In collaboration with snowsports apparel maker 686, Specialized this year released a small line of high end fat bike kit, including these bibs complete with SWAT pockets in the rear.

In collaboration with snowsports apparel maker 686, Specialized this year released a small line of high end fat bike kit, including these bibs complete with SWAT pockets in the rear.​

Editor's Note: This article is part of the Mtbr Ultimate Guide to winter mountain biking, fat bikes, gear, apparel, lights and trainers. We are taking a deep dive into all manner of cold weather mountain bike gear, with round-ups and reviews of fat bikes, tires, wheels, apparel, trainers, lights and more. To see all the articles, head over to our Winter Guide Hub Page.

Specialized marketing manager Chris Riekert pulls no punches when summing up the state of the company's apparel initiative. "For us, being taken seriously in apparel has been an uphill battle," concedes Riekert. "Even when we have better product, we are often overlooked by the media and consumers because we are not an apparel brand."

Fair point. On Mtbr and sister site RoadBikeReview, coverage of Specialized is overwhelmingly slanted to bikes, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Those posts are often among the most popular on the sites. And love or hate them, most will concede that Specialized makes some great two wheeled machines.

So what about their apparel? Truth is, we haven't spent a ton of time in it. But in our limited experience wearing the Big Red S label (some of which you can read about in our round-up of Ultimate Arctic Weather Apparel coming soon), that experience has been wholly positive. And there is certainly no lack of it. This year's Specialized catalog includes everything from ultra-high-end fat bike-specific kit to wind cheating road racer skin suits to the new RBX line, which is geared toward more casual outings.

To find out more, Mtbr interviewed Peter Curran, head of Specialized's apparel design team, who among other things was responsible for the development of the company's popular SWAT-equipped mountain bike clothing.

After noticing that many fat bike riders dressed in ski or snowboard clothing, Specialized decided to make an apparel line that was more sport specific.

After noticing that many fat bike riders dressed in ski or snowboard clothing, Specialized decided to make an apparel line that was more sport specific.​

Mtbr: In a nutshell what is your day to day with Specialized?
Peter Curran: I lead the apparel team, including all clothing and gloves. Before that I was with Pearl Izumi, and before that with Burton Snowboards for a long time.

Mtbr: Why do you think it's been an uphill battle to get the word out on what you're producing?
PC: We make everything for the rider, but we're obviously known for bikes and then we're also really strong in some equipment categories such as tires. My team's job is to get the same notoriety for apparel and we've had some big wins, the road skin suit, SWAT for mountain bike. But people still have certain impression when they think Specialized, and that is what we are trying to change. We tell a lot of stories coming out of this building and we have a lot of talented people in this building. We also have an entire sewing lab, pattern engineer, and seamstress so we can build prototypes and patterns in house. That's a big change from the past. Now we can go from design to rideable prototype in 24 hours. It's not just send your idea overseas and see what you get.

Mtbr: So sell us on Specialized apparel. What makes it enticing to the consumer?
PC: I think one very important thing we have going for us is that at Specialized we are surrounded by bikes and are at the forefront of what riders are doing on bikes. We see the way riding is changing. It's important to be at a place that isn't dedicated to one thing. Take SWAT. That would not have happened on its own. But our mountain bike people were seeing what riders were doing to stow gear, which in turn influenced our ideas and designs. Other companies may not get that insight because all they do is apparel.

Continue to page 2 for more of our interview with Specialized's Peter Curran »

The 3 Layer Tech Jacket is equipped with Recco technology, which can help rescuers locate a victim that's been buried in an avalanche.

The 3 Layer Tech Jacket is equipped with Recco technology, which can help rescuers locate a victim that's been buried in an avalanche.​

Mtbr: One of your latest creations is the collaboration with 686 to create a small line of high end fat bike apparel. How did all that come together?
PC: It started with my snowboard roots and the fact that I know the owner of 686. They have done a lot of collaborations in the past where they take the spirit of the brand they are working with and integrate into apparel in a limited collection. We had talked in the past but we are not a winter-specific company so there wasn't a really good fit. But then with the fat bike craze an opportunity came up. We looked at pictures of people on fat bikes and they were in outdoor gear rather than traditional cycling kit. We felt like that showed an opportunity for something more refined, specific to being on a bike. So you get things like tapered legs that stay out of the drivetrain, SWAT integration, and some great fabric technologies. Plus with 686 being more of a snow and outerwear brand, they gave us credibility versus if we had just done it ourselves. By partnering with a company that knows snow it adds authenticity to the product.

Mtbr: Run us through the fat bike apparel line. You have three pieces.
PC: First you have the Tech Insulator Jacket ($250). This is a crossover piece that you can wear on and off the bike. It has great hand feel with Primaloft material. It's really the most versatile piece. You can wear it by itself or as an under layer. It also dries quick, so it does well in the wet. Next is the 3 Layer Tech Jacket ($500) where you have three layers all laminated into one. It dries really fast and doesn't trap moisture, and breathes extremely well. It's also waterproof with taped seams, and it has a lot of ventilation options, which is critical because of the heat you generate when riding. Last are the 3 Layer Tech Bibs ($450), which are essentially the same material and construction. The high coverage makes them almost like a vest on you core, and the fabric is the same as the jacket. You also have integrated pocket leg openings, and they are expandable at the cuff so they are not 100 percent bike specific. Yes, they are more fitted than most snowboard or ski pants, but you can still use them for activities beyond the bike (Editors Note: We've spent extensive time skiing in these bibs, proving their multi-disciple capability). We also did a full women's collection with the same pieces, just different shapes and colors.

Specialized's line of RBX clothing, including the pictured jersey, is less racy, more casual. But still ticks the right boxes for performance and functionality.

Specialized's line of RBX clothing, including the pictured jersey, is less racy, more casual. But it still ticks the right boxes for performance and functionality.​

Mtbr: Let's look ahead. What do you think is the next frontier in on-bike clothing?
PC: Well we are already doing R&D with smart fabrics that monitor the body and that could possibly be connected to a device. The goal is integration that's not goofy. For instance Burton had iPod controls on a jacket. The question then is how can you integrate technology in a way that improves the experience. In 10-15 years (or maybe less) most garments will be smart and have some kind of connectivity. Maybe Strava stats that show what your body was doing at same time.

Mtbr: Last one. We still have a good chunk of winter left, so what advice would you give someone for dressing to ride in the cold?
PC: It's a tough question because some people simply run hot and some run cold. There's no one-size-fits-all answer. But one thing to always remember is that you want to be a little cold at the beginning of your ride because you will generate heat. So if you walk outside and feel chilly that is okay. You will generate heat and warm up. If a cyclist doesn't have another winter pursuit they may have a lack of understanding in how to dress for the cold. Start with a baselayer, then add something thermal. I usually strive for three layers to give myself options. As for fabric, softshell is the best technology for cycling. It's warm, waterproof, breathable, windproof, and has some stretch.

For more info on Specialized's fat bike apparel visit www.specialized.com.