Tested: Velocio women’s Zinnia kit

The amount of choice for cycling clothing for women is at an all time high. In fact, the amount of choice for high quality, genuinely exciting cycling clothing for anyone is at an all time high.

Marketing via social media has seen small companies gain reach and exposure that was never possible before. Cycling is growing, competition is increasing and brands that used to dominate the market need more creative strategies to keep up.

I recently had the opportunity to test Velocio’s special edition Lela Rose Zinnia kit for BikeRadar.

Velocio is the brainchild of Kristy Scrymgeour and Brad Sheehan. The duo sought to design better fitting, high performing clothing for female cyclists after being frustrated with what was on offer in the professional ranks.

They have since extended the brand to include a men’s range and recently launched the first of what we hope is a series of special edition kits, the Lela Rose Zinnia Collection. This collaboration came about in response to Scrymgeour’s desire to step outside traditional cycling industry partnerships in terms of design and reach.

You can read the full review of the women’s jersey and bib shorts here. The review of the vest was published separately, here.

I love the approach this brand are taking to women’s designs. They’re not an afterthought, like they still are for some brands. Rather, they’re a driving force innovative ideas regarding fit, fabrics, technical performance, and creative approaches to design and marketing.

Not everyone wants to look like a racer when they step out to ride. The Zinnia collection is worth checking out if you want race level performance, but a fresher, more playful looking approach to appearance.