Named after the brave women of the 1800’s who were ridiculed as “loose” for daring to ride bicycles, bike clothing company Harlot is out to liberate today’s woman. With a similar goal to My Alibi of getting more women out on their bikes, Harlot is geared towards the rugged mountain biker or active woman who needs more protection than lycra and wants to look stylish on and off the trail.
Jennifer Steketee started Harlot in 2004 after she couldn’t find any bike clothing that appealed to her. She wanted clothing that was comfortable, functional but also had some style. No pink, no neon, no frills and no shiny lycra. Jennifer also felt that the cycling world could use a bit more sauciness and wanted to create clothing, not for the pros, but for those of us who just love to get out, have fun and ride.
The Harlot line includes polyester and wool bike jerseys, cycling jackets, bike shorts, socks and even a range of lifestyle T-shirts and accessories. The variety of women’s bike shorts can be worn over a pair of bloomers or padded shorts for extra cushion. Three of the bike shorts come with Harlot’s own lightweight BCZ padding system.
An alternative to a chamois, the BCZ padding system uses multiple layers of silky fabric with a bit of cushion through delicate areas. Details such as “harlot” and other embroidery add to the distinct style and give you a little extra spunk and sassiness when you hit the trail on your bike.
Jennifer received so many requests from her male friends to make bike shorts for them that she decided to create men’s bike clothes as well. Guys can now look just as good as the women with camouflage and performance bike shorts, bike jerseys, lifestyle T-shirts and other accessories.
All of the Harlot bike apparel is made in the USA in small batches and can be ordered from the company website.