Submitted by
Brent Kendall
a Cross-Country Rider
from Arlington, VA
Date Reviewed: December 19, 1999
Strengths: Good looking, Warm, Durable, Can wear it more than once without washing it
Weaknesses: none
Bottom Line:
Wow, my girlfriend just bought me a Swobo wool jersey for Christmas and it is absolutley awesome. It definetly beats wearing cotton tshirts when you ride. I have ordered from swobo online(www.swobo.com) and haven't had the customer service problems, they have been very helpful and I usually get what I want. I just placed another order (I figured I should do the honor of introducing swobo clothing to my gf) and I am hoping that I continue to have good service from swobo. Swobo makes the best cycling products out there, if you don't have definetly get some.
Similar Products Used: I've had other long sleeve jerseys, but this one takes the cake
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
James
a weekend warrior
from Australia
Date Reviewed: March 13, 1999
Bottom Line:
When I first bought this product I loved it. Wool is quite comfortable to wear and wicks well. But the thing shrunk to the size of a little baby jersey after one wash. And I followed all the washing instructions too. This product is expensive too. I'm sorry Swobo, your product sucks.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John Carr
a cross-country rider
from Albuquerque, New Mexico
Date Reviewed: March 6, 1999
Bottom Line:
I have only had top-notch experiences with Swobo, Swobo Products, and Swobo personell. Over a year ago, I ordered a pair of their spendy-but-excellent quality cargo shorts right before a one month trip around the country. Chris at Swobo took down my travel agenda, and mailed me my shorts at my first destination, Austin TX, during the four days I was there. I was hyped to have the shorts for the whole trip, when I had been resigned to doing without until I got home. The shorts have been bullet-proof, even for day-in day-out wear. I just got a wool jersey from Chris and - in the dry New Mexico climate - it is perfect even when temps fluctuate between real hot and real cold. Here is the key w/ Swobo: Call in person for good service. They don't read their e-mail or update their web site so ignore those resources. If you gotta buy - buy natural, buy made in the USA, buy from people who think. Top raves.-
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John Pentecost
a cross-country rider
from Portland, ME
Date Reviewed: November 26, 1997
Bottom Line:
I've written two reviews on this product below, and in case you haven't read them, here's a quick re-cap: I love the style of these clothes, but I originally had a slight problem with the stitching on a long sleeve jersey. A guy by the name of Chris from Swobo read my review on this page and Emailed me to offer to repair or replace the jersey. I thought it was extremely cool that I didn't even have to contact them about the problem . . . they contacted me. Anyway, the story left off with me sending them my jersey and waiting for a repair or exchange.Well, me being me, I sent the jersey off to them and completely forgot all about it. Meanwhile, Chris was sitting out there in San Fran waiting for it, and it never showed up . . . lost in the mail. This is where the story gets cool: Chris, realizing that something was wrong, Emailed me a couple of weeks ago to see if I ever sent the jersey because he never received it. I told him that I had sent it, and he, being the cool guy that he is, never questioned it for a moment . . . he simply asked me what size and color I needed and sent me a new one via express shipping. And if that wasn't cool enough of him, he threw in a free pair of pimpy-looking Swobo socks for all my trouble. What a class act.Now, I'm not saying that everyone should expect to be treated this exeptionally in every instance, but I will testify to the fact that these guys make some of the coolest, well-made cycling clothing on the planet, and I'll never buy a jersey from anyone else. Their customer service sets a new standard for this business, and I hope that anyone who reads this article does not hesitate to give Swobo a chance to earn their business.Chris, if you're reading this, thanks for everything. If you ever need a personal reference for a promotion or something, I'm your man.Don't settle for less; no one comes close to Swobo.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Graeme
a cross-country rider
from USA
Date Reviewed: November 6, 1997
Bottom Line:
Swobo rules.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Cbaby
a cross-country rider
from Santa Cruz
Date Reviewed: August 12, 1997
Bottom Line:
Even though this is one great looking item (I have the green short-sleeve jersey) I find I dont wear it much, just because it's so darn warm. If you live in a cooler climate, it's probably perfect, but even in Santa Cruz, I find I can't tolerate it so often. It is very soft and not scratchy, tho. Also, the styling is so Right Said Fred. One warning: stay away from their cotton riding shorts.. Mine kept snagging on my saddle tip. After numerous attempts to patch them, they finally shredded so bad, I just tore the liner out and sewed them into another regular pair of shorts.. So 4 peps for the jersey and 1 for the shorts.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John Pentecost
a cross-country rider
from Portland, ME
Date Reviewed: August 11, 1997
Bottom Line:
If you've read my first review below, you know that I love the style of these jerseys, but I had some problems with the stitching ripping out on me, so I only gave them three chillies. Well, a guy by the name of Chris who works at Swobo read my review and Emailed me offering to repair or replace my jersey for FREE. I couldn't believe it. In an industry that is known for customer service that is questionable at best, this was a refreshing and unexpected change. I recently sent my jersey back to them and I'm anxiously awaiting my replacement or repair soon. This company rules. BUY THEIR PRODUCTS!!!
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Chris Lowe
a racer
from San Francisco
Date Reviewed: May 12, 1997
Bottom Line:
I've got 3 short sleeve jersies. One is over 3 years old and still going strong. Swobo makes nice subdued clothing that won't have you looking like some racer wannabee. The material isn't at all itchy unlike traditional wool jersies. Maintenance is pretty simple and they are machine washable but KEEP IT OUT OF THE DRYER or you'll end up with a nice jersey for your chihuahua. Prices are a bit steep but they are hecho en America so I'll let that slide, besides wool is pretty pricey to begin with. They're perfect for temperate climes liek the SF aea but I wouldn't recomend them for warmer spots like Phoenix.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
John Pentecost
a cross-country rider
from Portland, Maine USA
Date Reviewed: April 29, 1997
Bottom Line:
I own several Swobo products: a long sleeve jersey, two short sleeve jerseys, and a sleeveless racer jeresey. All of them look awesome . . . I mean, what could be cooler than easing up to the starting line wearing some of these cool threads while all the boners around you are dressed in their neon/lycra clown suits? I consider every NORBA event to consist of two races: one that takes place between the start and the finish lines, and one that occurs between the finish line and the post-race feast/party. I consistently win the most important of the two because I don't have to spend any time changing out of any spandex weenie gear on my way to the party.Though cool looking, Swobo products are far from flawless. I've personally found them to be a pain in the ass to care for and of questionable quality, not to mention the price. I've had small rips in the stitching on two of my jerseys, and they shrink like a bitch if you get them near the dryer. For this reason I'll only give them 3 chilis.
I bought a short sleeve jersey last year. Super comfortable and classy. My only porblem is that the collar is coming apart without wearing it to often./ It is embriodered with a club name and I got a great deal on it so I'm not bothering sending it back. It is still a great jersey.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Craig Smeg
a weekend warrior
from Berkeley
Date Reviewed: April 21, 1997
Bottom Line:
There is nothing better on a cool/cold day. This is a damn fine American product - made in America for decent, God-fearing Americans like yourselves. Go out and get one, dammit. This is what makes our country great.
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Mark G.
a cross-country rider
from Colorado Springs, CO
Date Reviewed: April 15, 1997
Bottom Line:
I bought one of these last year after hearing about them. It was black, long sleeved with a long zipper and a discreet logo embroidered on the front. This jersey spoke to me in a way that no day-glo momma's boy spandex wanna be euro-wuss plastic shirt ever could. This was my first real jersey. Up til now I did all my riding in polypro jobs under ratty t-shirts. Unfortunately, this set-up had the same pitfall as the nightmarish tour de loser lycra jersey I once borrowed--smelly and clammy. Swobo changed all that.Rode all spring and fall in it and nearly shed tears after a laundry accident modified my jersey to midget size. I went back to Polypro and cotton and it really sucked. I missed the way my old jersey wicked the sweat away from my skin on the climbs and kept me toasty warm on the long descents. This story has a happy ending though, cuz I got a new one for X-mas. Joy of Joys! Now if I can just find some good shorts that don't look so lame...
Overall Rating:
Submitted by
Roger M.
a cross-country rider
from Phoeni,AZ
Date Reviewed: April 15, 1997
Bottom Line:
The hep cats(is that one word or two?) at Swobo have created a thing of beauty in this jersey. I initially had some reservations about wearing a wool jersey due to the itchy-ness factor of wool. No problem, this jersey is very soft and incredibly comfortable. The chest pocket is a nice feature as well. The jersey is kinda pricey,but their is just something nice about wearing a natural material. I just wish we had more cool days in Phoenix, so I could wear the thing more often (Time to head up north..).
