Velocio Winter Kit

The preamble for a number of reviews I've done has been something akin to "here's a bunch of reasons this is hard." But there's some reasoning for that - reviews are ultimately just one person's opinion, through one period of time. Hopefully, that experience can be effectively communicated to readers in a way that's informative, useful, and maybe even entertaining. Which brings us to seasonal clothing.

Let's back up a hair and talk about the process of making something. Brands and manufacturers need to plan ahead. Winter jackets don't just show up on racks in your local bike shop in late fall by coincidence. The designers behind that jacket did it last year, or even before that. The colors were chosen eons ago. Manufacturing slots were booked long in advance. All that stuff was probably on a boat for weeks, and went through a whole bunch of warehouses and trucks, ultimately arriving at the shop shortly before it was time to pull the shorts display and put up the long-sleeved merino. Honestly, when you think about all the pieces of the puzzle, from sketching out a product brief to it showing up on a hanger so you can try it on and everything in between, it's a remarkable feat.

We (the media) often get products before they show up on shelves. Brands provide this in the hope that reviewers like the product so those positive impressions will be shared around the time the product launches for the public.

Which again brings us to seasonal clothing.

As we head into the darkest, wettest, coldest depths of winter, there's a brand sending a new spring/summer shoe to me shortly. And when a pile of very warm PFAS-free outerwear and accompanying merino showed up on my doorstep a couple months back it was 12-15º C outside. Not exactly primo conditions for testing fleece-lined jackets, warm chamois, and winter gloves. So while the products below have been out for a bit, it's taken a while for me to form some opinions and this is still not an exhaustive, long term test. As a media outlet we have to balance relevance - in this case winter riding clothes being useful in winter - with long term durability testing. There's no point in introducing the Velocio Alpha Zero jacket come May flower season, but rest assured that if there's significant updates after a few months, we'll get them to you.

Velocio Alpha Zero Jacket

My first experience in the Alpha Zero jacket was bad. This was my own doing - it was cool out, not cold. So I melted.

It turns out the jacket billed to ride in "deep winter" isn't suitable for anything even near double-digit temperatures. The Alpha Direct insulation (read: all the fuzzy stuff inside) is very warm, and it isn't until about 7º C/45º F or less that I'm comfortable in this jacket on my gravel bike. For mountain biking, which typically involves much lower speeds, it needs to be a little colder still, although unzipping/zipping increases the viable temperature range. This is only practical if you're doing sustained climbs and winch/plummet riding. The fuzz is only found on the front side of the jacket (including the sleeve tops, which face forward when riding) to aid in transporting moisture out the back as you move. There are also three pockets on the back, which is very traditional road bike wear, but I don't think I've ever used them.

Crucially around these parts, the outer shell is what I'd describe as "reasonably" waterproof and the DWR coating has held up well to some wash cycles. Nothing this warm and water resistant is ever going to be exceptionally breathable and the inside will be wet after a hard ride; this seems especially true around the sleeves which run quite trim, and don't circulate air to expel moisture as well as the body.

All of these pieces are quite trim and cut to be suitable for biking, rather than casual use.

Velocio Alpha Zero Jacket - 454 CAD / 329 USD

Alpha Zero Vest

It's vest season, motherf*ckers. Regular readers will know I'm a big fan of a vest and the Alpha Zero checks boxes. Unlike the 7mesh Cache pieces, where the vest and jacket were quite different in fit, the Alpha Zero vest seems to be the Alpha Zero jacket without sleeves, which is exactly what I want. It has the same fluffiness inside the front, trim fit, and durable feeling outer shell with none of the faff of sleeves. It's in very regular rotation for me on cold-ish mountain and drop bar rides. The coarse zipper has remained trouble free no matter how much grit it ingests, and I like the fit.

Honestly, I don't have much to say about this - as the kids might say, "no notes." If you're looking to extend your vest season, this is my new favorite way to do it.

Alpha Zero Vest - 289 CAD / 209 USD

Velocio Deep Winter Base Layer

In addition to a slightly unhealthy vest addiction, I'm a merino-all-year guy. The warm-when-wet, natural anti-microbial smell (we're talking about anti-smell), and moisture-wicking-to-cool properties of this particular breed of sheep's fur is bordering on magical. It's not perfect - there are concerns about sheep welfare (farmers and brands are getting better about this), the short fibres don't do well with too many wash cycles, and it takes longer to dry, but overall if I could make everything I wear out of merino, I probably would.

Most of my winter rides involve some kind of merino base layer or long sleeve jersey. The combination of rain, sweat and humidity means your clothes are getting wet. Merino means you don't have to also get cold.

This layer has been solid, but I have a few notes. It uses a different density fabric on the back panel for temperature and moisture management and as such, it isn't great as a standalone layer. Fortunately, it pairs very well with a vest! The sleeves are a bit baggy for me, which means it looks more casual and less like cycling apparel, but I'd prefer a bit trimmer fit for functionality. It's also not 100% merino, with a significant percentage of polyamide added in. While that's ok for some functional reasons (this can aid in some of the durability challenges of merino) it degrades the anti-stink properties of merino. Overall I like this, but with a couple revisions it could be 10/10.

Velocio Deep Winter Base Layer - 178 CAD / 129 USD

Thermal Utility Bib Tight

These tights have numerous features indicating they're meant to be worn as a top layer. The pockets and reflective calf markings are useless if they're not the outermost thing you've got on. And while enduro bros and the shuttle crowd might scoff at the thought of thermal tights, keep reading and just remember you can wear them under other pants. You'll still look cool and no one around you will know you're secretly much warmer and more comfortable than they are.

I've found these tights to be particularly comfy. The chamois works very well for me, but this is obviously intensely personal. It's worth noting Velocio covers everything with a 30-day guarantee and if for any reason you aren't satisfied, they'll grant a full refund, no questions asked.

As for notes, I wouldn't mind a pocket or two on the back (they're called utility bibs after all) and the fit is very snug. It's a very comfortable snug, but this is something to keep in mind if you're equipped with enormous thighs (or waist, after the holidays...). I've ridden in these more than anything else in this writeup other than the gloves and they're holding up well and have become my go-to full length tights out of the three I own.

Thermal Utility Bib Tight - 386 CAD / 279 USD

Signature Rain WX Glove

For mountain biking, I'm incredibly fussy with gloves in all seasons. I've got sweaty hands, but desire a near-gloveless feel. I can't abide any kind of palm bunching and so I usually end up wearing thin gloves, and sometimes sizing down. This is tough in the winter, and the least bad I've found so far are the 100% Briskers.

I'm significantly less fussy for drop-bar riding; I do a lot of it gloveless, but in the winter months your hands are very exposed and the higher velocity means air strips any semblance of warmth right out of your appendages. I'm also less concerned about bar feel and all the bunching stuff I fret about with mountain biking gets thrown out the window.

With that in mind, the Signature Rain WX glove isn't a mountain bike glove for me. It's a thick, merino-lined softshell glove that fits big and would be difficult to size down. That also means my hands have stayed toasty warm through a lot of cold, wet, fast riding. They do get wet on the inside (again, very sweaty hands...), and are difficult to get dry at a cafe stop, but the merino means they stay warm. These have immediately supplanted my Briskers for any wet or cold riding on drop-bars in the winter.

Be aware the long cuff may interfere with a watch, but it also interfaces well with jackets to keep you dry, which is a trade I'll make any day.

Signature Rain WX Glove - 110 CAD / 79 USD

Conclusions

This is my first experience with Velocio (OK, that's not true. I have a full max-relax sweatsuit at home) and nothing has been disappointing. It's all very riding-forward fit and construction. If you're looking for multi-sport or pieces that can double into casual off-bike environments, these aren't the pieces you're looking for.

If you're looking to stay warm and for durability, I'd have a look (and I'd consider sizing up for mountain biking). The temperature range these are good for is tough to determine; my average ride is at a high output with very little stopping, so if that's not you, be mindful that you're probably dressing warmer than I am for the same conditions. The "style" of your ride will dictate what works.

If I'm buying one of these things for the PNW, it's the vest, which probably doesn't surprise anyone. The jacket gets used, but for my ride style in this climate it's often too warm. If you're faffing, socializing, and generally hanging out and stopping on the trail a lot more, it could be a good choice. Or, if you live somewhere colder, obviously.

None of these pieces are cheap, but they feel like they're built to last; I'd rather buy something to pull through multiple years than something new every year or two. I'll keep wearing and washing these, and if something goes sideways, you'll hear about it on these pages.

So what's your pick?

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