buttons, that used to be a cardigan and a black merino one that Irulan sewed reflective tape onto, since I don't feel black is a good top half color on the bike.

V.

And they all look lovely with pearls.
And a helmet, of course. :D

[Bikingmomof3]

And they all look lovely with pearls.
And a helmet, of course. :D

One could go so far as to decorate the helmet with pearls. :D

[emily_in_nc]

I'm convinced!!! I worried about the itch but it looks like it's a non-issue; and I do love my SmartWool socks and wear them all year. My lbs has a pair of SM long underwear for $60...had a look at them this morning. Thanks again, everyone...(Jan muttering about putting THEM on lay-away too!!!).

I have Smartwool long underwear (mid-weight base layer), and they are sooo, soooo comfy and warm. Not an itch in sight! :D

I was lucky enough to get them from Steep and Cheap (which I won't buy from anymore because of this fiasco (http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=10681)), for under $30. Worth every penny!

Emily

[SouthernBelle]

This thread made me go look at the Smartwool stuff at TE. Now I am wanting the orange hoodie jersey. It would SO match Black Beauty. :p

[Veronica]

Yeah, I've been eyeing that orange hoodie too. :D I think it would look great with my Exte Onde knickers. And I might even wear it to work. But I really don't need it.

I do need superlight longlasting for the new bike. And I do need to change out the pedals on all my bikes to Eggbeaters.

Why can't I just have everything I want? :p

V.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I have that orange SW hoodie!
It's true you need to order a size smaller. I usually take a medium but the small hoodie fits me right.
It's a REALLY convenient thing to have, since the hood fits beautifully under a helmet. The sleeves are long and have the thumb holes- very COZY merino item!

[Geonz]

Okay, it doesn't itch... but it's still wool, eh? "real" wool makes me sneeze and the whole allergy schtick... so I stick to polyester or silk (and sometimes even cotton!!) I might try merino sometime...

[SouthernBelle]

Yeah, I've been eyeing that orange hoodie too. :D I think it would look great with my Exte Onde knickers. And I might even wear it to work. But I really don't need it.

I do need superlight longlasting for the new bike. And I do need to change out the pedals on all my bikes to Eggbeaters.

Why can't I just have everything I want? :p

V.

Do you have those knickers with the orange insets and there is a jersey to match? the ones I saw in Colorado Cyclist? Another pair of items I am SEVERELY lusting after.

[Veronica]

Yes, those are the knickers I have. I really like them. I also bought the tights, but their inset is fuschia.

V.

[SouthernBelle]

Yes, those are the knickers I have. I really like them. I also bought the tights, but their inset is fuschia.

V.

I like the fuschia too. But it would clash with the orange trim on BB. :p

Not that it has ever stopped me before

[Veronica]

I don't worry about clashing much. I'd rather be warm. Besides we already look funny to the general public. :D

V.

[xeney]

Yeah, if you are allergic to wool, you will still be allergic to merino. I have to go against the grain and say that I find merino wool, including Smartwool, to be a little itchy, but Smartwool is definitely less itchy than most. I also don't always find it to be a miracle fabric ... I can't stand wool in warm weather; my husband is crazy about wool hiking socks and lightweight wicking wool tops, but I have to go with lighter weight synthetics because I feel like I am going to die in even the lightest weight wool in the summer. And in the winter, I don't find it to be anywhere near as warm as synthetic fleece. Right now I am wearing two layers of SmartWool -- a lightweight and a midweight -- with another merino sweater over the top, and I'm about to go put a fleece on top because I am cold. And I am in the house! In California! With the heat on!

Possibly I am just a delicate flower, but I do prefer synthetics to wool pretty much every time. And I'd rather have something I can wash and dry 100 times without it pilling up or shrinking ... other than Smartwool, which can be dried, I find wool a pain in the butt to launder even though you don't have to do it very often. (Well, theoretically. I tend to spill a lot.) And we have moths.