If 2015 started as the year of the floral kit it definitely seems to have faded out strongly.

Earlier this year I reviewed the Team Dream Bicycling Team kit called "Dot's Whats Up" which I wrote was a quality kit with rad graphics (read the full review here). Since then a lot has seems to have happened to Team Dream, they've opened up a brick and mortar shop called The Cub House in Los Angeles along with their other project Ringtail. Maybe more notably they've also released a series of gradient color kits called that have been wildly successful and others are talking about following suit. The latest TDBT release is a two way collaboration between Team Dream and popular blog The Radavist called Fade To Black. More info and pics of this and the TDBT Lemon Lime thin stride fade jersey below.

fade to black

First, the Fade To Black collaboration consists of a matching jersey and socks that are a derivative of the Thin Stripe Fade series. Like all the other TDBT jerseys, the Fade To Black jersey is manufactured in the United States by Endo Customs of Los Angeles, and pairs well with the stock TDBT black compressor bibs. For all intents and purposes it has the same design and build features as the Dots What's Up jersey so I'll skip the majority of detail there. The difference here is the graphical treatment and branding. The jersey fades from black to a medium grey from the bottom up. Branding is pretty discreet overall with the TDBT black Chubby Bobcat logo on the left arm and a Radavist logo on the right sleeve, also in black. For a simple design it's quite attention grabbing. The matching Fade To Black socks are made in the US but don't say by whom. If I had to guess I'd say it's DeFeet. The socks have the same black to grey fade with a red Radavist logo underfoot and a Chubby Bobcat on top of the toes. Pairing the socks and jersey together earns at least +5 points.

lemon lime thin stripe

Second, the Lemon Lime Thin Stripe Fade jersey and matching Pop Block Socks have the same grabbing gradient on thin stripes but go full tilt on color. Fading from lime green to lemon yellow from the bottom up the jersey and socks take on the high vis trend in much better style. Not only will you get noticed for a better choice in kit selection but you'll get noticed by the cars who share the road. Both good things.

Again the jersey is manufactured in the US by Endo Customs in Los Angeles and the socks I'm guessing are from DeFeet. The socks are not a true match to the jersey. They are actually a fade of high vis yellow and high vis green (as named on the site) but they are close enough to complete the matching kit. The socks are thin, light, and snug. All to be a good choice on warm days and comfortable on longer rides. Both the jersey and socks will pair well with the TDBT black compressor bib or any other plain black bib.

fit and feel

In terms of fit and feel the new TDBT jerseys hold the same traits and characteristics as the previous releases which I've called a pseudo pro fit. To be honest something about the cut of the Fade To Black jersey feels different. It feels every so slightly bigger, but I could be imagining it. Since I couldn't find any notable differences in the actual dimensions when measured I weighed the jerseys just to see. The Lemon Lime Thin Stripe is 157 grams (same as the Dots What's Up) and the Fade To Black is 160 grams. While 3 grams heavier I don't think it is clue enough that the jersey is larger. So all in all I have to say the consistency is a characteristic of the quality in kit from Endo Customs.

For a full breakdown on the design and construction of the Endo Customs kits check out my earlier blog here.

For info on the updated fit of the TDBT x Endo jerseys in 2016. read my post on the TDBT DayGlo FFF jersey here.

room for more

The original thin stripe fade jerseys come in a selection of color combinations, and while many sizes and colors are currently sold out they were released a second time. So there may be luck if you're currently out of it. On the other hand the Fade To Black jersey sold out fast and if I had to put a bet down, I don't think their going to be coming back. Then again the elusive and classic FFF jersey did see a limited release in The Cub House so anything is possible. That's the one my fingers are crossed for. There is a lot more in their TDBT web store so if you haven't already, check it out and see what's available.

See below for a full gallery of images.