Review: 9 Custom Kits for Privateers, Race Teams & Cycling Clubs
There's nothing that makes you feel like rolling up to the starting line of a race quite as much as a fresh delivery of custom threads. With hopes that racing and group rides would return again soon, Aidan Oliver and I took a look at ten custom kit programs. We evaluated them based on ease of design process, flexibility, price, turnaround time, comfort, style and more, so whether you're a bike shop with a ride club who needs to order hundreds of jerseys with your logo and signature design, a development team with budget in mind and dozens of sponsor logos to incorporate, or a privateer looking to make your mark on the world with a unique one-off kit, we've got options for you.
Sombrio
Sombrio Women's Alder 3/4 Jersey
• Styles available: Men's, Women's & Youth SS, 3/4 & LS, Low/Mid/High Socks
• Option to work with a designer: Yes
• Number of available edits to design: Live art session + two free sets of revisions
• Turnaround time: ships 5 weeks from order sign off
• Sizes: Men's, Women's & Youth XS-XXL
• Ships worldwide: Yes
• Minimum order: $100 minimum order. You can combine styles to reach price breaks.
• Price: $84 each for 2, $67 6-12, $55 12-50, $49 50+
• sombriocartel.com/custom
 | Sombrio offers two different versions of their custom kit program. You can use an existing Sombrio print or limited colour offerings and drop your logo on it using their Quick Design program or, for an additional $7 a jersey, you can work with a Sombrio graphic designer to come up with an entirely custom kit design from a blank jersey. It's also a great program for one-off designs since you can order as little as two jerseys to meet their minimum order of $100. Like all the brands I worked with, I sent Sombrio a Pinkbike logo, the Smoores logo that a friend created for me (thanks Brendan!) and a Pinkbike T-shirt design that I liked as a starting point. They came back to me with a first draft via email. A phone call and a couple of edits later, I received an email with a link to the final proof of the jersey. The process was easy and they said that the standard pricing includes a full custom design from their graphic designers and includes the initial proof, two free sets of revisions, and a live art session between yourself and our graphic designer. There's a good selection of apparel for men, women and youth available from Sombrio for you to customize. The material is a bit on the heavier side on the 3/4 Women's Alder jersey that I chose and there's only one fabric used throughout instead of a lighter material in high-sweat areas, but the fit is comfortable and flattering and the colours matched the sample shirt I sent very closely and are the most crisp of all the designs against the shiny black material. It's worth noting that it's the same jersey you would find in Sombrio retailers, so it should be easy to figure out what size you need if online sizing charts aren't your thing. |
A flattering fit on the 3/4 Women's Alder jersey and a nice job with the fade by Sombrio.
Not the lightest weight fabric, but the feeling is nice against the skin.
Puls
PULS Falcon Kit
• Styles available: Men's/Unisex Only, SS, LL Short & Pants
• Materials available: Regular & Mesh
• Option to work with a designer: Large orders only
• Number of available edits to design: Unlimited
• Turnaround time: 7-21 business days
• Sizes: Unisex XS-XL for jerseys & 26-38 for pants
• Ships worldwide: Yes
• Minimum order: None
• Price: Jersey 59 EUR, Shorts 84 EUR, Pants 104 EUR, Full Kit with Shorts 129 EUR, Full Kit with Pants 149 EUR
• pulswear.com
| Puls have 24 different unisex templates to customise with everything from racer to aliens and tuxedos. The kits come pre-designed by Puls, but you can choose from 72 different colours, add your name on the back, a number and a national champ style flag sleeve. Puls also have BMX and Moto kits available if that's your thing. As each item is made from scratch, you can even request extra customization like extra long lower leg panels if you have a bean pole fit. Puls online design platform is very intuitive to use and allows you to make unlimited different versions of your kit and also download them as a PDF. If you want to add a logo to your kit, it will require a separate email and some basic Photoshop work, but the Puls team are on hand to make sure you don't accidentally put your team logo on upside down. There are two different options for materials - Regular or Mesh. After an accurate 7-21 business days turn around the Puls Falcon kit fitted true to size with the logos I chose clearly and professionally dyed into the fabric rather than printed on top. The fabric and finish of the kit was something I would expect from a high end clothing manufacturer. There were lots of well thought out stretch and mesh panels, as well as pockets big enough to fit a phone in and even had waterproof zips. The waist also has a solid waist ratchet adjuster, and a silicone band all the way around the inside which helps to keep them up and your jersey tucked in. |
There are 24 different unisex templates to choose from.
You can request extra customization like extra long lower leg panels if you have a bean pole fit.
Zippered pockets on the pants to keep your keys or credit card safe.
Well thought out stretch and mesh panels.
Dirty Rides
Custom Race Jersey & Downhill Pants
• Styles available: MTB Jerseys, shorts & pants, team polos, custom hoodies, and T-shirts
• Option to work with a designer: Yes
• Number of available edits to design: No design fee + unlimited changes
• Turnaround time: 3-4 weeks for production plus shipping
• Sizes: Unisex Youth to 7XL
• Ships worldwide: Yes
• Minimum order: No minimum. £20 ($25) deposit to start
• Price: £44.99 for Race Jersey / £94.99 for DH Pants
• dirtyridesmtbapparel.co.uk
| All of Dirty Rides' apparel is manufactured in the UK which gives them full control over the manufacturing process and materials. They company prides themselves on being able to create single one-off jerseys for customers which is great if you're just looking for a couple of sweet designs for yourself. That being said, there are volume discounts if you order more than just ten of one item. All you have to do to get started is send Dirty Rides your ideas and a £20 ($25) deposit and they will create your kit. The designer will collect as much information as possible from you before sending through a couple of different options. While the average number of changes is 3-4, the designer I worked with told me they once made 72 changes for a customer. While I wasn't a fan of the loud moto-inspired sample designs that the Dirty Rides designer came back to me with, I was able to explain what I wanted and ended up with exactly the design that I wanted. As for the sizing, Dirty Rides sent me the female specific cut which has a waist that is tapered in slightly, but it definitely feels like more of a unisex design and there's definitely a more boxy fit. Since the apparel isn't readily available in Canada, there's no way of trying it out before so you're going to want to triple check your measurements at home. That being said, I did receive the right size. The jersey is comfortable and while the colours are slightly darker than the three other jerseys I had made, they are quite close to the sample T-shirt I sent. The pants fit me well despite being a unisex fit and while they were comfortable, they are made with a very thick material and have lots of padding in them so they are best suited to cooler temperatures. |
Slightly less vibrant colouring on the fade.
I especially liked the soft cuffs on the sleeves
Ready for muddy park laps.
The velcro at the waist of the Dirty Rides DH pants.
Zippered pockets are key.
Únic
Signature D1 Kit
• Styles available: Men's & Women's LS & SS Jersey, Pants & Shorts
• Materials available: ÚniPro & Mesh
• Option to work with a designer: No
• Number of available edits to design: Unlimited
• Turnaround time: 2 weeks
• Sizes: Men's & Women's XS-XL
• Ships worldwide: Yes
• Minimum order: None
• Price: Jersey 72.35 EUR, Shorts/Pants 88.62 EUR, Full Kit 160.98 EUR
• unicwear.com
| Únic offers 11 different men's and women's templates, all of which can be customised online with a pallet of 30 jersey colours. You can also add your name on the back, a country flag, sponsor logos and a personalised 'designed by' label on the collar. Únic divide their collections into 2 different categories, the Signature series I went with and a slightly less expensive Essentials series. Únic's online design platform is super easy to use and allows you to make unlimited different versions of your kit modelled by the man himself Cedric Gracia. Logo placements are pre-determined on the design platform so you can't go full custom, but Únic have plenty of templates to choose from. There are a whopping 17 different places to put logos on the Signature D1 kit so best get sending on those resumes. There are two different options for materials ÚniPro or Mesh. I went with ÚniPro which features an integrated goggle/glass wipe, zip pass pocket, and a more slim fit. The Mesh material is designed for warmer climates, summer riding and maximum airflow. After an accurate 2-week turn around the Únic Signature D1 kit fitted true to size with the logos I chose clearly printed with no smudges etc. The fabric was super stretchy and one of the most synthetic feeling I recieved, to the point of almost feeling a bit like neoprene. The stretch is great for riding and the kit is very comfortable, but not everyone will be a fan of the look and feel. The pants come with pockets big enough to fit a smart phone in and have a waist ratchet adjuster. |
The kit is delivered in a premium package.
There's the option to add a flag to the back.
Pocket on the jersey.
Unic offers 11 different templates to choose from.
Champion System
Trail Jersey 3/4 Sleeve
• Styles available: Cycling: Men's & Women's SS, 3/4, LS Jerseys, Jackets, Vests, Skinsuits, Gloves, Socks, Caps
• Option to work with a designer: Yes
• Number of available edits to design: Unlimited
• Turnaround time: 3-5 weeks, 2 week express service available at 50% premium
• Sizes: Men's & Women's XS-3XL + Children's sizes
• Ships worldwide: Yes
• Minimum order: $250 artwork deposit
• Price: 79 CAD $ (10+) 118.50 CAD (5-10) $158 (1)
• champ-sys.ca
| In addition to the extensive range of cycling apparel, Champion System also does triathlon, running, nordic, casual and paddling apparel. I worked with Champion System Canada which is one of 20+ independent global Champion System offices, so keep in mind that the experience could be slightly different in other countries. For the design, you can either work from a template or work with one of their designers. Once you've given your deposit, you log in to their comprehensive web portal to check proofs, make payments, and check the status of your order. I also worked with one of their reps who helped me seamlessly navigate the design process. There's no minimum order quantity, but there is a $250 CAD artwork deposit, so you'll want to place an order for more than that amount. While you can order as little as one jersey, you'll likely choose Champion System if you're looking for a larger quantity than that. A one-off jersey would be $138 CAD while 10+ units makes the jersey a much more reasonable $69 CAD. If you're in a rush and need a jersey in two weeks, you can pay a 50% premium for a rush delivery. Champion System sent me several sample jerseys to try out before I committed, sizing wasn't an issue. They also sent a return label and scheduled the pick up for the samples, so it wasn't a hassle to have to ship them back and it was nice to have peace of mind that I had chosen the right size. Especially since the sizing is on the smaller side - this is the only brand that I went with an XL kit on. The jersey is super lightweight with mesh side and upper back panels for extra ventilation and the faded Pinkbike is vibrant on the black material and the lines are crisp. |
In retrospect, I could have made the logos on the front and back of this jersey a bit smaller.
Mesh side panels for hot days.
The real reason I wanted to review custom kits was to get this logo on my back...
Northwest Tech
Northwest Tech Jersey
• Styles available: Men's & Women's LS, 3/4 S & SS Jersey & Shorts
• Materials available: 4 Way Stretch Fabric
• Option to work with a designer: Yes
• Number of available edits to design: Unlimited
• Turnaround time: 3 weeks
• Sizes: Men's & Women's XS-XXXL
• Ships worldwide: Yes
• Minimum order: None
• Price: Jersey $69 USD / 66 EUR, Shorts $139 USD /117 EUR
• NWT3K.com
| Northwest Tech follow a similar design structure as Únic and Puls only with a slightly more subtle template structure with only one fabric choice. There is only one jersey and shorts template to choose from which allow you to adjust the colours of the sleeves, chest and lower two thirds of the jersey. You can also add your own logos to the design which replace the Northwest Tech logo. Northwest Tech also do custom snow gear if that's more your thing. The design template was very easy to use and although there were only 10 colours to choose from, the selection will suit most and they included a camo and floral design. There is an option for short sleeve, long sleeve or 3/4 length sleeve for the jerseys and an optional stash pocket which is a nice touch. For the shorts, customisation is a bit more limited as only one colour can be chosen for the whole short apart from a small panel on the rear where the pocket sits. A nice touch on the sizing was long or short inseam options by + or - 2 inches with the shorts if you are on the lanky or short side. Although the customisation was a bit basic, if you're looking for a less flashy and more subtle kit for your team, Northwest is a good pick as they also offer discounts on bulk orders. After an accurate 21-day turn around the Northwest jersey fitted true to size with the logo I chose clearly printed with durable print. The fabric's 4-way stretch claim was certainly true with the kit being the stretchiest I received and appears to be a much more durable and thicker fabric, although, wouldn't best the best for super hot days. The 3/4 length sleeves were on the baggy side but were a comfortable length. The shorts came up a little larger than expected but solid adjustment tabs on the waist kept them nice and snug. The only thing that let this kit down a bit was the camo pattern had fairly visible graph paper like rules within it which were not shown when designing the kit. |
Only ten extra-stretchy fabric options to choose from.
The logo is printed on the fabric, not sublimated.
Pockets are always appreciated.
The shorts were on the larger side, but the adjustment tabs kept them in place.
Giro
Giro Women's Roust Jersey + Arc Short
• Styles available: Men's & Women's SS, 3/4 & LS Jerseys, XC Jersey & Bib Shorts, Socks, Gloves, Peleton Cap, Casual SS, LS & 3/4 Shirts for Men, Women & Youth
• Option to work with a designer: Yes
• Number of available edits to design: 1 hour of free design time, $50 per hour additional
• Turnaround time: Tees: 5 weeks / Apparel: 7 Weeks / Socks: 12 weeks / Gloves & Caps: 16 weeks
• Sizes: Men's, Women's & Youth XS-XXL
• Ships worldwide: Yes
• Minimum order: MOQ (can be a mix of styles and sizes) Apparel: 10 / Gloves: 100 / Caps: 150 / Socks: 150 / Tees: 36 (US only)
• Price: Jerseys from $65, volume discounts
• giro.com
| The Giro custom program is unique in that it isn't direct to consumer, you work with a Giro retailer and their rep throughout the process. This might make it a bit more difficult to get the ball rolling than an entirely web-based process, but once you make the initial first step, it isn't any more complicated than a direct to consumer custom program. The Giro program also isn't targeting the riders who want a one-off kit since the minimum order quantities are substantial on some of the items. That being said, if you're looking to kit out a team or large group of riders, there is an extensive list of items that you can customize, including mountain bike and road apparel and accessories. The design process was my favourite because, while I sent out the same request to everyone, Giro sent me back the most design options that resonated with me. I was initially planning on keeping the design on all of the jerseys the same, but then when I saw this option from Giro with the fade on the sides, I knew I had to have it! Final proofs came by email and my apparel arrived a month later. You will want to start planning early if you want some of those smaller items like gloves, socks and caps however since the lead times are a couple months. The fit on the Giro apparel is the same as their in-line apparel and it's super comfortable. It would also be easy to figure out your sizing since Giro retailers are likely to have these items on the shop floor. The Roust jersey is breathable and light, has a handy glasses wipe, and comes in both women's and men's fit. The lightweight Arc shorts will be a custom option this Spring and feature a handy cell-phone pocket on the side. It's also worth noting that the Roust jersey is made from 100% recycled polyester and all material is Bluesign approved. |
The designs Giro sent through resonated with me.
Handy goggle or glasses wipe on the Roust jersey.
In retrospect, I wish I had gone with the fade on the Smoores logo on all the jerseys.
Pinkbike logos on the waistband of the Arc shorts.
There's also a phone pocket on the other side.
Wht Lbl
Wht Lbl Custom
• Styles available: Unisex LS & SS Jersey
• Materials available: one
• Option to work with a designer: Yes
• Number of available edits to design: 2-3
• Turnaround time: 2 weeks
• Sizes: XS - XXL
• Ships worldwide: Yes
• Minimum order: 4 pcs per style/color
• Price: LS Jersey $70 USD, SS Jersey $60 USD
• whtlblcustom.com
| Wht Lbl custom is a true 'design your own jersey'. You will need some skills using Photoshop files but there aren't many limitations on your design possibilities. If that isn't your thing, they also just introduced a couple of template jerseys where you can change the base colours and add logos. I went for the full custom design and spent many hours choosing the design with a little bit of help from Wht Lbl. I created a basic design that Wht Lbl spiced up a bit by adding a contour line design used on their own collection of jerseys. If you're looking for a truly custom jersey for a team or shop this is a great way to go. After an accurate, super-fast 2 week turnaround, the jersey arrived with excellent logo printing which was dyed into the fabric rather than screen printed on top. The jersey material is super lightweight and comfy against the skin but still substantial enough to wear on a cooler day. Although a basic jersey with no goggle wipe or pockets, it was just as good quality as some of the big brands out there and the limit is your own imagination for the design. |
Endura
Women's MT500 L/S Lite Jersey
• Styles available: Men's & Women's & Youth Road + LS & SS MTB Jerseys, Jackets, Shorts & Pants, Skinsuit, Neckwarmer, Caps, Overshoes, Arm Warmers, Gloves, Bags
• Option to work with a designer: Yes
• Number of available edits to design: For new artwork a charge of £75 will be added to your order (if under £2000).
• Turnaround time: 1 week design, 5 weeks shipping
• Sizes: Men's, Women's & Youth XS-XXL
• Ships worldwide: Yes
• Minimum order: 5 items per style on most garments. Accessories have slightly higher minimums.
• Price: Quantity based with a set price for the minimum of 5 units and then discounted price bands for higher quantities of each style. The price is approximately 15% cheaper for 10+ units and lower again for higher quantities.
• endurasport.com
| While I wasn't able to get the final MT500 jersey from Endura before their factory closed down for the Covid-19 pandemic, I did go through the entire design process with them. Their design team was easy to work with on the design and they were able to get a physical proof out to me before they went into lockdown in the UK mid-March. The physical proof is a great thing for piece of mind ahead of committing to their minimum order quantity of 5 items since it gives you a much better idea of colours and logo sizes than a computer screen can. Although their 3D online proof is quite good. If required, they are able to send out sample garments free of charge for sizing and quality assessment. Now that the UK lockdown is over, their timelines for apparel are about 5 weeks, plus a week for design time, which is very reasonable. I can't speak as to how the final jersey would fit, but their custom apparel is done on in-line product, so you would be able to try the apparel on at any retailer that carries Endura. |
The Endura sample fabric gives you a good idea of what the jersey would have looked like.
If Covid-19 hadn't shut down their production mid-March when I was sourcing the jerseys.
Author Info:
Must Read This Week
1. UNIC still reminds me too much of the word Eunuch to ever buy a piece of their gear.
2. When’s someone going to come thru with well designed and high performing apparel that’s affordable. . .not $80 jersey and $140 shorts.
Sometimes you just want to have a bite without having to stop everyone to reach for the backpack or that zip in the fanny pack.
If it fits you and it's not loose as a roman gown it will never go more than a few cm of your back. And if you wear a hip pack or a backpack, it will def never happen.
They just need more pockets on shorts, give me 3 on each side and let me pick which 2 I like to use.
We also use 4 different weight materials for different seasons. From our extreme lightweight to our iceberger jersey,
Www.dirtyridesmtbapparel.co.uk
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You have to fiddle with it to get it open, while ridding is not ideal and it's way easier to just stop and get it.
Well, you can always store something that you don't wanna loose while reaching for other stuff in it, like a car key or some money.
My thing with the open elastic back "storage", as mentioned before for the quick access, is that I'm not a big fan of tons of stuff in the short pockets because it doesn't feel comfortable while pedalling, and the added weight will force you to tighten in the straps, wrecks the candybars and if its something sharp it will cut the insides.
Another thing is some shorts like Endura are too loose on the inside and the phone moves too much, while Fox's are perfect (the ones with the zip), they just stay there.
This things came up as even though I do enduro, I started a long time ago in XC (like everyone in the 90s).Transitioned to trail, got also a road bike and... got old.
Now, when I sometimes race XC marathons for fun (60 km, 1000d+), not even wanting to win (course!!), I use a enduro kit, baggy Fox shorts, loose jersey, enduro helmet, and semi enduro setup on the bike, and being myself a happy drunker and foodie guy, all the loose stuff help me a lot on stealthing up my belly, but there's no chance of being competitive if you stop everytime you want to grab a bite or something. Thats where those pockets are nice. ;D
Every guy ever: ...
We've waived the $250 artwork deposit, so anyone can get a fresh design rolling at no cost or obligation, and all ChampSys gear is backed by a lifetime warranty and free one-year no-hassle crash replacement program.
The women's Trail jersey definitely cut on the slimmer side to reduce flapping and snagging, but we offer free size samples to help verify fit, along with a size range that goes all the way to 4XL. Men's and women's fits are all combinable, giving each athlete the freedom to choose whatever works best for their body.
Most seem to have mastered "womens cut" though, and as Sarah seems similar shape to my GF, I'll be investigating further.
Seems like the bike industry is well behind the times when it comes to pumping out cheap shit made in 3rd world countries with a hideous yet hidden carbon footprint. Get it together.
Also, we are aware that overproduction is a big problem in the industry and some research shows that even 10% of big brands clothing is never sold. Únic produces on demand, so we go into different direction, caring about environmental impact. We have no overproduction, we use all materials and never waste anything.
Our production is based in Poland and we care about social matters as we believe that no business should come at expense of people. We provide safe and clean workplace conditions and fair wages. Production facilities are under European standards. Poland is known for its great craftsmanship and high skills in clothing industry, so choosing this destination was not random.
Please visit unicwear.com for more details!
Plus you cannot just order a one off etc. You need a bulk buy and all same design, this is why Dirtyrides Mtb Apparel is a niche company. Uk made with as much flexibility and customisation as needed.
Goggle wipes, side zip pockets. Any size, any colour any design, all within 3-4 weeks and cannot be beaten on cost. Now being used this weekend at Leogang by some of the team GB pro riders.
Www.dirtyridesmtbapparel.co.uk