Nicola Rutzou
At this year’s Tour Down Under, I spied the stylish cycling kit from Pedla while visiting the Trek pop-up store. For the event, Trek collaborated with the Melbourne clothing brand and even had a special jersey on offer.
I consider Pedla to be at the premium end of the market, so my expectations were high as I left the pop-up with the Women’s SuperCARGO Bib Short in Fuchsia and the Women’s Classic Jersey in Motion Pink.
First impressions
Just like a new non-cycling outfit, my mood can be lifted wearing stylish new gear, and the Pedla kit definitely fitted that mould.
Apart from looking good, the new jersey and knicks felt good both on and off. The fabric is soft and smooth, and the finish is high quality. It also fits well and feels very comfortable on.
Style and aesthetics
The ‘look’ of the Pedla kit is right on trend, with block-colour knicks and a subtle patterned jersey. I got plenty of admiring comments from my fellow riders who wanted to know what brand I was sporting. It was nice to be wearing vibrant colours instead of the standard black knicks and muted block-coloured jerseys.
The jersey fits me well and is a great length, being neither too long nor too short, and the sleeve finish and length were ideal on me. The sleeves are hemmed, which I prefer, rather than laser-cut, like many other jerseys.
Fit and comfort
Fit and comfort are obviously super important for cycling kit, and I’m pleased that this Pedla kit is very comfortable. I usually wear a medium women’s size in cycling kit, but for this review, I went with medium knicks and a small jersey, are recommended by Pedla.
The knicks have a compression feel about them, but not in a bad way. More in a way that keeps them in place. They come up high enough to cover the stomach area, and the straps sit in the right place (they run beside the breasts rather than over them), which makes them comfortable and functional.
The legs include silicone leg grippers that ensure a secure, stay-put fit. The chamois has just the right amount of padding, making them comfortable without feeling like you’re wearing a nappy.
The jersey also fit well, and as mentioned earlier, the body and sleeve length were ideal on me. It’s also good to know that the fabric has an SPF 50+ rating.
On-bike performance
Out on the road, the Pedla kit was comfortable and functional too. One of my friends said that the fuchsia ‘shorts’ made me ride faster. I doubt they really make that much difference to my riding, but it’s a nice idea.
The three pockets in the jersey were easy to access and large enough to fit all my favourite riding accessories, like my phone, ride wallet, and multi-tool.
The knicks also feature discreet pockets with a rear brace pocket and two side stash pockets. If, like me, you choose not to use the pockets, they sit flush with the garment, so are unobtrusive and almost invisible.
Safety credentials
On the safety side, there is a reflective logo on the rear of the knicks and decorative reflective dots on the front of the legs. On the jersey, there is a reflection tab on the right seam. Plus, the bright colours also help with visibility.
Verdict
Overall, the Pedla kit was stylish, functional and comfortable. The only thing I’m not so keen on is the price: $220 for the jersey and $330 for the bib knicks, but perhaps that’s the price of quality gear!
More info here.
Nicola Rutzou – a long-time contributor and, most recently, the editor of Bicycling Australia. Nicola is a keen Sydney-based road cyclist who writes reviews, news, and destination pieces.
