Velocio has become a well known cycling apparel brand thanks to their form fitting designs and premium materials. Concept is Velocio’s top-of-the-line product lineup and combines race-ready designs with zero compromises. In this review we’ll be looking at the Concept Bib Short and Concept Merino Jersey which is one of Velocio’s ultimate combinations. Performance doesn’t come cheap though, as the Concept Bib Short retails for $309 with a race fit and laser cut ventilation. The bib shorts also feature an invisible chamois design that gives the bib shorts a clean and aerodynamic appearance. The Velocio Concept Merino Jersey retails for $199 and boasts an impressive 75% merino wool construction. As you’d expect, the jersey offers breathability, UPF30 protection and thermo-regulation to cover a wide range of weather conditions.
The Velocio Concept Bib Short and Merino Jersey combine Velocio’s top materials and construction methods into their ultimate cycling kit.
| Concept Bib Short | Concept Merino Jersey | |
| Rating | Design: A Fit: A Comfort: A+ | Design: A Fit: A Comfort: A+ |
| Retail Price | $309 | $199 |
| Likes | + Chamois provides comfort for short or all-day rides + Strategically placed seams to ooptimize fit and performance | + Versatile and comfortable merino wool construction + Form fitting with premium appearance |
| Dislikes | – Premium price | – Premium price |
| Where to Buy (US) | Velocio | Velocio |
CONCEPT BIB SHORT
As one of Velocio’s most expensive bib shorts, the Concept Bib Short combines Velocio’s top materials and construction. This means the Concept Bib Shorts share the same straps as the Luxe bib shorts along with an exclusive integrated chamois. Velocio currently offers the bib shorts in three colors: oxide red, navy and black. Regardless of which color you choose, the bib straps are black along with a black accent along the upper edge of the bib shorts. We have the navy version of the bib shorts in this review which have an attractive solid navy color scheme with a slightly darker blue along the leg hems and on the rear. As with all Velocio apparel the bib shorts have subtle Velocio logos on the front and rear with reflective logos. The bib shorts are constructed from 74% polyamide, and 26% elastane for a compressive and form-fitting design.
What sets the Concept bib shorts apart from Velocio’s other bib shorts is how streamlined the bib shorts are. The bib shorts look nearly seamless as Velocio has used aerodynamic patterning to optimize the placement of seams. Starting from the bottom you can see there is a 7cm raw hem with silicone grip to help hold it in place. The material is also highly flexible which ensures the bib shorts have a next-to-skin fit and are compressive to optimize performance. It’s quite impressive how thin and integrated the seams are, you can barely feel them or see them.
The other feature of the Concept Bib Shorts is the proprietary invisible chamois design. Instead of having a thick zig-zag stitch along the chamois seams, the Concept Bib Shorts have a flat and nearly invisible seam. The chamois itself is a multi-density foam design with a center split line and nice detailing to optimize comfort. Additionally, the bib shorts also feature 45mm microfiber narrow knit elastic bib straps. These have actually been updated to use the same material found on the Luxe bib shorts and improve the comfort and stability of the straps. The two straps join together on the rear in a X shape with a large mesh panel. This design ensures the bib straps don’t twist and make it easier to put the bib shorts on and off. Laser cut holes on the rear panel provide ventilation and are a nice premium detail you don’t typically see.
CONCEPT MERINO JERSEY
Velocio’s Concept Merino Jersey combines Velocio’s Concept race-ready fit with Merino Wool construction. This gives you the best of both worlds, you get the breathability and thermoregulation properties of Merino Wool with a form fitting jersey that maximizes your performance. Velocio offers the jersey in four subdued colors that includes azure, navy, black and tan. The previous bright red colors are still available but on sale, so if you want a brighter color you’ll need to act fast before they are gone. We have the azure color which is a light blue color and has a solid color scheme for a premium appearance. The full length front YKK zipper is color matched to help it blend in while black zipper garages add little contrast.
As with all Velocio gear, the branding is limited to subtle reflective Velcio logos on the chest and Velocio printed on the rear pocket. Note, Velocio also offers the Concept Merino in a slightly more expensive $219 long sleeve variation in similar color schemes. While most Merino Wool branded cycling clothing are mostly synthetic, the Concept Merino Wool Jersey is actually 75% Italian milled ultrafine merino wool. The rest of the jersey is 18% polyamide and 7% elastane to optimize the fit and comfort of the jersey. It’s a very soft jersey that feels smooth to the touch and is nearly transparent which is similar to some of Velocio’s other lightweight jerseys. The front profile of the jersey has a simple full length YKK zipper with a full length zipper garage.
There is a very short collar and slight v-neck profile which lets you use this jersey on its own for warmer days or as a layer under other items. The sleeves have a set-in design with thin seams and longer sleeves. On the backside of the jersey you have a similar minimal design with one large rear panel. There are some unusual seams along the shoulder that follow the shoulder contour and probably help with articulation. The jersey also has a standard four pocket setup with anti-sag design in the form of reinforcements along the seams. There are three generously sized pockets with the Velocio logo printed along the center pocket. A fourth zippered pocket on the side is perfect for storing credit cards, keys or other small valuables.
RIDING IMPRESSIONS
We’ve been fortunate enough to ride with quite a few Velocio apparel from their Ultralight and Signature lineups to the winter Alpha lineup so we were excited to see how the Concept lineup compared. Our 6’1″ 165lb test rider went with the same medium size for both the bib shorts and the jersey based on previous experience. The fit was very similar to the Luxe and other Velocio products with an aggressive race fit that contours around the body without being restrictive. The bib shorts have a great length that puts them a few inches above the knee cap with a nice non-slip hem that holds leg warmers in place and prevents the bib shorts from riding up. No surprisingly, the Concept Bib Shorts are one of the most comfortable we’ve worn as they have a compressive fit and next-to-body fit that makes you quickly forget that you are wearing them.
Similarly, the Concept Merino Jersey was lightweight with great breathability and warmth when the temperatures turned colder. We found the jersey to be perfect on chilly mornings by adding a base layer and simple vest over it. Otherwise, the jersey’s high-percentage of Merino wool make it highly versatile for nearly any weather conditions. The combination of the Concept bib shorts and jersey are one of the most comfortable setups we’ve worn but also cost nearly as much as the Q36.5 Clima kit which boasts some advanced technologies. We’d definitely recommend waiting for a sale before picking up the Concept kit as Velocio’s Signature series offers comparable performance at a much more friendly price point.
THE VERDICT
Overall, we found the Velocio Concept Bib Short and Concept Merino Wool Jersey to be well made and high-performance cycling kit. The Concept lineup combines Velocio’s premium construction and top-of-the-line materials to create the ultimate cycling apparel. The Concept Bib Shorts are one of the brand’s most expensive and feature exclusive aerodynamic design and compressive fit. Similarly, the Concept Merino Jersey is a highly-breathable and comfortable Merino wool jersey that works in nearly any condition. We were impressed with the comfortable fit and next-to-skin feel of the kit that made us quickly forget them and focus on the ride. The biggest downside of both apparel pieces is the high cost, which is why we’d recommend waiting for a sale to pick them up. That said, if you’re in the market for the ultimate cycling kit then the Velocio Concept Bib Short and Concept Merino Wool are one of the most comfortable kit’s we’ve worn.
Disclaimer: The product for this review was provided by Velocio. The views expressed on this website are solely those of the authors and are here to help people make an informed choice before a purchase. The authors or the blog itself does not get any monetary compensation from the product manufacturer or third-party websites/vendor links that are posted here.