Albion, nice and a reasonable amount of pocket locations

@farewell not yet - in my opening post^, I mentioned we're working something out for LFGSS members and/or contributions to LFGSS running costs. Ideally this would be connected through your LFGSS account so it is for forumers only, and not just someone searching 'Albion Discount Code'.

Affiliate links are currently not active, but I've message Velocio to see what could be setup and work best for all. Would like to give something toward forum costs.
Afraid tech isn't my area of expertise, so if anyone has suggestions/examples of how it could work, please add.

...gahh, was planning to respond to all of these comments, especially the zipper stuff(!) but got to dash. Will pickup everything else tomorrow, cheers!

(Apologies for unthinkingly starting zipper wars)

Models look fucking freezing in those lookbook shots.

I’ve always thought the photography on Albion’s product/social media posts is dreamy. If I ever manage to get fit and lean again, it’ll be on my shopping list.

fit and lean

please purchase everything in size L. to gain access to M technology, please attain 4% body fat

2 way, all the way!

Yeah seriously. 2 way zips are a big winner. Makes a big difference in comfort and fit.

@farewell in addition, can't promise, but I'll also ask about industry, not just LFGSS.

@Big_Ted not at all, a discussion as old as time.
I get the technical problems of two-way zippers, but wonder if some of this is caused by the type of puller specced; the lockdown or semi-automatic lock rely on the puller tab being 'down' to lock the slider. On the bottom of a jacket in a riding position, it can flip 'up' and the slider works loose and up the jacket. Albion uses a different, free-hanging tab, which can also be snipped out and replaced with a cord tab if you want it even smaller. It's also rounded, to stop snagging/burring on bibs/tights.
....however, there's another faff with two-way zips, which is ease of use and getting the pin through two sliders into the box. This, and every year seeing professional riders struggling with a regular, single slider rain jackets (wrote a bit more on this in the Burner thread), is a rich source of inspiration and a real need. We're working on this, v positive results so far.

@amey You're a lot more grown up than me - I only have Cargo bike aspirations, you're living it outloud!

@pacef8 ...not seen that PedalEd product, looks great. And yeah, if you could take all the best bits of everything and mix up - not sure how the Rapha Alpha/hooded one was received, looked suited very cold conditions, but then I never rode it. Not sure how close they are to coloured Shakedry (as opposed to tinted/printed), but will be interesting once the dark drab/olive identity is diluted.

@GoatandTricycle yes, this is definitely of interest, and again, another perfect use-case challenge for a dedicated product, or a family of products. As you highlight, there's variety of quality and some grey areas, with some events/riding in France/insurance requiring EN certified products, we want to get it right; the testing/certification isn't cheap to enter into!
If you want to upgrade existing kit, hopefully we can do it at an event soon, we're in your neighbourhood now.

@youramericanlover curious, I looked into how big this cancelling job will be; in 2014, YKK turnover was $6billion = 25% of Nike's 2014 turnover. Brain bending stuff.

@hoops thats v kind of you to say, now blushing. Cargos are signed off and ready to go ....Got some nice Deep Winter Tights imminent with a neat pocket detail. Good for riding, but also that general winter faff where you're leaving/stopping/getting home.

@Squaredisk I've considered for a long time doing more insight, sharing knowledge, maybe here or on IG. I have zero interest in the currency of exposure or influence, so struggle a little at times knowing the line with putting stuff out there, and it might be a dedicated thread if the time is right. Meanwhile, I just want well-made stuff that looks good, and happy to share my experience here and in the Sewing thread

@%~} I saw some shots of the crew last week; can confirm yes, it was cold ...new adverse conditions jackets coming this week. Whats your avatar? Driving me nuts - feels a bit X-files-ey? or maybe thats the halloween playlist earworm.

@cozey only time I've ever seen someone sweating blood is when their body fat was down here. Enjoy life, don't sweat blood!

When you say certification is expensive what ballpark are we talking?

I’d certainly consider a reflective upgrade to my rapha pro team insulated gilet!

From. memory for garments it's in the many thousands, but not tens of thousands. Accessories like belts are classed differently and more affordable The apparel components and design have to be extensively tested, sometimes in combination. Fabric colour coordinates, colour-fastness to UV, wash, seam strength, retroreflective luminosity, angle of effective reflection, and the design ratio/position/width of reflective in proportion to fluro colour panels, etc

....However, it's bulk production - and one of each size - which has to be tested for certification. This is a high risk point, where one simple failure (ie position of label) bins the whole lot. Arena not to be entered into lightly.

Great, keep an eye on this, not sure when, but all possible!

Sorry @Dammit for missing this; nothing directly mtb, but looking at more general outdoor/travel/everyday crossover. Products to wear across more activities, on/off bike, rather than more specific to activity ....having typed that, I did see DJ's suggestion on your MTB thread. Keep your eyes peeled, you might be the first to see anything testing in the wild.

So a one size fits most solution would probably be best?
If funding was an issue I could potentially invest but I have little to no experience of this haha

..

DO IT. (please).

Given the low cost per unit of a lot of EN1150(non-professional use) rated vests(less than £3) that price seems high. Maybe that was for the iso 20471 which is for workwear?
Edit: I can see how it would quickly add up. £1240 per certificate for Cat II PPE to EN17353: 2020.

I've often wondered this, and scale is definitely the biggest factor, but I think those workwear manufacturers are accredited to test/certify onsite, and cut out the costly lab outsourcing. My mind boggles when I see the price of some workwear. I guess it's 'fast fashion' by a different name.

The difference in the Industrial/Personal allows more colours, smaller amount of reflective and in more creative designs than bands, and is less stringent on where it can be placed ie not just bands around the waist and over shoulders. There's some ok looking motorbike vest that works to this standard.

Do the French fuzz actually check your vests for an EN label, or just eyeball it and go 'yeah, that looks hi-viz'? (AIUI on PBP the organisers do check beforehand at the bike scrutineering.) An interesting set of requirements for the EN; is the seam strength test for the garment itself, or to make sure that the reflectives can't come loose too easily?

*Apologies for sidetracking thread but.....I guess using certified materials to start with, removes a significate burden of the testing from a garment producer as well?
https://www.leantex.com/polyester-hi-visibility-fluorescent-yellow-3-layer-waterproof-softshell-fabric-with-en20471-standard/
And then you have to meet the required minimum square meterage.

The bigger issue than a fine from an idle gendarme would be invalidating insurance cover, and open you to liability and potential more in a worst-case-scenario, if it's not EN'd?

Both (I think) for durability of garment, so it can be worn/laundered without falling apart or loosing the reflective component.

And no, not derailing at all, this is important! Absolutely, this is by far the easiest and sensible thing to do ...problem is finding material more suited to cycling than industrial workwear. It's generally engineered for durability = heavy, non stretch, low next-to-skin-comfort etc. Not impossible though!

I bet anything really suitable is proprietary, licensed or insanely expensive. Be curious if Buffalo's pertex is rated at all.
Edit: Pertex Quantum, not Buffalo's.

Are the Three Season Tights the same fit as the ABR1 shorts? As in I don’t need to size up or down?

Thanks for the reply. Always prefer to buy from the smaller cycling businesses if I can afford it. I only discovered Albion recently through your posts on here.

Out of interest do Albion do repairs in-house or are they done at Lancashire sport repairs?

Am about to take that plunge so can let you know if you hold out. But equally they have a good returns policy.

New insulated gilet is lovely. Big fan of the zipped chest pockets. Great idea! 👌👌

Great work as usual, G! @Chopsicle

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It’s not new, I believe. Just new colours.