This year, Gore Bike Wear rolled out a technology called Active Shell that combined the three components of a Gore-Tex shell -
outer layer, Gore-Tex membrane, mesh liner – into a single fabric that greatly reduced the thickness and weight of all its Gore-Tex cycling products. For 2013, Gore has a similar technology for its Windstopper pieces.
Gore-Tex products are completely waterproof and breathable; Windstopper products are water-resistant and breathable.
The new Windstopper Active Shell line includes jackets, vests and pants for road, mountain biking and commuting. Here is a short overview.
Road pieces
The $200 Xenon 2.0 AS Jacket is targeted at the serious road rider with a partial mesh lining, with a zippered pocket on the extended back. Extensive reflective logos and piping is used on the jacket. A comfortable extension comes up on the back of the neck.
The Xenon 2.0 is a lightweight, breathable wind shell
The $200 Xenon 2.0 AS Lady Jacket features the same technology with a woman’s cut, and the $140 Xenon 2.0 AS is also available as a vest.
The $150 Contest 2.0 AS Jacket is the more casual version of the Xenon. And the Visibility AS Vest and the Visibility AS Lady Vest are, as they sound, high-visibility options.
Mountain bike pieces
Targeted at the endurance crowd, the $170 Alp-X AS Light Jacket has the same comfortable collar as the Xenon, with the elbow areas pre-shaped for the riding position. Lots of reflective elements, and abrasion-resistant shoulders on the 100g jacket. The women’s $170 Alp-X AS Light Lady Jacket weighs 94g.
For all-mountain/trail riders, the $230 Fusion AS Cross Jacket has the same abrasion-resistant material as the Alp-X on the shoulders (for hydration bags) and sleeves. The underarms zip open for additional breathability.
For all-mountain riders, the Fusion is a more robust jacket with pit zips, abrasion-resistant arms and shoulders and a soft collar
The Active Shell technology is also available in six other mountain bike pieces: Countdown 2.0 AS Pants, Countdown 2.0 AS ZO (zip-off sleeves) Lady Jacket, Countdown AS Lady Vest, Countdown AS Lady Pants, Path AS Vest and Path AS Pants.
Look for a review on BikeRadar soon of the Gore Oxygen GT Active Shell jacket.
