Isadore Apparel Review & Fasching at Lake Konstanz
Note: Before you read this, know that it was supposed to be posted a couple of months ago when I was still in the Lake Konstanz area of Germany. Now, I’m happily settled in Berlin. Okay, you can read the rest now :)
Five Seasons. Beer. Food. Costumes. Parties. Tradition & Culture. That’s how I would describe my first Fasching experience at Lake Konstanz.
Just as everyone was preparing for Fasching, I was sitting at home trying on my new Isadore Apparel Spring Kit. A couple of months ago, I reached out saying how much Aline and I loved the brand and next thing you know, we’re riding in the most comfortable kits ever! It’s not often that a brand you truly connect with decides to support you on your cycling journey (without being a sponsored athlete.) Since Aline and I were all set up for spring, we decided to do the maiden voyage on a perfectly sunny day with mild wind, and of course, Fasching!
We set out for our normal route from Immenstaad am Bodensee all the way to Überlingen. It’s about 30 miles or just under 50 kilometers. We brought the camera along because it seemed like the perfect opportunity to get some pictures of all the costumes and of course, our new kits. #NewKitDay is important guys!
Once we finished taking some pictures and riding the core miles for the day, we stopped for ice cream, had an espresso, then rode to the festival. It was a really cool thing to experience because I didn’t understand anything!
It forced me to observe and ultimately, experience these people having a blast and just living in the spirit of Fasching. We caught the last 30 minutes or so and managed to get some great shots of all the action!
For those that aren’t familiar with what Fasching is, I did a little more “technical research” a.k.a. Google and put this together:
Fasching carnival in Immenstaad, Hagnau, and Überlingen It’s what the German’s would consider “a fifth season.” The names Fasching, Fastnacht, and Karneval are fairly interchangeable but vary depending on what part of the region you’re celebrating in. It originated from the festivities before Lenten fasting and the masks worn are designed to drive away winter and all the evil spirits. There are big floats going up and down the street. Loud, live, marching bands.
Children cracking whips with the sound echoing through the old town streets. People young and old dressed as witches, devils, clowns, and anything you can imagine really. We even had a couple little girls come up to me and Aline to ask if we were dressed up as cyclists or if we were actually out on a ride.
Side note - A lot of this was explained to me by an older German man that came up to me and Aline on our bikes. We stood there and talked for a while as the festivities were happening around us. Only thing is, I understood about 10% of what he said because “mein Deutsch ist nicht so gut” (My German isn’t that good).
On February 28th, the day before we left Lake Konstanz, Schmotziger Dunschtig (try saying that fast 5 times) was in full force! It’s just a few days before Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday as the American’s know it.
Now back on our bikes, we really got to appreciate riding by the lake again. There was something reminiscent of a movie scene when that sun set over the hills of Switzerland. As we were standing there looking over the lake at the Swiss mountains, a big flock of birds came by and the water rippled ever so slightly. It was just what we needed.
As we sat there, the thing that I noticed most was that everything about this kit felt SO good. The merino baselayer wicked away sweat and helped keep my body temperature regulated. The Isadore LS merino jersey with wind-block on the chest was the perfect combo of lightweight, warmth, and wind protection. As far as bib shorts go, I was wearing the Utility Bib Shorts which are coated with a very high quality waterproof material. The main thing I noticed was that they have the most comfortable chamois I’ve ever worn. They’re very technical and have been extremely well thought out. I’ve acquired a few more pieces recently but those updates will have to come in another post.
So, thank you to the entire Isadore Team for being so freakin cool and supportive of my cycling journey! I’m very happy to be an ambassador for them and support their mission.
By the way, the new Alternative line is out which you can find in my recent posts or directly on their website.
Now that I’ve left Lake Konstanz and gotten used to the life in Berlin, it really makes me appreciate having that little spot by the lake. Apparently it’s crowded with tourists now, but I can’t complain. It’s bordering 3 countries and has amazing riding all over the place. Hopefully next time I get down there Aline and I will have planned a tour around the lake. It will definitely be a long day in the saddle as it’s well over 250km depending on the route you take but I can’t wait to do it!
The next few posts coming up will most likely have some awesome new updates with collaborations, new places to ride in Berlin, a little bit of lifestyle updates and how I’m starting to train for something. What that something is, I don’t really know yet. All I can say is it feels good to get stronger on the bike.
What are your favorite pieces of cycling kit and why are they so essential? I’m curious to know your thoughts.
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Last but not least, happy riding out there and thanks for reading!