Svein Tuft to ride for 7mesh apparel
7mesh Cycling Apparel is thrilled and proud to announce that former World Tour racer, 13-time Canadian National Champion, and multi-time Grand Tour finisher Svein Tuft is now a 7mesh Ambassador.
Before there was Svein Tuft, pro racer, there was Svein Tuft, the explorer and adventurer who pedalled around North America on his bike, usually pulling a trailer with his dog along for company. Having hung up the race bikes, Svein is returning to his adventuring roots with plans to take on backcountry explorations, self-supported endurance events, and launch Tufts Adventure Tours, a bicycle guiding and tour company.
For the last eight months since returning to Canada from his longtime home base in Andorra, Svein has been reconnecting with home backroads and trails in British Columbia but, this time, his approach to equipment has changed. Perhaps it’s the years spent tweaking race bikes and paying attention to tiny details or just getting a little bit older, but Svein has decided to forgo his original rudimentary choice of kit—tarps, blankets, fire—and instead use the best gear he can find. Including 7mesh.
Svein talked about his evolving approach to equipment: “I don’t know what I was thinking back then, but it was something about travelling light and living off the land, as people had been doing for centuries.”
“There was a lot of great stuff that came with that. But now I’m more of the mindset that you don’t have to be so extreme. There’s all this great stuff now that can add to the experience. Like when I think of a 7mesh jacket – why wouldn’t I take that? It’s the best bloody thing you can have when it’s pissing rain all day.”
And it’s not just 7mesh jackets, Svein will be wearing a complete range of 7mesh apparel, from shorts and tights to jerseys, layers, and thermal pieces as he seeks new routes explores the backcountry, and scratches the itch for adventures on two wheels.
To Svein, the focus always remains on the experience, not gear for its own sake. “It’s about balance. I’ve seen some guys who are just all about the gear, and then their whole experience is just gear, gear, gear, packing, and unpacking. Balance is about being in the backcountry and not obsessing about the weight of your titanium spork!”
In many ways, that’s why Svein is the perfect ambassador for the 7mesh ethic of creating “Gear to Disappear,” innovating apparel and accessories which enable the adventure and improve the experience. His detailed product feedback is already helping the 7mesh design team as they work on the next iterations of 7mesh products.
Svein’s adventures, tours, and races will be documented at www.7mesh.com where the first report from the backcountry has been posted. Join the 7mesh email list to get reports straight into your inbox or follow along on Instagram at @7meshinc.