News Release

 

Panache Cyclewear Co. Sprints onto Scene with Innovative Clothing…

 

Panache Cyclewear Co., an upstart out of Colorado offering racewear, ridewear and lifestyle clothing for cyclists, sprints onto the scene with three new products designed to keep cyclists cooler in the summer heat: the Panache Arm Cooler, the Panache Eleven Jersey, and the Panache Eleven Bib Short.

 

Don Powell, Panache’s founder, is a former professional cyclist who uses real cycling-world experience to give Panache’s gear its innovative edge.  Having raced the cobbles, gutters and cols of Europe for Saxon/Selle Italia (currently known as Landboukrediet/Tonisteiner), Powell now turns to designing clothing that works with cyclists to make the most of their training, racing and lifestyle experience.

 

Built for hot weather riding, Powell found the inspiration for the Panache Arm Cooler while racing in hot climates, “I raced in a number of multi-day stage races in South and Central America where the mercury would go over 100ºF.  The local racers were wearing arm warmers to block the sun’s rays.”  Panache takes this one step further and found a super wicking, open-holed mesh fabric that blocks much of the sun, but also allows the arm to breathe via the open holes.

Arm Cooler

 

Panache’s Eleven Jersey features side panels and under arm panels made of mesh, allowing the air to flow in and cool the rider.  Uniquely, the rear pockets are also made from mesh.  Powell comments, “The back pocket area on a jersey is traditionally the least breathable area of a jersey because it is the only place on the jersey with two layers of fabric between your skin and the air.  Using a super breathable, open-hole mesh fabric for the pockets makes all the difference.”

Panache Eleven Jersey

 

The Eleven Bib Short rounds Panache’s hot weather line as an innovative tour de force.  Using the same super wicking, open-holed mesh fabric used for the Arm Cooler, on the lower leg panels, Powell notes, “while racing in Belgium, the weather became unusually hot.  My teammates and I began cutting up and making tiny holes in our jerseys and shorts to allow the air to flow better.”  Additionally, utilizing the same technology used on Tour de France leader time trial skin suits, Panache features L1™gripper technology.  Using only one layer of fabric on the inside of the leg opening, the silicone gripper has been directly added to the fabric.  According to Powell, this accomplishes three things, 1) increased breathability, 2) improved aerodynamics, and 3) less weight resulting in less drag.  Other innovative features include a soft elastic band on the outside of the leg for comfort and fit, Panache’s Pro Stock™ chamois pad.  Once again Powell’s experience as a pro shaped Panache’s gear, “when we received our team shorts at camp, the first thing many of us on the team would do was rip out the chamois and replace it with a better one.  The Pro Stock™ chamois is the pad that many pros put in their team shorts today – it’s specifically designed for today’s light-weight, minimalist saddles.”

Panache Eleven Bib Short

 

Panache utilizes real world experience to nuance the stylishly technical innovations they bring to the market place.  Powell explains, “The goal of the company is to offer core cyclists an alternative to their race day kits, which are often brightly colored, cartoonesque beacons.  We make race day kits too and certainly they have their place in showcasing sponsors, but cyclists are now expanding their clothing options while training and riding.  Panache’s clothing allows riders to express their own identities in addition to the identity that they have when racing for a club or team.” 

 

Andrew Brewer, owner of Onion River Sports in Montpelier, VT says that Panache’s clothing will work well in his shop because, “our customers are looking for a different look.  The riders want to wear clothing that allows them to show their own distinctiveness.  They still like to wear our team kit, but now they are looking for more options.  Panche’s line delivers on this progressive look and it also doesn’t hurt that the quality is also top notch.  We have people buying $5000 bikes and they want clothing that is also high end .”

 

Panache Cyclewear Co. also makes off-the-bike, lifestyle wear for cyclists.  The line includes T-shirts with cycling graphics that use a technical blend of cotton and wicking fiber, and polo shirts made of light-weight t-shirt fabric.  The goal here, explains Panache’s marketing lead out man Brad Potts, “we wanted to provide casual clothing worthy the passion we have for cycling.

 

 

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Panache (defined):  In grand manner, style, verve.  A word often used to describe cycling greats such as Fausto Coppi, Jacque Antequil, and Eddy Merckx.  Panache Cyclewear Co. makes racewear, ridewear and lifestyle clothing with panache.  Panache Cyclewear Co. products are available at a growing number of independently owned and operated bicycle shops in the US, and online at www.panachecyclewear.com.