Merino

The Howies Jesse Polo shirt is a super-comfortable merino option in a cycle-friendly slim cut.

Sometimes you want to ride somewhere, but you don't want to look like you've just stepped off your bike when you arrive. You might be going to work, going to meet friends in town or whatever, and the full Lycra get up just isn't the look you're after. That's the type of occasion when the Jesse Polo comes in handy.

Howies' Classic Vail Merino tee is made from merino wool and it's a good, casual option if you're likely to spend the day both on and off the bike.

There's nothing bikey about the cut of this shirt – Howies don't market it as cycle-specific. It's a pretty standard T-shirt shape, albeit fairly slim through the body – which is useful because it doesn't flap around too much when you're riding.

The Vulpine Merino Button Jersey is soft and comfy with good cycle-specific features, although it's subtle enough not to look too out of place off the bike.

Building on Rapha's slow but steady introduction of female specific garments into their range, the Merino Jersey marks the company's first attempt at urban cycling gear for women. Designed to be a casual jersey with performance inherently built in, it is aimed at a huge spectrum of riders, from serious riders for down time use through to recreational and café riders. And of course, WAGs of established male Rapha addicts everywhere!

The Vulpine Merino T-shirt is a subtle cycling Tee that's particularly handy for days when you're likely to spend time both on and off the bike.

This dhb Merino Roundneck base layer is very good indeed for most types of cold-weather riding.

I've been testing the short-sleeve round-neck version. Other merino options from dhb include versions with long sleeves and with long sleeves and a high, zipped neck. The vests are also available in two fabric thicknesses (M 150 and M 190, the numbers refer to the fabric's weight in grams per square metre), and in men's and women's cuts. Oh yeah, and they come in a range of colours too.

American company DeFeet is best known, probably, for its Aerator summer socks, but it does a pretty mean line in winter socks too - the Woolie Boolie is made from every discerning rider's favourite material: Merino.

In keeping with Velobici's other gear, the Seamless Couche stands out from the crowd due to its understated looks and heavyweight price tag. Often, form comes at the expense of function, but with the Seamless Couche, Velobici have combined them both.

For cold-weather cycling, you need to keep your feet cosy, and these merino socks from dhb do just that.

Merino wool is a natural fibre that is very soft and comfortable. More important, merino has good insulation and moisture wicking properties better in some cases than synthetic base-layer materials. Its especially good for socks because feet (along with other extremities) dont sweat much when cycling - not compared to the upper body - but can get very cold.