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review

Velocio Women’s Luxe Bra

8
£56.00

VERDICT:

8
10
Comfiest shoulder straps and inclusive sizing delivered by a well-made bra providing lightweight compressive support
Inclusive sizing
Comfiest shoulder straps
Supersoft, lightweight feel
Nipple visibility
More ventilation holes needed
Potentially irritating labels
Sweat-prone lower band
Weight: 
45g
Contact: 

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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Velocio's Women's Luxe Bra is a cycling-specific design with light- to medium-compression support. After wearing this bra you'll wonder why all cycling bras don't use the same shoulder straps as found on bib shorts – they are exceptionally comfortable. The Luxe bra comes in a very wide choice of sizes so there's a decent chance you'll find the right level of compressive support for you.

Made in Italy, its 80% polyamide, 20% elastane blend is the same fabric used on Velocio's premium long-distance Luxe bib shorts. The supersoft feel against the skin does live up to its name of being luxurious. It's compressive and stretchy too, providing reassuring support that doesn't feel restrictive as you ride.

> Buy this online here

Holding up this bra are two microfibre elastic straps, also the same as used on Velocio's bib shorts, and are by far the comfiest bra straps I've ever worn. With the flat, wide, seamless design, pressure is spread evenly over the tops of your shoulders and movement isn't restricted at all.

This strap design means none of the issues you can get with racerback styles that can cut into your neck and aren't adjustable. The shoulder straps can be positioned wider, but as the two track towards each other round the back, there's no risk of these slipping off the sides of your shoulders.

2021 Velocio Womens Luxe Bra - back 1.jpg

Added down the centre, for ventilation between your boobs, are 24 laser-cut holes in an upside down triangle formation. Digging in on some high-intensity efforts, I was pleasantly surprised to have less sweat accumulating between my boobs than usual. But just below where the grid of holes ends and above the lower band, sweat marks are visible. Some extra ventilation further down here would be even better to avoid cold sweat sensations. That said, the fabric used is quick-wicking so it doesn't take too long to disappear.

The elastic band running round the bottom of the bra is 3cm wide and hugs the rib cage. While this supportive band holds the bra securely in place across all efforts and durations of rides, it's disappointingly prone to getting drenched in sweat.

Colour-wise, there's a choice of charcoal, navy and black. Velocio's logos are subtle: there's one at the rear and the brand's signature rainbow stripe at the side. Care instructions aren't printed on the bra as seen in other cycling-specific options such as Le Col's Pro Seamless Cycling bra. Instead, you'll have to cut off the label if it ends up irritating you.

Sizing is not cup specific, but there's a very inclusive wide range of sizes, from XXS to XXXL. Velocio recommends starting with your rib cage measurement and then fine-tuning the size based on your bust measurement and fit preference, for either a tighter compression fit or something a bit more relaxed. According to Velocio's sizing chart, my rib cage measurement of 78cm and a bust of 88cm put me as an XS (76cm-81cm) for the band and at the top end of an S (84cm-89cm) for the bust. For context, I'm usually a size 32C.

Choosing the small, the band still hugged my rib cage securely and there's just about the right amount of compressive support around my chest. The bra will cover you for all sorts of efforts on the road, and transfers well over to most gravel terrain.

It is worth noting that the main body of the fabric is super thin, and one side-effect of this is quite obvious nipple visibility. If that's something that bothers you, it's better to opt for a design with padded cups such as Le Col's Pro Seamless bra.

At £56, this is at the premium pricey end, though it's not the most expensive – the Le Col mentioned above is a tad more at £60, as is Sportful's Pro bra. But Café du Cycliste's Lisa is cheaper at £44 (we haven't tested the Lisa, but Siobhan really liked CdC's Rosalie), Oakley's Ellipse Racerback is even less at £35, and La Passione's SML is £28.

> Read more road.cc reviews of women’s cycling clothing here

While the Le Col is also an option for low-impact activities, I found the Velocio Luxe bra provides the greater support and is also made of softer material, so it's the comfier too.

Verdict

Comfiest shoulder straps and inclusive sizing delivered by a well-made bra providing lightweight compressive support

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Velocio Women's Luxe Bra

Size tested: S

Tell us what the product is for

For those looking for support for low impact activities including road cycling.

Velocio says: "With the goal of developing a cycling specific bra with lightweight support minimal weight and a high degree of comfort and breathability, we leveraged many of the fabrics and details found on our premium long-distance LUXE bib short. The LUXE bra features the same ultra-soft matte finish compression fabric for thin and light weight support, paired with microfiber elastic straps and finished with strategically placed seams and the softest trims we could source. The result is a very minimal and breathable bra that provides light to medium support for cycling or low impact activities."

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Velocio lists:

Made of LUXE fabric for lightweight support - intended to provide support for cycling and other low-impact activities

Narrow knit italian microfiber straps are super soft and stretchy

Laser cut ventilation detail

Minimal branding

Strategically placed flat seams for minimal chaffing

Intended to be a light weight compression fit

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10
Rate the product for fit:
 
8/10
Rate the product for sizing:
 
8/10
Rate the product for weight:
 
8/10
Rate the product for comfort:
 
9/10
Rate the product for value:
 
5/10

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

Machine washed at 30°C with like colours as instructed and all good.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Comfy to wear for all-day rides thanks to bib-like straps that distribute pressure evenly. Support is good enough for road riding and some gentler gravel terrain.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Comfy bib-like shoulder straps; lots of size options and an inclusive range.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Pricey, especially as it can only be used for low-impact activities. Could do with some more of those excellent ventilation holes.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

At the pricey end (though not the priciest). Café du Cycliste's Lisa is a cycling-specific option at £44, and Oakley's Ellipse Racerback is even less at £35, while La Passione's SML is £28. Non-cycling-specific bras are even cheaper.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

Velocio's Luxe bra has the comfiest shoulder straps I've worn on a cycling-specific bra so far. The wide straps spread pressure evenly and they can be positioned where you want so they don't pinch around your neck. The laser-cut holes down between the boobs are effective, but the lower band becomes drenched after intense efforts, which isn't so pleasant. Also beware of nipple visibility, and you'll probably want to cut the label off.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 23  Height: 177cm  Weight: 62kg

I usually ride: Road bike  My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, cyclo cross, commuting, touring, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, Gravel riding, indoor turbo and rollers, track

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