What's Cool In Road Cycling

DannyShane Fall City Line Casual Clothing Review

DannyShane Clothing Review: Our resident ‘style guru’ Chuck Peña has turned his eye from on the bike elegance to a bit of off the bike refinement. The Danny Shane Fall City Line is smart, comfortable and yet functional and gets the thorough Peña inspection and review treatment.

If you’ve ever seen the various DannyShane Tartan Plaid jerseys, the look is very English. And the name DannyShane just sounds English. So it’s easy to think that Danny Shane is a UK company. But you would be wrong. In fact, DannyShane is an Austin, TX-based American company with a very English vibe. As an avid golfer (I don’t play as much as I’d like, but enjoy the times I’m able to get out with my daughter and get schooled by her), I would even say a bit of a golf vibe. That’s not a surprise given the fact that founder Shane Hunt was previously the CEO of an international golf and sportswear company.

What sets DannyShane apart from the rest of the cycling clothing industry is their use of bamboo white ash. This material is eco-friendly and when blended with polyester fabrics, Danny Shane claims it:

    1. # Naturally wicks moisture rapidly to keep you dry (without any irritating chemicals)
      # Captures odor (naturally anti-microbial)
      # Provides thermal regulating benefits
      # Fibers are durable and long-lasting
      # Creates high breathability
      # Provides natural UV protection
      # Provides ultra soft comfort


I actually own several DannyShane jerseys and can attest to the comfort of their bamboo white ash material. It feels like silk against your skin. And in hot and humid weather, does an incredible job wicking away sweat and breathing to help keep you cooler.

But since I’m writing this in the dead of winter with a polar vortex descending upon us, I’m actually not here to review DannyShane’s regular riding kit. In a slight change of pace for PEZ, instead I’m having a look-see at their casual riding/off-the-bike stuff.

Berwick City Pant – $109 retail

Not every ride is a man with the hammer training ride or long ride with a group of friends. Especially if you live in a dense urban environment and don’t want to deal with gridlocked traffic or impossible to find parking, sometimes you just want to ride your bike to get somewhere – errands, coffee, beer, or even a date. On such occasions, skin tight race fit kit isn’t practical or even appropriate. But a pair of jeans or cotton chinos aren’t necessarily comfortable or functional for riding – even short distances.


At first glance, the Berwick City Pant looks like any other pair of pants

DannyShane’s Berwick City Pant is intended to bridge the gap with something equally comfortable on and off the bike. It’s made with a cotton/poly/spandex blend fabric so it has some stretch (but it’s not stretchy like lycra), which makes it more comfortable and functional for riding. The legs are tapered and more form fitting. The bottom of the pant legs have zippers that helps with getting them on and off. But being able to zip them up also helps keep your pant leg from getting stuck in the chain or crankset without having to wear a dreaded leg cuff band. A nice style touch is that the inside part of the leg zipper is trademark DannyShane tartan plaid.


The bottom of the pant leg zips open

The Berwick pant has two front slash pockets similar to what you find in a pair of jeans, but also has cargo pockets on the thighs. However, unlike most cargo pockets they don’t a button, snap, or Velcro to securely close them. And there are two rear pockets with flaps but – like the cargo pockets – without a way to secure them. Like the inside of the leg zippers, the inside of the rear pocket flaps are tartan plaid. In fact, the waistband and all pockets are lined with the same tartan plaid bamboo white ash material.


Slash front pocket and cargo pocket


The waistband and all the insides of the pockets are DannyShane’s trademark tartan plaid

There are two elements of construction that indicate the Berwick just isn’t a pair of regular pants and is something more suitable for cycling. The knees are a little loose (especially compared to how the rest of the pant is more form fitting), but this is so you can pedal more easily. They reminded me a little of the shaped/articulated knees common on motorcycle pants. And the butt panels of the Berwick pant are what you would expect to see in a pair of cycling shorts, but sans the chamois. Again, so that it fits better/more comfortably riding a bike.


Stitching creates an articulated knee that makes it easier to pedal


The knees on the Berwick pant are not unlike those on motorcycle racing leathers, but PEZ doesn’t recommend you try doing this on a bicycle (yes, that’s the author!)


For riding comfort, the seat panel is the same shape as a chamois but without any padding

To give you an idea how the Berwick pant is sized, I’m a slim build with a 30 inch waist and 30 inch inseam, and the Berwick in size small fit me to a T. Snug but not overly tight around the waist. The Berwick has belt loops, but I can forego a belt wearing them. Comfortably snug through the thighs. And with the bottom of the legs zipped close, almost a perfect fit around my ankle.


The double belt loop in the back is a nice touch for when you want to wear a belt

As a point of reference, I happen to also own a pair of Rapha city trousers and in my opinion the DannyShane Berwick City Pant is on par with them. For PEZ readers who are fans of Rapha – in terms of style, function, and quality – I think it’s fair to mention both Rapha and DannyShane in the same breath.

Berwick Button Down Shirt – $79 retail

While DannyShane is all about bamboo white ash, this shirt is actually 100% soft poly. A cool aspect about the material is that it’s somewhat waterproof.


The Berwick shirt is matchy-matchy with the pant

Style-wise, it’s a perfect match with the Berwick pant. Black with the same tartan plaid pattern on the inner neck. But calling it a button down shirt it’s a bit of misnomer in that it doesn’t have a button down collar – instead, a more urban hip, trendsetting spread collar. In a first for DannyShane, it’s a full button-up shirt with white buttons that contrast nicely against the black. The two front chest pockets have buttoned flaps so you can put small stuff in them without having to worry about it falling out (a concern if you’re riding a bike). The cut of the Berwick shirt is comfortably loose and can be worn either untucked or tucked in.


Like the waistband and pockets on the pant, the Berwick shirt collar and inside of pocket flaps is tartan plaid


Not waterproof, but water will bead up on the Berwick shirt

The Berwick pant and shirt combo is classic black on black. Perfect for all but the most formal occasions. Casual and simple, but refined. Perhaps even dressed to kill à la James Bond. Certainly appropriate for a PEZ Negroni at your favorite bar.

Gex Cycling Lifestyle Polo Shirt – $79 retail

As a former competitive tennis player, the term “polo shirt” evokes images of the iconic Lacoste crocodile polo shirt and the red clay courts of Roland Garros and the French Open tennis championship. And a polo shirt is also one of the most identifiable items in a preppy wardrobe.


It’s a polo shirt

The Gex is DannyShane’s riff on a polo shirt. While a traditional polo shirt is usually made with a piqué cotton fabric, the Gex polo is made with DannyShane’s trademark bamboo white ash. Instead of a soft, knit collar, the Gex polo has a tailored collar. The Gex polo has regular “loose” short sleeves (like most t-shirts) rather than more fitting cuffed sleeves. And in what would be considered a faux pas by preppy standards, the Gex polo has a pocket on the left breast instead of a crocodile or other suitable logo.


Without a soft collar, you won’t be tempted to turn it up

But otherwise, the Gex is a polo shirt – which is to say both stylish and comfortable. The black and gray horizontal stripes across the chest evoke a classic cycling jersey look.

Like the Berwick shirt, the Gex polo can be worn either tucked in or untucked. But with a classic polo split tail, it almost begs to be worn untucked. Plus when worn untucked, the DannyShane logo is subtly on display just above the bottom hem of the shirt.


Classic polo split tail

A study in casually deliberate

According to the Velominati, the act of being casually deliberate is “exhibited by a sharp dress sense and air of confidence.” That about sums up what it’s like wearing the DannyShane Berwick pant with either the Berwick shirt or Gex polo. Perfect for when you want to ride your bike to your destination and look stylish when you get there, but where skin tight race kit would be less than appropriate for the occasion – you know … like a first date.

It’s the Fall City Line but …

Here on the East Coast, these and the other pieces in the collection are appropriate for early fall or late spring – when the weather is warm but not hot. But since the Gex polo is made with bamboo ash, it could actually be worn into the summer and would pair well with the Berwick City Short for bopping around town.

And a tease …

In addition to stuff from the Fall City Line collection, Danny Shane sent PEZ some of their regular riding kit too. As I’m pining away for warmer riding weather, I’ve had the chance to try on their Rigby Black jersey and Limited Red Rainier bibs. Stay tuned for an upcoming PEZ review of this stylish stuff!

See the entire collection of DannyShane clothing here.
 

                       

 
PEZ contributor Chuck Peña is a former weekend warrior racer who now just rides for fun and coffee, but every once in a while manages to prove Fausto Coppi’s adage true: Age and treachery will overcome youth and skill. He lives in Arlington, VA with his wife (who is his favorite riding partner), his daughter (who takes great joy in beating him at golf all the time, but at least he’s still faster on a bike), and their dog (who is always there to greet him when he comes home from a ride). You can follow him on Twitter and on Instagram.

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