Cycling, in case you hadn’t noticed, has exploded in the United Kingdom in recent years. Inspired by the yellow jersey-triumphs of the likes of Mark Cavendish, Chris Froome and Sir Bradley Wiggins, between 2016 and 2021, an extra 1.5 million people took to two wheels. According to Sport England, more than 6.5 million Brits now participate in some sort of cycling each year.
Love bikes but hate the idea of joining the neon Lycra brigade? Fear not. As the popularity of cycling has risen, so too has the number of cycling clothing brands. These new, lifestyle-led outfits mix streetwear with sportswear, fashion with function. The result? Cycling clothes that you won’t be embarrassed to be caught wearing.
Whether you’re looking for vintage-inspired jerseys, retro-style cycling caps, water-repellent bib shorts, lightweight base layers, helmets, cleats or bright pink socks, these are the cycling clothing brands adding some serious style to your cycling wardrobe.
Café du Cycliste
The story goes something like this: two friends were cycling in the hills of the Côte d’Azur when, mid-ride, they thought ‘stuff it, let’s stop treating life like a dress rehearsal; let’s quit our jobs and dedicate our existences to doing the thing we love.’ And the thing they loved was cycling. Café du Cycliste, purveyor of premium jerseys, bib shorts and base layers, is dedicated to people who share a similar passion.
Visit cafeducycliste.com
Pas Normal Studios
If Carlsberg did brand names, they probably wouldn’t be as good as Pas Normal Studios. Translation: Not Normal Studios. Great, isn’t it? And perfectly on point given the Copenhagen-based brand’s commitment to making cycling kit cool. Contemporary design meets space-age fabrics to create ‘fits that you’ll want to wear everywhere, not just on your bike. Except the bib shorts. Maybe only wear the bib shorts on the bike.
Visit pasnormalstudios.com
Rapha
Now here’s a success story. In 2004, a brand consultant by the name of Simon Mottram and a creative designer called Luke Scheybeler established a cycling apparel business named after the French aperitif drinks company, Saint Raphaël. In 2022, Mottram and Scheybeler sold their brand, Rapha (you may have heard of it), for a princely £200 million. The company’s mission statement today, as it was back then: ‘to inspire the world to live life by bike, because it’s never just a ride.’
Visit rapha.cc
Le Col
Wales’ Yanto Barker had already finished as the highest-placed Briton in the 2005 Tour of Britain, won the Junior British National Road Race Championships and represented his country at the 2006 Commonwealth Games before he set up performance cycling company Le Col. Today, the brand is the go-to outfitter of a number of professional teams and is fronted by the coolest mod in cycling, Sir Bradley Wiggins. What greater endorsement do you need?
Visit lecol.cc
CHPT3
Before turning his hand to manufacturing cycling apparel, Brit rider David Millar had won a stage of the Giro d’Italia, four stages of the Tour de France, and five stages of the Vuelta a España. Millar is also a former British national time trial champion and national road champion. So, it’s fair to say he knows a thing or two about performing at the top level. In 2015, Millar founded CHPT3, a clothing and accessories brand aimed not just at professionals, but anyone who gets a thrill from getting on two wheels.
Visit chpt3.com
Pedla
Established in Australia, made in Italy (mostly) and beloved by cycling fans around the world, Pedla is the road-bike clothing brand that marries innovative materials with a distinctly contemporary aesthetic. Many of the playful lines that Pedla produces are manufactured in limited runs, meaning that to bag its playful designs, you have to act quickly. The brand’s mission: to elevate its client’s riding experience, no matter their riding experience.
Visit thepedla.com
Attaquer
It may be firmly embedded in the world of cycling, but for inspiration, Sydney-based brand Attaquer looks to art, music, fashion and sport. The result? Collaborations with tattoo artists and young and emerging illustrators; pieces that reference the works of Keith Haring and Jean-Michel Basquiat; and collections infused with the influence of streetwear and skate culture. Cycling clobber for riders that want to turn heads.
Visit attaquercycling.com
Velobici
It may sound like it hails from the foothills of the Italian Alps, but Velobici is in fact an English brand, manufacturing a selection of retro-inspired, detail-heavy jerseys, bib shorts, jackets, gilets and accessories from Leicestershire, the historic heart of the UK’s textile industry. Using sustainably-sourced fabrics, Velobici’s goal is to be a carbon-neutral operation by 2025. Cycling’s rich heritage is reflected in Velobici’s retro-imbued get-up, while the brand’s commitment to performance-led designs can be seen in premium fabrics and first-class finishing.
Visit velobici.cc
Read more: London’s best running clubs
Credit: Source link