Australian online cycling retailer Velo Depot has just celebrated its first birthday. To coincide with the milestone, the company has released a Pre-Order for two cycling kits – Toucano and Verde. Anyone who reads Vamper.cc regularly knows that we’re obsessed with cool cycling kits, and we like to shout about those brands who are creating cool women’s cycling kits in particular. Toucano and Verde are both available in women’s and men’s specific sizes.
The Toucano Kit, retailing at AUD $270.00 is a tropical design featuring a Toucan alongside a Blue Parrot and Hibiscus flowers. The design comes from Velo Depot’s collaboration with New South Wales-based designer/cyclist Dylan White. The design brief was simple: the kit had to have unisex appeal, stand out in a crowd, be fun and quirky, and not pink.
The Verde Kit (also AUD $270.00) is inspired by the vibrant greens of summer – the aqua of the sea, and the lush green of grass after spring rain. Velo Depot founder Shelly told us that she wanted a kit with a fresh feel about it for summer – we love the look of the fresh white and mixed greens, complimented by Pantone’s Grigio Black Pepper in the bib shorts.
The kits land at the end of October but you can place your order now at VeloDepot.com.au.
Technical Features of the Velo Depot Toucano & Verde Women’s and Men’s Cycling Kits
The lightweight fabric is sourced in Italy and the chamois is by Dolomiti – it is rated for up to 5 hours in the saddle, so these bib shorts should keep you comfortable on lengthy rides.
Jersey technical features:
• Lightweight textured microfibre and ventilated side panels
• Aerodynamic sleeves with silicone cuffs
• Silicone waist gripper
• Camlock zip
• Three enforced rear pockets
Bibshorts technical features:
• Gel core chamois
• 3D mesh shoulder straps
• Silicone gripper leg bands
• High quality comfort lycra
We had a chat to Velo Depot founder Shelly about how the retailer got off the ground.
On Christmas Eve 2013, Shelly was hit by a motor vehicle while cycling. She told us how badly the accident knocked her confidence. Before the accident, Shelly and her husband were cycle skills teachers, regular road riders, mountain bike riders and were about to open a bike-themed cafe; the cafe went ahead and the pair ran their beach cruiser bike hire business from the cafe. But the cycle skill teaching took a backseat and so did Shelly’s regular cycling.
Almost 2 years after her accident, Shelly realised how much she missed road and mountain biking. They made the decision to sell the cafe and Shelly contacted the sock brand companies she loved and asked to be a retailer. Velo Depot was born. The retailer now offers six brands of cycling socks and Shelly is working on her true passion of designing apparel, with a strong focus on women’s cycling kits.
There are further kit designs in the pipeline and Shelly is now working with D White Designs and VeloTec to produce a jersey for female recreational mountain bike riders.