Sumattory is a Spanish company producing a comparatively small range of products. I’ll admit that personally I’d never seen any of their gear until this review. Also, their products certainly come at a premium price, being designed in Spain and made in Italy. Truth be told, I was a bit worried that I would be disappointed – I wondered how Sumattory expected Australian cyclists to buy premium-priced products from a brand they have never heard of before. And over the internet, too!

It took just one ride, however, to understand. Sumattory sent me their gear to review because it’s the real deal.

I received a complete kit with summer jersey, knicks and base layer which was selected by Summattory for my size. While this is well matched and essentially belongs together as a kit, you can still mix and match so we are looking at each piece in detail.

Sumattory Hermida Jersey
The “Hermida” jersey comes in short and long sleeve models, in orange or blue. I received the short-sleeved orange version in size “small” and right out of the packet, something seemed different.

Material
This isn’t a glorified quick-dry shirt. The very high (72%) nylon content gives it an odd feeling in the hand, but an amazingly tailored feel when it’s on. The outer surface feels incredibly slick and aerodynamic. The material follows the contours of your body to the point where you could even see the permanent bump on my collar bone from my close encounter of the parked-car kind; no other item of clothing I own does this. Despite this, it’s not restrictive – the material is so stretchable that it just feels as though it had been designed specifically for you.

Design
Most jerseys are passable items of clothing, but the Hermida jersey is clearly at the next level. It’s so light there’s nowhere for sweat to accumulate. It’s so well fitting it won’t flap even at 70km/h, and it’s ridiculously comfortable.

It’s reasonably practical too. It has a super long pocket in the middle that works perfectly for a hand pump or loose items you are paranoid about. It also has a zippered compartment for your phone with a waterproof panel between it and your skin to protect it from moisture. I loved this – I didn’t really need it, but it’s such an elegant solution I can’t help but smile when I think about it. The zipper feels solid and locks in place very well.

The jersey also features tiny holes for airflow and moisture evaporation as well as silicone grippers on the waist. The only thing I could find to gripe about is the sizing. If you take a look at the pictures, you’ll see that really, I needed the next size up. It’s a testament to the design that it was still so comfortable and not restrictive – still, if you happen to be right on the cusp of sizes, go up one.

Verdict
At around $175 (€135), the Hermida is not cheap. But to describe it as anything less than a premium product would be doing it a disservice, and if you’ve never paid these sorts of prices for a jersey, or let alone any item of clothing, it’s unlikely you’ll have anything in your wardrobe that feels like it.

Now, to be honest, not everyone needs a jersey like this. I mean there are plenty of cheaper jerseys that will “do the job”, but no one really needs a Lamborghini either!

Sumattory “Hermida” Bib Shorts
The Hermida Bib Shorts come in orange or blue, with a long winter version available in black.

Material
As with the jersey, you can tell something’s different right out of the box. Even higher in nylon content (80%), you notice that same thin, stretchy and aerodynamic feel straight away. The chamois is made by the company called Elastic Interface and is named the Cytech “Endurance 3D.” BNA asked however didn’t receive much info about this chamois, but “Endurance” means it is one of Elastic Interface’s long distance chamois and it’s likely specifically made for Sumattory.

The chamois sports two very thick sections directly under your “sit bones”, but it’s not just thick, it’s firm too. Conversely, the front of the chamois is much thinner, though still firm. This design makes sense in the context of long distance rides, where pressure on the pedals is lower and your weight is shifted a little more towards the back.

Design
The fit is fantastic, due largely to the high-quality, body hugging material used. When on the bike, I don’t think I could find a wrinkle in these shorts. The absence of a traditional hem gives it a great, modern style. They never ride up, always sit flat, and they sport some very unique leg grippers too. Like the jersey, the shorts are slightly on the small side and again, if you’re somewhere in between sizes, you should definitely go up rather than down.

Verdict
At around $190 (€145), these shorts, like the jersey, are definitely premium-priced but, again like the jersey, they more than live up to the price tag. There are plenty of shorts that cost a lot but offer little benefit, and you can always get away with cheaper shorts. But if you want to get a pair of really good shorts, and you’re willing to pay for them, then consider this an endorsement of a genuinely premium-quality product.

Sumattory “Hermida” Spring Base Layer
The Sumattory Spring Base Layer is yet another high-quality item, though maybe not appropriate for the hot Australian summer. I’m looking forward to making use of this in mid-to-late April

It’s made from a high-quality material, just like the rest of the range, though it has a high (63%) polypropylene content which some riders dislike. I’m relatively indifferent as, once again, the quality is just so evident straight away – this is a specialty product designed for a specific purpose.

It’s incredibly soft and very water permeable, so ultimately I didn’t even realise it had a high polypropylene content until I began writing this review. I gave it a go on a hot summer morning and found that after a minute off the bike the jersey was probably wetter than the undershirt. I thought this was a figment of my imagination, but I’m reliably informed that this is due to the “hydrophobic” nature of polypropylene.

The fit is great, but being sleeveless it ought to fit well. Like the rest of the range, the sizing is ever-so-slightly smaller than you would find over here.

Verdict
Like the rest of the range, the base layer sports a premium price tag at around $70 (€55)  and, like the jersey and the shorts, the quality of manufacture is exceptional. Don’t let the polypropylene content fool you, this is softer than some merino base layers I’ve worn.

Last Word on The Sumattory “Hermida” Kit
I probably would not have ordered the Sumattory kit unless I knew someone who had touched it, ridden in it and given it the thumbs up. I’ve touched it, ridden in it and I’m giving it the thumbs up.

While there are many competitors offering products at lower price points, if you want to ride in the very best gear then seriously consider the Hermida range – it’s unlike anything you’ve worn before and probably better than anything your mates will be wearing.

If you are a budget cyclist, this cycling wear is simply not for you – you would absolutely love it though at the premium price this is reserved for the cyclist who wants a premium product.

Summatory currently don’t have an Australian importer however promise fast shipping internationally (and free shipping for orders over €200), for more information and ordering details, visit: sumattory.com/en

I used the Supersonic knicks primarily for road biking, but I did also wear them for mountain biking, underneath light shorts of course. I chose the medium size which was a good fit for me; not too tight but firm enough. The wide leg bands are really good; they seem to work well keeping the knicks from bunching up and it was a good feel compared to the narrow and tight cuffs common in knicks. The black is neutral, so if you are after style points, they can be easily matched to the rest of your kit.

Supersonic knicks, a nice cut and good look

On the bike I found that I was adjusting my position on the saddle for the first five to ten kilometres of each ride before I become settled. Every backside is different and some knicks tend to suit me better than others. Once I settled into the knicks however, they were flawless, no discomfort or chaffing, even on long rides. Wearing leg warmers with these worked well, though for cold weather these knicks are a little “light” in the parts you want to keep warm.

Softtail chamois in the Supersonic’s

The 3/4 Snake Bite bib knicks really suited me well but, I have to admit up front, they are incredibly un-sexy. When people use the pejorative Middle Aged Men in Lycra (MAMIL), they’re thinking of me wearing these knicks. I really wasn’t helping the cause at all; full length tights or standard knicks are a better look. The annoying flip-side is that they are quite practical and I really enjoyed wearing them.

Your author, wondering if he can go out in public like this

As bib knicks they are comfortable and add another clothing layer to the lower torso (good for the kidneys). They stretch over, and keep warm, your thighs and knees, and only your lower calves are exposed. During an early morning criterium, another rider in my grade commented that I had no chance of performing in the race with my legs exposed. I don’t know whether he was being thoughtful or had spotted me as a serious contender and wanted to intimidate me, but I took the challenge and achieved my best placing for the season in that race. Obviously my legs were warm enough.

Where these knicks really stood out was during long rides with cool early morning starts. They work really well for the transition from cool to warm; you may get a little more air on your calves when it’s cold, but when it does warm up they are light enough to keep you from feeling as though you are stuck in jogging pants. It’s a bet for both sides; if you face changing weather conditions they leave you a little less exposed and they save you from having to stow leg-warmers in your back pocket.

Compared to the Supersonic knicks, these were comfortable the minute I sat on my bike and didn’t need time to adjust and wear in. For long rides I never had issues with a sore backside. The chamois used in the Snake Bites is the (relatively) new eXo skeletal pad and Ground Effect are onto a winner with this, at least for me.

Super comfort (for my backside) with the eXo skeletal chamois

Both of these knicks are well made, they have nice and clean stitching and when you have them in your hands (and on your butt) you can feel that they are quality products. Ground Effect are still making their gear in the land of the long white cloud (New Zealand); they don’t outsource their quality.

While the Supersonic knicks are good knicks, the ‘Softail’ chamois in these didn’t seem to fit my backside as well as the Snake Bite 3/4 bib knicks with eXo skeletal chamois. The Snake Bites hit a sweet-spot for me and were perfect for transitional weather and varying riding conditions. Well, almost perfect, as they though don’t earn any points from me in the euro-cool department.

If you’re into the technical details, like the 4-way stretch nylon lycra, contour fits and multi-level pads, you can read up on these on the Ground Effect website.

The Supersonics retail for $109 and the Snake Bikes for $179. You can order from Ground Effect directly.

The “Aeron” monicker gives the impression that they are particularly aerodynamic. I don’t know if this is actually the case, but even if it was, would the advantage be  significant? What I did notice is that the lycra used in the knicks has a very slick feel to it and there are two side-effects of this.

Firstly, it becomes very easy to move around on the saddle. Speaking for myself, I consider this to be a benefit enabling me to shift my weight around and avoid pressure spots. For others, this may be distracting but you probably already know which camp you belong to. Secondly, in winter the wind whips through them like they’re not even there; they are almost unwearable in temperatures below 7 degrees. I suppose, however, that if this was a summer review I would be waxing lyrical about how cool they are. Again, neither good nor bad, just details you don’t get from a picture on the internet.

The cut of the bibs are great. For the size of the shorts, the braces are nice and snug – designed for the riding position, not the coffee shop. Otherwise, all the panels followed my body’s contours nicely and they didn’t bunch or pull while riding. One other nice thing is that they don’t strangle my thighs, yet still stay where they’re supposed to.

Finally, the chamois is really nicely done. There are thicker ones in the Aeron range, however the high density makes this one very comfortable. It’s a good size, too – wide enough but not too big. Again, it’s designed to be comfortable on the bike, not necessarily at the cafe.

I highly recommended these knicks and would probably go so far as to extend that endorsement to the rest of the Aeron range, based on the quality of the chamois and the fit of these.

View online: Aeron Race Cycling Bib Short

The cuff at the bottom of the shorts is wider than most traditional cycling shorts and it will steer you away from that sausage look that none of us really enjoy. The larger cuff was a feature that I had been looking forward to when I  unwrapped them. They’re rather long in the leg so, for women who are looking for something a bit more modest, this might be what you’re after. The waist band is thick without being so thick that it will cut into your waist and it is supportive and holds everything in without a hint of muffin top. I was rather surprised by this as I normally expect to get this in bib knicks and not plain knicks.

They’re comfortable enough for a quick commute, a trip to the shops or a 100km in the saddle without a problem. But (yes, I found a but), when I wore them on a commute to work one day and then had to put them on again for the trip home, there wasn’t the same amount of elasticity as their had been at the beginning of the day. I don’t like having to pull my shorts up when I’m fanging it through Melbourne at peak hour.

Are they better than any other pair of knicks? Probably not. The big bonus with these shorts is that they do have the longer leg for the extra modesty, the thicker cuff (for better looking leg muscles) and the quality waist band which doesn’t cut into you (and no muffin top). If you’re not into branding yourself, these knicks are perfect, and if you’ve been looking for the right fit but still haven’t had any luck, try these on the chance that they might work for you. It is a different and new product that’s totally thinking outside the box in a different direction.

 Coming onto the market at $149.00 AUD, the Sirens are priced reasonably. Go here for frequently asked questions and all the technical info.