A new partnership between clothing maker Velocio with the repair workshops of Apidura and What Happened Outdoors makes cycling kit more sustainable for European customers. Expanding their free repair service globally, while keeping the actual mending work local, Velocio extends the lifespan of their products, now in the US, Canada, EU & UK. As a staunch supporter of the Repair Don’t Replace mentality, it’s always great to see more brands getting on board.
FYI, that’s my own amateur Frankenstein patched red Velocio MicroModal Tee. Your actual Velocio repairs will likely look a bit more professional. But you get the idea…
Velocio + Apidura + What Happened cycling kit repair service
Clothing maker Velocio has signaled a move towards more environmentally conscious and more sustainable cycling kit for a while. That has meant more natural materials like the beech tree-derived fibers in my MicroModal tee, the use of 100% recycled Lycra in several of their bib shorts, and recycled polyesters in several different jerseys. (Hit this link to get an overview of their recycled & natural fiber kit.)
It also meant more responsible production of their clothing and extending the life of their products. Velocio has had a US-based repair strategy for several years, but now it expands to a broader audience…
The Trouble With Bike Apparel mini-documentary
Velocio have also just released this great The Trouble With Bike Apparel mini-documentary about the fight between new tech, new fashion, and disposability that stretches far beyond cycling kit – highlighting their supply chain, sourcing, and manufacturing improvement efforts.
Extending the life of your cycling kit, for free!
Back to the idea of just making your kit last longer, the limitation with offering global repairs has been that shipping it around the world sometimes defeated the purpose of being more sustainable. Express air freight is almost the opposite of environmentally friendly, and cyclists don’t want to wait months to get their repaired gear back.
So Velocio is building partnerships with talented and trusted repair services around the world, so you can get your gear repaired more locally.
Now, in the UK bikepacking bag maker Apidura will fix your torn cycling shorts. In the EU, What Happened will fix your crash-damaged jersey from Neza Peterca’s Slovenian workshop. In Canada too, now Toronto’s Velocolour will be your repair hub. Add all of them to the original partnership Velocio has with the Growling Whale for US-based customers.
How do Velocio repairs work?
The idea is simple. If you crash in your Velocio kit, get in touch with their customer service team by email, and they will get you riding again. All repairs that get approved (normal ones within reason) are free. Shipping to & fro is free in the US as they can generate shipping labels automatically. In EU, UK & CA customers need to pay to ship their damaged kit to the repair center, but repairs & return shipping is free.
Repairs are limited to some degree, but Velocio wants to work to get you riding in your gear again, as much as possible. (I’m bummed that zippers themselves are usually not replaced since it often takes more time & effort than making a new garment, but you never know…)
Beyond Velocio gear itself, pretty much all of these repair centers will also fix your other gear for a fee, so feel free to get in touch with them no matter what needs fixing.
Fixing crash-damaged gear for years!
Thankfully Velocio (& me) aren’t the only ones repairing their cycling garments and gear. Endura has been fixing crash damage for 15 years. Pearl Izumi does it too, and so does Patagonia (where Neza of What Happened also works with their Worn Wear program).
I’ve personally had a number of pieces of Rapha cycling kit repaired over the years too, and their new MTB kit even includes repair patches to speed up the process.
Have you had other cycling kit repaired by its makers or some great trusted 3rd-party? Please, chime in below in the comments to let us know who and where to get your gear repaired…
