With his shaggy hair, full beard, flannel button-down and fleece vest, one might guess Jordan Humble is the outdoorsy-type, perhaps with a penchant for craft beers and bicycles. One would guess right. Humble, a Chattanooga native, is a cycling-enthusiast and professional racer. Recently, he added entrepreneur to his resume when he launched Escadrille, the new Internet-based company that specializes in highend cycling gear. And it all started because Humble wanted to impress a girl.
Escadrille Specialized Gear
Asymmetrical Zipper:”When a zipper sits on the front of your throat it is uncomfortable,” Humble explains. “When you move it over about an inch it relieves that stress point.”Jacket:Escadrille’s jackets are made with Event fabric which is similar to Gortexbut more breathable. Merino wool is then bonded to the inside. “If we tape the seams of this, it would be the first real waterproof soft-shell jacket on the market,” says Humble.Cord lock:Escadrille’s cord lock system is designed so that it can quickly be tightened or loosened with a single finger.Bite Grips:The jackets and jersey collars are edged with luxury suede, complete with bite grip. This allows a cyclist to hold onto their collar with their teeth while zipping up one-handed.
“It was in high school,” says Humble. “This girl was running cross country so I decided I was going to get into it too. I was training over the summer so I could make the team in the fall. One day I was running and this little 4-year-old kid passed me on a bicycle. I stopped and I was like, ‘this is not the sport for me.'” So he went home, pulled his father’s old bike from the garage and has been in love ever since. Humble got involved with the local cycling community. Then he got into racing. It was during a 120-mile professional race in Europe that the proverbial light bulb clicked on.
“I really hated the gear,” he says. “I was asking, ‘ why aren’t people making better gear?’ You have some gear that if you’re riding for 100 miles or so, the seams will actually make you bleed.”
Moreover, he was often disappointed by various company’s customer service.