I’ve never been big on cycling jerseys. I mountain bike a lot in the spring, summer, and fall, but typically, you’ll see me wearing a cotton T-shirt, a baselayer, or even a flannel if it’s chilly enough. Last year, though, I was introduced to ROWDEE. The small brand makes a bike shirt called the “Shindig,” and I have found my new favorite thing to wear when I ride.
It’s a lightweight button-up made from a comfortable, moisture-wicking, stretchy material. Sweat doesn’t stain it. And, unlike any other button-up bike shirt I’ve ever had, this one packs into its own chest pocket.
On top of all that, the patterns this brand offers make for some of the most fun bike apparel I’ve found. I actually look forward to wearing this shirt on the trail and out for beers afterward.
Trails & Tacos Shindig Button-Up Bike Shirt Review
I got the Trails & Tacos Shindig Shirt ($90) from Rowdee and regret nothing. I’m not normally a yellow shirt guy, but I didn’t hesitate to put this bright golden sunshine button-up on as soon as I pulled it out of the package. It’s dotted with green snakes made of bike chains, cans of “Cerveza,” cacti, and, of course, tacos.
The snap buttons are metal, which makes it easy to pop on and off at the trailhead. The fit is regular and perfect for exercising. Even tucked into my pants (yes, I wore it like that occasionally), my movement was never restricted thanks to this shirt’s four-way stretch fabric.
The tail on this shirt is intentionally long. That offers a little extra protection from mud and water spray.
According to ROWDEE, this shirt is also sweat-stain-proof. I’ve worked up some decent sweats in this thing, and, sure enough, I don’t see any salt stains or weird discolored spots yet. That said, Colorado is far from peak heat biking weather, and I’ll put this through much more rigorous sweat testing once things warm up here.
Pack It In Your Pocket
All of the design features described above make this an great bike shirt. However, on their own, they wouldn’t be enough to set the Shindig apart from the thousands of others out there. However, the folks at ROWDEE had another trick up their sleeves. The Shindig shirt can also pack into its own hidden chest pocket.
A zipper is tucked just behind the ROWDEE logo on the chest pocket. Open it up and start stuffing. In no time at all your shirt will transform into a softball-sized pouch. When you’re packing for a bike trip it’s much easier than folding the button-up nicely — at least, for me.
Not Just For Biking
I primarily wear this shirt when I’m mountain biking. It’s what I got it for, and it’s what it was designed for. I also wear it out to the brewery or restaurant following a ride. It’s casual but classy enough you could pretty much wear this thing anywhere around town.
But I also wore my ROWDEE shirt to some spring gaper ski days at Vail. It’s a fun garment and it matched the springtime vibe. I’ll probably wear my ROWDEE button-up this summer on river rafting trips and paddle boarding. This would even be a good beach or boat shirt.
The ROWDEE Shindig is only limited by your imagination.
Warm Weather Only
I know I just said I wore this thing skiing, and I did. But I’ll caveat that with a disclaimer: I had to wear a baselayer under it and a jean vest over it, even on 50-60-degree days. This shirt does nothing to block a cold breeze. You will freeze your nipples off if you wear this on its own in cold weather — on skis, a bike, or doing anything. It isn’t a warm shirt.
The Final Word: ROWDEE Shindig Bike Shirt
I am looking forward to the number of days I’m going to spend in my ROWDEE this summer. I’ve kept it wadded up in its pocket storage in my bike fanny pack and simply unpack it whenever I’m hitting the trail. I’ll be taking it to Fruita, Colorado this weekend. I’ll probably wear it for some more late-season skiing the weekend after that.
The ROWDEE Shindig Trails & Tacos is a rad shirt. The pattern is unique and fun. The actual fabric is an ideal material for active sportswear. And it’s packability is cleverly designed.
I have found my bike “jersey.”
Will Brendza is a writer for our sister publication, GearJunkie.com. For more riding style tips, you can follow him here.
