By Brandon Bilyeu
Cost:
Signature Jersey $210
Signature Bib Shorts $265
How obtained: review sample from company
Available: online
Colors:
Signature Jersey: Artic White, Abyss Blue, Sunken Teal, Drained Green, Clouded Dune, Knight Black, Solar Blue, Sahara Gold, Soaked Red, Hidden Pine, Iced Grey, Lemon Curd, Red Clay, Color of the Earth
Signature Bib Shorts: Knight Black, Red Clay, Hidden Pine, Abyss Blue, Color of the Earth, Gravel Grey, Drained Green, Sahara Gold, Iced Grey
Website: Signature Jersey , Signature Bib Shorts
RBR Sponsor: no
Tested: 25+ hours
Sizing: XS-XL
Reviewer Measurements: 5’10” (178cm), 145 lbs (66 kgs), 33″ (84cm) waist, 38” (96.5cm) hips, 33″ (84cm) inseam, 38″ (96.5cm) chest. Please see the reviews below for specific fit comments.
Ryzon – Performance Kit for Cyclists (and Triathletes)
Born in 2016, Ryzon is a German company that specializes in premium sportswear. They make cycling kit, as well as running and swimming/triathlon gear. Sustainability is an important part of their mission and to this end they manufacture in Europe with recycled materials and hold themselves and their business partners to the European Climate Protection and Labor Laws.
For cycling kit, Ryzon has options for all seasons and has three product lines: Essential, Performance, and Pro. The Signature Series Jersey and Bib Shorts from the Performance line are Ryzon’s bestsellers and these are what I had the opportunity to test out this summer. The first step was choosing which of the fourteen jersey and nine bib short colors I wanted. After what seemed like hours of trying to pick the perfect color combo I gave up and copied one of the website models with the Hidden Pine Jersey and Sahara Gold Bib Shorts.
Signature Jersey
Hot!
- Available in 14 solid colors
- Snug fit with elbow length sleeves
- Grippers at waist and arm cuffs
- Full zip in front with hidden zipper
- Three pockets in the back + zippered pocket
- Men and Women versions available
Not!
- Rear side pocket openings very small
According to the size chart I toe the line between Small and Medium. The Ryzon website also has a ‘virtual fitting room’ size calculator that asks you a lot of questions and recommended size Small for me, which I went with. The Small fit comfortably skin-tight with plenty of stretch to move around easily, the one exception being the waistband, which was very tight when standing, but better in the riding position. Overall, I’m happy with the fit and can recommend using the ‘virtual fitting room.’
The jersey is manufactured in Portugal from a very thin fabric that is 83% recycled polyamide with 17% elastane, and the back panel is a closed mesh made from 100% recycled polyester. The fabric is super soft and feels great on the skin. The sleeves are a modern elbow length and have gripper dots on the cuff that keep them from riding up. The waistband has a 360-degree solid gripper strip that combined with the very tight fit does an excellent job of keeping the waist in place and holding up the pockets when loaded with gear.
In the rear are three standard pockets, and a fourth zippered pocket piggybacked on the right pocket. The center pocket is good sized at the expense of the two side pockets. The side pocket openings are so small I had trouble getting food/gear while riding or stopped. But even with small opening, the stretchy material expanded to hold plenty of goods, and I certainly did not have to worry about any pocket contents ejecting on rough roads. The zippered pocket is great for valuables and quick access items.
One the bike the snug fit meant there was no excess material flapping in the wind and the jersey felt comfortable whether upright on the tops or aero in the drops. The mesh back panel breathes well, especially if you let some air in by opening the front zipper a little. The thin and light fabric physically can’t hold much sweat, so it dries quickly to help keep you cool.
Bottom Line
A performance jersey that is comfortable enough for all day rides, but still aero when you want to go fast. Lots of color options to match your personal style.
Signature Bib Shorts
Hot!
- Available in 9 colors
- Chamois is super comfortable, suitable for long days in the saddle
- Good fit in riding position
- Bib strap gripper dots
- Men and Women versions available
Not!
- After a few rides the compression/fit relaxes a little
The jersey and bibs use the same size chart, so again I toed the line between Small and Medium on the size chart and the ‘virtual fitting room’ recommended size Small. I like my bibs tight and size Small was definitely tight. Getting the bibs on the first few times was a bit of a struggle but the reward is a great fit an excellent support. After a few ‘wear and wash’ cycles I did notice that the bib fabric had relaxed a tiny bit, still plenty tight for me but noticeably looser than when brand new. Since then, the fit has stayed consistent and not gotten any looser. So again, the ‘virtual fitting room’ worked great for selecting a size, which is good since you will almost certainly be ordering online (unless you are amongst the lucky few who live near the three stores in the whole world in Cologne, Munich, and Mallorca).
The chamois makes or breaks a pair of cycling shorts, and Ryzon has a winner sewn into the Signature Bib Short. The grey chamois is relatively thin by today’s standards with a soft cover and medium density padding. Technical information is limited on Ryzon’s website, which only states the chamois is an “ergonomic, antibacterial seat pad from Italy for rides of up to 6-7 hours.” I can’t comment on the antibacterial claim, but the ergonomics and comfort for 6-7 hours is spot on. My biggest ride with these bib shorts was 6.5 hours of saddle time over 100 miles (160km) with 9,000 feet (2800m) of climbing and temperatures tipping into the mid-90s (35C). I had zero complaints from my backside.
The Signature Bib Shorts have one feature I’ve never seen before, and that is gripper dots on the bib straps where they contact your shoulders and chest. I can’t say that I’ve ever had bib straps move or bunch in a way that bothered me, but it certainly can’t hurt to have the grippers there to lock the straps in place. The bib straps are a wide strip of elastic, so they lay smoothly on the shoulders with no pressure points. A very similar elastic strap with gripper dots is sewn onto the leg openings and keep the shorts from riding up. The soft main fabric is 65% recycled polyamide with 35% elastane for stretch and compression.
Bottom Line
Super comfortable bibs thanks to a great fit and chamois. If shifting or bunching bib straps bother you, then the Signature Bib Shorts straps with gripper dots might be your answer. When trying on, consider the fact that the material may relax a tiny bit after a few rides.
Quick Review – Impulse Socks
The Impulse Cycling Socks from Ryzon are soft and comfortable, with left and right specific socks featuring anatomical toe boxes. They are described as high-cut, but some of the images on the website are clearly wrong (left image above). Trust me, in reality they are tall (right image above) and reach over the base of my calf muscles. They look good, but the high-cut might not be for everyone. There are eight colors available. The cost is $25 per pair.
Brandon Bilyeu is an avid recreational roadie who lives in Regensburg, Germany. He’s a year-round bike commuter and is a mechanical design engineer by trade. Click to read Brandon’s full bio.