I love riding bikes.
Well that’s not strictly true, sometimes I like riding bikes, and those times are usually when there is no wind, rain, traffic or hills.
It’s fair to say I’m a fair-weather cyclist, but unfortunately for me, ideal cycling conditions in the UK come about on average four times a year. Most of the time, on my commute to work or elsewhere, I’m cycling with a sizeable amount of moisture coming from the sky, or if I’m lucky, just covering the roads – both providing a pretty unenjoyable riding experience.
The absolute worst thing about this is how abhorrently filthy you get – mud splattered all up your backside, jacket and shoes. Sure, I could get a mudguard, but mudguards aren’t cool.
I’ve long wanted a jacket purely reserved for cycling, but most cycling-designed clobber, is also not very cool. However, German bike manufacturer, Canyon, may have just done something which provides the answer to my prayers…
That answer comes as a capsule of highly wearable, weather-ready, and most importantly, actually cool cycling clothing.
The capsule, titled Gorpcore Lane, comes as part of their Rideable Streetwear collection and is packed with brightly coloured outerwear that is perfectly capable of making the most miserable of riding days an actually enjoyable experience.
One of the most important features of cycling clothing is it has to be bright – you know, to avoid being run over – and more often than not, this is facilitated by dowsing garments in a neon yellow, hi-vis treatment, which in my opinion, seldom looks good.
Canyon, as you’d predict have not opted for this paintjob in the Gorpcore Lane collection, but have instead chosen a series of delectable colours accompanied by tasteful reflective detailing. Personally, I’m a huge fan of the bright orange and purple versions of the Ripstop Rain Jacket, but if that’s a bit too much colour for you, there’s also a non-ripstop version available in a black and an olive green.
Alongside the rain jacket is a softshell jacket and vest, as well as an entourage of headwear and a T-shirt, and it’s safe to say it all looks well nice.
Cyclewear is something that historically I’ve never been excited by, and I’d imagine quite a large amount of cyclists also share this sentiment, but this release from Canyon CLLCTV has made me realise that I actually can get excited about cyclewear.
If you’re not yet sharing my excitement, visiting Canyon’s website to fully get stuck into the collection should ought to fix that.
