What could be better than cycling in clothing that you designed yourself? I was able to experience it by designing my own cycling outfit for Cyclingreview.nl together with the designers of TD Sportswear.
About TD Sportswear
There are several places where you can have cycling kit designed online. The reason Cyclingreview.nl has entered into a partnership with TD Sportswear is twofold. On the one hand, it is possible at TD Sportswear to have an outfit made in minimal runs. The kit that was made for us was only made once and is therefore truly unique! The prices are very reasonable for the low runs, even for the high quality!
On the other hand, TD Sportswear has a special mission: To set an example by producing 100% slave-free sportswear. For this there are 5 principles that go for all other principles within the company:
1. No forced or child labor
2. Fairly paid employees
3. Additional income from factory employees
4. Better quality and productivity
5. Rigorous standards for the environment, people and safety
So it’s very nice for me to know that I’ve made the right choice and contribute a little to a better world.
Design your own cycling clothing
The process of designing is really a collaboration between us and the designer of TD Sportswear. We first sent a number of examples of outfits to give a picture of what we liked, indicated where we would like logos and on the basis of that information the designer of TD Sportswear made a concept. After a few e-mails back and forth to complete the details we were finished. This should be it!
Quality of the clothes
After a few weeks a package arrived at the Cyclingreview office containing the outfit that we had designed. Full of excitement I opened it and I am happy that the outfit is completely satisfactory! The technique that TD Sportswear uses is called sublimation. This is a printing technique that makes an enormous amount of detail possible. The basic clothing is printed using a heat press. Due to the heat, the polyester fiber will open, which means that the ink (now evaporated by the heat) will adhere to this fiber. As a result, the print can no longer be detached from the fabric (which ensures that the clothing lasts for the longest time!). With this technique literally any color (3 million!), shape and logo can be printed. You really notice this when you see the kit, the colors are not printed on it temporarily, it is incorporated into the fibers.
Bib
The outfit that we have chosen is the Elite1200 series. This is the most luxurious series offered by TD Sportswear. The quality is professional and it shows. The bibs have very nice grippers and a fantastic chamois. A pair of bibs can look fantastic, but if the chamois is not good, then it doesn’t really help you. Let me tell you, the chamois is large, thick and soft. TD Sportswear calls this the Elastic Interface Endurance 2.5HD chamois that ensures you can ride for more than 8 hours with it easily.
Jersey
Then the jersey. The colors have come out fantastic! I was told that it was extremely difficult to get the transition from the colors right. TD Sportswear has done everything at its own expense to test this in detail. This showes once again how dedicated they are to deliver a beautiful product. The jersey is super light and has fantastic ventilation, so you don’t get too hot in this jersey. The sleeves are just a bit longer and the shirt is beautifully tight, which gives it a really professional look en fit.
Price
The price is not necessarily cheap for the Elite1200. But it is definitely not the super expensive, especially if you know that a complete design process is included this and that you have the option of having a very low run. You pay € 169.90 for the combination of bibs and jersey in the highest quality. If you settle for slightly lesser quality (and I think that the average cyclist will really be satisfied with that) you choose the Pro300 series and you are only € 99.90 for a full kit (jersey and bibs).
TIP: In cooperation with TD Sportswear I can offer the readers of Cyclingreview.nl an exclusive discount. If you use the discount code “CR10” you get a 10 percent discount!
TD Sportswear
Voordelen
- Fast delivery
- High quality sublimation
- Personal service
Nadelen
- Highest quality quite pricey
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