If you want to be on the cutting edge of cycling fashion right now, we have one word for you: POC. Simultaneously cooler than the other side of the pillow and hotter than a stage of the Dubai Tour, the Swedish brand have hit it big over the last few years as cyclists everywhere scrabble to get a piece of their kit.
POC’s style is at once both daring and conservative, matching outlandishly-styled accessories with the sort of simple colour palette that appeals to a wide audience. POC currently have two collections for their road clothing: AVIP and Raceday. AVIP deals with high visibility – which is why you’ll see a liberal use of bright orange there – and Raceday is characterised by a very smart navy and white colourway across the board. But if you fancy a flash of colour, selected items in the Raceday collection are available with a touch of light blue or pink, like POC’s Octal road helmet and other accessories like the gloves and socks. A third, collection, Fondo, is coming soon and has a slightly more relaxed fit, while also being a little more affordable.
Here we have the Essential AVIP Short Sleeve Jersey. It comes in two colours, this one and a version where the top half of the jersey is predominantly bright orange, so you can choose just how high vis you want to be. The majority of the jersey is made from a four-way stretch fabric, with mesh inserts under the arms for added breathability. But it’s on the back where the coolest little touches are found, with a waterproof ‘my info’ pocket for your smartphone and a high vis panel on the middle pocket for added visibility.