Riding bikes is one of my main passions in life. It’s my primary form of exercise; I do it for fun and socializing; it’s my competitive outlet; and it’s a big part of my job. I get to ride bikes quite a bit, and for that, I am very thankful. While my life revolves largely around riding and writing about bikes, the vast majority of my time is spent doing other things.
As mentioned in the first installment of Shifting Gear, lots of products cross our desks and through our hands, but not all of them are strictly bike-related. I’ve recently acquired a number of bike-adjacent products that I’ve really been enjoying. So, without further ado, here are a few of my latest beyond-the-bike favorites.
Fabric Australian Hop Fizz
I’m not gonna lie, I LOVE beer. Post-ride beers are one of my favorite things in the entire world. Sometimes, I wonder if one of the reasons I ride bikes so much is so I can justify the number of empty beer calories I consume. I’ll admit that, at times, it has bordered on being problematic. Plus, as a sometimes-competitive cyclist, consuming alcoholic beverages usually doesn’t align all that well with my recovery or performance goals, regardless of how much I like them.
So, as much a I love beer, I also appreciate the recent proliferation of non-alcoholic beverages on the market. The N/A beer scene has really taken off in the past few years, and some of them honestly taste pretty darn good. They scratch the itch, for sure. But along with the N/A beer explosion, there is a wealth of other non-alcoholic beverages to suit various tastes and preferences. With all these new options to choose from, I can still enjoy the post-ride ritual, just without the alcohol. I know that has always been the case, but now the options are better than ever.
I’ve got a good friend who works in PR, and she reached out recently to see if I wanted to try out these Fabric Australian Hop Fizz drinks. As a fan of other hop-water beverages, I was definitely intrigued but wary of the THC in a couple of them. Now, I’m not opposed to THC, but the few times I’ve tried it since I stopped smoking weed 15+ years ago, I’ve gotten uncomfortably high. Quite a lot has changed in the years since, with recreational legalization in certain states, and a whole industry creating gummies, candies, drinks, and so many ways to consume THC, and in measured doses. It’s a brave new world.
So, I decided to give them a shot. After all, Fabric makes three varieties of its Hop Fizz drinks, including “Clarity,” which has zero THC. “Rhythm” contains a super low 1.5 mg of THC, while “Downtime” steps up to 10 mg of THC. Additionally, all of them also include CBD and/or CBG, both of which are non-psychoactive cannabis derivatives typically associated with therapeutic properties. CBG is typically considered to be uplifting, while CBD is more relaxing. Regardless, each beverage is formulated to align with its name, Clarity, Rhythm, or Downtime.
And, if, like me, you’re wondering, how is this legal? Well, the Delta-9 THC used is derived from hemp, and hemp-derived products were legalized in the 2018 Farm Bill. Still, legality varies from state to state, so that’s something to consider depending on where you live. And, of course, driving under the influence is obviously illegal no matter where you are.
All of them are lightly flavored and lightly carbonated, brewed with Galaxy hops and fruity notes like lemongrass, orange peel, lemon, and blackberry. They have zero calories, fat, sodium, or carbohydrates, and the ingredients are easy to read. For example, the “Clarity” flavor is made with purified water, citric acid, lactic acid, Galaxy hop extract, Strata hop extract, lemongrass extract, desert lime extract, and CBG.
In my opinion, they all taste great and are very refreshing. The “Clarity” flavor has just 10 mg of CBG and is quite similar to drinking a non-alcoholic hop water. I also really like the “Rhythm” flavor, which has 1.5 mg of THC, 5 mg of CBG, and 25 mg of CBD. That’s a very small amount of THC, and frankly, barely perceptible. After drinking it, I feel relaxed, but not intoxicated in any way.
Despite my reservations about getting “too high”, I’ve tapped into the “Downtime” flavor as well. With zero tolerance, 10 mg of THC is more than I think I can handle, so I just drink half a can at a time. At that dosage, it makes me feel chilled out and calm. There’s no paranoia, and I’m not concerned that I’m gonna get way too high from eating some mystery edible or something. It’s a pleasant alternative to a 3-beer buzz, and the next day it doesn’t feel like I drank 3 beers, either.
Regardless, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed them all and will be keeping them in the rotation post-ride and when I’m kicking it at home. While I doubt post-bike beers will ever be completely off the program for me, these are a good option for all the other times. Check them out at:
Curious Creatures Hungry Horse Jacket
Curious Creatures is an up-and-coming mountain bike apparel brand that’s grown relatively quickly in popularity. Founded by Natasha Woodworth, an industry veteran with previous design experience at brands including Patagonia, the Bozeman, Montana-based brand brings a unique design approach and aesthetic to the market. Over the past couple of years, the Curious Creatures product lineup has expanded to include numerous models of shorts, pants, and jerseys for both men and women, all of which combine technical materials with casual, offbeat style.
We reported on one of the brand’s latest products, the Hungry Horse Jacket, several months ago. This casual-wear jacket is a departure from the rest of the lineup, which is almost exclusively mountain bike apparel. Curious Creatures describes it as “a rugged men’s jacket that combines durable workwear grit with fleecy comfort for trailheads, tailgates, and everyday adventures.”
It looks kinda like a wool jacket, but it’s a synthetic material that’s wool-like in appearance and feel. It’s got what I would describe as a mountain-town hipster aesthetic, with a little ranch thrown in, likely inspired by the brand’s hometown of Bozeman, Montana.
I got the Hungry Horse jacket a few months ago. I was initially pretty unsure about the style, and the material felt a little stiff, and it wasn’t the softest right out of the gate. But I gave it a shot, and it has become one of my favorite things. The material has broken in wonderfully, and now it’s nice and soft. The style has grown on me as well. I throw this thing on with some Blundstones and a teenie-beanie, and watch out, world… But seriously, the number of times I’ve heard “I like that jacket” in the past few months has to be in the hundreds.
My only real gripe is that the wrist cuffs are a little tight when snapped. I’ve just been leaving them unsnapped, and it hasn’t really been an issue. Otherwise, this jacket is comfy, cozy, and apparently, other people think it looks cool. I’m a big fan. Curious Creatures makes the Hungry Horse Jacket for men and women, and it comes in Glazed Ginger Chambray and plaid.
Five-Ten Sleuth DLX 2
Adidas Five Ten just launched the new Sleuth DLX 2 shoes a couple of weeks ago, and I was able to get my hands on a pair right away. These are a new version of the brand’s longstanding Sleuth flat pedal shoes, which have been a favorite of many BMX, dirt jump, and bike park riders for years. Like the previous version, the DLX 2 combines a grippy Stealth rubber dotty tread outsole with a softer flexing midsole, in a relatively casual-looking package.
The style of the Sleuth DLX 2 is so casual, in fact, that they look a lot like the everyday white leather sneakers that so many people wear (in the white color, anyway). And I mean that in a good way; these shoes are stylish. I could wear them walking around downtown in Reno, Copenhagen, or New York City, and they wouldn’t be out of place. And they’re comfortable, too. The soles are quite forgiving and flexible. I walked several miles in them the other day, and it didn’t feel like I was walking around in flat-pedal mountain bike shoes.
And when I jump on my townie to run some errands, that grippy rubber sole clings to the pedals well. Given the softer flex, I probably won’t take them out for pedal-heavy trail rides, but that isn’t really what they’re designed for, either. These shoes are made for the rider who appreciates a softer flexing sole for jumping, pumping, and pedal feel. And even though I don’t really fit that description, I’m pretty into the new Sleuth DLX 2 for kicking around town and casual wear. They’re comfortable, and I think they look great. And if bright white isn’t your thing, they come in black and cardboard (tan-ish), too.
The post Beyond the Bike: Post-Ride Beverages, a Casual Jacket, and Crossover Shoes appeared first on Bikerumor.