Anyone who regularly rides through the microclimates of California knows you can be baking in the sun one minute, then freezing beneath the cold, wet fog the next. Bay Area locals Neil Berrett and Jeremy Smith started new company Cedar Cycling in order to create simple yet classic everyday cycling apparel that would not only prepare you for any type of weather, but be completely designed and built in California as well.
After clearing out their savings accounts and pulling in an outside investor, the next challenge for Neil and Jeremy was to find just the right fabric for their inaugural cycling jersey. "Merino wool is textile perfection for athletic wear, but by itself, it's not quite perfect," explains Jeremy. "However, add in some nylon and a touch of lycra, and you get a much higher performing fabric with all the benefits of both an organic fabric and a synthetic. Our blend works to keep the shape and structure of the jersey, while still killing it with respect to transpiration and thermoregulation."
The initial Cedar Cycling collection includes a classic Merino Wool Baselayer to be worn underneath the Standard Jersey. The inner face of the cycling jersey is 100% merino wool and the outer face is 100% nylon, giving you the best combination of moisture wicking, temperature regulation, odor prevention, and durability.
Features include a reinforced three-panel back to support three open pockets in the rear for all your ride essentials, with a pump and cell phone sleeve. A soft Italian silicone gripper elastic on the bottom hem keeps your jersey from riding up, while contrast stripe panels on each sleeve add a little extra visibility and style.
Further representing the local California cycling experience, Cedar Cycling has created some 100% cotton T-shirts that list some favorite local rides. There are Local Ride Tee editions for the East Bay, San Francisco, North Bay and the Peninsula.
Cedar Cycling has big plans for the future. In the short term, the company will add a softshell cycling jacket, a women's line, accessories, and some more casual items. The Standard Jersey retails for $160, with the Merino Wool Base Layer at $80, both available from the company website.