Wool jerseys worth it?
 

Can anyone give me feedback on the Woolistic jerseys from Vintage Velos?

http://www.vintagevelos.com/clothing1.html

They look terrific, but are too pricey to buy on just a whim - need some recommendations or feedback from you, if you have them, how they've worn, etc.

Molteni always was one of my favorite jerseys.

The Molteni wool trainer that they sell is awesome. But $189???

I have been wanting a couple of wool jerseys as well but the price puts me off. I have been known to wear an old wool sweater on a cold ride, and it works well, it just doesn't look too great. The woolistics look great but they do want an arm and a leg for one. The rivendells look nice, but not as stylish and are a little more reasonable.

http://woolywarm.com/925-933-7304/product.php?p=3

I've spent quite a bit of money at Vintage Velos and love every product I've bought. I've got three wool jerseys and one base layer. Don't look at it as a whim, rather a purchase that will last a lifetime. With proper care, you can wear them forever. The wool doesn't retain odor so they don't smell like lycra does after a long ride. When I get home I don't have the urge to strip off my clothes because they stink. I wear them for a half hour or so afterward, until I've cooled down all the way. They don't give you that clamy feeling and they always look great. Nearly every time out someone says "cool jersey." In Chicago I have plenty of opportunities to wear wool, but in the summer I have to switch back to lycra. 60 degrees and below I wear wool. I'd wear it all the time if I could. If they make a summer weight jersey I'm all over it. You can't beat natural fibers. As for Vintage Velos the company, I get the feeling it's a one or two man operation and they can get overwhelmed. Orders may take some time to get processed, but I've never had a serious issue. Start with a long sleeved jersey for cool days and go from there. Best of Luck.

I frequently find vintage wool jerseys here at the Rose Bowl swap meet. Most are from the 60's & 70's in very nice conditon and resonably priced.

George

these people do merino wool base-layers for vaguely reasonable prices.

not sure about delivery to the US though...

fssb
sparky

eo: radiohead - true love waits [live]

hmm that is a great place to get cool stuff... I'll have to check it out again... it's been awhile... I wonder if there are any good old beater bikes there, that people don't know the value of... it seems a lot of people know what they have

Jeff

Hi,
I have the Smartwool crew neck, and it's very nice. I'd order a size up.
http://www.backcountrygear.com/apparel/Base_Layer.cfm

I have a few pieces of Woolistic stuff and
would whole heartedly say its some of the best
cycling specific stuff I've worn. Don't have any
bibs/shorts in wool (except some REALLY old shorts),
since I prefer the Etxe-Ondo stuff.
For jerseys, socks, trainers etc. you can't go wrong
with the vintage velo stuff.
and the owners (the Johnsons) are great to deal
with.
Marty

Ditto!!

Vintage Velos is a good outfit. I'm pretty sure they're based in Switzerland. My wife ordered me a Cinelli wool jersey last year on a Friday and it came the next Monday. Excellent service from half way around the world!

Thanks, lotek and BikeINMN - that's very helpful.

I think I'll give it a try, since you can vouch for the quality.

I believe Vintage Velos is located in california.
(at least thats where my last bunch of socks came
from!).

Marty

The Vintage Velos stuff is excellent. Naturally I wouldnt spend over 100 bucks on an everyday jersey, but you seriously can't beat wool, and as a 'show off' jersey, it's hard to beat the Molteni.

There is actually quite a few places to get wool tops. Vintage Velos / Woolistic / Alessandro is one. There is also Smartwool ( Their socks absolutely rule ) A lot of the high quality ultrafine Merino comes from New Zealand, so check out companies like N-Zone and Icebreaker. Wild Woolies somewhere in California does tops, although I've never found any info on them. There's also Kucharik. Lots of other companies have maybe one or two woolies in their ranges, such as Salsa, Canondale etc.

Second hand is a good option for retro wool, and sometimes you can even pick up a Swobo top. Give eBay a go and see what you find.

Bottom line - once you go wool, you don't go back. You've been warned :)

Depends, (no not the diaper). Wool does last long and it does an excellent job of wicking plus it doesn't stink anywhere close as bad as the plastic clothes. But the price can be a bit standoffish, so I have one that I use for long rides and then I use the plastic stuff on short rides. I did see a wool base t-shirt at Walmart SuperCenter that is mixed with modern plastic for $24 so I was contemplating trying it to see it's any good.

I have 4 Woolistic jerseys - 3 short sleeve Moltenis (Yellow, Arcore and Campagnolo) and one Faema Winter Jersey. The Faema is too nice to ride in! The others are great except on hot days - a bit thick. IF you are lucky tou can find them for sale on eBay or some of the bike forums. I purchased 2 of the Moltenis for $70 !!!!!!!! One was brand new!!!!!!!!

I want to get a the team Cinzano jersey (like the ones in "Breaking Away") but they are way too expensive. Lifetime investment opinion or not, either the moths or something sharp and pointy will eventually ruin it, IMO.

That being said... I have awesome base layer made from a combo of merino wool and polypro. It's probably my favorite piece of clothing (of any sort, bike-related or not).