Cycling hits the high street: Zara launches its first ever women’s cycling clothing collection

High street fashion retailer Zara is attempting to bring cycling clothing into the mainstream, as the Spanish brand launches its first ever women’s bike wear collection.

And no, we’re not talking about those fashion ‘cycling’ shorts made famous by Princess Diana and worn by every other audience member at a Justin Bieber concert, but actual useable bike apparel. 

The new range, designed in collaboration with specialist cycling brand Fizik, forms part of Zara’s pre-existing ‘Outdoor’ collection and coincides with the launch of the retailer’s new climbing gear. 

The collection, which veers more towards the casual end of the bike clothing spectrum, includes Fizik’s Terra Ergolace mountain bike shoes, jumpers, windbreakers, t-shirts (made with merino wool, naturally), flappy-eared caps, and cycling shorts and leggings of various designs and styles. 

Zara seems to have settled on earthy tones for the collection, largely ranging from brown to pale green, though a few tie-dye items are included for those of a more psychedelic disposition.

A separate men’s range includes training tops, socks, and bib shorts, which the brand bizarrely refers to as ”strappy cycling culottes”. 

To promote the collection, Zara has teamed up with Spanish adventure cyclist Sami Sauri, who has completed epic long-distance rides across the United States and Canada in recent years, and can be seen modelling the new kit, complete with obligatory POC helmet (or not, at least in the shots which feature the flappy cap).

She hopes the new high street range will inspire and motivate more women to ride their bikes.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Sami Sauri (@samisauri)

“A year ago I [got] one opportunity in life, a brand that gave me their trust to do the first ever cycling collection,” Sauri wrote in an Instagram post. 

“I just came back from a very amazing inspiring trip full of women, 54 women from all over the world… the first time in all my years [in] cycling I see such a powerful thing, I still get goose bumps when I think about it.”

She continues: “So my motivation and what I really want is to open barriers into cycling sport, to give access to women and be inclusive and empower them to discover the world under two wheels, to adventure themselves into a new world, no matter if it's road, gravel, MTB, just to be able to go out there and explore under your own power.

“Women’s cycling is growing and changing but there is a lot still to be done. I hope this little thing is something more and I hope it keeps motivating more women to ride. That's why I did this collaboration with Zara.”