And it's ALL GOOD...

Put through the ringer by Dirt Rag, our Ether Short came out clean! Here's what reviewer Justin Steiner had to say:

"At $74 - $84 for patterns or plaids - ZOIC's Ether shorts sit on the affordable end of the baggy-with-liner spectrum. The no-frills mesh liner sports a comfy, if not terribly technically advanced, chamois, while the synthetic outer offers a stretchy gusset trhough the crotch for good mobility. The fit is loose without being baggy; let's call it casual - the twelve-inch inseam falls just around the knee. There are plenty of pockets, five in total.

In use, the Ether short quickly became my choice for hot temps due to their comfort on the bike, and the lightness of both the liner and outer. Unlike many liners, ZOIC's Assault Liner is perfectly up to task - I've worn it comfortably during some long days in the saddle.

These shorts have held up well through a couple of seasons of riding, and come highly recommended due to their affordability. Made in China."

Thanks Justin! If you like what he had to say, check out
Dirt Rag at http://www.dirtragmag.com/
The Ether at http://www.zoic.com/mens-ether-short
The Assault Liner at http://www.zoic.com/mens-assault-liner

After my Ellsworth Evolve was stolen about a month ago, I unfortunately found myself in the market for a new bike. So when our buddies from Pivot Cycles (link) came to San Diego last week for a demo event with Black Mountain Bicycles (link), I was quick to clear my calendar to get out & ride. Our sales manager has been preaching from the gospel according to Pivot for a year now; a position he shares with many in the press and on MTBR.com (link). Having ridden a 29er the past 3 years I went in expecting to give the Mach 429 a hard look, but came away with an unexpected take on the ideal bike for me.

The ZOIC 2011 Collection came together quite nicely and when we haven't been on the road selling it, we've been riding and taking some photos. Here's a quick peek at some of the looks and colors you can expect from ZOIC in 2011. We'd love to hear what you think!

For those of you who caught Part I of this post (link), you know that at ZOIC we're very proud of our liners and the great job they do "covering your ass" while you're riding. In that post I mentioned that we're so confident that we asked a customer who purchased our Assault liners for a 9 week riding trip through India to give us feedback throughout his travels. I'll call this customer Chris (cuz that's his name). Well, Chris managed to get word to us a few weeks back and here finally are his comments:

"We are having a wonderful tour of India and I must say the liner shorts have far exceeded our expectations. Fit, comfort, and breath ability are outstanding even with an average day of 6 hours riding. Even the socks are just right. The outer shorts are a bit heavy but hey, it's nearly 100 degrees here. I will order up a pair of lighter shorts when I return for the hot Idaho summer coming up. I thank you daily for creating these wonderful liner shorts." - Chris

"15 long days in the saddle and no signs of wear and just as comfortable as day one.." - Chris

At ZOIC we pride ourselves on quality and value in everything we make. When it comes to our shorts, that means creating both outstanding functional outer shorts AND well constructed comfortable liners. In cycling short product pitches, reviews and photo ops, the outer short gets all the press while the liner rarely gets a mention. But the liner is a critical piece in determining how you feel during and after your ride. You're packing some pretty sensitive stuff into that liner, so it's imperative that the liner lives up to the quality of the short and the needs of your cycling.

We're SO confident in how ZOIC liners fit and perform, we sell them as a separate product. And given that they've been a steady seller for us, obviously our customers agree. In fact, a customer who recently purchased ASSault liners from us is putting them through a pretty rigorous test:

"Just got the assault liner, tried it on realized I have found the replacement liner short I have been looking for for years. I will be off shortly for a 9 week bike tour in India. I will give my feedback later upon my return. Happy trails, Chris"

Now we've never road-tested our products for NINE WEEKS STRAIGHT, but we're feeling up to the challenge. So I've asked Chris to keep us posted on his experiences during his trip and the performance of his new liners. Whatever he has to say, I'll be sure to share with you. And if he finds fault or suggests ways to make a great product even better, we'll certainly take notice. Because at ZOIC we're looking out for your ass.

Enjoy the ride!
Paul

We just got back from Interbike, the largest trade show for bikers, mountain bikers, commuters, alike! We had a blast showing off our latest creation, spring 2010! SGI Intelligence stopped by and wrote up this fabulous article featuring the "Ether Audio" and "Posh Audio". Check it out, it's the latest and coolest item on the market you've got to have for next spring!

Review a ZOIC product on our website and receive 20% off your next purchase. Simply go to any product you wish to review, click "review this product" and submit. You will be emailed shortly after with a discount code for 20% off your next ZOIC purchase.

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