Outdoor Research Freewheel Mountain Bike Collection Review
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Full Kit
The Outdoor Research Freewheel Mountain Bike Collection is a new initiative from OR venturing more firmly into the mountain biking space. If you’re any sort of outdoor enthusiast you know Outdoor Research is known for making exceptional camping, hiking, skiing, and tactical gear. This is their first foray into the MTB world and if you’re a TL;DR type person I can firmly say it’s a solid entry into the space.
I was able to test out OR’s Freewheel Long Sleeve Jersey, Freewheel Ride Shorts, Freewheel Leather Palm Gloves, and the Freewheel Half Zip Hoodie on rides ranging from standard single track, packed gravel roads, and even some pavement as I shuttled between trail systems. Conditions ranged from sunny and 65 degrees to cloudy, slight drizzle and mid to upper 40 degree temps.
The Outdoor Research Freewheel Mountain Bike Collection – Men’s Freewheel Long Sleeve Jersey:
Score (9 out of 10)
The Outdoor Research Men’s Freewheel Long Sleeve Jersey is a pretty standard long-sleeved MTB jersey without much flash but with a solid dose of good riding/wearing mojo. If you’re familiar with OR, you already know they’re not exactly known for flashy designs, cutting-edge fashion statements, or throwing every conceivable feature at their gear. Instead, they lean in on making supremely capable gear that won’t let you down when you need it most. The Freewheel Long Sleeve Jersey fits that description perfectly.
Freewheel Long Sleeve Jersey
Personally, I’m a big fan of long sleeves, or at least 3/4 sleeves, on most of my MTB rides as the additional arm coverage is welcomed when cutting through overgrown trails or during the “occasional” front tire wash-out. The downside to that philosophy is that I can sometimes get a little toasty with that extra coverage. To my surprise, The Outdoor Research Men’s Freewheel Long Sleeve Jersey breathes exceptionally well…better in fact than many of my other ‘technical’ jerseys. This top combines wicking, quick-drying, and breathable bluesign® approved materials with features like a drop-tail hem, UPF 30+ sun protection, and ActiveTemp™, (a thermo-regulating treatment that claims to help manage body temps.) Granted, anything is going to feel uncomfortable in 90-degree temps, but so far the Freewheel Jersey has proven up to the breathability task when dealing with my constantly overheating self.
Freewheel Long Sleeve Jersey
As mentioned above, if you’re looking for a mountain biking jersey that has all the bells and whistles like extra pockets, zippers, bold graphics, etc. – this isn’t it. But, what it does bring to the table are thoughtful design touches like strategically placed shoulder seams so they don’t interfere with a backpack, an integrated microfiber wipe on the hem to keep your glasses clear of mud and sweat, and a drop tail hem to keep your booty covered when you’re in full send mode. Small details that come together to help create a jersey that just works.
Available in both men’s and women’s cuts and in multiple colors, (as well as short-sleeved version), and sizes ranging from XS – to XXL, there should be a jersey to suit most riders out there. MSRP of $70.
The Outdoor Research Freewheel Mountain Bike Collection – Men’s Freewheel Ride Shorts:
Score (10 out of 10)
These shorts are quickly becoming a favorite of mine, hands down. Again, much like the Freewheel Long Sleeve Jersey, the Outdoor Research Freewheel Ride Shorts are mostly no-frills, but with solid features, excellent materials, and a completely dialed fit.
Freewheel Shorts
Compared to some of my other MTB shorts from brands like Zoic, Troy Lee, Giro, Dakine, Assos, and others, the OR Freewheel Ride Shorts are a lightweight competitor…and I don’t mean that in terms of how they perform, but more literally by what they weigh. When I first pulled them from their package I was dubious as to whether they could hold up to the some of the abuse MTB gear has to deal with out on the trails. My concerns were quickly put to rest as I managed to dump it on my first test ride coming down a rocky chute on my local lunch loop. I was pleasantly surprised to find the shorts merely laughed at the jagged rocks and gritty sand that I manage to land and slide on. My hip, on the other hand, didn’t fair as well. Outdoor Research infused the Freewheel Ride Shorts with DuraPrint® technology for added durability, and in this particular case, I feel like it did its job with flying colors. One day I’ll learn…
With plenty of stretch and a bike-specific cut, the Freewheel Ride Shorts fit like they were made for me. Not too baggy, but with enough room for knee pads and Low-Pro™ Side Waist Adjustment Tabs so you can cinch it up when you’re in mid-season form or let it out when you’re coming off those holiday gorging months. Staples like a gusseted crotch, laser perforated holes at the back yoke for extra breathability, and a slide-lock snap at the center front waist round out the fit nicely.
Freewheel Shorts Side Adjustment
I found the extra height in the back waist area was a welcomed addition when seated in the “butt out” position on gnarly descents as was the ability to comfortably wear a padded liner under these bad boys for those longer days in the saddle when your bits and pieces can start to complain. Add in both top-loading and side-loading zippered hip pockets and you’ve got a killer, if not flashy, pair of shorts.
Freewheel Shorts Pocket
All in, these are a fantastic pair of shorts that are becoming a personal fav. Available in both men’s and women’s cuts and in 3 colors each, there should be a flavor for every taste. MSRP of $115.
The Outdoor Research Freewheel Mountain Bike Collection – Men’s Freewheel Leather Palm Bike Gloves:
Score (8.5 out of 10)
The Men’s Outdoor Research Men’s Freewheel Leather Palm Bike Gloves tick all the boxes for a pair of solid, and somewhat indulgent, MTB gloves with just a couple of caveats.
Freewheel Leather Palmed Gloves Pair
To start, the gloves just look dope to my eye. Again, like the rest of the collection, these are not a flashy pair of mitts. That being said, they really do look good in an understated and minimalist way. If you like loud colors and bold graphics on your gloves, you’ll likely want to look elsewhere.
The defining feature of the Outdoor Research Men’s Freewheel Leather Palm Bike Gloves are the Goat Leather palms. Having never ridden in leather gloves I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. What I found was a pair of gloves that provided exceptional grip, durability, and just enough cush to soften the blow from those bouncy house trails.
Those features can be squarely attributed to the goat leather palm as they just stuck to my grips like glue which I learned to really enjoy a lot more than my typical synthetic palmed gloves. And as mentioned above, since I was able to test this gear on several crashes all in the name of a thorough review, the goat leather held up like a champ when I can only assume a thinner synthetic would likely have either ripped or at least had a solid abrasion. The goat leather just chuckled and asked for more. And the cush was just enough to take the sting out rocky sections of trail as is the nature of leather in general. If you’re looking for a vegan option, these aren’t it, but for what they’re designed to do, the goat leather just simply performs. If a vegan option is more you jam, OR also offers these gloves in a standard synthetic variety that would likely breath a touch better (see below for more on that).
Freewheel Leather Palm Gloves
My biggest issue with these gloves that had me remove a point or so from my overall rating is their versatility…or should I say the somewhat lack of. If you don’t like warm hands (who does?) then these gloves have a lower-than-normal ceiling when it comes to temps. For me personally I’d say mid to upper 70’s would be my limit before I ended up with soupy palms. The nature of the leather just traps a bit of palm heat as you’d likely guess. So maybe you’re thinking, “Cool, these will be my cool/cold weather gloves”…well, the highly breathable synthetic back-of-hand area would keep these gloves with a low-end floor of MAYBE upper 40’s or so. The point being, at least for me, they have a slightly narrower than normal temp range of usability.
Round out the offering with a dollop of stretch, a highly breathable back-of-hand area, touchscreen compatibility on the index finger and thumb (that actually worked!), a sweat wipe area on the back of the thumb area, and an adjustable wrist cuff and you’ve got yourself a pair of pretty fancy gloves to add to your riding kit.
Freewheel Glove on bars
Available in standard sizes ranging from XS to XL (I’m a standard size L in most gloves and the Outdoor Research Men’s Freewheel Leather Palm Bike Gloves fit true to size) and in 2 different colors for both men and women. MSRP of $59.
The Outdoor Research Freewheel Mountain Bike Collection – Men’s Freewheel Half Zip Hoodie:
Score (10 out of 10)
My new favorite riding jacket/hoodie is in the house! Following the footsteps of the other pieces in the Freewheel collection, there are few frills here, but what you do get is a super versatile riding hoodie that surprisingly does a lot of things really well.
Full Kit
I’m not really one to wear a jacket when I ride as I tend to overheat, so I lean more on highly breathable layers unless it’s really cold outside. The Outdoor Research Men’s Freewheel Half Zip Hoodie, however, breathes so well that I found myself reaching for it in situations where I’d normally shy away from a ‘jacket’. On the flip side, when the spring winds really started to blow, (think 30 – 40mph), the Freewheel Half Zip Hoodie shrugged it off without breaking a sweat. Speaking of moisture, the hoodie brushed off light drizzle as well as anything I’ve worn in the past. This is NOT a waterproof jacket so you’ll likely get wet in a driving rain, but for those light rain days, the Freewheel’s water-resistant properties did their thing remarkably well. I was able to test the hoodie in temps ranging from 40’s with spitting rain up to mid 60’s and sun and it performed like a champ in all those conditions.
Freewheel Hoodie Water Repellant
With a few minimalist features like a drop-tail hem to cover the booty from wheel-spray, a deep zipper to make for easy on-and-off, articulated cuffs to prevent interference with your hands, a 3-panel hood designed to fit under a helmet (and over a more minimalist helmet), and a brushed interior to add just a dab of warmth, you’ve got an outer shell made for the long haul.
Trail Riding
Available in both men’s and women’s cuts in standard sizes ranging from XS to 4X and in 3 different colors you’re sure to find a winner. MSRP of $179.
Summary: (9.5 out of 10)
The Outdoor Research Freewheel Mountain Bike Collection is an assortment of mountain bike-specific riding clothing that proves durable, versatile, and extremely functional without making a fuss about it.
The Outdoor Research Freewheel Mountain Bike Collection comes in numerous pieces ranging from jerseys and shorts to hip packs, gloves, and hoodies with MSRPs of $30 to $179 depending on the piece. These aren’t cheap pieces of kit, but considering the durability and functionality of Outdoor Research gear, I’d say the value is there. To learn more of check out the Outdoor Research Freewheel Mountain Bike Collection for yourself, visit www.outdoorresearch.com.
