The San Francisco Line

Redfrog Athletics first product line (inspired by San Francisco weather + spirit)

San Francisco weather

For those of you who have not visited or lived in the wonderful city of San Francisco, it is my honor to electronically introduce you to Karl. Karl is the name of the infamous fog in this city. The fact that the city has named the grey stratus clouds that hang like a toupee atop the city by the bay might tell you a few things about this city: 1) San Francisco (and its residents) have a sense of humor, 2) the fog situation up in here is very real. Karl can strike at any moment and cause drastic temperature changes. The locals have learned to embrace it by bringing extra layers of clothing for every occasion, and cyclists are no exception. San Francisco cyclists have the layering game down to a science, as the drastic change in temperature while pedaling a bicycle can be a matter of life or death (at least that is what it feels like).

It doesn’t matter what part of the city you are from or how long you plan on pedaling. If you are departing on a bicycle ride from any place in SF and going further than a mile, you will most likely experience: 1) climbing or descending a hill (change in internal body temperature), 2) a significant weather change, or 3) both. If you do not have the proper layering system or gear, these things might cause great discomfort. The goal for this first line of Redfrog Athletics’ cycling wear is to provide six simple garments that will keep you warm in the cold and cool on your sweaty climbs or the rare warm days in the city.

By creating products specifically designed for the extreme microclimate changes within the city, we ended up producing cycling wear that not only serves the cyclists that stay within the seven by seven mile city zone, but also functions perfectly on 100+ mile rides with varying temperature changes across the globe.

San Francisco spirit

As well as designing for the San Francisco weather, we wanted our first line to reflect the San Francisco spirit. This city is known for being free spirited. Self expression is encouraged and there is a general vibe of: “I’ll do me, you do you, and peace be with you.” Along with this carefree independence, there is also great pride in working hard, building an innovative, high quality life for yourself and supporting those around you doing the same. When we thought of what we wanted our clothing line to represent, we had all of these SF components in mind: freedom of self expression, hard-working badass humans, innovative and creative vibes all over the place and, most importantly, community support and encouragement at its finest.

Review of the products

Here are the products that came out of this SF inspiration:

The Racerback

The Racerback is a more minimal jersey that is ideal for warm weather rides. The athletic, flattering fit in combination with the merino blend (moisture-wicking, super soft, anti-stink material) provide the freedom to move and sweat through miles upon miles while keeping you cool and comfortable.

There are three back pockets designed to provide ample space for cycling essentials, as well as one water resistant zip pocket to fit a cell phone or other valuables that don’t like water. The design is highlighted with reflective elastic accents to keep you safe on the road.

The Hammer T

The Hammer T Jersey is ideal for spring, summer, fall, and warm winter rides (with a pair of arm warmers). It uses a mid weight merino blend (moisture-wicking, super soft, anti-stink material) to keep you cool when you are climbing and your core warm on the descent.

There are three back pockets designed and built to provide ample space for cycling essentials, as well as one water resistant zip pocket to fit credit cards and other valuables. We use a Merino mesh material to add breathability in the sweaty areas to keep you dry and stink free :)

The Long Sleeve

The Long Sleeve is our San Francisco year round cycling jersey. It is perfect for rides ranging in temperature from 50 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and is a wonderful base layer for your coldest winter rides (sub 50 degrees Fahrenheit). It uses a mid weight merino blend (moisture-wicking, super soft, anti-stink material) to keep you cool when you are climbing and warm on the descent, while providing UV protection (for those unassuming foggy days).

There are three back pockets designed and built to provide ample space for cycling essentials, as well as one water resistant zip pocket to fit credit cards and other valuables. We use a Merino mesh material to add breathability in the sweaty areas to keep you dry and stink free :)

The Commute Jacket

The Commute Jacket integrates functional cycling features into a super comfortable, stylish jacket. It uses a surprisingly breathable, heavyweight merino blend (moisture-wicking, super soft, anti-stink material) to keep you warm on the commute to and from work. It is also styled in a way that would be considered San Francisco business casual, so you don’t have to bring an extra set of clothes for the office.

There are two back pockets designed and built to provide ample space for your commute essentials, as well as two front zip pocket to fit any other valuables. The design is highlighted with reflective elastic accents to keep you safe on the road.

The Helmet Hair Headband

The Helmet Hair Headband is ideal for all forms of exercise or accessorizing in any weather. It uses a double layered lightweight merino blend (moisture-wicking, super soft, anti-stink material) to keep you warm on the first few pedals and then absorbs and eliminates sweat when you start to heat up.

The wide band is great under a helmet or post ride to avoid helmet hair, and the folded look is great for warmer, sweatier workouts of any type.

The Commute Scarf

The Commute Scarf is the ideal accessory for a chilly commute. It uses a lightweight breathable merino blend (moisture-wicking, super soft, anti-stink material) to keep you warm on your pedal to and from work, the coffee shop or anywhere you decide to adventure. It has a credit card sized envelope pocket for keys and your credit card allowing you to easily access these small items without rummaging through your bag.

Full disclosure, the Redfrog crew has been wearing this piece for any and all occasions. It is our most versatile product, and we love it.

Test the goods

If you have any interest in learning more about our products and want to try on or test out our gear, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We have events all over the US this Fall and would love to meet up. Follow us on Instagram to keep track of our whereabouts and the latest updates.