sportstylemag.com • sportstyle January 2021 • 5
Jenn Kriske started Machines For Freedom with the launch of
the Endurance Bib, the first cycling bib that both "functioned
well on long rides" and didn't make her "feel atrocious." The
brand married performance with flattering shapes for women,
with Endurance Bib sizing ranging from X-small to XXX-large.
As a complement to the bib, Kriske set out to launch the
Essential Cycling Short in Spring 2020. With typical cycling
shorts crafted for beginners and short distances (along with
a price conscious consumer), Kriske aimed to create fashion-
forward, endurance shorts "to give an indoor cyclist the
performance benefits of cycling apparel without sacrificing
fashion." Her team selected a fabric with a high level of
moisture wicking and compression. The elastic leg band was
replaced with a silicone directly applied to the inside of the
fabric to keep the hem from rising. A yoga-inspired waistband
was inserted for comfort. The chamois took on a thermos-
molded design to look and feel less bulky. And as luck would
have it, after being in development for a year, the Essential
Cycling Short launch coincided with stay-at-home orders,
along with an explosion in Peloton and outdoor bike sales.
"We sold out of the short in three weeks and our second
shipment sold out in 24 hours," commented Kriske.
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