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TECH NEWS

Howies release Tour de France T-shirts

...And women's bib shorts too

Howies have launched a bunch of new Tour de France related T-shirts ahead of the start of the big race a week on Saturday (29 June).

The designs, both men’s and women’s versions, are hand-printed in Howies’ printshop in West Wales on 100% organic cotton T-shirts.

We particularly like this King of the Café Stop men’s design…

And there’s a women’s equivalent too.

The 100 here, of course, refers to this year's race being the 100th edition of the Tour de France (although the race was first contested in 1903, several years have been missed due to war).

 

The pick of them by our reckoning, though, is the polka dot-tastic women’s Queen of the Mountains shirt (main pic, detail above).

The T-shirts, like all the other cotton T-shirts in Howies’ range, are priced at £25.

In other news from Howies, they’re doing a women’s version of their cycling bib shorts called the Breakway. We have the men’s version, the Leadout, in for test at the moment. In fact, Jez has finished his review and it’s sitting on the system (oh yes, we have a system) awaiting publication. Don’t tell anyone but he’s been well impressed by the construction and the durability and he gives them a score of... Hang on a minute, I'm giving away the plot.

Anyway, the Breakaway women’s version uses the same seamless technology with integrated breathable panels. The antibacterial seatpad is similar too, although it’s shaped specifically for women, of course. The price is £59. We’re getting a pair in for test although that’s a few weeks away yet.

In the meantime, check out both the shorts and the T-shirts at www.howies.co.uk.

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. We send him off around the world to get all the news from launches and shows too. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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12 comments

Avatar
Al__S | 10 years ago
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I'll probably say this again when the review goes up, but the seamless is superb. Really really good.

Mindyou, I really like the featurless black. Classy. They're also not shiny- which gives them a "classic" look.

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Abbie | 10 years ago
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I'm really interested in the women's bib shorts. But I do like seem detail, as it breaks up the large (ish) expanse of material. I'm not big, I'm just fussy!
Howies - Can you add in some fake seems? just an idea. Thanks

Avatar
andynic | 10 years ago
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Just wanted to say that I ordered some bib shorts recently from Howies and their customer service is superb. Really recommend them on that basis alone, but also good to support a British ethical company with quality products. And no, I don't have any connection with them, just impressed.

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Mat Brett | 10 years ago
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Well, seeing as we're putting in orders, can I have the pink polka dots on a grey T-shirt with 'King of the Mountains' on the chest?

Think putting in individual design requirements might be pushing Howies' capacity for feedback just a smidge too far?

Avatar
howies | 10 years ago
0 likes

Ade and Hazel came up with the idea while out on a ride during last years tour, and it was our biggest selling women's tee. In pink. That was the colour creative agreed on.

No complaints.

We've simply run the same design in the same colours this year.

If pink is such a problem, we can do it in red. Or Blue. We have the ink downstairs.

Just let us know on info [at] howies.co.uk

Avatar
Stumps replied to howies | 10 years ago
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howies wrote:

Ade and Hazel came up with the idea while out on a ride during last years tour, and it was our biggest selling women's tee. In pink. That was the colour creative agreed on.

No complaints.

We've simply run the same design in the same colours this year.

If pink is such a problem, we can do it in red. Or Blue. We have the ink downstairs.

Just let us know on info [at] howies.co.uk

How cool is that ! I've never had a manufacturer come on line and comment. Well impressed with yourselves and the obvious care you are taking over a selection line.  41

Avatar
farrell | 10 years ago
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The female cyclewear mantra - "Shrink it and pink it".

Although Howies do seem to do quite a bit more than that in terms of women's wear and this is just one t-shirt within a range.

Avatar
Stumps replied to farrell | 10 years ago
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farrell wrote:

The female cyclewear mantra - "Shrink it and pink it".

Although Howies do seem to do quite a bit more than that in terms of women's wear and this is just one t-shirt within a range.

I totally agree, i like some of their gear especially the 100 t shirt done in the different jersey colours.

EDIT: I've just had an email from someone from the forum saying i'm not allowed to say "brain storming" as its one of the symptoms of epilepsy - apologies i was not aware.

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jollygoodvelo replied to Stumps | 10 years ago
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stumps wrote:

EDIT: I've just had an email from someone from the forum saying i'm not allowed to say "brain storming" as its one of the symptoms of epilepsy - apologies i was not aware.

Odd: http://www.epilepsy.org.uk/press/facts/brainstorming-offensive

I love the 'King of the Cake Stop' one. If they did one that wasn't grey...

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Bez | 10 years ago
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But girls' things must be pink. Otherwise no-one would know if people were men or women. If you worked in something sophisticated like marketing then you'd be really clever and have your finger on the pulse and know basic things like that. You sound like an anarchist. The world doesn't need your hippy ideas of women wearing red spots. Red is a man's colour. Girls get pink.

Avatar
Stumps replied to Bez | 10 years ago
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Bez wrote:

But girls' things must be pink. Otherwise no-one would know if people were men or women. If you worked in something sophisticated like marketing then you'd be really clever and have your finger on the pulse and know basic things like that. You sound like an anarchist. The world doesn't need your hippy ideas of women wearing red spots. Red is a man's colour. Girls get pink.

Lol, it must have been a sight all the people at Howies having one big brain storming session and they came up with pink for girls !

Avatar
Stumps | 10 years ago
0 likes

Pink - its the TdF not the Giro.

Nothing wrong with some of the designs though.

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