Slovakia has the envious title of being Europe's most castellated country - this may be due to its abundance of vicious wildlife, including wolves, bears, lynx, wildcats, and the ultimately ferocious and terrifying tundra vole. Safe behind their castle walls, Slovakians enjoy a strong folk and sporting culture with football and ice hockey especially popular. In the latter, World Championship medals and several NHL players highlight that they are a tough nation. Cycling is less popular, perhaps due to the climate and seasonal variations or, as in the UK, perhaps it is an emerging sport needing strong ambassadors à la Wiggins, Cavendish and Froome. Step forward then the current crop of pro-peloton Slovakian stars: Peter Sagan, and twin brothers Martin and Peter Velits.
Sagan is the cocksure sprinter and baroudeur with wandering hands, whose enigmatic victory celebrations in the 2012 Tour de France hit the headlines, full of youthful exuberance. Martin and Peter Velits are perhaps somewhat more reserved, but no less focussed or determined to win, and both have world-class palmarès: a plethora of under-19, under-23 and senior national and world road and TT titles; and assorted top tens in both World Tour and 2.1 races including 2nd place for Peter at the 2010 Vuelta a Espana. It can easily be acknowledged that these two are the real deal, and among the most successful ever cycling brothers.
Not content with their place among cycling's elite at BMC and Etixx Quick-Step, in 2012 Martin and Peter Velits decided to launch a luxury cycling clothing range called Isadore.
"The concept of Isadore apparel was outlined from long hours of conversations between me and my closest while riding southern California roads," explains Martin. "We wanted to create cycling clothing focussing on clean design and active lifestyle. The added value is over a decade worth of experience with all kinds of cycling apparel.
"We at Isadore aim to stay authentic, that means all the designs, features, colour and material combinations come from our own ideas and inspirations. We are truly proud of this."
Launched in May 2013, the brand has steadily gone from strength to strength and can boast shipping their products to all continents rideable by bicycle ('We assume no one is cycling on Antarctica'). Isadore also make a point of choosing 'local, socially and environmentally responsible manufacturers', with all their kit being shipped in recycled or recyclable paper.
So we have two current pro-cyclists with all their experience and knowledge, tick; an ethically and environmentally sound company, tick; can we go for the hat-trick? What about the kit? Well, you won't be disappointed.
The Isadore range, as any good estate agent would describe it, is compact or bijou, however there is still enough choice for even the most fussy male or female fashionista. The Signature jerseys come in five different colours and designs, with some special edition pieces - La Flamme and Peace - adding to the variation of the range.
Alongside the performance, race-oriented kit, Isadore offer an urban selection with the retro looking Messenger jerseys. The clean cut and simple design of the Thermerino long sleeve jerseys stand up easily against other luxury clothing brands with muted and subtle colouring. Completing the range are no-nonsense bib shorts/tights, the Merino Membrane Softshell Jacket, and the Merino Membrane Vest, all styled in black.
Merino Membrane Vest
I received the Merino Membrane Vest for review and was very excited to test it. First things first, attention to detail. I love it. If you pay for a luxury item then it is not unreasonable for you to expect that item to arrive in appropriately stylised packaging. Tick. Isadore's packaging looks the part and immediately reassures the investor that they have indeed made the right choice. Removing the external box sleeve reveals a cleverly designed graphic stating 'Road is the way of life' which runs vertically down the middle of the box. Inside the box are all manner of labels, postcards and gubbins that can either be pinned to notice boards, sent in the post to jealous colleagues or recycled. You may be forgiven after all this excitement for having forgotten about the main feature of the box!
The Merino Membrane Vest is made from the finest merino wool, with wind and waterproof membrane and Thermoroubaix side panels; let me tell you, it looks the business. It is made from the same material as the softshell jacket and created for comfortable movement while maintaining a "high fashion" statement. The water and windproof membrane on the outside keeps you sheltered and dry while preventing the dreaded 'boil in a bag' sweat-fest that can happen with other supposed 'breathable' vests available.
Again the small details offered by this vest sets it out amongst rivals. For example, it has an optional lower back extension which is hidden and secured by poppers when not needed; once the weather turns wet it pops down to keep your derriere dry from the dreaded tyre splashback. Another neat feature is on the shoulders, where soft-brushed fabric panels add reinforcement. If used for commuting, these panels would help pad out a bag strap and prevent wear. The reflective signs and logos are all subtly added so as not to spoil the overall aesthetic of the look. Tick, tick, tick.
Accessories maketh the man
Also in my delivery of goodies were some lycra arm warmers and socks. As you would expect, these also performed admirably and matched perfectly with the rest of my riding outfit. The simple yet effective arm warmers are also available in a merino version, but the lycra ones do a job keeping you warm while managing to keep my arms free of any sweaty discomfort. Again, they have no garish labels or tags ensuring they will go with any other piece of cycling kit, while the silicon grips make sure they do not slip or lose fit.
The socks are available in black or white - the only colour options that should be considered for a cycling sock - and also in two versions, 'standard' and 'high top'. I would encourage any cyclist to favour the 'high top': all cycling socks should cover the ankle and finish somewhere around the bottom of the calf muscle. This conscious effort to adhere to The Rules will further enhance your position within any peloton and persuade any potential doubting Thomas that you are indeed a seasoned velocipedist.
I have been very impressed with Isadore; not only with the kit, website and packaging/logistics, but also with the correspondence I have had with Martin. He has been extremely quick to reply to any questions, and from the reviews on the website it appears he takes as much time and care with each individual who has an interest in Isadore. I am very much looking forward to the weather getting better so I can try out one of the Isadore short sleeve jerseys and I am angling towards the La Flamme, so keep an eye out for the next review once spring has finally sprung. In the meantime, I would like to wish Peter all the best for Paris-Nice and Martin for his assault on the forthcoming Classics - ride well chaps.
Merino Membrane Vest €170, Lycra Arm Warmers €39, and Socks €15 from www.isadoreapparel.com
0 Comments