Reviews

POC

Cycling's most en vogue brand keeps things simple, and does so in style

If you want to be on the cutting edge of cycling fashion right now, we have one word for you: POC. Simultaneously cooler than the other side of the pillow and hotter than a stage of the Dubai Tour, the Swedish brand have hit it big over the last few years as cyclists everywhere scrabble to get a piece of their kit.

POC’s style is at once both daring and conservative, matching outlandishly-styled accessories with the sort of simple colour palette that appeals to a wide audience. POC currently have two collections for their road clothing: AVIP and Raceday. AVIP deals with high visibility – which is why you’ll see a liberal use of bright orange there – and Raceday is characterised by a very smart navy and white colourway across the board. But if you fancy a flash of colour, selected items in the Raceday collection are available with a touch of light blue or pink, like POC’s Octal road helmet and other accessories like the gloves and socks. A third, collection, Fondo, is coming soon and has a slightly more relaxed fit, while also being a little more affordable.

Here we have the Essential AVIP Short Sleeve Jersey. It comes in two colours, this one and a version where the top half of the jersey is predominantly bright orange, so you can choose just how high vis you want to be. The majority of the jersey is made from a four-way stretch fabric, with mesh inserts under the arms for added breathability. But it’s on the back where the coolest little touches are found, with a waterproof ‘my info’ pocket for your smartphone and a high vis panel on the middle pocket for added visibility.

At once both daring and conservative, POC are right on the cutting edge of cycling fashion right now and you can see their clothing on cyclists everywhere

Paired with those are the Multi-D Bib Shorts. They’re available as either the shorts we have here or a three-quarter length version for a little more coverage.

The shorts are a multi-panelled design using a similar stretch fabric to the jersey wedded to mesh bibs for extra ventilation. The chamois contains silicone-based VPDS (visco-elastic polymer dough) inserts, that offer support for areas of the anatomy that need it, as well as absorbing some of the vibrations that travel up through the saddle.

For rainy days out, the Raceday Stretch Light Rain Jacket is a great option, with a 20,000mm water column rating meaning it can withstand pretty heavy rainfall before you begin to risk anything seeping through. It’s made from a three-layer DWR-treated nylon fabric and has taped seams just to make sure it keeps out as much water as possible.

Pricing:
Essential AVIP Short Sleeve Jersey – £145
Multi-D Bib Shorts – £150
Raceday Stretch Light Rain jacket – £244.99
Raceday Socks – £20
Raceday Gloves – £45
Website: POC
UK distributor: 2Pure

The collar has a soft brushed lining as a little nod to comfort, and the sleeves are tipped with Lycra cuffs, meaning they’ll fit under gloves, over gloves or simply just sit flush with your skin.

If you’re after some accessories, the Raceday Socks come with navy, maroon or pink trim and a handy little tag at the back of the ankle to make them easy to pull back up on the go. They’re summer socks though, and highly ventilated, so you won’t want to be wearing these on winter rides unless you’re layering.

Finally, the Raceday Gloves come in the same three colours as the socks, so if you have a penchant for matching your accessories you’re in luck. The padding on the palm is complemented with five silicone tabs, one under each of the fingers and thumb to add a little bit more friction with your chosen bar tape. They also have a helpful pull tab on the underside of the wrist which makes it easy to pull them on.