Le col du Grand Colombier (1498 m), Le Col de la Croix de Fer (2067 m), Le col du Tourmalet (2115 m), Le col d’Izoard (2360 m), Le col du Galibier (2642 m), Le col de l’Iseran (2770 m). These are some of the grand cols in the Tour de France that strike fear into the hearts of the pro peloton. Instead of fear, Le Col kit is intended to inspire confidence in your riding with apparel perfectly paired to the way in which you ride.
Not currently worn in the pro peloton, but Le Col has previously outfitted the likes of Bora-Hansgrohe and Bahrain-McLaren. So their kit is certainly worthy.
Jai Hindley on the podium after winning the Queen Stage (Stage 9 to Blockhaus) of the 2022 Giro d’Italia
Sonny Colbrelli wins Stage 2 of the 2020 Route d’Occitanie
Le Col has also been a kit supplier to the Ripcor cycling club in the UK — of which I am an American cousin member. I’m honored to meet their high standards for membership, which is exclusively limited to lovers of coffee, cake, chips and cycling, who share a serious ability to laugh at each other and more importantly themselves. They’ve also helped raise in excess of £650,000 for The PACE Centre, an independent special school for children aged 3-16 with neurodisabilities, including cerebral palsy.
The Ripcor gang … It’s all good!
PEZ readers will know that I’m a fan of spray-on, second skin, race fit kit. But I know that’s not the kind of kit that everyone can/wants to wear. So PEZ opted for Le Col’s Sport Collection:
The after work spin, the Sunday Social, the solo outing. The Sport Collection is made for rides that aren’t defined by numbers but by a love of the ride. We’ve distilled the high-performance DNA from our Pro collection, and the all day comfort from Hors Categorie into a versatile design more suited to taking on your everyday training and first milestone rides in style.
And PEZ tested the Saffron/Navy combination because it’s a classic Eddy Merckx Molteni-esque look.
Le Col kit comes smartly packaged
Safety pins that are easily removed instead of plastic hang tag fasteners that have to be cut
Le Col Sport Jersey – $149
Per Le Col:
- An all-round performer, the Sport Jersey brings comfort and performance as standard while delivering a durable garment that will be your go-to training jersey all season.
- Engineered using a mechanical stretch knit polyester, the Sport Jersey is less compressive than a race jersey, suited to club rides and everyday training. Lightweight and highly breathable, the jersey will be more than a match for your effort when the sprint to the coffee shop is on.
The Le Col Sport Jersey is relatively “straightforward”:
- The front section consists of two pieces joined by a full-length zipper
- There are two side panels
- The back section consists of three pieces
- Set-in sleeves.
- Low mock collar
In a departure from raw cut, the sleeve ends are a separate sewn on section
Requisite three rear pockets plus a secure zipper pocket (dashed line) and reflective tabs (arrows) to help be seen in low light conditions
Le Col doesn’t spec weight, but respectably light
Per Le Col’s size guide, I went with XS and the Sport Jersey fit me well (5’8″, 130 pound ectomorph). It was form fitting and comfortably snug (but definitely not race fit tight). I wear a base layer when riding, but the jersey material was soft against my bare skin.
Comfortably form fitting
Le Col Bib Shorts Sport II – $195
Per Le Col:
- Designed to perform at speed, with the added durability and versatility to handle the everyday grind. The Sport Bib Shorts II takes the performance technology found in our pro-level collection and distills it into a short that’s more suited to training rides, sportives and everyday outings.
- An updated design with improved seam layout offers a more streamlined fit. The main short fabric is lightweight yet supportive with abrasion-resistant properties while the upper fabric maximises breathability.
- An enduringly comfortable three-layer chamois boosts comfort while a gel insert absorbs vibration from the road when cycling on mixed surfaces.
Construction-wise, the shorts section of the Le Col Sport Bib Shorts II consists of 9 panels plus the leg gripper sections. The bib section is one-piece and a mesh fabric for venting/wicking. Like the Sport Jersey, it’s a fairly straightforward design like a lot of other bib shorts.
The leg grippers are tiny silicon dots
Because the weight weenies will want to know
Size-wise, XS fit me well. Whereas the Sport Jersey fit comfortably snug, the Sport Bib Shorts II had a comfortable but more firm compression fit. The leg grippers gripped tightly enough to stay in place with no creep and without the dreaded sausage effect.
In another departure from raw cut, the bib straps are seamed — but they didn’t dig into my shoulders
Of course, the money in any pair of bib shorts is the pad aka chamois. Le Col uses gel padding that’s a little bit thicker than the padding in most of my other bib shorts, but not so thick that it felt like a diaper. And like pads in a lot of other bib shorts, it’s multi-density/firmness with lots of different channeling — both for making sure the “important bits” are protected and for “down under” sweat.
Show me the money!
Le Col Pro Air Sleeveless Base Layer – $66
Per Le Col:
- The Pro Air Sleeveless Base Layer is exceptionally lightweight. Engineered using an advanced performance open mesh construction, it works as hard as you ride to effectively draw moisture away from the skin and push it out through the jersey, keeping you dry and feeling fresher for longer.
- Cut to sit close to the skin, the jersey fits smoothly underneath a lightweight jersey. The fabric has a slight natural stretch, moving with the body and helping you to ride comfortable when you’re pushing your limits.
The Le Col Pro Air Sleeveless Base Layer is what you would expect in a base layer. Open mesh material for venting/wicking. ‘Nuff said.
Size XS fit me the way I want a base layer to fit. Which is to say that it clung to the contours of my ectomorph self but without feeling tight.
The base layer is airy, but probably not quite as light as air
Le Col Long Cycling Socks – $27
Per Le Col:
- The Long Cycling Socks are cut for riders who prefer a longer cuff.
- A unique honeycomb structure promotes increased breathability, compression and comfort over the course of your ride, whether it be road, gravel or ultra-distance.
- Engineered using a premium high-wicking polyamide yarn which works to regulate moisture management and eliminate bacterial build up.
- Strategically placed cushioning improves comfort and support across key weight bearing areas when riding. A ribbed cuff ensures the socks stay securely in place throughout your ride.
The Le Col Long Cycling Socks have just enough compression that I could feel it. I prefer cycling socks that have compression because (a) it helps keep the socks up (along with the ribbed cuff) and (b) compression helps increase blood flow/circulation.
I know Ed Hood wouldn’t approve of either the color or sock height
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Speaking of Ed … It’s now been some 15 months since he suffered his stroke. I know all of us at PEZ miss him and his wit. We don’t expect Ed will make it back into our bunch, so we’ve started a GoFundMe page to help Ed with his future. Read the full post here – and please consider donating.
** Click this link to donate to the GoFundMe page to help Ed **
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Definitely comfortable kit
My maiden voyage in the Le Col Sport Jersey and Bib Shorts Sport II was a 50 mile taco ride. The temp started in the mid-70s (F) but rose to the low 80s by the end of the ride. I never felt too warm and the kit wasn’t drenched/weighed down in sweat afterwards. And my butt was perfectly happy in the saddle. The bibs’ pad provided comfortable cushioning that I’m sure would’ve held up for many more miles.
IMHO the Le Col Sport Collection kit lives up to its billing. Meaning it’s slightly more “relaxed” kit (but not loose fitting) that will probably suit most riders for everyday riding. I found it all-day comfortable and I’m guessing a lot of riders will feel the same way in it. For me, it’s a nice change of pace from tighter fitting, higher compression full-on race kit but still “serious” kit in terms of function and quality for serious riders doing serious riding.
Le Col in the Lowcountry where the only “col” is going up and over the Cross Island Bridge (40-50 feet of elevation gain in less than a quarter mile depending on which direction)
Note: PEZCyclingNews ask that you contact the manufacturers before using any products you see here. Only the manufacturer can provide accurate and complete information on proper / safe use, handling, maintenance and or installation of products as well as any conditional information or product limitations.
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