VELOCIO SPRING KIT REVIEW

FIT FOR CYCLISTS

Review by Alex Sardella | Photos by Vinnie Zacha-Herthel

Design, Responsibility, and Culture and Velocio’s three main brand objectives. These were all obvious when receiving the fresh batch of riding gear from the New Hampshire based brand. How do you get culture from a t-shirt? Well, the overall fit screams cycling, and being a member of “1% for the Planet” shows corporate responsibility. From the biodegradable packaging to the high-quality threads, it’s apparent that Velocio cares about both cycling and green initiatives. We have been able to log some miles in their new Spring offering geared for general singletrack use.

THE LAB

Velocio’s roots lie in adventure and off-road riding, so it was only a matter of time before they made a splash into MTB. The cycling brand has a new trail range with options specifically tailored for mountain biking

The Micromodal Trail Tee is an Italian-made blend of 86% modal, 12% elastane, and 2% carbon. Modal is a material found in beech tree’s and the natural fabric makes for an incredibly soft and highly breathable garment. The Micromodal shirt has a tapered rear and lengthened sleeves for a classy cyclist fit. There are three colors available (navy, black cherry or army), an impressive size range from XS – 4XL, and a hefty price tag of $89.99.

Velocio’s Merino Wool Tee is a highly technical shirt that is great for those slightly cool summer evening rides. The shirt is a blend of 75% merino wool, 18% polyamide, and 7 % elastane, and is manufactured in Albania. Again, this is another super soft shirt that is more technical than your average merino wool tee. The Velocio Merino Wool shirt comes in three colors (navy, black or rust), the same XS-4XL offering, and a spendy $109.99.

To round out the kit, Velocio has introduced the Trail Access Short for ’22 lineup. A mix of 80% Polymaide and 20% Elastane with a 180gsm weave makes for a durable 4 way stretch fabric. The outer fabric is lined with a durable water repellent coating to make the shorts a touch resistant to water. The fit is relaxed yet modern, there are no built-in waist adjustments, however the short has some belt loops for a shoelace or lightweight belt if that’s your style. A final feature are the four zippered pockets: two located at the standard top of the thigh, and one on the side of each thigh. The trail access short comes in two colors (Deep Sea or Charcoal), the same XS – 4XL sizing, and is consistent with the high pricing of the rest of the gear at $189.99.

THE DIRT

We have been thoroughly impressed by the quality and overall design of the threads, though you would hope so with their high price tags. The amount of thought and technical design in all of these garments is amongst the nicest I have seen. Both shirts contain tri-blend fabrics and the feel is comfortable and breathable. To source the t shirts from different manufacturers says a lot about the brand’s ethos and commitment to quality. Let’s break down each style a bit more.

The Micromodal tee is slightly lighter than the standard technical tee, allowing it to be an ideal option for mid-day rides in the heat of summer. The fabric’s natural birch tree fabric feels great against the skin – it doesn’t itch and is insanely soft. It breathes better than the traditional polyester, and the tapered fit looks natural on two wheels. The XL does fit me a bit short, and the sleeves run long, so it does have a cyclist style design to it overall. All in all, it’s probably one of the nicest technical t-shirts I’ve worn on a bike. Some of the branding has peeled off so that’s a hard tally in the negative’s column considering the premium price point of the jersey.

The Merino Wool tee is a bit more of a standard piece than the Micromodal tee. It’s a Merino blend, and those of you that spend time in the mountains in the winter know Merino’s warm but breathable properties. So, this shirt definitely goes best with those dawn patrol or sunset rides when a chill is in the air. The shirt has a slightly tapered rear, with mid-length sleeves and again features a taper built for a cyclist. No real gripes on the shirt, expect the price of the simple black tee is more fit for those on a Yeti.

Velocio introduced the Trail Access Short this year as the premium short in their MTB lineup, and premium it is. Belt loops, zippered pockets, four-way stretch, everything you would come to expect in a high-quality riding short. The short is lightly branded and is on trend with the deep-sea blue. It is nice to see the shorts receive a DWR finish, as most brands only opt for this feature in their pants. So, you folks riding in the wet most of the year should not overlook the Trail Access Short. Luckily, the size L fits my 32/32 waist true to size. For a short at this price point, it would be nice to see some built-in adjustments to help accommodate those in betweeners, but it’s a great item to run if you fit the size well.

The Wolf’s Last Word

So, a shirt and short combo from Velocio can run $280+, yeesh! The Canadian folks riding in cargo shorts and cotton tees will definitely not see the value here. However, the Micromodal tee is probably one of the nicest shirts I have ever owned. Its technical, eco-friendly, and built for mountain biking, all things I can get behind. The Merino Wool tee might be a tougher sell for the average consumer, but I assure you, all these pieces from Velocio will not disappoint when it comes to high quality and technically savvy apparel.

Prices:
Micromodal Trail Tee – $89.99
Merion Wool Tee – $109.99
Trail Access Short – $189.99

Website: Velocio.cc