Hello, friends! This is the 30 Kilometers per Hour Podcast with Lupo's Downshifter Blog.
I'm Lupo, and I'm your host for this podcast today. The main topic of this podcast and Blog post is the equipment made of MERINO
Autumn has arrived, and soon winter will come... the astronomical and quite cold winter!
Personally, I'm a fan of riding outdoors 365 days a year, and I really enjoy it.
But to make cycling in a few degrees below zero enjoyable, good equipment is of utmost importance!
And now is the perfect time to talk about MERINO!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qc2KKxvrlAA
As I prepared for this podcast today, I took out most of my cycling gear.
So, after setting aside the summer and winter tights, jerseys, and "Gabas" ... I'm not sure if I'm using the term "Gaba" correctly...
I call "Gaba" those thick type of jerseys that are worn during the cold winter as outerwear and are made of GORE-TEX breathable material?
(Please leave a comment on this review about the significance of "Gaba" and whether this is the correct term!)
So, after setting aside the winter and summer tights, jerseys, arm warmers, and leg warmers, it turns out that the remaining part of my cycling gear is made of MERINO.
- What's so special about Merino, someone might ask - what's the big deal about Merino?
That's why I decided to create this extensive and detailed Podcast review of cycling gear made of Merino!
We will explore the following elements of the cycling Merino gear:
1. First and foremost, Merino socks: Summer and Winter socks
2. Merino buffs: extremely important and valuable
3. Thirdly, gloves. Yes, Merino gloves. I have several pairs of Merino gloves, and I will explain when I use each of them
4. The fourth main part of my gear is Merino thermal underwear.
Quality and reliable thermal underwear are extremely important and valuable from the beginning of autumn to the end of spring!
Merino Socks
Let's start with the first element of Merino gear - the socks.
Summer Merino Socks
I have two types of Merino socks, one is for summer - I wear them from the beginning of summer when the heat starts, they are short, reaching the base of the ankle, thin, and breathable.
Your feet have no problems, even at temperatures of 40-46 degrees Celsius! - Approximately this year, the maximum temperature I saw on my Garmin while riding was 46 degrees.
Of course, 46 degrees in the sun, but they are very real, especially considering the heat radiating from the hot asphalt.
With these thin Merino socks, I've had absolutely no problems!
I've been using them for three to four years, and to my greatest regret, they gave in during this last summer...
I had about seven or eight pairs of these short summer Merino socks, and after a few summers, they wore out... there's no avoiding it! :)
Unfortunately, I can't find the website where I bought them. :(
I'm very satisfied with them, and if I manage to find the same model, I'll stock up again and definitely share the link here on the blog!
I recommend all podcast listeners to check the podcast description and visit the Downshifter Blog website.
Here, you'll find all the links to all the products and items of gear we're talking about in this podcast.
There are also many photos, and I regularly upload videos from YouTube, so you can get a much more in-depth and realistic view of things and decide for yourself what is suitable for you and what is not.
Merino Socks for 3 Seasons: Autumn, Winter, Spring
The next item in my merino gear is the three-season socks.
I've been wearing these socks since the beginning of autumn, throughout the winter, and up until the start of summer.
Merino wool cycling socks - black in color, generally thin but very dense and super warm.
A few years ago, I bought four to five pairs of this model of merino wool socks from a website, but at that moment, I totally forgot which website it was.
I successfully wore these socks for all three seasons - autumn, winter, and spring, and keep in mind I didn't only wear them while cycling!
Super comfortable and cool socks.
There's no need to change them immediately after a tough ride just because these socks, like all things made of Merino wool, don't retain any odors at all.
The material quickly allows sweat to pass through, so the fabric doesn't get very wet, and as a result, you don't sweat much, and there are absolutely no odors left behind.
Socks I've worn for two or more days
For example, I had a situation where I rode on an SR 600 brevet: this is a 600 km brevet with 10,000 meters of elevation gain, and I forgot to take other socks!
Well, congratulations!
I rode for two and a half to three days then, and I had absolutely no problems!
Yes, in warm/hot weather, you can wash them in the evening, and when you put them on in the morning, they dry very quickly...
But if it's freezing cold outside in the morning? - Forget about washing them!
Because if you put on wet socks in a cold, chilly weather on your your feet you will have lot of problems after that ... 
So, about four years ago, I bought several pairs of this model of merino wool socks, wore them during the cold time and I was super, super satisfied with them.
This year, on the Shipka 300 brevet, I was a checkpoint on the northern side of the Balkans.
After everyone passed through the checkpoint, I climbed up with my bike Pips Beklemeto from the north along with my colleagues and descended from the other side and then returned to Troyan.
In Kŭrnare, I met up with Dinyo and sat down to have some Coca-Cola and grab some snacks, and in the meantime, we took some photos, which I uploaded to Facebook.
One of my friends on Facebook, Plamen, commented on the photo:
- Those are my socks! :) Super cool... Thank you!
Merino socks from a Bulgarian manufacturer!
Later, I talked to Plamen about what's going on, and it turns out that Plamen is the owner of the sock factory called "Po Chorapi."
A Bulgarian sock manufacturer, exceptionally high-quality, super cool, not just cycling socks...
More like cycling socks are just an addition to his main assortment of socks, but nevertheless, they are very good and very suitable for cycling!
While talking to Plamen, I told him:
Look, man, I've been riding with your merino socks for over three years, and I'm super satisfied... yes, super satisfied!
Recently, I stocked up my wardrobe with this brand of merino wool socks at the Christmas market on Slavkov Square in Sofia.
They had come out from "Po Chorapi" at that market, and when I saw them, I bought several more pairs.
Keep in mind that when you wear these socks for two periods from autumn to spring, they wear out.
There's no way around it; they do wear out. And yes, they are very durable, and I'm super satisfied, but at some point, the socks wear out.
They have a lifespan; you can't wear them indefinitely, no matter how much I want to... :)
Tw o to three months before this conversation with Plamen, I launched an online store for my blog: https://thracium.net/en/shop
In the online store, I offer things that are cool at roughly okay prices and would certainly be useful for fellow cyclists.
I asked Plamen if he had any objections to me adding merino socks to my online store?
- No problem - he replied - but wait for another month. We'll have a special surprise, but I don't want to talk about it right now.
A month passed unnoticed, and one day, I received a message from Speedy shipping company that I had a package.
I went to check what it was, and what do I found!
A package from Plamen with one pair of climbing cycling socks and one pair of cycling socks for photographers ... :)
- A Cycling socks for photographers?
- For Me?
Well you have to know that I'm the man who loves so much taking good photos while cycling!!!
The pictures of a beautiful sunset, right, a beautiful sunrise - that's one of the most valuable things in any brevet!
I ride, stop, and take photos with pleasure, so Plamen pleasantly surprised me. :)
Keep in mind, however, that especially the second model of climbing cycling socks gives you a bonus of watts only on climbs up to 3%!
Yes, when you're climbing gradients up to 3%, the socks give you an advantage of about 25 watts!
25 Watts of Advantage because of the Super Cool Vibes they're made with! :)
SPECIAL NOTES: The 25 Watt advantage doesn't apply to gradients above 3%! ... :)
Merino Gloves
The next part of the gear I want to talk about in this review is the Merino gloves.
Just like with the socks, I have two types of Merino gloves.
One is thinner, and the other is thicker.
I primarily use the thicker gloves during the transitional seasons of spring and autumn.
They reside in the bag behind my saddle, so when a unexpected cold catches me off guard, and I haven't taken my special winter gloves, these thicker ones definitely save the day!
Thin Merino Gloves
I use the thin Merino gloves for almost 12 months a year, even during the peak of summer when I'm high up in the Mountains I use them.
Sometimes during the early morning the long mountain descent can be bone-chilling.
They also sit in the bag behind my saddle, so on days like today, when I start early around 7:00, and it's still 5-6 degrees, I put these gloves under fingerless gloves.
So, when it warms up, I stow them away.
This way, I can start early in the morning without freezing my hands.
I bought the thin Merino gloves from Decathlon, and they are from the FORCLAZ brand.
Link to the gloves:
The thin Merino gloves cost around 21-22 BGN and are definitely worth every penny!
The only issue I have with these gloves is that they wear out over time at the top of the fingers, where the nails are, but where the cushions at the tips of the fingers are torn.
Apparently, when they rub against the other gloves while I wear them underneath or when they rub against the handlebars, they get worn out in that specific area.
The material is thin, soft, and comfortable, and I have no idea why they wear out exactly there.
But the problem is 100% real because I had two pairs of these gloves, and both wore out in the same spot.
I suppose the only way to deal with this issue is to add some additional patches to reinforce the material at the fingertip cushions.
Keep in mind that I wear these gloves even in winter when I have winter gloves on. I put them on underneath as the first layer on the coldest days.
Most of the time, they stay in the bag on the bike for easy access and use when needed.
Merino Buff
The next essential and highly important item in my Merino wool gear is the Buff - the scarf that goes around the neck and face.
Everyone knows what a Buff is; there's no need for explanations... :)
My Buff is also made of Merino wool, and it's from Decathlon as well!
Link to the Merino Buff: MULTIFUNKTsIONALNA KARPA ZA GLAVA TIP "BÛF" MT500, MERINOSOVA VÛLNA, CHERVENA
However, the Merino material of the Buff, unlike the gloves, is super durable!
I have two of these Buffs that I wear throughout the entire winter, spring, and autumn.
I put one around my neck as it's traditionally worn, and it keeps both my neck and face very warm.
The Buff, in general, is quite long, so when folded in half, it perfectly covers both the face and neck.
I use my second Merino Buff frequently during extreme cold spells in the winter.
Generally, I don't wear a hat; I don't respect hat-wearers after the barracks, so when it's extremely cold, I put the second Buff on my head under the helmet.
This way, it does an excellent job!
I should explicitly mention that neither my primary red Buff, which I wear as intended around my neck, nor the second one I use as a hat, have stretched out for over a year and half of heavy use.
90-95% Merino Gear
Keep in mind that all these Merino products from Decathlon, which I'm reviewing, have about 90-95% Merino wool content. The same applies to the socks.
The remaining portion up to 100% consists of synthetic threads, which are crucial to maintaining the overall cut and preventing the material from stretching and wearing out easily.
Merino Jersey from Decathlon
There's only one main component of my fall-winter-spring Merino gear left: the thermal layer.
Actually, NO! :)
I missed reviewing the Merino jersey...
For about a year and something, I also have a Merino jersey from Decathlon.
Link to the jersey here:
This specific Jersey, however, I do NOT recommend! But It's no longer available from Decathlon anyway.
This is the only part of my entire cycling gear made of Merino that I hardly ever use.
I don't use it for several reasons:
1. The fit is somewhat strange... with a heavy pocket flaps on top of that and some strange "Tick-Tack" buttons.
It does have the three mandatory pockets at the back, but...
2. The second main issue why I don't wear this jersey is that its material is NOT OK...
With it, I feel like I sweat more, and it stays damp longer...
Now I looked at my online orders history at Decathlon, and this jersey is listed as: "GRANITE-GRAY TRAIL MTB JERSEY WITH MERINO WOOL" - I do NOT recommend it!
If you want to have a jersey for this season made of Merino, buy it from bike24. The prices there are not much higher... :)
Merino Thermal Underwear - REALLY GOOD!
The last super important part of my cycling gear is the thermal underwear - the Merino shirt
I'm super happy with the Merino thermal underwear - long-sleeved shirt!
Link to the shirt at Decathlon: MEN'S MOUNTAIN TREKKING ZIP-UP JUMPER MT500, MERINO WOOL, BLACK
Last year, I bought this shirt for 95 BGN.
Now I see the price is reduced to 74.90 BGN... I HIGHLY recommend it!
The Merino shirt is from the same FORCLAZ brand at Decathlon, which makes the Buff and the gloves as well.
Keep in mind that I bought this Merino thermal underwear about a year and something ago.
While it was cold in winter and spring, and even now in autumn, I'm almost always with one of my Merino shirts (thermal underwear) from this model.
When one goes for washing, I put on the other one, just like the first... ha ha ha
Today, for example, in the morning, it was about 6 degrees.
I started riding dressed only in this thermal underwear and my GORE-TEX jacket on top.
Later in the day, it warmed up significantly, and I took off the sleeves of the jacket.
It's the type of jacket that has detachable sleeves with zippers.
This jacket model is perfect for transitional periods in late autumn and spring when it's warm during the day but quite cold in the morning.
The detachable sleeves on the jacket are valuable because you can quickly take them off, put them in your bike bag, and continue riding.
So, in the morning, I started with this thermal underwear and the jacket on top, and it was great.
However, when I climbed up to the Plateau, it warmed up significantly, and I had to take off the sleeves, unzip, and after a few minutes, the slightly damp thermal underwear was completely dry!
I highly recommend this thin Merino shirt (thermal underwear): MEN'S MOUNTAIN TREKKING ZIP-UP JUMPER MT500, MERINO WOOL, BLACK
The price is currently perfect at 74.90 BGN!
Merino Thermal Bottoms
I also have thermal bottoms from a Turkish manufacturer who has a store in our country: woolcollection.com
Their stuff is good, for the upper part of thermal underwear / jersey, I recommend the shirt above!
So, from this Turkish brand woolcollection.com, I have thermal bottoms.
I wear them on extremely cold winter days when it turns out we'll be riding at temperatures around -6 / -8 degrees.
Then, under the winter tights, I put on this Merino thermal bottom, and I'm super comfortable!
All-Season Cycling Shoes
At this point, I want to make a note about something very important that I missed regarding the Merino socks for autumn, winter, and spring.
For four years now, I've been riding constantly with summer cycling shoes.
From the end of autumn to the end of spring, I ride with gaiters over the shoes, and during the rest of the time, I have special gaiters made of neoprene - just for the front on top of the shoes.
During the Summer I put them on only if I have some downhill riding in the mountains, if it's raining, and so on, especially on some chilly summer mornings.
In winter, I put away those half gaiters made of neoprene and ride with full gaiters, which are waterproof on the inside with fleece.
Especially on cold days, quality socks are extremely important!
And, my three-season cycling socks made of Merino do their job perfectly!
You can find the three-season Merino cycling socks in the online store here: Cycling Socks Made of Merino, price 7.90 BGN
Today In the morning, it was quite cold, but today the temperature rose to over 24 degrees - it was really hot and enjoyable for riding.
I recorded this Review - Podcast while climbing with Pips on the Devetashko Plateau.
I'm already at the end of the Devetashko Plateau, only one last small descent remains, and the temperature is already 18 degrees.
I have about 20 and some kilometers of SUPER enjoyable descent ahead.
Friends, it's time to say goodbye / see you next time for the listeners of the 30 km/h Podcast with the Lupo's Blog.
Thank you for being with me, Lupo!
Good luck and Ride Joyfully!
