PEARSON TO PASTURES NEW JERSEY & PUSH COMES TO SHOVE BIB SHORTS

£216 (as a set) Eco-friendly go-anywhere kit

Pearson’s cycles is the UK’s oldest bike shop, founded in 1860 as a blacksmiths that also fixed up bicycles. It’s now run by the fifth generation of the family, brothers Will and Guy. Alongside designing its own Pearson branded bikes it’s moved into sustainably manufactured clothing designed with a UK emphasis. Aimed at gravel riders, the To Pastures New jersey is made from a wicking, ripstop-style, recycled polyamide blended fabric with 14 per cent Lycra to give four-way stretch. The material is supertough, chosen because it won’t be pulled or torn by hawthorn or brambles, and it’s windproof too. The cut is looser than a road jersey and the collar is higher, although the sleeves are close fitting (again, to prevent catching on brambles). Rather than rear pockets it has two high-stretch pockets on the sides – a smart idea because plenty of gravel and adventure riders wear a pack on the bike. There’s also a zipped chest pocket. The relaxed fit is spot on without being flappy, it works on warm days and wicks well enough, but it’s excellent when the temperature drops. It’s only available in this bold orange so you certainly won’t be missed by traffic.

The matching Push Comes to Shove shorts combine a quality endurance pair of bibs with a deep plush pad and plenty of compressive support around the midriff. These are a mountain bike-style baggy short, which is achieved by effectively sewing a pair of highstretch baggies to the Lycra undershort. They are slimmer than your average baggy, which is good as there’s nothing to snag or get in the way, but they are not so close-fitting as to feel conspicuous in a non-cycling environment. On the bike they’re wonderfully comfortable and the twin mesh pockets on the thighs are handy for stashing energy bar and gel wrappers. It’s also good to see that the shorts are made from 100 per cent recycled material. Pearson ships in recycled and recyclable packaging too. We appreciate its commitment to being green; bigger apparel brands take note.