Velocio ES Cyclocross Skinsuit
If you’re looking for one kit to get you through the entire 'cross season, Velocio's ES skinsuit may be it
$329
Velocio
Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.
This might be beige’s moment. It’s about as far from bold as it gets on the color spectrum, triggering memories of dry toast and grandma’s apartment walls. But it appears so rarely in cycling kit that it actually stands out in a good way on Velocio’s ES cyclocross skinsuit.
Velocio calls the color “fatigue” and it looks great paired with the navy bottoms. Looks aside, though, the ES CX suit fits the way a CX suit should: very snug. You’ll have to fight your way into this Italian-made kit, but once it’s on, the beauty of the suit is the invisible feeling: no rough seams anywhere, no tugging, and a brushed, soft fabric inside for chilly races. It’s got second-skin comfort that doesn’t restrict movement when you’re shouldering the bike or hopping back on after the barriers.
If you’re looking for one kit to get you through the entire season, Velocio’s suit may be it, right up until the coldest tilts in late–season snow. We rode it in temperatures ranging from 40 degrees up to nearly 60 degrees, and while it got pretty toasty when we hit the top of that scale, the CX suit is surprisingly comfortable in a wide temperature range. You can wear this in temps in the low 30s, but you’ll probably want something a bit thicker below that.
There’s only one pocket out back, which is sized perfectly for your warm-up lap water bottle. When it’s empty, the pocket sits flat and doesn’t flap around.
We found the company’s ES chamois to be just the right thickness — no diaper here, but it’s far from thin and skimpy — and there are no weird hot spots or seams in high-friction zones. The suit is topped off with a low-cut collar and long sleeves that we were able to roll up a bit for cooling as temperatures rose.
It was hard to find anything to complain about, but ultimately, whether it’s worth the purchase price comes down to how useful pieces like these really are to the vast majority of racers. If you’re a serious CXer, chances are you’re on a team that provides some iteration of kit already. And if you’re just racing for fun, a $329 skinsuit seems like overkill. This suit won’t make you faster in your Cat 3 race, but it will keep you plenty comfortable, so if feeling good in chilly temps is your highest priority, give Velocio’s ES CX suit a good long look.