Velocio mountain bike kit review
Premium cycling clothing brand’s entree into mountain bike apparel is right on the mark
Premium apparel has always existed in the mountain bike space, but it took a few years for brands with road cycling pedigrees to get in on the action. Last year, Velocio entered into the sport of mountain biking, following in the footsteps of contemporaries like Rapha.
I spent the summer riding in Velocio’s Ultralight Trail Jersey, Short, and Utility Bib Short. Here are my thoughts.
Ultralight Trail Jersey ($79.00)
The Ultralight Jersey is dubbed as a “hot weather solution” in the brand’s trail line of apparel pieces. To keep riders nice and cool on hot days, it uses Italian-milled opaque mesh, and the jersey is made from 88% recycled polyester. The other 12% of the composition is elastane. The other feature that Velocio calls out is an “extended hem and articulated shoulders” for comfort and coverage in the riding position.
I indeed found that this jersey has a nice and light feel, making it ideal for hot weather. The fit is fairly standard for a baggy mountain bike jersey; my XL sample was not too tight and not too big. The indigo print certainly adds a bit of flair when most jerseys out on the trail are solid colorways.
My only gripe is with the material. It’s not bad per se, but it definitely feels like a polyester garment. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it felt like any other MTB jersey and similar to a Rapha jersey I own. I’d love to try Velocio’s Merino wool jersey option, which I think may feel more comfortable and premium, if a tad hotter.
Ultralight Trail Short ($159.00)
At a middle of the road 13.5-inch inseam, the Ultralight short also features fabric milled in Italy and uses 79% polyamide and 21% elastane. The material features a nice stretch and, like the name suggests, is lightweight enough to forget it’s there. It’s DWR-treated so there is at least some water resistance. In addition to belt loops for waist tightness adjusting, there are two zippered pockets.
The inseam fit of these shorts are right on the mark. In a baggy short, I don’t want something too baggy and long. I’d put these in the cross country or trail style of baggy shorts, perfect for my riding style. It would be nice to have traditional pockets in addition to the zippered ones. Velocio seems to be leaning into the belt loop style, designed to be used with an Arcade belt (sold separately), but I wish they would use a more common adjustment.
Utility Bib Short ($299.00)
When I finally shelled out the $$$ for a pair of premium bib shorts, I chose the Velocio LUXE V2, which remains my favorite pair of bibs to date. Luckily, the stretchy compression fabric and premium chamois on the Utility feel similar to the LUXE. The Utility name comes from the pockets added to both legs and the back panel, helpful for long rides.
In my testing, I didn’t find myself needing the back pocket much, but the two side pockets are nicely placed and keep cargo securely stashed. As I mentioned, Velocio’s compression fabric and chamois really stand out from the crowd, including the bib straps which do not chafe or cause any skin irritation. I just might have to pick up another pair.
Do I recommend Velocio MTB apparel?
These items from Velocio are solid options and if you don’t see something you like, there are also jackets, pants, long sleeve jerseys, additional short sleeve jerseys, and a bib liner available in the lineup. My gripes are small and do not take much away from the riding experience. I look forward to seeing where Velocio goes with its MTB line next season.