After being at the forefront of cycling apparel technology for more than half a century, one might have expected Santini to have taken a pause at one point and rested on its laurels for a bit, while everyone else tried to catch up. Nope, instead the vaunted Italian brand has continued turning out cutting edge cycling togs decade-after-decade, not only setting new trends, but sometimes with a little irreverence.
Such is the case with Santini’s recent “Ready to Ride” collection, a series of boldly colored unisex garments that depart from the norm by welcoming an almost chaotic mixing and matching of colors.
“Color has an incredible power: it tells stories, conveys emotions, and allows those who wear it to express their uniqueness. The Santini Ready To Ride line was designed with this in mind — to offer a wide range of shades that reflect every style, taste, and personality. But it’s not just about the variety of colors; it’s about the freedom to mix, match, and combine them however you like. Our Ready To Ride collection gives you the opportunity to play with colors like never before. Whether you prefer subtle tones or bold shades, RTR lets you find the perfect balance between style and functionality,” says Santini.
However, the Ready to Ride isn’t just about color, as the collection also introduces an innovative dyeing process that’s widely used in the fashion industry, allowing garments to be dyed after assembly, ensuring greater production flexibility, waste reduction, and faster response to market trends.
“Traditionally, fabrics are dyed before being assembled, but with this new technique, each garment is first made in white and then dyed afterward. This approach allows us to optimize the use of raw materials and make production extremely flexible and responsive. If a color proves successful, we can replicate it quickly; if it doesn’t resonate with the market, we can phase it out without waste or excess stock. But, the innovation behind Ready To Ride goes beyond garment dyeing. Every piece in the collection has been designed with a focus on simplicity and efficiency, favoring monomaterial construction. This marks a step forward in the way we conceive technical apparel, with the long-term goal of creating even more advanced garments made entirely from a single material and fully recyclable at the end of their lifecycle,” explains Santini.
Like most of Santini’s performance jerseys, the Ready to Ride features a slim fit that’s design to fit close to the body, while the bibs shorts are constructed using compact, highly-elastic Italian fabric that’s designed to offer maximum compression without feeling restrictive, while the legs are treated to internal grippers to keep the shorts securely in place.
Additionally, the bib straps are made of ultra-breathable micro mesh, ensuring quick drying and excellent ventilation, while comfort comes courtesy of Santini’s GITevo gel-core chamois.
In addition to obsessing over one’s bike, inveterate roadies such as myself are often just as compulsive when it comes to selecting a kit, obsessing over each piece right down to the perfect matching socks. So, when the time came to create an ensemble that comprised a purplish, berry colored jersey and ochre, citron shaded bib shorts, I had to conjure the sartorial gods in order to complete the color wheel with ideal choice of sock. Color matrix satisfied, it was time to hit the road.
While there are plenty of superlatives that apply to the Ready to Ride pieces, light, airy and exceptionally well tailored foremost describe them, offering excellent comfort (thanks to the GiTevo pad) and breathability, even on the hottest days when the mercury really began to spike. I especially liked the raw-cut sleeves and legs, along with the minimalist neckline, while other worthy mentions include the fully covered zipper and practical three rear pockets.
The Ready to Ride jersey sells for $107, a relative bargain if you ask me, while the bib shorts fetch an equally reasonable $178.
You can see the full collection by visiting Santini’s website here.
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