Le Col HC Cycling Maillot | Le Col UK

We sat down with founder and designer Yanto Barker to understand what sets this kit aside from the rest.

The maillot has been designed from thousands of miles of riding hours and attention to detail while in the saddle. Yanto explains that consideration has been given to every detail that makes up the maillot!

The fabric:

Yanto chose the meryl fabric to be stretchy and soft to the touch. The stretch allows it to be snug while maintaining a comfortable fit, it also allows for good sized pockets that you can fit everything you need on longer rides like the Etape or Marmot. It was essential for Yanto that the fabric was soft to the touch as it is often worm directly against the skin and must be comfortable on long rides at all times. The fabric is easy to wash and care for, maintains and holds its shape for years.

Construction:

An important part for Yanto was the pockets on the maillot, they had to be big enough for all essentials and the actual height and depth of each pocket was closely looked at so that the performance fit was not compromised when empty. Accessibility into your rear pockets when on a ride is a neccesity and Yanto has lowered the two side pockets on the outside edges to enable easy access. He is very quick to point out the waterproof zipped rear pocket that has now been upgraded to accommodate the new larger sized smart phones!

The hem on the maillot is finished with a silicone gripper to hold the maillot in place! This helps minimise bunching, sliding or any other movement on the body.

The collar has been ergonomically designed for the riding position, it is shaped to minimise bunching at the back of the neck when on the bike, it includes a zip cover to stop the irritation caused by zipp against skin!

A completely new feature for the range is the use of a fabric called lycra shield with a gummy finish on the underside. This lycra shield contains hundreds of toy silicone dots to hold the sleeve in place. The design is clever on these sleeves as the lycra shield is shaped to hold the sleeve without the need for a tight finish meaning more comfort for those with bigger biceps!

All the Le Col maillots come with a full zipper. All logos and branding come in the form of embroidery which means no cracking or peeling is likely to occur. 

These maillots also include reflective tabs, designed to make you seen if caught out and about in low light. A safety design that Yanto felt important to include.

Yanto points out that you notice and appreciate these "user details" once you have invested in one! It is certainly apparent that these things haven't happened by accident!