Valcariz Advanced Naturel Apparel

[Valcariz]

So stoked to announce that we are now sewing all our apparel in Belgium, in Europe, and using eco-friendly fabrics produced in Europe!! Such a big step forward for us. It took us nearly a year to set up our operations, but being a sustainable and durable brand was too important.

What do you guys think about sustainable MTB clothing brands? What could we improve further?

 

[Tubby G]

@steve_sordy is probably this forum’s most sustainable fashion expert and he probably doesn’t even know it

For example, Steve has been wearing the same pair of mtb shoes for the last ten years. with a bit of gaffa tape and a few cable ties they’ll last another ten years. That’s true sustainability

Buy once and wear forever

In terms of improvement, maybe work on your sales technique. Introduce yourself, tell us who you are and about your passion for emtb, where you ride, how long you’ve been riding. Enrolling on a forum and mentioning your brand on your first post just looks like you want to sell your product and nothing else

 

[steve_sordy]

Thank you @Tubby G for the endorsement. Here are the shoes before my latest upgrade.
Note the old Gorilla Tape patches.

Below is the latest repair that involved stripping off the Gorilla tape. Hot-melt glue to all the rips and tears in the fold-over front flap and around the seams between upper and sole. Then some new superior patches made from bicycle inner tubes glued on to the old flap.

But those pics are 9 months old and they look a lot worse now. I suspect that I won't get another winter out of them.

 

[Valcariz]

So sorry, I got carried away. Just wanted to spread this awesome news from us and to collect your thoughts on sustainability in MTB in general since, let's be honest, there is a lot of greenwashing out there. I didn't want to come across as just wanting to sell you guys stuff.

But I indeed should have started out by introducing myself properly. I am Claude, founder of Valcariz and I have been riding for the past 20 years. I ride a Specialized Kenovo and absolutely love it.

Valcariz is a Belgian brand specialised in durable and sustainable MTB clothing. We manufacture locally, use natural fibres or blends of natural fibres and all our apparel is made to last and to be repairable.

I love that you have been riding for so long with your shoes. That's how things should be. You should be able to love what you own and buy what you love instead of having to replace badly made stuff that tears and breaks all the time.

 

[Tubby G]

So sorry, I got carried away. Just wanted to spread this awesome news from us and to collect your thoughts on sustainability in MTB in general since, let's be honest, there is a lot of greenwashing out there. I didn't want to come across as just wanting to sell you guys stuff.

But I indeed should have started out by introducing myself properly. I am Claude, founder of Valcariz and I have been riding for the past 20 years. I ride a Specialized Kenovo and absolutely love it.

Valcariz is a Belgian brand specialised in durable and sustainable MTB clothing. We manufacture locally, use natural fibres or blends of natural fibres and all our apparel is made to last and to be repairable.

I love that you have been riding for so long with your shoes. That's how things should be. You should be able to love what you own and buy what you love instead of having to replace badly made stuff that tears and breaks all the time.

That’s better

I’ve been reading your website: Tops

It certainly reads well and I like your story. The ‘repairable’ factor is a good move too. I personally use a local tailor, much to their amusement. Their small shop is full of expensive suits & dresses, waiting for alterations, and I go in with ripped knee pads asking for a few stitches here & there. Used them many a time!

I notice your range is quite limited and very few colour choices. No doubt that will grow as you expand your company? Also, no size guide. Definitely require a size chart on there. I personally prefer to ride in long sleeve T’s rather than jerseys, but cotton alone does get wet with sweat. Tech tops feel itchy and unnatural to me hence why I prefer to put up with sweat drenched cotton. Sounds as though your long sleeve T’s are a blend of cotton with some tech fibres ?

 

[Valcariz]

Thank you so much for the positive feedback, really appreciate it!

Yes much more to come in the coming days, and a size chart will definitely be added. In the mean time I will already update with the model's height and size.

For the MTB t-shirts we use a blend of Lyocell, Polyester and Cotton, so they dry a little quicker than only cotton but they still have that nice soft feel to them.

We will however also release 100% organic cotton t-shirts in the near future.

The first new items that will come out now are a yellow Tencel Active short sleeve jersey, a brown long sleeve jersey with a merino wool and poly blend and our chocolate prune riding pants that are made of some innovative, super strong but stretchy fabrics and are also partially blended with merino wool.

 

[urastus]

Thank you @Tubby G for the endorsement. Here are the shoes before my latest upgrade.
Note the old Gorilla Tape patches.


Below is the latest repair that involved stripping off the Gorilla tape. Hot-melt glue to all the rips and tears in the fold-over front flap and around the seams between upper and sole. Then some new superior patches made from bicycle inner tubes glued on to the old flap.



But those pics are 9 months old and they look a lot worse now. I suspect that I won't get another winter out of them.

Hey Steve, what's your fix for worn out knees, hips and shoulders? Seriously

 

[urastus]

chocolate prune riding pants

Edible! I like it. Someone is finally taking Bart Simpson seriously

 

[steve_sordy]

Hey Steve, what's your fix for worn out knees, hips and shoulders? Seriously

I can't speak for hips and shoulders, but this may work.
I developed tremendous knee pain, could not ride anything steep, no surges up a short climb etc. I tried everything except surgery. I started with easier gears, 30T ring driving a 10-50T cassette anyone? Then I moved on to painkillers, then painkillers and anti-inflammatory gel rubbed in to my knees. Then painkillers and painkilling gel rubbed into my knees. By the end I was down to 10 miles on my mtb and 2-3 days off before my next ride. My GP had been warning me for years to lay off the painkillers, especially the pre-emptive ones taken 30 mins before the ride (I agree with his advice, I just couldn't follow it).

Then I bought an emtb! The reduction in peak stress was immediate and after a few weeks meant that I no longer had to take the painkillers (Ibuprofen 400mg). Now I just rub in some Volterol gel (the joint pain version which is twice as strong as the muscle relief version). I now have no knee pain at all on my rides and I can ride every day if I wanted to.

My arthritis is very slowly, but surely getting worse and is now affecting my hands. I have also been using the Volterol on my left major thumb joint for a while, but today for the first time, I used it on both hands all over. Just about to go ride now, hope it works.

PS: I did have hip pain a long time ago, but now I take two capsules per day, each containing Glucosamine 500mg & Chondroitin 400mg. I get them from Simply Supplements, code S484. I have been taking them for over 20 years and when I stop the pain comes back within a few weeks. They take about six weeks before I noticed the lack of pain. My GP says that if they were pharmacologically active (he means if they work), then they would be on prescription. They work! The glucosamine is marine sourced. Cheaper versions are bovine sourced and they gave me severe constipation. I gave them away to my sister-in-law and they did the same to her (I did warn her). That may not be the case for you, but be aware before you buy a year's supply!

 

[urastus]

I can't speak for hips and shoulders, but this may work.
I developed tremendous knee pain, could not ride anything steep, no surges up a short climb etc. I tried everything except surgery. I started with easier gears, 30T ring driving a 10-50T cassette anyone? Then I moved on to painkillers, then painkillers and anti-inflammatory gel rubbed in to my knees. Then painkillers and painkilling gel rubbed into my knees. By the end I was down to 10 miles on my mtb and 2-3 days off before my next ride. My GP had been warning me for years to lay off the painkillers, especially the pre-emptive ones taken 30 mins before the ride (I agree with his advice, I just couldn't follow it).

Then I bought an emtb! The reduction in peak stress was immediate and after a few weeks meant that I no longer had to take the painkillers (Ibuprofen 400mg). Now I just rub in some Volterol gel (the joint pain version which is twice as strong as the muscle relief version). I now have no knee pain at all on my rides and I can ride every day if I wanted to.

My arthritis is very slowly, but surely getting worse and is now affecting my hands. I have also been using the Volterol on my left major thumb joint for a while, but today for the first time, I used it on both hands all over. Just about to go ride now, hope it works.

PS: I did have hip pain a long time ago, but now I take two capsules per day, each containing Glucosamine 500mg & Chondroitin 400mg. I get them from Simply Supplements, code S484. I have been taking them for over 20 years and when I stop the pain comes back within a few weeks. They take about six weeks before I noticed the lack of pain. My GP says that if they were pharmacologically active (he means if they work), then they would be on prescription. They work! The glucosamine is marine sourced. Cheaper versions are bovine sourced and they gave me severe constipation. I gave them away to my sister-in-law and they did the same to her (I did warn her). That may not be the case for you, but be aware before you buy a year's supply!

I feel for you.

I do use glucosamine, have done for years too (maybe 10?). I shit like I'm still living in SE Asia , so I have no problem with constipation. I also use curcumin; do you know about it? It's abstracted from tumeric, so it's natural. It isn't that bioavailable without some modification though. I use a micronised form - theracurmin. I'm pretty sure it works - I get much better sleep now. Before I couldn't lie in one position too long before something started aching. It supposedly has other benefits as well, but I use it as a natural anti inflammatory.

I also use low gearing, even on emtb. 32 chain ring, 51 on the rear on a 27.5" wheel . It's more because I don't use much assistance and I ride where it is steep up or down. I do spin a fair bit on the climbs though, so I suppose that is less stress on my knees.

May you enjoy all your rides; I wish that to all us aging folk who want to keep riding

 

[The Hodge]

I can't speak for hips and shoulders, but this may work.
I developed tremendous knee pain, could not ride anything steep, no surges up a short climb etc. I tried everything except surgery. I started with easier gears, 30T ring driving a 10-50T cassette anyone? Then I moved on to painkillers, then painkillers and anti-inflammatory gel rubbed in to my knees. Then painkillers and painkilling gel rubbed into my knees. By the end I was down to 10 miles on my mtb and 2-3 days off before my next ride. My GP had been warning me for years to lay off the painkillers, especially the pre-emptive ones taken 30 mins before the ride (I agree with his advice, I just couldn't follow it).

Then I bought an emtb! The reduction in peak stress was immediate and after a few weeks meant that I no longer had to take the painkillers (Ibuprofen 400mg). Now I just rub in some Volterol gel (the joint pain version which is twice as strong as the muscle relief version). I now have no knee pain at all on my rides and I can ride every day if I wanted to.

My arthritis is very slowly, but surely getting worse and is now affecting my hands. I have also been using the Volterol on my left major thumb joint for a while, but today for the first time, I used it on both hands all over. Just about to go ride now, hope it works.

PS: I did have hip pain a long time ago, but now I take two capsules per day, each containing Glucosamine 500mg & Chondroitin 400mg. I get them from Simply Supplements, code S484. I have been taking them for over 20 years and when I stop the pain comes back within a few weeks. They take about six weeks before I noticed the lack of pain. My GP says that if they were pharmacologically active (he means if they work), then they would be on prescription. They work! The glucosamine is marine sourced. Cheaper versions are bovine sourced and they gave me severe constipation. I gave them away to my sister-in-law and they did the same to her (I did warn her). That may not be the case for you, but be aware before you buy a year's supply!

A shorter reply would have been " Im a drug addict"..

 

[Tim1023]

Also, no size guide. Definitely require a size chart on there.

I get mails about User Experience (UX) and design and happened to get a mail linking to this article just now. Might be of interest: 83% of Apparel Sites Don’t Provide Sufficient Sizing Information — 10 Best Practices on Sizing – Articles – Baymard Institute

 

[Tubby G]

I get mails about User Experience (UX) and design and happened to get a mail linking to this article just now. Might be of interest: 83% of Apparel Sites Don’t Provide Sufficient Sizing Information — 10 Best Practices on Sizing – Articles – Baymard Institute

Some sites have excellent sizing guides, with measurements not just across the chest but lengths of garment, arms, stomach etc, whereas many just provide a chest size, which isn’t enough. Maybe chest size is enough if you’re an average build or quite slim, but as soon as you have a large gut, longer or shorter arms than average, broad shoulders etc then you need dimensions across the whole of the garment to make the purchasing decision

I order all my clothes online, not just mtb apparel, as the last thing I want to do in my own time is go shopping! I’d rarely order from a website that doesn’t provide specific sizing information

 

[Valcariz]

Thanks guys, I'll soon update the site with a comprehensive sizing chart.

Your feedback really helps! Thanks

 

[Stihldog]

A shorter reply would have been " Im a drug addict"..

…with an eMTB problem.
These days are slowly creeping up to us.

Edible! I like it. Someone is finally taking Bart Simpson seriously

Bike parts too. Especially grips. Specifically the left grip.

 

[steve_sordy]

................................. I also use curcumin; do you know about it? It's abstracted from tumeric, so it's natural. It isn't that bioavailable without some modification though. I use a micronised form - theracurmin. I'm pretty sure it works - I get much better sleep now. Before I couldn't lie in one position too long before something started aching. It supposedly has other benefits as well, but I use it as a natural anti inflammatory.
...............................

Yep! I use "Turmeric+" from Future You in Cambridge. They do something to it so that it is equivalent to 5000mg of raw turmeric and boosts curcuminoid absorption 30 times. It does not say whether that is for each tablet or the whole pack of 28. I take 1/day.

I thought I'd give it a try (I was at that stage where I would have tried pretty much anything!) Then after a year, I decided to stop just to see what would happen. Slowly I started to ache more generally. When I restarted, the aches went away.

None of the things I take are a "revolution" by themselves, but marginal gains accumulate.

 

[OldBean]

Steve you dont need a bell on your bike ...with all those pills people will hear you rattling along from a mile off>>>>>>>>>>>
Seriously its wonderful that all you OLD chaps can keep going thanks to our EMTBs ..

PS my recent Eighty Tooth b/day party at cycling Cafe Como near Lavenham ....the summit of Suffolk hill country
Keep going chaps.

 

[steve_sordy]

@OldBean Congratulations on your 82th birthday!

My target is to be still cycling on my 90th. I know it's possible because I was on a skills course at Cannock about ten years ago and an old guy cycled past on his mtb. He was greeted by the instructor who then told us how old he was ("over 90") and that he was out every day on his bike.

PS: I take the pills just before my breakfast and then dump half a kilo of fibre, mixed nuts, mixed dried fruit and milk on top. That tends to damp down the noise a bit. It quietens me down a bit too!