This article appearedin AdventureCycling.org - March 1, 2020
By Ally Mabry
Tonik Melanie Dress, $85
Multipurpose gear is the key to packing light on a bicycle tour. In December, I was packing for a 12-day tour of Puerto Rico and chose the Melanie Dress by Tonik as a base for one of two main outfits that I'd wear on and off the bike. Sporting a cute sleeveless cut and a back pocket for small things like cue sheets, cash, or credit card, I layered the Melanie Dress with leggings and a lightweight long-sleeve shirt for airport travel and cycling shorts for riding. It's a little too short for my taste to wear without anything underneath, but the upside is that it's a great length for riding and doesn't ever get in the way.
Though the poly/spandex fabric feels a bit stiffer and thicker than cotton or wool, I felt that even on the hottest days in Puerto Rico (mid-80's) the dress wicked sweat well and dried quickly — and didn't develop any abnormally funky smells! And it never wrinkled. I washed it regularly in the hotel sinks and hung it up to dry overnight. —AM