Training & Nutrition - Vegan Cycling Products.

I've been a long time vegetarian 16 years now (i'm only twenty) Don't asky why I stopped cause honestly I dont remember. I'm classified as a lacto-ova vegetarian, i'll eat dairy and eggs. I'm trying to move towards veganism because I believe it is the right thing for me. I have seen others post around this site about caring about humans before animals but I believe I do my part for all. I'm a member of the local first aid and fire department, all of which is voulanteer. I do my part to help fellow humans, but I am not about to forget the animals. I did a quick search around this site but didn't find much. I was wondering if anyone knows any companies that specialize in vegan (no animal) cycling products. The two major components i'm worried about are the saddle and cycling shoes. As far as clothing i have that all worked out.

Thanks in advance for the info

DeafLamb

I respect your views but look at it this way : The beast has allready been slaughtered for its meat, you can't stop that, right or wrong, why waste the by-products ? its eco- freindly to use these hides rather than the pollution created by the manufacture of synthetic substitutes ???

Supply and Demand.

Hi,
I had to read your first post 3 or 4 times before it made any sense to me.....I think,maybe, kind of. You seem to say you want a saddle from a company that refuses to use leather? I mean, you start out saying you just happen to be a vegetarian (and don't remember why). A couple sentences later you refuse to do business with companies that don't share your religion.Apparently what is "right for you" has to be right for everyone you have dealings with.... I usually put that in my garden when spring finally arrives. I think if you want a vegan seat and shoe company, you will have to start one. I didn't understand your 'supply and demand' comment' at all. But that may be because I can't see where there would be a demand for high quality vegan cycling shoes or saddles.

Hi,
I had to read your first post 3 or 4 times before it made any sense to me.....I think,maybe, kind of. You seem to say you want a saddle from a company that refuses to use leather? I mean, you start out saying you just happen to be a vegetarian (and don't remember why). A couple sentences later you refuse to do business with companies that don't share your religion.Apparently what is "right for you" has to be right for everyone you have dealings with.... I usually put that in my garden when spring finally arrives. I think if you want a vegan seat and shoe company, you will have to start one. I didn't understand your 'supply and demand' comment' at all. But that may be because I can't see where there would be a demand for high quality vegan cycling shoes or saddles.


I think you totoally misunderstood my first post. I do not want a saddle or shoes from a company that refuses to use leather. I'm simply looking for a company that has products available that do not use leather. Veganism is in no way shape or form a practice that has to do with religion and no where in my post do I deal with any religious aspects. Secondly I do not force my views on anyone else. I don't throw red paint of fur, I do not stand protesting in front of McDonalds. Out of all my friends I am the only one who is vegan, and one of few that is vegetarian and I have no problem with them eating meat. I just do not personally like it for myself.



I respect your views but look at it this way : The beast has allready been slaughtered for its meat, you can't stop that, right or wrong, why waste the by-products ? its eco- freindly to use these hides rather than the pollution created by the manufacture of synthetic substitutes ???


The Quote above is what I was referring to when I stated "supply and demand". My view is that by not consuming any animal prodcuts i am (very insignificantly I know) lowering the demand which will have an affect of lowering the supply.

My post was intended to ask any other riders vegan or not if they have heard of any high quality componenets that do not use animal prodcuts.

Sorry If I did not make myself Clear.

DeafLamb

Hi,
sorry I misread your post. One of my saddles is the WTB Speed V. It has a synthetic leather cover. It's an ok saddle, my butt hurts after 2 or 3 hours. I am picking up a new Selle Italia model today that has a built in shock absorber. It also has a synthetic cover. If it's any good, I will post a review in a month or two (not much riding here in Maine right now). Saddles are a pain, figuratively and literally. You just have to try them and see what works. I know a couple of guys who love the Serfas RX line. IMHO, the best saddles are made by Brooks. They are all leather tho...

DeafLamb-

I understand your frustration regarding the lack of non-leather cycling shoes and saddles. Also I know it is frustrating to bring this subject up and have people become so defensive and put words in your mouth.

Anyways, I have looked some, and have only found a few non-leather cycling shoes, but can't remember which brands they were. I know they were road shoes, and I needed mountain. So I finally broke down a few years ago and bought a pair of shoes that I thought would last a long time, and which didn't have much leather at all on them. This was the best compromise for me.

As for saddles, there are actually a good handful to choose from. Around here in Oregon, synthetics actually make more sense to me on a performance level, because they are able to withstand the rain better. Offhand, I know that Specialized makes some synthetics that are pretty comfortable. Earlier this year there was quite an extensive argument and informational post regarding vegetarian saddles which got out of hand and ended up with meat eaters being extremely defensive and feeling the need to attack vegetarians because of the choice we've made... oh, well. Here's the link: saddle for vegetarians (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=23556&highlight=vegetarian+saddle)
Maybe you could ask Anders K if he ever found the veg saddle he was looking for?

Deaflamb,
Sidi shoes use Lorica, (a synthetic microfibre material used by Vegetarian Shoes and Ethical Wares for casual shoes) which as stated is a synthetic. I searched the
sidi web site and saw nothing about animal tissue/fibres beind used in the manufacture of any of their shoes.
I would think finding synthetic saddles should also
pose no problems.

Marty

Thanks everyone for all your help.

DeafLamb

DeafLamb,
I love you!
That said, I am vegan.
My shoes are Shimano, and they are synthetic.
As for the saddle, my Specialized came with a leather saddle. I asked what would happen if I replaced it with another synthetic one, and they told me that the old one would get tossed. Given that so far I have chosen to ride the old one.
My attempts to find cycling clothing not made in sweatshops has been fruitless thus far, so I am thinking about making my own jerseys.
I commend you and ignore all those that try and convince you otherwise.

You, Gonesh and I will have to have our own little veggie tour together. We can call ourselves team veghead. :)

Vaganese,

Check out Smartwool, I believe they are made in
New Zealand.
Also Woolywarm line at Rivendell bikes, also made in
New Zealand.

I would guess that wearing wool is ok for vegans?
Marty

Check out Smartwool, I believe they are made in
New Zealand.
Also Woolywarm line at Rivendell bikes, also made in
New Zealand.

I would guess that wearing wool is ok for vegans?
Marty

Thanks for the info, but sorry to say wearing wool is not vegan. I know it seems a little outrageous but I guess we vegan's have just read too many peta phamplets.

DeafLamb

Vaganese,

Check out Smartwool, I believe they are made in
New Zealand.
Also Woolywarm line at Rivendell bikes, also made in
New Zealand.

I would guess that wearing wool is ok for vegans?
Marty

Thanks for the suggestion lotek, but I don't wear wool. I'm not sure where vegans at large stand on the issue of wool. But, IMO, animals are not an acceptal resource for clothing.

Ok, I wasn't sure on that point.
In my ignorance of vegan lifestyle I thought wool
would be ok.

Marty

Ok, I wasn't sure on that point.
In my ignorance of vegan lifestyle I thought wool
would be ok.

Marty


No offensive was intended. I took me a while before I grasped everything being a vegan is. As of right now I'm not even completely vegan. I'm slowly working my way to it. Although I've never smoked I've heard it's like trying to quit smoking :) I'll get there. The whole reason for my original post is that I'm trying to get to being vegan and I'm in the market for cycling shoes and a new saddle (stock one kind of hurts me bum :) ) so I would rather buy one that is vegan friendly instead of buying say a brooks which I've heard are really nice but all made of leather. Thanks again for everyone's replies and I'm looking forward to the vegan cycling club :)

DeafLamb

Deaflamb, Is your "location" (under your name on the left) supposed to read, "Moving to Maine in Jan."?
On the off chance...I happen to be going to grad school in Orono, Maine in the Fall of next year. Unless of course I get an amazing offer from another school.
Perhaps we really will have a vegan cycling club!

Yes I'm moving to maine in Jan. Actuall 1.5 weeks as i tis right now. I'm goint to gorham, University of Southern Maine. Not sure where that is in relationship from Orono, but I'm down for a vegan cycling club. I'm pretty new to the sport though, so pretty inexperinced, but I love to ride.

DeafLamb

Hi,
about 10 or 12 years ago, I rode a bike from Gorham to Orono. I went to Augusta on the first day, a nice little town in the middle of nowhere on the second. I got there on day three, with the heat and humidity in the mid 90's.

Deaflamb,

No offense taken. I'm trying to get my head around
this whole vegan thing. I thought no harm no foul.
Without getting into a whole diatribe on lifestyles thanks
for the info. I guess it more a philosphy of non use of any animal products...
Marty

Lotek- my first 5 or so years as a vegan i couldn't explain to myself why wool would be wrong, so i kept wearing/buying it. I figured it was more of just a symbolic jesture against exploitation of animals, but couldn't really see the exploitation if the sheep were happily sharing their wool with us. But then I read about wool farms where sheep were castrated without anesthetics, sheared in the middle of winter and left to freeze without their coat, and handled abusively. I realize that there are probably many sheep farms where they are treated exceptionally, but I came to believe that the farming of sheep for their coats was infact to me an issue of exploitation.

I understand how people can get confused about vegan ethics and philisophies. One thing to remember, too, is that not all vegans are the same- there are many who will wear wool or leather, or eat honey, or eat meat if it is out of a dumpster, or except a non-vegan food item if someone offers it to them, etc. It is a personal choice, and up to the individual as to what their particular philosophy might be.

Of course, the concept of being vegan means no consumption of animal products or by-products whatsoever. That said, it is almost impossible to attain those means in our society right now. There are many hidden animal products used in our daily lives (look at tires). I think what being vegan should be regarded as meaning is trying your best to reduce consumption of animal products as much as possible.

I guess it more a philosphy of non use of any animal products...


You are absolutley correct on that one. Vegetarian is more of a diet where no meat is eaten. Veganism is more a way of life/ philosphy where one is morraly opposed to the modern treatment of animals. I started out at three just not eating meat. At first I didn't care about the moral ethical or philosphical belief behind vegetarinsm. I just didn't like meat :) Now as I grow older I'm starting to believe the way factory farms raise modern food is a bit disgusting. If a hunter goes out and catches his own food more power to him.

DeafLamb

Thanks for the explanation. I've always kind of wondered
about the difference beween Vegetarian and Vegan.

Marty

Boure products, in Durango Colorado produces
both natural fibre (wool) and synthetic cycling clothes.
I think that satisifies the vegan + no sweatshop status
(the synthetics that is).
Company is run by Drew Bourey and Ned Overend (yeah
that Ned), with a few other employees.
check it out at Boure Bicycle Clothing (http://www.boure.com/index.html)

Marty

Thanks Marty! Its very kind of you to...I dunno, be interested and want to understand. I appreciate it. Thanks.

Veganese,
Your are very welcome (or "Pleasure" as we said in South
Africa!). Just because we may have a philosophical difference doesn't mean we can't help each other out.
Glad I could find something that will work for you, and
work for me as well (I like the Boure line, looks really nice).
Marty

I'm looking for vegan cycling shoes, too, but I'm also looking for some that aren't going to cost more than maybe $100. For those who are interested, I have found that Vittoria makes some of their styles with synthetic leather - these shoes also happen to be made in Canada, so they are produced using non-sweatshop labor. The ones I have found run about $159-179 though, and that's too spendy.

Synthetics are a petroleum based fiber, whereas wool is a natural, renewable resource.
Isn't it a little bit unreasonable to assume that someone who farms wool for a living would care so little for his animals that he would treat them inhumanely? The type of Merinos used for production of modern Ultrafine Merino wool products are very expensive, very 'specific', specialised animals that need to be cared for. They're in no way a commerical consumable. These factors are reflected in the high sticker price of these products.

It's ludacrous to assume that all animals whose byproducts we utilise are 'bad' simply because they are animal based - especially considering the alternatives such as oil based synthetics, or water and pesticide sucking commercial cotton.

Also, Deaflamb, can you explain to us how you're 20, but have been a vegetarian since you were 4? Did you just have an aversion to animal products from birth, or was it more of a 'parental indoctrination' thing? :)


On-topic now - I use Sidi shoes with the Lorica stuff. They fit well and don't look like clown shoes, which is why I bought them. Many cycling shoes are not leather these days. If you're an ideologist, you could see this as a good thing. If you're a pragmatist, you could see this as almost irrelevant depending on your view of our current dependance on oil, and the human cost of that. ( see Iraq et al ).

Anyway, it's cool that you're at least thinking about these things, Deaflamb. Many people don't.

Synthetics are a petroleum based fiber, whereas wool is a natural, renewable resource.
Isn't it a little bit unreasonable to assume that someone who farms wool for a living would care so little for his animals that he would treat them inhumanely? The type of Merinos used for production of modern Ultrafine Merino wool products are very expensive, very 'specific', specialised animals that need to be cared for. They're in no way a commerical consumable. These factors are reflected in the high sticker price of these products.

It's ludacrous to assume that all animals whose byproducts we utilise are 'bad' simply because they are animal based - especially considering the alternatives such as oil based synthetics, or water and pesticide sucking commercial cotton.

Also, Deaflamb, can you explain to us how you're 20, but have been a vegetarian since you were 4? Did you just have an aversion to animal products from birth, or was it more of a 'parental indoctrination' thing? :)


On-topic now - I use Sidi shoes with the Lorica stuff. They fit well and don't look like clown shoes, which is why I bought them. Many cycling shoes are not leather these days. If you're an ideologist, you could see this as a good thing. If you're a pragmatist, you could see this as almost irrelevant depending on your view of our current dependance on oil, and the human cost of that. ( see Iraq et al ).

Anyway, it's cool that you're at least thinking about these things, Deaflamb. Many people don't.



Wow, checked an old email account (the one that gets bikeforums updates) and was suprised to see this thread reserected. As to your question about how I became a Veg at age 4... the best i can figure is that I didn't like the taste of meat since birth really. The rest of my family all eat meat. Especially my parents. It's funny cause at family gatherings sometimes the conversation turns to how when my grandparents would feed me in my highchair I would spit out the meat in my food. Of course I don't remember any of this, I was only four.

After re-reading the thread I see I have changed my beliefs a bit since the original posting. I am vegan now, with only a few peaces of leather products still in my wardrobe. As far as the synthetics using petrollium products I don't really like that either. One of the reasons I ride my bike so much is to not use as much petrolium as possible. As far as clothing I now use as many plant based products as possible (cotton, hemp etc...). When I do need the use for synthetics I try to use recycled fibers like some of the fleeces you can buy made from post-consumer recycled plastics. Patagonia has quite a few nice ones. I also wear a lot of second hand clothing. When I do have to buy something new, that is not post-consumer recycled I will, but I feel better about knowing that I have explored almost every other option.

To me its not about proving something to anyone else.... the chocies I make and how I live make me feel better. If some ultra militristic vegan comes up to me saying...."those bike gloves use leather, you animal killer" he can honestly go F*%$ himself. I know I bought them second hand and I'm happy enough with that.

Well I have rambled on too long.

Thanks for the interest in this post.

If any of you get to Pensacola, I'll feed ya!
Vegan that is!