London Fixed-gear and Single-speed

just got some stuff i ordered from the swrve website and i've got to say it really is good. i'm impressed with the fit, materials and quality of manufacture - top kit!

also, the service from the website (mozz cycling) was awesome. it all arrived lightning fast and with a free cap. (i don't think my payment has even cleared yet!)

just thought i'd say. that's all.

my husband got a pair of trousers from them and they are hot.

did you get your stuff from this website johnny?
http://www.swrve.co.uk/index.html

I've been buying off them for a while. Great service and on my last order they chucked in a free hat as i was a repeat customer!! which was nice.

I checked out the site, it look pretty decent, should order a couple.

yeah, that was my first order - from the www.swrve.co.uk site.

got a windbreaker, a hoody and a hoody/jacket for when it gets colder. all good

I bought some nice wool mix 3 quarter length cycling trousers from them in the sale. Either I've shrunk them because I don't believe in following washing instructions, or my leg muscles have vastly increased in size, because they don't fit me properly anymore! :(

when they did fit they were absolutely marvellous though. I may have to buy s'more. Also I need a new cap!

anyone got their jean? they look rather good and very suited to cycling, the price is high when i can get a decent jean (Levis, Diesel, etc.) for the price, but I want to know if it good for cycling.

was hoping someone may have some feedback on swerve's Milwaukee gore-tex hoodie - is it any good? as in is it fairly waterproof and breathable? If not any suggestions for something similar? the milwaukee is reduced to £85 now so looks a pretty good deal
cheers

not true - genuine ask!

I'm sure it was - I was addressing the OP. ;-)

fair enough!

I have some of their lightweight 3/4 trousers. Got them from Brixton Cycles at half price and they're great. Comfy and they look ok too.

ta - BC got a sale on or you get them a while ago?

I got them about a month ago and I think they were just clearing stock of swrve stuff. I got lucky as they had a pair in my size. Might be worth checking if you're going past. The ones I got are schoeller dynamic (or something) and I think the ticket price was 80 or 90 squid so I got them for 40 or 45. They're really nice and US made, but I don't think I'd have paid full price for them.

cool, cheers. live right nearby so will drop in

I have one, got it a month or so ago. Not really had to use it much as it is so warm (the weather and the hoodie) but the times when I have used it I have been really pleased.

I was wearing it last night in Hyde Park when it was pissing down and I was dry inside. The waterproofness (sic) was great, no complaints there at all. Then it brightened up, I kept it on but rode home in it. I had to take it off half way cos I was too hot. That said, it isn't a summer hoodie, for winter it's going to rule. I could easily see it being fine for all but the coldest days with a base and maybe a very thin fleece underneath. I have been carrying it with me in bag all the time though, it's perfect for hanging out in when not doing much physical.

Bear in mind that the Gore is the thickest of the materials that they use but also the most water and wind resistant. I like how the material feels, more like a jacket than a normal zip up hoodie.

The cut is excellent and well thought out for the cyclist with longer tail, back pockets, longer sleeves with pointed bits to extend coverage. I will be buying more from them on the basis of what I received. I am definitely getting some of the jeans, some more 3/4's and maybe a couple of merinos because they are so cheap.

I got mine from the US site.

Ben whats the cut like, I'm tempted but have seen swrve pants in the past and they are cut quite small, so am wondering if the hoodies are the same, I'm usually a L but obviously dont want to get an XL and find its miles too big for me, which has happened before with other stuff.

I would say that the cut is pretty trim, I got a large but I'm 6ft4 and of medium build. I would recommend trying one on if you can, I went to Mosquito for that very reason. The Gore version is cut the most generously of the three materials that you can get.

The 3/4s that I got are too big however. I went for the biggest size and they are too loose around the waste and slightly too long it feels. I'm probably going to sell them as I've not really used them because of this. I've worn them and they are wicked, I am definitely going to get some more but in a smaller size. I couldn't try any in my size at Mosquito unfortunately.

Hope that helps.

Cool will have a ride up to Mosquito tonight and see if I can try one, cheers fella.

No worries.

yeah - cheers Ben. nice review that - exactly what I needed!

Glad to help, it can be a right pain in the arse getting clothes that fit how you like off the net.

win a load of swrve gear at Rollapaluza XI.....

Their caps rock the most.
(Apologies Smeear, I haven't tried on one of your caps so actually I cannot confirm that Swrve caps rock the "most")

Totally rocks. I tested one for Minx last winter and it ended up my favourite piece of kit ever - until some fucker nicked it!

Ooh, but thanks for the heads-up - they're still going for £85 on the website, and I've just ordered myself another one. Completely worth it.

I can look out the reviews I wrote before if you're interested, but in answer to your questions - yes, it's very waterproof and very breathable. I've ridden it through torrential rain for hours, and had none of the sweating-in-a-plastic-bag problems you get with other waterproofs. The fabric's quite stiff, so I guess the air has room to circulate inside. And it's windproof too - I was wearing it through the dead of winter, and temporarily forgot what it's like to feel cold on the bike.

Mine was a S (men's sizing) and I'm usually an L (14ish) in girl's stuff, if that helps...

I've just ordered another one, and you're welcome to try it on for size before you order your own, if you like.

ah, i love swerve stuff. bought a pair of the 3/4 length herringbone trousers from mosquito. they're great, good fit and totally comfy for riding in. and yeah the hats are great.

...and it arrived in about 5 minutes flat! They'll be getting my business again. :-)

Am still waiting for the fuckheads at the Hackney sorting office to get my windbreaker to me, because I refuse to wait in a massive queue that is so long that it constantly goes outside the building! I'd like to find out which asshat decided to combine the sorting office for 3 postcodes, and then staff the place with ONE PERSON.

the 15% off vouchers I have from swrve become invalid on the 8th speed"at"addicts.tv if you want a code...

Thanks again for the voucher!

i too have a milwaukee gore top, absolutly amazing, well worth the money!

Another recommendation here, the story is: yesterday was umming and ahhing about buying some shorts and the milwaukee hoodie, was in email contact with Chris from swrve, who said paypal the money over and the goods can be there next day but cut-off for the post office is 4, but even if I paid after that he would do his best. Well, do his best is exactly what he did - I didn't paypal in time for the post office but he personally dropped off the top and shorts at my office this morning - what a legend. Customer service like this is a rare and wonderful thing.

And the clothing is awesome too. Great cut, top quality, really comfortable, and some brilliant choices of fabric for the pocket linings in the shorts ;-)

All in all, brilliant kit, brilliant service.

If you can, get it sent to the WC1 sorting office on Rathbone Place. NEVER any queue for all of the mail I have to pick up there.

I thought you couldn't choose which sorting office stuff goes to? I've opted to send my stuff to my mate in East Ham, because he said there's rarely a queue at his office, and his wife is usually in with their sprog. Whoop!

Anyway, I actually got a call from the Emma St nincompoops, and one of them finally managed to bring my lovely new Swrve windcheater over to my neighbour's place. I tried it out last night on the bike and then just now while on a sausage roll run, and it's great! Very light, great for when it's not hot enough for a softshell, super assymetrical zip action, and it is gold in colour.

Now I just need to find a way to get the sorting office monkeys to hand over my new record player cartridge that the customs bastards taxed me for.

I just received the Milwaukee hoodie - great fit! Fast delivery from the Swrve online store in LA too.

I also have the cotton cycle "knickers" which fit perfectly. I got these from Mosquito Bikes on Essex Road (N1) - the only shop to stock Swrve merch (alongside Brick Lane Cycles).

why did you choose to order it from the states? how much did that cost including shipping?

Brixton Cycles have some stuff too. Not much, from what I can tell, but I think I saw some base layers, the jeans, and the Milwaukee hoodie.

i was looking at ordering swrve stuff, it appears if you get a couple of items it will still be cheaper to ship from the USA than order in the UK (though if customs decide to tax it then you are onto a loser)

judging by comments about them as a company I am sure if you asked them nicely they could send it as a gift and email the invoice seperately

Got shorts from them in the USA the other week as the black 36" waist ones are only $65, and I own a belt. Act now before the pound sterling becomes even more enfeebled!

Thanks for the voucher winston!

still a few left...only two days before they expire.....speed"at"addicts.tv if you want a code!

cool jusr requested the voucher Winston!

I just looked at the swrve website they have 2 types od material the Gore tex and Softshell 3000.
Any one tried both of them, and how would you rate them??

cheers

I was cycling around Amsterdam all weekend in the pissing rain (great city, crap weather) wearing my new swrve hoodie - its the Softshell 3000 material and it didn't let a drop through. Was also nice and breathable. Apparently its more breathable/softer than gore-tex but a little less water resistant, but I was bone dry all weekend!

For some reason this thread makes me all happy.

I've got the gore-tex, and find it very very breathable, so I'd recommend you just go for that, but maybe we should do an actual comparison at some point. Anyone up for it? Meant to be raining tomorrow, isn't it...?

they are taking pre orders for softshell trousers on the american website - warm and water resistant for winter

if a couple of people club together for an order they would save significantly on buying them in the UK

I always order straight from the supplier if I can - whether it's bike merch like Swrve or a small record label. That ensures the money goes where it should kinda thing. Also, it's still quite cheap with the dollar rate at the moment.

I paid about $120 for the Milwaukee hoodie (including shipping). Arrived in about 10 days. Super friendly service on the phone too!

I have to say that I'm very standard height/build too - which makes it easy to order clothes and merch on the internet.

Mine was sent as a gift - I didn't get hit by the taxman.

(Thank God - because I completely forgot about the customs bit when I placed the order)

I cycle from the Barbican to Wandsworth every night (return commute), leave around 6ish...if anyone wants to feel my softshell (phwoar) they're welcome...can deviate my route (within reason!), for a comparison too...

wanted to post my tuppence, contemplating buying the hoodie and wanted to know how breathable the goretex is, also the weight of it, want the hoodie for when the weather turns really nasty and I'm also thinking of buying the windbreaker as well, for always in bag, just in case it rains. lighter option.

is the weight difference and breathability that much different from the softshell 3000?

let me know...

Since I've got nothing but time recuperating might as well spend some cash I'm not spending on drinking...