With e-bike usage on the rise, at least one brand thinks the higher average speeds of their riders will require a higher level of protection. Pure Electric’s new Diamond Collection of e-bike clothing builds in armor at the shoulders, elbows, hips and knees. The idea is to blend the protection of motorcycle clothing with the lighter weight and breathability of bicycle gear. The full collection should be available in March 2016.
As if to tell the state of the e-bike market in Europe, the project won a Eurobike Gold Award this year. Armor up with more on this and some fashionable new duds for the rest of us, below…
The padding meets CE standards for protection, but is easily removable if you just need some regular, non-Robocop-looking apparel for slower commutes.
Yes, boardwalk riding is dangerous, kiddies. Protect yourselves.
To help you stay cool under all that protection, fellow Italian company Outwet’s base layers provide an array of benefits, some claiming to help maintain a constant body temperature or cool you by up to 2ºC over traditional fabrics.
Some of their products weave in carbon, which they say neutralizes static electricity that could promote cramping, and it’s even show to lower heart rate in lab tests. Other undershirts build in electrodes to capture heart rate data in lieu of a chest strap.
We took a look at a few of PEdAL ED’s clothes already in our first Eurobike clothing roundup (link at bottom of article), but they’re just so darn nice, here are a few more. The brand was created by Japanese fashion designer Hideto Suzuki to combine his passions for clothing and cycling. The result is a fantastic collection of clothes aimed at commuters and urban riders. Beyond good looks, they incorporate some trick features and big name collaborations.
Some of the riding jackets weave reflective material throughout the entire body. Pants get the usual reflective roll up cuff.
Some pieces lean more toward the performance cyclist, too, expanding their usage.
Matching accessories keep you looking put together to and from the office. The brand is now owned by Brooks of England (yes, the saddle company), but products are made in Japan and Italy.
Their Italian-made Mido riding boots debuted last winter in a variety of colors and are still lustworthy.
A few other brands carried the fashion torch. La Classica had a range of goods from long sleeve tops…
…to body hugging jerseys. The collections span all seasons and both genders, and it’s all made in Italy.
Jade had a collection of animal print kits for women. If anyone knows the website for this brand, please leave it in the comments.
Belgian brand Vermarc took a more subdued approach with their Colora jerseys. Available in short and long sleeves, they incorporate carbon fibers to reduce static electricity and provide UV protection in a tight, aero fit. Bibshorts put a matching color band around the leg openings, and a matching skin suit is also available.
Primal Wear (yes that Primal) surprised everybody at the show with some great looking clothing and a complete brand refresh. Now 23 years old and the largest event supplier of custom clothing in the U.S., Primal thought it was time for a new line of active casual clothing. While sporting bold, bright colors and wild designs, the gear is a far cry from the frog and flames aesthetic typically associated with Primal.
Primal will still be offering custom clothing, but their Active casual line will be kicking off with pieces like the Haven jersey, Rhapsody and Sky Hoodies, and Passport jersey. Head over to Primalwear.com for more.
You might not think of Cannondale as a game changing apparel company, but you have to remember that their parent company, Dorel, also owns Sugoi. So when Manuel Fumic approached Cannondale to create the ultimate XC baggy race kit, it was easy to accomplish.
Yes it’s built around baggies, but this kit is as race oriented as they come. Essentially a 3 piece kit, the base suit includes a Formula FX chamois and almost fits like a skin suit. The base suit includes the sleeves of the jersey but not the torso. That is covered by a vest – either summer weight or a thermal, which both snap into the stretch overshoots below. Under the vests, the base suit is made of super breathable mesh to create space between your body and the outer layer for better evaporation and cooling. Key features include an opening for nature breaks and flow through pockets on the base suit that can be accessed through the vest with magnetic flaps.
As this is designed to be a top level race suit, the price reflects that at around $200 for the shorts, $240 for the full base suit, and $80 for the vest. But as these things usually go, trickle down should have some more affordable pieces with similar features in the future.
Swiftwick announced that they are getting away from custom socks, but still wanted a way for teams to have something that matched their kits. The new Vision Team sock line uses colors most popular in current bikes and teams (like Maxxis orange) with a unique design and 8″ cuff. They sell for $17.99.
The sock brand is also introducing U.S. State flag socks so you can represent your home for $17.99. Also, new sock colors include Hi Viz yellow, Mint, and Orange. Finally, Swiftwick has new thin merino wool socks in four colors for $19.99 each.
Check out more great clothing from Eurobike here.
