‘100% made in Italy’ – that’s the slogan of Bianchi. Genuine, authentic, and detailed, those are the rules Bianchi make their cycling clothing by. The Italian touches and flair are just one aspect of Bianchi’s design process; they also bring in cutting-edge technology and precision engineering, combining authenticity and heritage with modern features.
For their Summer 2015 collection, Bianchi have taken an anatomical focus on their designs, taking care to design everything to be constructed for ‘in the saddle use’. The result is a collection of garments that look instantly classic, yet still remain ahead of the curve in terms of advanced systems and performance.
Expect to see the exceptionally crafted clothing that Bianchi has become instantly recognisable for, as well as some new experimental design and functionality tweaks. The ‘Outside Pad’ is one of the new experiments, which, as the name suggests, is a bib-short chamois pad which sits on the outside of the short rather than the inside, enhancing comfort by reducing exposure to seams and stitching.
Hozan
First up is the Hozan, a visually striking jersey with a throwback, vintage design. For this jersey, Bianchi have demonstrated their ability to marry the old and the new, with a combination of both front and rear pockets. The rear pockets, as you’d expect, are the typical ‘3-pouch’ model found on most cycling jerseys today, designed to accompany the bent-over, in-saddle position. The front pockets on the Hozan, however, are a retro-designed ‘joey pouch’ style, which open with smart, stylish buttons and can be used for holding extras, or for when you find yourself in tight spots during a race where you can’t reach around.
Zancara
The Zancara is a more modern-looking jersey, equipped with breathable, mesh panels and layers, contrasting against the sleek, black styling. The cutting-edge look and feel doesn’t stop there, when you factor in the silicon gripper used across the customised hem, and the fitted, aero shape, you’re looking at a very capable jersey.
Although primarily a performance-driven garment, the Zancara has the expected classic Italian design flair that has come to be associated with Bianchi. A subtle celeste inner collar marks a quiet tribute to the brand, celebrating it’s famous racing colours and glory days. A pair of white bands on the arm-cuffs also add an edge of neatness and contrast to the jersey, looking quiet similar to the bold, block colouring of racing jerseys of the past, yet still remaining subtle enough for it to retain it’s sharp, modern appearance.
Tago
If the Hozan was a true ode to bygone times, and the Zancara was an amalgamation of the past and present, then the Tago Jersey looks like the cycling jersey of the future. Featuring a ventilation system that resembles an exo-skeleton from a sci-fi character, the Tago is a truly innovative and new take on the cycling jersey.
Again, Bianchi do slide in subtle nuances of their trademark celeste, such as the thin piping surrounding the rear and side panels, but with the design and style of the Tago, it only delivers a more modern and smart look. As a crossover jersey, the Tago can be used for all types of cycling, including mountain biking and road cycling: its sharp, fitted shape make it great for the road, whilst features such as the covered, protected zip make it a solid, durable mountain bike jersey.
Duero
Heading onto the lower-body garments, the Duero is a new incarnation of the classic Bianchi bib-short, striped in celeste with a bold, black and white base. The Duero is iconic, simple and understated, a classic design that immediately resonates with the brand philosophy of Bianchi.
Technologically, the Duero bibshort is sound and race-ready, coming equipped with breathable mesh on the bib braces, abrasion resistant fabric and microfibre leg grippers.
Odiel
Echoing what we saw in the Tago jersey, the bib-short equivalent looks to be the Odiel, a half mesh, half polyester dark garment, with a few experimental tweaks. A stand-out feature of the Odiel is the Krono ‘outside pad’ on the rear of the short. Choosing to place the Odiel’s chamois pad on the outside means that comfort is the priority, with any seams and ‘extra bits’ sitting on the outside.
3D technology used on the Odiel means that the compression aspect is enhanced and stabilised for performance optimisation.
