Five bike wear lines for men and three for women mark ION’s entry into 2017. For its fifth season in biking ION has widened its range of bike apparel, covering all aspects of mountain biking: from gravity-oriented DH and free-riding to all-mountain/enduro, from trail to those performance-oriented bike disciplines. Besides the familiar Traze series for trail riding, the extremely versatile Scrub series and the “gravity only” Slash series, the 2017 collection high-lights two completely new bike wear lines: Paze for all kinds of marathon/XC training and racing. And the rather progressive Seek, that addresses all free-riders out there looking for functional bike wear in a really unique design: Seek transports ION’s watersports origins into the bike department, underlining the brand’s claims of “Surfing Elements” and “Surfing Trails”.

PAZE – ION’s performance bike wear

For 2017 ION is introducing its new bike wear series called “PAZE”. It is made for bikers looking for apparel that offers superior moisture-managing capabilities and climate regulation. For almost all PAZE styles ION relies on the Channel Flow and/or Channel Flow Lite technology. Its special knit structure leads to perceptibly improved climate comfort: Channel Flow features hydrophilic elements to transport moisture away from the skin for a dry feeling. Channel Flow Lite uses surface expansion and quicker evaporation times to improve the cooling properties of the garment.

Leading the new PAZE series is the so-called “Climate Control Combo”. It is a trio of products: the short-sleeve jersey Tee Full Zip SS Paze_Amp, the In_Bibshorts Paze_Amp and the bikeshorts Paze: The Tee Full Zip SS Paze_Amp comes with a full zip at the front and has been designed using the Thermo_Mapping concept: on the sides ION uses mesh inserts to let the heat escape quickly and easily. Under the arms and in the spine area, the panels are made from a thin Channel Flow Lite knit to support the body’s thermal regulation. All other areas of the jersey are made from a slightly thicker Channel Flow Lite knit to protect the areas exposed to the wind. A classic: three elastic back pockets, one with integrated Phone_Pouch for the cell phone. The front panel comes with an integrated micro-fiber wipe to clean glasses or shades. Reflective details around the whole garment ensure improved visibility in traffic.

Made almost completely of mesh fabric, ION’s In_Bibshorts Paze_Amp work like classic bibshorts but have been designed strictly as a base layer. With a keen eye on climate regulation, ION combines Channel Flow and Channel Flow Lite to get the best result possible: moisture-wicking Channel Flow is used on the insides of the legs and in the crotch area. The better ven-tilation capabilities of Channel Flow Lite come into play for the rest of these in-shorts. When it comes to the chamy, ION relies on the well-known Italian brand La Fonte and utilizes their Vortex padding featuring the exclusive Shock Absorption Technology (SAT). Additionally, the straps of the In_Bibshorts Paze_Amp come with a small back pocket in the spine area offering storage for energy bars, CO2 cartridges or other essentials.

Whenever you want to hit the road or cover a marathon distance in style – for racing, training or just for the sake of it, you couldn’t do better than head for ION’s Bikeshorts Paze. They’re made from elastic 4Way_Stretch but still allow an aerody-namic silhouette with a Slim_Fit. The Jet_Stream ventilation holes on the inner side of the legs allow extra airflow on hot summer days. They will definitely help you cool down. With one zipper pocket for storing smaller items and a Flex_Waist for a better fit.

SEEK – Inspired by surfing, designed for free riding

The Seek is way more than just a new line to replace the previous Roam. Seek is a state-ment – of ION’s brand origin and of the dedication to biking. And of ION’s claim: Surfing Trails. Unmistakably surf-inspired, the Seek addresses all those riders that consider free-riding more than just a category: without boundaries, without stereotypes, but definitely out-standing. As such, the Seek has a unique design and works in various situations: on the trail, in demanding free-riding terrain, in the park or on a serious DH track. To offer bike specific capabilities, ION uses materials that don’t look like the average high-performance fabrics but reveal their functionality at a second glance. Technical finesse still included.

For the Tee LS Seek Amp, as the top-of-the-line jersey, ION utilizes the well proven Drirelease Jacquard Mesh already used in the Scrub series. Small pits in its pique structure allow the airflow to circulate to provide some cooling ventilation inside this Velcro-resistant polyester-cotton blend. When comfort is on the agenda, the advantages of drirelease fabrics come into play: they look and feel like cotton but dry four times faster. The Tee LS Seek Amp features a hidden ticket pocket to ease the search for lift passes when lining up for the next run. A micro-fiber glasses wipe at the hem guarantees clear sight.The Bikeshorts Seek_Amp look like classic boardshorts at first sight. But the details reveal their biking DNA: instead of an open waist regulation, ION’s new bike shorts come with a new construction that combines the regular boardshorts closure with hidden elastic straps on the sides. When the laces at the front are pulled tight, the elastic straps automatically adjust the width of the waist. ION calls these Boardshorts Closure 2.0. Two side pockets, both zippered and one with a separate phone pocket still provide the distinctive look of these bike shorts in a boardshorts design. Materialwise the Bikeshorts Seek_Amp come in a durable wind-resistant and water-repellent 4way_Stretch_Softshell fabric offering full freedom of movement. All seams are triple-stitched to ensure they withstand the movements while riding.

About ION

ION is part of Boards & More GmbH based in Molln, Austria with the operating office located in Oberhaching, Germany. Since 2005 the brand serves the international markets in kitesurfing, windsurfing, surfing, SUP, wakeboarding and biking (since 2012) and is available in more than 40 countries worldwide. The product range consists of high-quality and technical wetsuits & neoprene accessoires, harnesses, bike wear, protection, backpacks and lifestyle apparel with a unique and progressive design for the global action sports scene.

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Photos: Bartek Woliński /ION