The Domestique Critique: Velocio ES Jersey, Wind Vest, & Signature Fly Bib Short

YOU GUYS. If you have been following me for long enough, then you know my love for Velocio runs deep. Deeper than my #wcw on Taylor Wiles, deeper than my admiration for Kristy Scymgeour. As if I needed more reasons to buy Velocio…

This spring into summer I rode in the new ES Jersey, charcoal Signature Fly bibshorts, and red Wind Vest. And of course, I picked out the exact socks Taylor is wearing in the photo above. OF COURSE I DID.

This is my fourth year wearing Velocio kit, and every season keeps getting better. I started with a pair of shorts for the turbo trainer and reviewed the Light Long Sleeve and navy Signature Fly Bib Knickers in the fall of 2016. I covet everything Velocio debuts like a Vogue magazine, and the 2017 SS collection was nothing less than drool-worthy.

The ES jersey is ultra soft to the touch and ultra light in weight that you barely think you’re wearing anything. I love the idea of gray in a color palette as a neutral so I chose the Venetian Charcoal jersey. I love how it makes the accent colors pop…plus I always believe darker colors make me look slimmer. I am wearing a size small for reference.

The core of the jersey features a broader print in a denier gradient fabric, but the sleeves are a tighter print and feature a perforated, breathable gradient fabric. It’s a subtle change in print you don’t realize at first, but is such a sophisticated detail. Denier is a fancy way of describing fabric thickness, but this lower denier is not sheer by any means. In fact, no matter how much I stretched it, it was never see-through and the color never lost it’s vibrancy.

The cut of the jersey is more of a pro fit, with a slightly longer sleeve and low profile collar, and is tailored to the riding position with a slightly shorter front hem to a longer rear hem. I tend to shy away from pro/race/aero fit jerseys but I truly find Velocio’s pro fit to be flattering on every body. I never felt constricted in any way, aided by the nearly seamless construction.

The rear boasts three pockets AND a zippered waterproof compartment rarely seen on a lightweight jersey. It’s a feature many brands skip because of cost and weight but Velocio knows this is an important detail. They fit quite a lot – nothing short of 3 snacks, tube, pump, wind vest and cycling wallet. The pockets have enough stretch of their own that it didn’t tug or tighten the front of the jersey around the waistline.

There are plenty more details on this jersey that get missed. There is a soft cover at the bottom of the zipper so it doesn’t snag on your bib shorts and fray the fabric and one on the top to abate friction with your skin. The silicone strip inside of the hem keeps the jersey in place perfectly, eliminating the habit of tugging it down every time. A reflective tab on the pocket and sleeve helps to be seen on the road.

The price tag runs around $169 USD for this jersey, and is not cheap by most standards. But I want to ride in high-quality, well-made kit that makes me feel like a million bucks on every ride. I want functional kit that will last. The value is well worth the cost, and I can say this while still wearing Velocio kit three years later with no sign of wear-and-tear.

I wear a size Large in most bibshorts and this holds true for Velocio. I find their sizing chart to be spot on, and they have excellent customer service if you need to exchange sizes. I chose Charcoal because WHY NOT. I appreciate that someone over there at Velocio knows fashion and isn’t afraid of a rich color palette of unexpected neutrals and eye-catching accents. I receive more compliments on my Velocio kit than any other. Aww, shucks!

Compression is key to this bib, and it’s the feature that makes these excellent for improving the comfort and support of long rides. The flatlock seams are few and in just the right places to forget they were even there. No matter how many washings, these bibs do not lose their compressive quality.

The Signature Fly is pee-break friendly, with an innovative zipper in the rear for a very easy-on / easy-off, mid-ride bathroom break option. You never feel the zipper and there is a generous soft cover at the top of the zipper line so you don’t feel a scratch against your skin.

One of my favorite features to this bibshort is the modesty panel. The mesh panel allows me to unzip my jersey without feeling exposed. It gets hot in Los Angeles! Moreover, the panel is supported by softer-than-soft microfiber straps that don’t chafe. They have enough stretch to pull down for a pee break, but spring back and lay flat against the skin with no issues.

The wide leg grippers combined with the strong elastic material of the shorts do a great job of keeping the shorts from riding up. My crisp tan lines were first made wearing Velocio shorts, and that’s because these shorts never move no matter how many miles or how many “breaks” I take.

I merely echo the already numerous praise of the Velocio chamois pads, and I find they keep getting better with every new pair I own. It’s wide (no pain on the saddle), it’s breathable (“Super Air” perforated base for ventilation), and it’s seamless (no rubbing or chaffing on my most delicate parts). It’s a win all around.

Finally, it’s worth noting that that Velocio offers a 30-day guarantee on its Signature Bibs. If you’re not happy with them, you can send them back for a refund, no questions asked. And if you need any more reason to love Velocio (do you?), then let me draw your attention to the culture of putting quality women’s apparel first. It’s refreshing to see that a brand expands their collections to include men instead of the other way around.

The pièce de résistance is Velocio’s wind vest, redesigned in 2017 with some fantastic new features. The vest is true to size, so I matched the sizing to my jersey and fit a small perfectly. For reference, I am approximately a 36 bust and 30 waist.

The vest’s windproof front and side panels do an excellent job at blocking the wind, and the back is a stretch mesh that dissipates heat from your core without compromising the purpose the vest.

You’ll notice in the photos that the vest is designed with a deeper cut in at the sleeves to fit better in the riding position and avoid that bunching or flapping about in the wind. The zipper is also noticeably larger, making it easier to grip while riding, and features a two-way zipper for maximum functionality.

The wind vest has three full-size rear pockets. I appreciate this so much in a vest. A vest never sit properly over full jersey pockets and, when unzipped, a vest with weighted pockets doesn’t flap around incessantly while riding. Details like the micro fleece lined collar add a little more comfort where you don’t expect to find it in a very light vest.

Overall, no one piece of this full ensemble is better than another – they are all excellent and worth the price for short-term comfort and long-term durability. My Velocio kit continues to be the one I reach for most often as the trusty kit that can make my ride so much better.

Full disclosure: I received the kit reviewed in this post free of charge. The decision to write this review and all opinions expressed are 100% my own. This is not a sponsored post. Thanks as always for reading!