A Pregnancy Cycling Kit: The Reason Why
Developing a pregnancy cycling kit sounds unusual – why did we still do it?
[“I think that women belong wherever decisions are made. The fact that a winner of ISPO Brandnew is a start-up for women in cycling sends a very strong message to the sports industry: We need to support women even more, empower them to be courageous and push their limits.”]
Iris Cordoba, CEO Global Sports Innovation Center, ISPO Brandnew Jury Member
At Veloine, our goal is to help create more space for women in cycling, to represent women cycling in a different way, and to serve female cyclists better. For all of us out there, the sport is an important part of our lives, deeply rooted in our hearts, and something that accompanies us through many different phases of our lives. And that may include pregnancy.
Especially in the first few months of pregnancy, many female cyclists are still very active on their bikes, out on the road or indoor on the trainer. But after a few weeks, they no longer fit into their regular cycling jerseys and shorts, as they quickly become too tight and compressing. Oftentimes, pregnant cyclists have to use obsolete men's cycling clothing, which does not support the anatomy of the female body at all.
Supporting pregnant cyclists to continue their sport
We think that every female cyclist should ride comfortably and feel empowered to continue the sport as long as her body and mind allows. We are very aware that not every woman is able to ride that far long into her pregnancy for many different reasons, and that there are risk factors to be considered. It's a very personal and individual decision. But if you are able to and want to continue cycling through pregnancy, your cycling wear should not be holding you back.
Make cycling more female
When we started developing the product, we found it surprising to see that major brands are not yet offering this kind of product. Other sports industries, such as running, fitness or yoga, have started doing this years ago. You will find running pants or fitness shirts for pregnant athletes rather easily – but cycling has been behind. So beyond the purpose of the product itself, it sends an important message to an industry which is well known for its very traditional character: we need to make cycling more female.
That’s why.
Stay tuned to hear from pregnant cyclists sharing their perspectives in our Journal over the next months. Pregnancy Kit launching Spring 2021.
