We are lucky to ride in an era where cycling kits (clothing) are wonderfully advanced. Our Zoca kits are hand crafted here in San Diego and are a perfect blend of comfort, durability, and style.
When compared to cycling clothing from 10 years or even 5 years ago, today’s kits are vastly more comfortable, lighter, breathe better, and are more durable.
We wanted to pass along some kit care and laundry tips to help make your kit investment last for many future cycling seasons.
Pre-Ride Tips:
Avoid unnecessary pulling or tugging on fabric or seams while getting dressed. Dress carefully to minimize stress on seams and fabric.
Get into your riding position to adjust your garment positon (seams, chamois, arm / leg grippers). Hint: Many modern cycling kits are designed to fit better in your riding position then when standing up straight.
After riding when getting out of your kit, carefully peel off the garments to minimize stress and pulling on the fabric and seams.
Post Ride Storage Tips:
If you finish a ride but are not able to immediately wash your cycling garment:
- Hang your cycling garment in a well-ventilated place.
- Never store damp cycling garments in a non-ventilated environment (plastic bag, sport bag, duffle bag or luggage).
- If it was a particularly sweaty ride, and you can’t immediately launder your cycling gear, consider a clean water rinse to protect your gear from bacteria which might deteriorate the fibers of your fabrics. Gently squeeze out the excess water and hang as noted above.
- Avoid hanging the garment in direct sunlight.
Washing Tips:
Please recognize that washing puts a lot of stress on cycling garments it stresses the seams and the fabric.
- The guiding notion here is to minimize / prevent the friction of different fabric types fabric compositions during the washing process.
- Before washing turn cycling garments inside out and zip up all zippers, zippers can cause friction, cuts and accelerate wear during the washing process.
- Wash cycling garments separate from other clothes and accessories. Always wash items that have Velcro closures (botties, toe covers, gloves) separately. Velcro can snag and catch while washing.
- Wash in lukewarm water (maximum 86 degrees F / 30 degrees C) if highly soiled otherwise use cold water.
- Use the delicate or hand wash cycle. The regular or heavy duty cycle are generally too long in duration and too aggressive on delicate fabrics like cycling kits and will over time degrade the fabric.
- Use a mild liquid detergent (Forever New Delicate Fabric Wash, Woolite® Delicates, etc…). Note – Regular laundry detergent is generally too hash for spandex / nylon material and will over time cause fading and fabric breakdown.
- Do NOT use bleach or fabric softeners.
- Do not soak, rub, scrub or wring out clothes.
- Consider using a washing / laundry bag designed for washing hand-wash / delicates for cycling clothes. So as to avoid having items like bib straps wrap and twist around other clothing items or the washing machine agitator, creating an unnecessary twisted mess of clothing during the wash cycle.
- If hand washing remove excess water by gently squeezing garment by hand.
- Dry garments flat or by hanging. Do NOT tumble try.
