Women's (non lycra) Cycle Wear

The moleskin fabric that I found is so nice I thought it was worth testing it in a sample. Although it has gone a little shiny on the seat it has worn better than I thought it might. The trousers are super warm and i've really loved wearing them over the last few very cold months!

The only thing I would say is that Velocity is a very common name in the cycling industry; Velocity rims, Velocity bikes, VeloCity blog, etc. I'm sure you've already thought of that though!

Agree ^

Are you "branded" already?

Maybe go Italian with something to do with bicicletta vs velo.
Still common, but a little less common.

I am pretty much branded... having second thoughts though now...

this is super exciting, I've added you for updates!

Here's a look at my summer cycling trousers and a short sleeved merino t-shirt. Still more work to be done, but the progress is exciting. Thoughts and feedback is very welcome.

Trousers have articulated knees, reinforced seat, diamond crotch, high back in a durable and breathable 100% cotton drill. Top is longer than average and longer still at the back. Red buttons as standard. Subtle branding...

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trousers look really good! much keener on these than the moleskin.
I am sure you are putting a lot of thought into the cut, particularly crotch area and any awkward seams, that would be my main concern.
is there any stretch to the cotton?

Trousers look good :)

The t-shirt looks quite plain, like any t-shirt. This may be intentional, if not, maybe it would be nice to add a v-collar, or a small detail?

hi there, yes the crotch area has a diamond pattern to avoid the awkward seams. I'm testing the new cut at the moment, but all is going well so far.

There isn't any stretch in this pair - I'm not so keen on synthetic materials as it tends to smell more - but now that the pattern is pretty much there I can test out a cotton drill with a small percentage of elastine as well.

Trousers look good :)

The t-shirt looks quite plain, like any t-shirt. This may be intentional, if not, maybe it would be nice to add a v-collar, or a small detail?

Hi there, yes the t-shirt is intentionally quite plain. It does have detail on the cuffs of the sleeves (buttoned turn-up)... I didn't post this picture first time round - so here it is.

glad you like the trousers... i'm really pleased with the new pattern.

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Looks good - what sort of size range and price point are you going to be looking at?

it's a cute t-shirt, but I think there is much more demand for a decent pair of trousers :)
also I'd buy some in that colour.

+1 for stretchiness! I have (relatively) big thighs for my freakish 24" waist and any trousers with no give are just useless. EIther they stick to my thighs like glue or the waist is gaping :(

Cute button :)

You can go mad and put some reflective stuff when you roll up like Levis does, or a different colour but that puts up the price again. There's a brand in San Francisco that does nice stuff, name escapes me atm...

Stretch is good along with cut for narrow waist/belt or something on trousers to bring it in. I have to wear Bold Curve from Levis else I have a 2 inch gap. Same problem as Jess|e!

A good set of legs I call it :):)
And often you see mega thin female models wearing cycle trousers and I'm like yeah...that's really going to fit me, is it?

Looks good - what sort of size range and price point are you going to be looking at?

hi there, I am not 100%, but most likely going to go with 4 sizes (8-14) and two leg lengths. In terms of price I am aiming around the £70-75 mark for the full length trousers. This will depend on a few factors (such as fabrics which I am still testing), so isn't confirmed yet. I want to keep them as reasonably priced as possible, which is why they are not overly technical/ laden with features.

it's a cute t-shirt, but I think there is much more demand for a decent pair of trousers :)
also I'd buy some in that colour.

agreed... trousers is why I started all this! I got excited and thought it would be nice to have a couple of top options to complete the concept - practical/functional/understated cycle wear :)

Cute button :)

You can go mad and put some reflective stuff when you roll up like Levis does, or a different colour but that puts up the price again. There's a brand in San Francisco that does nice stuff, name escapes me atm...

Stretch is good along with cut for narrow waist/belt or something on trousers to bring it in. I have to wear Bold Curve from Levis else I have a 2 inch gap. Same problem as Jess|e!

A good set of legs I call it :):)
And often you see mega thin female models wearing cycle trousers and I'm like yeah...that's really going to fit me, is it?

A stretch cotton drill is next on the agenda for testing. Once this cut has been worked through and tested I am definitely going to develop a curvier fit.

Main market first :)

One note on stretch jeans: They wear MUCH faster than normal fabric. I guess for cycling jeans I rather have something cut different to fit (like you did with red trousers) instead of making it up with Lycra. I got a pair of Levi stretch jeans for Christmas and there's already a small hole appearing near zip.

Sigh...

Trying to cycling in tight non-stretch jeans however is a leg workout I can do without :):)

My husband is threatening to disown me if I continue to wear my old (Lycra) rowing kit on the bike...
With summer coming up (allegedly), any chance of cycling specific denim shorts that aren't as tight as the SWRVE ones?
The first trousers worn by the model look amazing btw...

Jortz ftw! (jean shorts)

No kidding, I ride up to 20 miles on a working day in stretchy denim cut offs and then go play polo in them after. I have about 5 different pairs. Check how bulky the inside seams are first.

My boyfriend has the Levi's commuter jeans which have a reinforced seat amongst other bike orientated features. I don't think these are available for women but I'd love a hardwearing pair of jeans or trousers to wear on my bike - I'm fed up of wearing out decent clothes. I have taken to cycling in either cotton cycling shorts or a pair of thick legging type trousers but I hate them as I wouldn't normally wear leggings!

Hi weaslyone,

I saw a couple of pictures of some of the stuff you have been making and have been following your plans. I think it's a great idea and long over due. I work for an online cycling magazine and was wondering if we could talk to you about profiling you and some of your kit if you're interested. I've sent a friend request, but it might be quicker to contact me via justin@cyclr.com

Hope you're well and to talk soon.

Justin

Hi all, apologies for my absence - i've been working hard though! Trousers have been out for testing over the summer as I was keen to get some impartial feedback. I've made some changes and improvements as a result, and i've just set up a very small production run.

Here's the article that Justin at Cyclr.com wrote about my progress: http://www.cyclr.com/journal/2013/9/4/velocity/

You can also find me on facebook (https://www.facebook.com/VelocityUrbanCyclewear) or @VelocityGB on twitter. Or feel free to contact me via LFGSS.

Feel free to get in touch :)

Hi weaselyone,

I've just joined this forum and one of the first posts I came across was yours! I run a blog called hackneystcloud (http://hackneystcloud.com/) that aims to inspire women to go beyond lycra and feel confident about getting on their bikes knowing they look stylish yet still have a comfortable ride. Would love to have a chat with you about your clothing and profile some of your new season range once it's ready.

Look forward to hearing from you,
Naomi

Any ladies in a shoe size 4? I got a clear-out of non-cycle shoes coming up.

^^ Lovely blog!