At the risk of being overly reductive, there are two ideas Velocio wants you to know about their clothes: SUSTAINABILITY and DURABILITY. Velocio has set out to use more recycled materials and cleaner production processes to bring clothes to market in more sustainable ways. Velocio also seeks to produce clothes that are durable and last a long time so that we potentially consume less stuff over time.

Confession: I am guilty of the problems Velocio is identifying and addressing in the cycling clothing industry. I’ve been (co-)directing elite, pro, and masters cycling teams on and off for over 20 years. We look for custom cycling kit that we can get at no cost or cheap, and most of it is disposable by the end of the season. The bibs and skinsuits typically wear out. The jerseys, jackets, and vests pile up in bins, get donated to other cycling clubs, or get sold used online. Even with the potential for reuse, it’s a lot of waste.

So, I am persuaded by this idea that cycling clothing could be made more responsibly and could last longer than a single season. The hard part with that argument for many of us is the change necessary in our consumer habits. We may have to pay more for something that is made more sustainably and is more durable. Rather than throw an $80 pair of bibs in the trash after a long season, is it possible that a $200+ pair of bibs lasts us several long seasons?

With that idea, I am offering first impressions of some kit that Velocio generously sent over for review. At first, I was approaching this review as another high-end, luxury cycling clothing company (based purely on the price points and fabric quality), but the more I learned about Velocio and what they are attempting to accomplish, the more I reframed my consideration of their kit.

I will follow up in the future with a longer-term review after I have had a chance to test the durability of these items, but for today, here is my first impressions of the kit after a few rides in each of the pieces. I am grouping the jerseys and bibs based on color, but they certainly can be mixed and matched differently.

A note on size: I am typically a large in most brands. When I cut down to race weight, I can squeeze into a medium jersey and a large bib. I’m about 20 lbs. over race weight right now. The Velocio larges are a bit of a tight fit for me at the moment, but they have a generous amount of stretch to them. I’d say the kit fits true to size (a bit tight at 200 lbs.) and will fit even better after I cut back down to 180 lbs. this fall and winter.

Merino Jersey and Luxe Bibs

Men’s Concept Merino Jersey (Moonrock)

I’ve had merino wool base layers before, but this is my first modern, merino wool jersey. I really like how it wicks moisture away from the skin and offers a bit of insulation on cool days. I wasn’t a fan of the Moonrock color at first, but it’s growing on me. Plenty of stretch to the fabric, making this a nice all-day jersey especially with changing weather conditions. The pockets stretch, but they also stay put when filled and don’t sag down like some jerseys with a lot of stretch.

Price: $199

Men’s Luxe Bib Short (Oxide Red)

These bibs are the most comfortable of the three Velocio sent. The fabric is soft and has a lot of give to it. The chamois pad is their higher-end one, meant for all-day riding. The suspender-like straps mean that there is less fabric on your upper body, which could be desirable on hot days. I did a three-hour ride in these bibs, and they felt great. The Oxide Red isn’t the color I would have picked, though I see how it matches the Moonrock Merino jersey. When the red bibs get wet from water or sweat those spots are easily seen, which a darker color would hide.

Price: $279

Mesh Jersey and Utility Bibs

Men’s Ombre Ultralight Mesh Jersey (Deep Sea)

This jersey is ultra-light weight and has a looser fit than the other jerseys. I would describe this jersey as having more of a “club” fit, while the other ones have more of a “race” fit. The looser fit makes for a more comfortable jersey, and the fabric dries very quickly. This is another good choice for a long day in the saddle. The Deep Sea color is my favorite of the three color choices.

Price: $189

Men’s Trail Utility Bib Short (Black)

I’ve long wanted a pair of bibs with pockets on the sides since this option increasingly became available across brands. The side pockets are super handy when you need extra storage space or don’t want to reach back into your back pockets continuously. In particular, I am finding the side pockets are great for a phone on those days when you are taking lots of pictures – or in my case, doing a tech review that requires on the bike pics. These bibs have less stretch to them than the other bibs, so if you are in between sizes you may want to choose a larger size. I’m guessing that this means that this material is more durable than the others, but time will tell. I haven’t found the perfect use for the sneaky back pocket of the bibs, but I’m sure I will. I’ve mostly been using the side pockets for my Haribo gummy bears on long rides, making them easier to reach.

Price $299

Matching Concept Jersey & Bibs

Men’s Concept Jersey (Citron)
Men’s Concept Bib Short (Navy)

The Concept jersey and bibs makes for a nice matching set, with the color of the bibs carried up into the pockets of the jersey. I’m finding this to be the Velocio kit that I am using the most in my weekly rotation. The bibs are more traditional in that they don’t use the suspender-like straps, but rather have perforated fabric going up the back. I don’t have a strong preference between those two styles of bibs. The jersey fits snugly and has well-designed pockets that are reinforced with extra fabric. I typically wouldn’t seek out a bright yellow jersey, but I do like how visible this one is, especially on evening rides as our days are getting shorter.

The only thing I didn’t prefer about the Concept bibs is that they aren’t stitched down the middle of the chamois. Yes, that means you aren’t sitting on a seam, but that also means that the fabric is stretched across the chamois and isn’t snug with the fold in the chamois. I found myself catching that stretched fabric on the nose of my saddle a few times.

Concept Jersey Price $139
Concept Bib Price $309

Foul Weather Jackets

I was really looking forward to testing out these jackets, to the point that I was hoping for rain to see how they perform. Of course I carried the Ultralight Jacket in my pocket on several rides, which meant it definitely wasn’t going to rain. After wearing them both in foul weather, I put them in separate categories:

The Men’s Ultralight Jacket is for those days when rain is in the forecast and you might get caught. The jacket folds down into its own pocket and fits easily in a jersey pocket.

I found it easy to put on while riding the bike, which isn’t always the case for rain jackets with a two-way zipper. The jacket also breathes pretty well and offers protection from light to medium rain storms.

Ultralight Jacket Price: $209

On the other hand, the Men’s Anorak Jacket is for those days when it is pouring rain as you head out the door to ride. This jacket is a pull over, with half zips on the front and the side. This makes it easy to pull on, but I wouldn’t try doing that while riding the bike. There is also a zippered front pass through pocket that is probably reserved for your hands if you find yourself standing around off the bike.

The hood is oversized so that it fits OVER your helmet. I found this to be a really nice feature, one that will be come increasingly handy as the temperatures cool this fall. I really like the on-the-bike adjustability of the hood with the placement of the pull strings.

What is also remarkable about these two jackets is their ample sleeve length. At 6’3” I often have to make a compromise between body fit and sleeve length when it comes to cycling jackets, with larges almost always having too short of sleeves. Not the case with these jackets. There’s enough sleeve to cover your wrists when completely stretched out on the bike.

Anorak Jacket Price: $389

Buy Renewed

If the price of these items is discouraging you from considering Velocio, I suggest checking out their Renewed program. Items that have been returned are cleaned, repaired, and repackaged before being resold at a discount. Almost all of my high-end winter riding gear was purchased used online from individual sellers. This is one step better with Velocio refurbishing the kit, in keeping with their sustainability focus.

More Testing to Come

I am planning a four- or five-day adventure ride with a friend this fall. We are planning on riding from Syracuse to New York City, staying in hotels on the way. I plan on packing most, if not all, of this Velocio kit and putting it to the test in a variety of conditions. I plan on writing up that trip for Slowtwitch and highlighting the equipment that we found useful. So, there’s more coming on the durability of this Velocio kit and the range of conditions that it is ideal for.

Pictures: Velocio. My son Henry.