After well and truly putting our new All Day collection through the wringer traversing the entire length of Sri Lanka in under a week, Attaquer rider and editor of Australian Mountain Bike, Mike Blewitt, takes us through just how the kit fared.

ALL DAY BIB SHORTS:

If there could be one staple piece of cycling clothing to get right for any rider, any brand, any team – it's bib shorts. They are a foundation piece of clothing for comfort, and that rolls on beyond just one day. The wrong pair of bib shorts can cause discomfort that could keep you off the bike for a few days or even longer.

Attaquer have recently overhauled their All Day bib shorts, and having spent plenty of hours in a pair over the past 6 weeks the current product is highly impressive. But even before pulling a pair on, their eco credentials are commendable. Attaquer use only BlueSign approved recycled materials in the All Day bib shorts, which is a huge step in the right direction for any clothing company. These efforts should be rewarded by custom, and I hope to see more manufacturers following this path.

"Look good, feel good, pedal good"

The bib shorts themselves use a supportive and compressive material with flat locked seams and wide elastic leg grippers. The flat locked seams prevent the indents from overlocked seams after a long day in the saddle, and the supportive material and race cut does help keep things looking pretty tight, even if things wouldn't look that good otherwise. Additionally, there is evidence to show that muscles under compression don't get as fatigued, as they have better circulation and also recruit less muscle fibres. So you look good, feel good, pedal good.

The straps are flat and wide, and I had no wiggling around or bunching up. The shoulder yoke plays a role in this, keep the straps in place until between your shoulder blades. But no doubt it is the material as well, which is comfortable and form fitting. Speaking of form fitting, the chamois is top notch. Fit and materials are one thing, but if the chamois isn't right, the bibs aren't worth touching. I've had bib shorts where the chamois was too full on, lacking any movement. Some are too thin, others are just in the wrong place. Some fold in half and climb northwards. None of these are good things, and the chamois in the Attaquer All Day Bibs is large, thick, and a curved shape for a precise fit. I didn't even find that using chamois cream was mandatory, like most chamois.

"I had no issues with even 7 hours in the saddle at a time..."

I guess the big question is – are there downsides? Well yes. These are a race fit item, and if you're not in race fit shape, then you might find the sizing and cut benefits are missing. And there is price. At over $300 these are a premium set of bib shorts. But given mine look new with 50 hours use in Sri Lanka and at home, and I had no issues with even 7 hours in the saddle at a time in them, I think they'll prove to be a good investment. The new material is said to be far more durable than anything Attaquer has used in the past. So perhaps, All Day gear is up to the task for All Year use as well?

There's a lot of fashionable cycling clothing available now, with just the right tones and branding to suit the market. And Attaquer are well-known for delivering on the style and fashion fronts. But put that to one side, and their All Day bib shorts are a high-quality piece of kit, and I believe a pair of these bib shorts should be a foundation piece of clothing in any keen cyclist’s wardrobe. Comfort and style count, but bib shorts without comfort are worth nothing.

ALL DAY JERSEY:

Attaquer's All Day Jersey range has also had a full overhaul, bringing the race cut, recycled materials and updated features to this snazzy short sleeved number. The cut is a standout feature on this jersey, and the update brings a shorter zipper and front, for less pouching of the zip when riding. I've used plenty of jerseys that go a little far and it feels like your belly button will show when you're standing up and walking into a 7-11 to get 4 Krispy Kremes that you're totally going to share... but the All Day jersey covers what it needs to, with zero excess material.

"The cut is a standout feature on this jersey"

The shoulders have a raglan styled cut, allowing a very precise fit over your shoulders and down the arm. This is an area a lot of light jerseys struggle with, as the material can be used to it doesn't sit well, or bunches up. I had no such issues. The sleeves are tight, suiting endurance cycling arms more than gym bros. I even found them pretty snug to pull on after a long ride nature stop, or over sweaty arms in a humid environment. But I love the coverage provided, and the material is so thin it's by no means hot.

The body and back is a firmer, more supportive material, and this really comes into its own for the pockets. They're deep, but don't sag, and have reinforced stitching for where the stress points are. I really like the panel atop the main pocket, which helps guide opening it up as you don't get caught on the fabric. For someone with shoulder mobility destroyed by hours on a bike and a laptop, making getting things out of a pocket simpler when riding is a big win for me. There's a hidden zip security pocket under the right pocket, which is useful for a key or credit card – or anything that really can't go missing on the ride.

While the jersey breathes well, the zip is easy to dump on a hot day to let it flap in the wind. Even better, it's easy enough to get the zip engaged again over the top of the climb to zip up again.

"A big win for me"

With a whole lot of use, the All Day jersey is wearing well. I had a White one and Pine – the white needs a delicate touch as to me, it's not suited to the all day rides I do. It just would not remain white. Be that from grime, sun cream, jelly teeth that have got left in my pocket and gone squishy – or just about anything. But there are plenty of other colours.

Attaquer also make an All Day long sleeve jersey with the same cut and very similar features – with SPF50+ protection over the body. The mesh sleeves won't add much protection, same with the short sleeve, but they short sleeve still created tan lines even with suncream – so I'll take the additional coverage for the big all day adventures.

For any of the All Day gear, do check out the fit guide. Attaquer have updated their fit and while I have some small sized A-line gear from 2019, the medium All-Day gear is spot on for a very fitted cut.

All Day Jersey White/Stripe
$199.95

All Day Jersey Pine
$199.95

All Day Jersey Burnt Orange
$199.95

All Day Jersey Black
$199.95