Lightweight, breathable and stretchy, the Primal Change 1850-2019 Cycling Cap is a good looking, well-priced and comfortable option for wearing under a helmet or popping in a jersey pocket 'just in case'.
Primal's caps comes in a huge variety of cool designs, some to co-ordinate with its jerseys, others to just stand alone. The Change 1850-2019 has been produced in association with sustainable transport charity Sustrans, with the stripes on the brim echoing global climate changes over the period from 1850 to 2019. The red stripes indicate dramatic recent temperature rises.
> Buy this online here
It's a good-looking cap, made from a double-knit 100% polyester SpeedPro fabric designed to move moisture away from the skin as quickly as possible and to dry fast. Helping this is a broad stretchy sweat-collecting band around the whole circumference of the inside. It also provides SPF35 protection.
Low in volume and super stretchy, it's a one-size-fits-most design, and fitted my average-sized head very well with no pinch points, helped by the softer, bendier brim construction.
It fits well under a helmet, with no issues of added bulk, and the moisture-wicking fabric does a brilliant job in warm weather. I had no issues with my head overheating at all. It dries quickly in wet weather too.
Thanks to the low weight and soft construction, it's easy to pack in a pocket or bag, and doesn't suffer for the experience, making it a good option for hiding helmet hair at coffee stops.
At this price, it's comparable with a fair number of cycling caps, but makes for solid value for money given the technical fabric, low weight and comfort levels. It's the same price as the Saikel Chevron Cap but more breathable, and very similar in function and performance to the Lusso Pain Cave Summer Cap at £14.99. There are pricier caps available, but given how well this one works and the wide choice of styles available, why spend more?
> Read more road.cc reviews of cycling headwear
One of 14 different designs, there's an option to suit every taste. It weighs little, packs into a pocket, wicks moisture very effectively and is affordable. There's little to dislike here.
Verdict
Stylish and effective, whatever the weather
Make and model: Primal Change 1850-2019 Cycling Cap
Tell us what the product is for
Warm weather cycling cap designed to wick moisture away from the head and dry quickly.
Primal says, 'Made from SpeedPro fabric that effectively wicks moisture, these colorful caps are also integrated with a sweatband and ensure excellent protection from the sun.'
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
Primal lists:
100% polyester SpeedPro double knitted 180gsm fabric
SPF35
2-way mechanical stretch fabric
Soft elasticated interior sweatband
Flexible peak
One-size
Rate the product for quality of construction:
9/10
Nicely finished and good quality fabrics.
Rate the product for performance:
9/10
Did a great job both in hot, dry conditions and also soaking wet ones.
Rate the product for durability:
8/10
There's not much to go wrong so this should last for years. It's machine washable too.
Rate the product for fit:
9/10
The level of stretch and the lightweight fabric make it a good one-size-fits-most proposition and it's well shaped to fit nice and close.
Rate the product for sizing:
8/10
One-size – level of stretch makes this a good option for all but the very largest or smallest of heads.
Rate the product for weight:
8/10
Rate the product for comfort:
9/10
Soft, stretchy, pliable and kept the head dry and a good stable temperature.
Rate the product for value:
6/10
Good performance and nice style at an affordable price.
How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?
Washed very well in the machine and super easy to look after.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Performed very well indeed.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
Stylish, low weight and bulk, breathable and fast drying, stretchy and affordable.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
Nothing really.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
It's the same price but more breathable than the Saikel Chevron Cap and very similar in function and performance to the Lusso Pain Cave Summer Cap at £14.99. There are pricier caps available.
Did you enjoy using the product? Very much.
Would you consider buying the product? Definitely
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes
Use this box to explain your overall score
It's very good: comfortable, wicks moisture very effectively, packs into a pocket, and is affordable.
Age: 48 Height: 1.65m Weight: 77kg
I usually ride: Liv Invite My best bike is: Specialized Ruby Elite
I've been riding for: Over 20 years I ride: Most days I would class myself as: Experienced
I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, touring, sportives, general fitness riding, mtb,
Yes I was in the infield area on Saturday evening too, and it was a shocking crash. Shame, because up until then there had been some great racing ...
The skinny tyre mob could take advice from the knobbly brigade and invest in body armour?...
Suitable for flying squirrels then?
"....you ain't got no alibi!", as the song says.
Have to disagree on the category "Anything made from an old bike part". I have a wallet and a phone case made from old tubes by Velo Culture, and...
Exactly! With the added bonus of the manhole cover as scrap.
Funny how the BBC reports money for roads being spent on AT, but never reports that money for AT is spent on roads....
Yeah. Racing for GC isn't the best for him - in fact it's a waste of his talents. He needs to focus on one dayers, and MTB World Cups in the summer...
We have record numbers of police in Kentish Town (according to the local freesheet) but no one knows what they are doing. They cannot operate a...
Now on Bluesky but have kept my Twitter account to stop someone taking it.