The Pedla

September is almost upon us. It’s that time of year: summer is drawing to a close and it’s time to think about your uniform for the year ahead. The Vamper.cc school rules are simple where cycling caps are concerned: wear the coolest one you can find. Cycling caps are brilliant: they keep your head warm when the mercury drops, and they soak up the sweat when the temperature’s high. They conceal helmet hair at coffee stops, and they add a little extra pizzazz to your cycling garb. We ❤️ cycling caps.

To help you put together a cool look for the new cycling term, we’ve rounded up some of our favourite cycling caps. Here goes, in no particular order:

PEdAL ED TCR4 Cycling Cap

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Special Limited Edition cotton cycling cap designed to celebrate the Transcontinental Race, we think this understated PEdAL ED cap is properly sharp. It costs £14 from PedalEd.

Chimpeur Cotton Cycling Cap (Pre Order)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The excellent new cycling cap from Victory Chimp will ship in early September. Just in time for school. Who wouldn’t want to be a chimpeur? It costs £12.00.

 

Isadore Apparel Climbers Cap, Fuji

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We love this elegant oriental print from Isadore Apparel. It makes us think of Mt Fuji and cherry blossom. Gorgeous. It costs €19.00.

 

Look Mum No Hands! Mechanics Greaseproof Cycling Cap

 

 

 

 

 

 

Look, you know we like some bold cycling kit. But sometimes, stealth is where it’s at. And this Mechanics Greaseproof Cycling Cap from East London’s Look Mum No Hands! is cool AF. It costs £10.00.

 

Tokyo Fixed Arrows Cycling Cap

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It feels like we have a bit of a Japanese theme running through this post. Here’s another smart, monochrome cycling cap, this time from Tokyo Fixed. It costs £15.00.

 

The Pedla Head Case / Core Cycling Cap – Yellow

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If the first five were a bit sombre for your liking, how about this sunshine offering from Down Under? It’s gloriously bananas and sure to brighten even the gloomiest autumn day. A reminder of summer on your head at all times. It’s from The Pedla and costs AUD $45.

 

Seen some good caps that we should know about? Tell us in the comments, or head to Twitter…

Women’s cycling is going from strength to strength and it’s heartening to see more apparel designers launching expanded collections for female cyclists. I’m sure I’m not alone, though, in feeling that women’s cycling clothing is all too often still a bit of an afterthought. If you’re struggling to find kit as cool as you are, read on, because I’ve made it my mission to share all the cool women’s cycling kits I can find. You’ll find more good stuff here and here.

And don’t forget that the coolest kit of 2016, the Vamper.cc kit, is available in both men’s and women’s sizes. Register your interest here!

 

Hors catégorie socks – This is Cambridge

These glorious socks from This is Cambridge are just fah-bu-lous. I ordered a pair to coordinate with my pink Bont shoes… The socks feature Meryl Skinlife® which is a high performance yarn containing antibacterial properties which maintain the natural balance of the skin, reducing odours. What’s more, they look incredibly cool with a 15cm cuff, making them ideal for cyclists seeking a performance sock with top notch style. They’re £13.50.

 

Vision Cycling Jersey – Polaris Bikewear

We’ll be publishing a review of this soon, but in the meantime, I can tell you that it’s great. The Vision Jersey is a women’s specific performance jersey made from a fast wicking fabric to keep you dry. Polaris has a co-ordinating pair of waist shorts (as regular readers know, not usually my preferred choice – but so far, I’m liking them…) so the half zip on the jersey is no problem. There is plenty of storage, too, with three rear pockets including a zipped security pocket. If this aqua blue shade ain’t your bag, it also comes in fuchsia pink and regal purple. I really, really like this jersey. It’s available for £64.99.

 

Women’s Wind Cheater/Core Gilet in WaterCOLOUR – The Pedla

Ok, ok. Y’all know I’m a sucker for a bold floral print. What can I say – I must be the Mary Berry of the cycling world… But this women’s specific wind cheater gilet from The Pedla is gorgeous and utilises an advanced Italian WINDTEX windproof membrane for performance. It is designed with front shield-style paneling to insulate and protect you from wind and light rain while the rear panelling uses quick-drying microfibre material which is soft, breathable and moisture wicking. It’s a beautiful way to add a dash of summertime to your cycling wardrobe. It’s priced at AUD $196.

 

Women’s Bodyline SS Slipstream Jersey – Stolen Goat

It doesn’t always have to be floral for me to like it. This Slipstream jersey from Stolen Goat makes it into my list of cool women’s cycling kits because it’s super chic and the colours rock. I like it a lot. You can order it for £60.

 

Aloha Jersey – Babici

We’re back to florals! But this time, tropical ones. The Aloha jersey features a beautifully designed Hawaiian tropical pattern. Illustrated with amazing detail and constructed from high performance textiles, Babici expects this to be its most popular jersey of 2016. I’m sorely tempted. It’s priced at AUD $190.

 

Body Geometry Gel Women’s Glove – Specialized

I know what you’re thinking. Why is this in the list of cool women’s cycling kits? It isn’t a very exciting piece of kit. Where’s the bold design? What’s so cool about it? Fine, I admit it: they’re not going to set your world on fire. But take it from a women’s cycling glove afficionado: these are excellent summer cycling mitts. The padding is second to none and the fuchsia detailing is bolder than it looks in pictures. I bought a pair in Sigma Sport a couple of weeks ago, and I’m really pleased with them. Very good gloves indeed. You can buy them for £25.00.

 

Polka Dot Blue Women’s Cycling Gloves – Stolen Goat

You need a bolder glove? You want more than performance – you want pizzazz? Well, these mitts from Stolen Goat have got it. Super duper polka dots (bang on trend, if you care) and aero styling so that nothing can hold you back from that Queen of the Mountain. CUTE. And yours for £29.50.

 

Women Summer Jersey Checked Yellow – La Passione

“Every peloton has a leader, but not every peloton has a stylish leader.” Too true, La Passione! I was torn over which colourway to show you from the new La Passione range. I finally decided that yellow jerseys for women are few and far between, and this shade is so deliciously sunny and summery that it deserves a place in the list. I also like this description from the brand: the jersey “is not only perfectly suited for any female Tour de France winner, but equally for anyone with style and a winning attitude in cycling.” Sold, to the lady in Lycra. £53.00.

 

Boels Dolmans SL Pro Women’s Short Sleeve Jersey – Specialized 

I saw a cyclist wearing this kit in Richmond Park last weekend and it looked cool AF. The colours are amazing and I love how unapologetically bold it is. Super modern and super cool. The VaporRize knit fabric construction is ultra-soft and breathable and, combined with Coldblack fabric, it’s a great jersey for hot days out on the road. Yours for £90 from Sigma Sport.

 

Empire Women’s Road Shoe – Giro (at Sigma Sport)

Finally – we all know how important the right shoes are, and no list of cool women’s cycling kits would be complete without some good footwear. These are not cheap. But they are pretty. Glossy black with that petrol-hued logo and vibrant turquoise laces, the carbon-soled Empire Women’s Road Shoe by Giro is hot to trot. Love them. They are priced at £229.95