stay Outside for Longer: Albion Cycling Kit First Look

Stay Outside for Longer: A First Look at Albion

A few months ago I sat down with Charlie Stewart from Albion Cycling for The Road to Respair Podcast. I’ve been a fan of the brand for a long time. They could easily have gone down the fashion route and chased the pandemic boom but instead they’ve stayed in their lane, built a real community around bikepacking and ultra-distance riding and, most importantly for me, made kit that solves actual problems for riders. When I think of bikepacking and ultra distance I think Albion, I cant think of another brand I associate with a discipline in the same way.

Albion started as three friends who rode, raced and loved being outdoors. Now in its tenth year, the name is close to synonymous with bikepacking and ultra-distance. That didn’t come from sponsoring events and putting a logo on a banner or a slick social feed, although to be fair their content is also stunning. Albion are part of the scene, and the kit is developed with riders who push it further than most of us ever will.

We covered all of that and more on the podcast. It’s one of my favourite conversations so far and worth a listen.

Why now

For the last 12 years I’ve stuck with one brand for my winter kit. I like riding through autumn and winter, and I like kit that keeps me “outside for longer”. 

My riding has changed as I’ve got older. It’s less about speed and more about experiences. One good ride can give me more joy than a month of training or laps of the park. Bikepacking (posh touring) is my thing now: four or five days alone with a rough plan, rather than chasing my old times up climbs. That’s not to say their kit isn’t fast, a lot of it’s designed with racing in mind and speed across massive distances, a different kind of speed I guess.

So this year I wanted to try something different, and I finally gave Albion a go.

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The kit

It’s a mix of gifted and bought, aimed at autumn and spring rather than deep winter, although I’d love to be proved wrong here. I suspect there’ll only be a few weeks when it’s too cold for what I’ve got. I could be wrong. It may just be a case of learning how to use the layers properly.

  • Men’s Thermal Wind Jersey

  • Men’s Traverse Long Sleeve Jersey

  • Men’s ABR1 Thermal Pocket Bib Shorts

  • Men’s Ultralight Insulated Jacket

  • Men’s All Road Pertex® Shield Rain Jacket

  • Unisex PrimaLoft® Active Evolve Hoodie

  • The Burner

  • Leg Warmers

The first proper ride will have to wait

This is an introduction, not a review. I had a few days in Scotland in early September. It was far too mild for the kit I’d chosen, but the #content looked great. Not long after, I was knocked out by illness, and I’ve spent the last five weeks in and out of hospital and recovering. I’m hoping to be back on the bike mid-to-late November and back outside seeing what this kit’s capable of.

After a few months of proper use I’ll put up a full review with some honest testing and feedback.

Layering, and what it costs

I’ve got a lot to learn about layering. To be honest, I’ve avoided it. Partly that’s down to bulky kit that can’t cope with big temperature swings. Partly it’s cost: I’m used to using two very expensive layers that just work, with nothing to add or take off.

Albion’s approach is a bit different they embrace layering and design kit around it. The Burner, the Ultralight Insulated Jacket and the three-pocket system on the bibs are all designed around changing conditions and to work together. If you haven’t come across the Burner, it’s a small insulated panel that tucks behind your bib straps and packs into its own pocket. Because everything is light and packs small, carrying the extra layer stops being a chore.

On price, Albion is more than reasonable for what it does. The real test is whether I end up needing extra layers and how do they work, how easy is it to pack and how clever is it. If it does, and it packs down the way it should and it competes on both performance and price, then we’re on to a winner and  this is what really excites me.

I’m looking forward to Autumn, getting back on the bike and plotting a few escapes. With a bit time off work, some hope, motivation and a tailwind I’m hoping I learn how to layer.

I’ll let you know.

Thanks to Charlie for coming on the podcast and the gifted kit.