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TECH NEWS
Ted Baker launches "bike friendly' designer clothing range through Wiggle +video
Designer clothing brand Ted Baker have launched a range of stylish cycle clothing for the autumn and winter called ‘Raising The Handlebars’, available exclusively through online retailer Wiggle.
"Based on classic Ted fundamentals and innovative details, Ted has put mud, sweat and tears (steady Ted! - ed) into creating Raising the Handlebars; a bespoke collection of stylish cycling attire that puts the aesthetic into athletic," says the Ted Baker promotional blurb.
The clothing is aimed at cyclists who want normal clothing with bike friendly details and materials for commuting to work, and the range includes shirts, trousers, shorts and jackets. They all feature details like reflective collars and cuffs and strips, reinforced and fast drying fabrics with antibacterial treatment, armpit vents should ensure the clothing meets the demands of cycling.
Our initial impressions are good. The clothing we have been sent is all well made and does live up to the hype in terms of the amount of cycle friendly details.
“There has been a huge increase in the popularity of cycling with the rise of Cavendish, Wiggins and Froome and people are realising that it's easier to cycle the mile or two to work or to head down to the shops, but they want clothes that they don’t need to change out of or have a shower,” adds Ted Baker.
The autumn/winter range which we have samples of here includes a long-sleeve shirt, shorts and a lightweight jacket. The range also includes polo and crew-necked t-shirts, short-sleeve shirts, chino trousers, reversible hooded jacket and blazer. Prices start at £65 for a t-shirt, £95 for a pair of chino trousers and £90 for a shirt.
Ben Simmons of Wiggle added: “The new range from Ted Baker will help to bring cycling to a wider audience and remove reasons that prevent people making the switch to two wheels. This can only be a good thing. We’re delighted to be working with them.”
These are the Ohshorts (£80), a chino short made from a stretchy cotton fabric with adjustable reflective turnups, contrast lining and ergonomic stitching. They have a side zip pocket and rear pocket with reflective trim and a reinforced seat panel (like the Rapha Fixed short). Length is fashionably above the knee - possibly a tad shorter than howies Crosstown cycling shorts. The price tag puts them between the offerings from Rapha and howies.
We were slightly sceptical about how they'd look when/if you roll them up to show of the reflective stripe, but actually they didn't look like a pair of hotpants as initially feared. Impressions after a couple of quick rides is that they are comfortable on the bike too.
The hidden zipped pocket on the leg is a good touch for carringy credit/debit cards or similar sized idems, and you also get an inner change pocket in the main pocket on the right and both main packets feature hidden popper fastening for a bit of added secruity.
The Jackybo jacket (£175) is made from a showerproof fabric and and again features lots of bike friendly detailing. You get plenty of buttoned pockets, reflective back panelling and drawstring waist and it's cut slightly longer at the back in a cycling style too.
It's a very stylish looking bit of kit - provoking some first day of the sales type of behavior in the road.cc when it came to sorting out who'll be testing it. One thing to note is that it's much lighter than it looks, even so we'll probably be waiting until there is slightly more of a nip in the air before giving it much bike time (I say 'we' that would be slightly unhygenic - it'll be our tester Oli). No doubt it will be getting a fair bit of non-bike wear in the meantime.
This is the Bikegeo shirt with a geometric cog print repeated across it - it's also available in a blue version of the same pattern. The fabric has an antibacterial finish with a slightly dropped tail, underarm vents and reflective under collar trim. There’s also zipped side pocket and a button up front pocket. So we're talking a similar sort of idea to the shirts Rapha have featured in their City collection - although they don't currently. At £95 the Bikego shirt is a similar sort of price too and also what you'd expect to pay for a standard issue shirt from the current Ted Baker collection. There's also a short sleeved shirt in the range too - the Linkgeo Links (who thinks up these names?) at £90, making an extra fiver for a set of sleeves look something of a bargain.
We haven't got a pair of Ohpant cycling trousers, but we will be asking for some. On paper, at at £95 they look like a contender boasting all the elements you'd want to see, cycle friendly cut, reflective detailing, reinforced seat and anti-bacterial treatment - they also come in a greater choice of leg lengths - short, regular, and long - than the cycle specific brands like Rapha or Vulpine - Rapha offering only regular leg length, while Vulpine offers reguar and long. So if you'e a short stylish cycling man about town Ted would seem to be your friend.
There would seem to be a growing market for smart, stylish, clothing that works just as well on or off the bike, and it would seem to be yet another sign of cycling growing mainstream acceptance that a brand like Ted Baker is dipping its toe in the water with a range like this.
You can see the full range at http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ted-baker/
David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes.
Latest Comments
- ktache 5 hours 28 min ago
That looks wonderful. What the residents seem to want is longer dropped kerbs so the radius of turn can be larger, so they can drive it faster. Why...
- Aluminium can 5 hours 33 min ago
The X in BMX stands for Satan. I know that after our council built a pump track there was an increase in the sighting of cloven hoofed demons with...
- ktache 5 hours 36 min ago
I watched that video too, not as intriguing as the lever.
- mattsccm 8 hours 40 min ago
I have to assume that the cyclist wasn't thick enough to just change lanes without looking. Not a small puddle so I guess that they saw it and...
- Simon E 9 hours 34 min ago
Being a titchy lightweight I find the minimum pressures shown on bike tyres are considerably higher than I would use....
- Simon E 9 hours 48 min ago
Bruyneel saying publicly that Boonen "should shut up" is all you need to know about both Bruyneel and the doping regime at his team. Dirty in both...
- Barraob1 10 hours 38 sec ago
I like it because it's a bit different, but it's way out of my price range. Wonder if it will take off, or will we be talking about in 15 years...
- kingleo 10 hours 9 min ago
Cyclists used the roads before cars - it was cyclists who petitioned the government to put a hard surface on our roads.
- wtjs 10 hours 5 min ago
I had a brief moment of déjà vu about established reds...
- hawkinspeter 15 hours 8 min ago
Who the fuck's that?
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33 comments
Why aren't Ted Baker allowing local bike shops to sell this stuff?
Why aren't Ted Baker allowing local bike shops to sell this stuff?
Those Union 34 pants look well lairy!
http://www.rutlandcycling.com/151797/products/union-34-elements-water-re...
That belt detail is pure Bay City Rollers.
Sod it, I might have to get a pair.
I already have those in a 'shorts'...don't do it unless you want to look like someone in too short shorts...and I'm titchy....they don't even make it to my knees...all i need now is a pair of jeebus sandals, a haver sack and some over the knee socks...oh and a beardy...ready for some twitching...
They don't look massively different to this stuff ...
http://www.rutlandcycling.com/advancedsearch.aspx?Term=union%2034
Might be wrong of course.
(Is it my browser - I can't see the edit button for my comment above?)
In fact, following up on my previous comment, I've tried economising recently, but most brands with a slightly lower cost don't fit me or have turned out to be a false economy due to poor quality or whatever - so what are you lot wearing? More expensive stuff?
Well, the comments section here is guaranteed to make anyone feel cheerier on a Monday morning.
'cksake
I like Ted Baker. I've got too much of the stuff, partly because it's a good fit for a tall-ish skinny guy, so I'm surprised that amongst cyclists there aren't more positive comments for the company in general.
As for fashion, I'd never considered it to be 'of a time' - I'll consider myself downgraded from 'stylish' to 'stuck in a time warp'!
I like the shorts and some of the shirts. Wizard jacket looks nice, but I have jackets coming out of my ears.
It's also well worth encouraging This Sort of Thing.
We could do with some close up shots of the Wizard's sleeves before making a proper judgement.
I wondered who would cave in to the temptation for this one!
1403702120956.jpg
I don't understand why cyclists get so upset about this stuff. You don't have to wear it.
Come away from the mirror. Go and ride your bike. Wear what you want and stop being catty about the other bloke.
Maybe the design works spot-on the first time around, maybe it doesn't. it shows willing from the company's and hopefully they'll do well enough to warrant a second, and third, season.
I think very few companies pull off a major success in their first round of products, some do granted, so they should be applauded for having a go, and encouraged to do better next season!
I like seeing these ranges come out, and hope they do well in each case. Helps normalise bike wear after all.
Definitely want one of the Levis Trucker commuter jackets, just can't justify the cost
I get the point of an 'urban wear' cycling jacket, I ride to the office and am very tempted by one of the Vulpine jackets as something more suitable to ride the few miles each way but still looks smart enough and normal enough to wear at other times, and I guess the shorts are a good idea if you go cycling at the weekend with the family or just out for a ride but not as a sporting wannabe, but I'm not convinced by the shirt (other than the pattern for use as a lining in the jacket)
Glad that cycling is seen as that mainstream now that brands keep bringing out cycling products.
Some of it looks decent gear, I particularly like the shirts. You probably wouldn't tell it was a bike related design from a distance. However, the main thing putting me off is:
Ted Baker, in my mind, is very much 'of a time'. I'd be a bit narked at paying £80 for a shirt from a brand that feels like it should be getting knocked out at TK Maxx.
I doubt this will last.
Just another retailer jumping on the band wagon - Rohan and H&M both did 'cycling specific' ranges that quietly disappeared.
As the comments in this thread show - cyclists are a cynical and tribal bunch and very much of the "I know what i like and i dont like that" mentality and can usually spot a marketing ploy a mile off.
I think the 'lifestyle' brands that do well with cyclists are usually ones that clearly wear their cycling credentials on their sleeve (excuse the pun)
Hoxtons so 5 years ago.
Hipsters wouldn't be seen dead in Ted Baker, deeply uncool brand in Hoxton.
Oh, look. Another company that appears to only concern itself with bikes + men. But then it doesn't appear to be that great a showing so if you're thinking of trying to cater for women as well in the future you can stuff it.
(Wow, that came out a little bit more aggressive than I originally intended.)
Not being from that there London I can't see many keen bike riders being very comfortable going out dressed like that nor many keen socialisers being happy turning up in the pub or restaurant wearing that either, and is anyone really going to go to work in that kind of thing and sit in business meetings or teach their class or build houses or weld oil rigs or whatever all day in light blue rolled up padded shorts?
I know it's great that fashionable brands are doing these designs as it shows cycling has become mainstream and cool and everything and there must obviously be a market and maybe I'm just not down with the kids here but who buys this stuff?
We probably shouldn't have shot the jacket on a bike with a more upright position...
Just like the last jacket I commented one, a Vulpine one I recall.. Seriously, you guys are the kiss of death for anyone wanting to show their product in a sensible way.
There are jackets out there which are perfectly capable of being used on bikes and used as casual wear, but the way that 'designers' interpret this leaves a lot to be desired...
'Ave a word fellas
Has Mr Ted never heard of the English weather! That jacket is just wrong (like the rest of the clothes)
Those clothes will be in someones Christmas/ Birthday hamper then dropped off at Oxfam
We'll I've actually seen the clothing up close and I've worn the shorts - which so far I'd have to say are really good. We probably shouldn't have shot the jacket on a bike with a more upright position - be interested to see how it tests, but everyone in the office really liked it. There are plenty of people who want normal clothes with a bit of bikey detailing for scooting around town in. Personally I could take or leave the shirt, but having looked at a lot of clothing like this over the last few years I thought this lot - out of the box at least - was an impressive first go.
Why would you wear special 'cycling friendly' clothes if you're only doing a mile down to the local independent, artisan coffee roasters?
F**king hipsters, honestly...
Do hipsters wear Ted Baker?
Plus maybe the local independent coffee roaster i a bit further away, or you want to ride to work (graphic designers need exercise too), or in to town to the gastropub.
Anyway, not sure why there should a problem with anyone on a bike or anything that makes them more likely to ride one.
.
Aw lighten up grandma, I was only having a laugh.
Honestly...
Ted Baker is so 1995 for me, no thanks, I'm owt.
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