Leicester company, Velobici, one that makes all its garments in the UK, has established a reputation for high quality garments in a relatively short period of time.
We’ve been testing two of their base layers for a few months now and are pleased to give a truly deserving thumbs up to both.
The Performance Compression base layer is unquestionably the most comfortable undergarment we’ve worn; seamless and therefore without irritation, and which remained cool and dry even after prolonged exertion.
Made from a highly stretchable, synthetic fabric (a mix of Polyamide and Elastomeric), its ability to expand almost defies belief. Examining the garment before trying it left us wondering how we were going to get it on, but the fit was snug, and, crucially, not restrictive.
We can’t claim to have enjoyed any performance advantage from the light compression, but, boy, was it comfortable. Perforated panels in the centre of the back, and in the arm pits, elbow, and tricep, aided cooling, and a silicone gripper at the hem (applied by robot, apparently) prevented the garment from riding up.
Its insulating properties were adequate rather than exceptional. Temperatures of around 10 degrees and below left us longing for merino, but on warmer days it worked well beneath short-sleeved, polyester jerseys, the long sleeves serving as a light arm warmer.
At £70, this is far from the cheapest base layer on the market, but it offers quality and comfort in spades: softness, effective moisture control, and, naturally, a super close fit. Sizes offered are small/medium, and large/x-large.
The second Velobici garment we’ve been testing is the VB Ride ‘T’, which, as the name suggests, is a more conventional base layer cut as fitted tee-shirt, made from a 92 per cent Supplex, eight per cent Lycra mix. How does this feel? Soft against the skin and extremely comfortable.
If you’re concerned about fit, our advice would be to go up a size. The VB Ride ‘T’ is a close cut, but with a slight stretch to the fabric that gave a flattering appearance without feeling restrictive. The round collar of our test garment sat just below the throat and the underside of the sleeves closely followed the line of the arm pit, encouraged perhaps by the junction there of seams for body and sleeve.
It’s quite a long garment, deliberately so at the rear where a drop tail provided good coverage when hunched over the drops, and reasonably generous even at the front, finishing just below the waist.
While we’re not decrying the rare appearance of sunshine over Blighty, we’ve been sorry to leave our VB Ride ‘T’ in the wardrobe of late. This is a base layer for early spring we’d say, and too warm for the Mediterranean temperatures we’re currently enjoying.
The VB Ride ‘T’ sells for £48 (as of writing, the online price is reduced by 30 per cent, but for how long we don’t know – check with Velobici) and is made in sizes small, medium, large and extra large.
