21/02/2020
Honestly, I have been a fan of cycling for years. Working in the textile industry for so many years, it makes you wonder how certain garments appeared in our life. Here is the article about the history of cycling shorts that I would like to share.
In 1885, the “safety bicycle”—so named because of its equally sized wheels that placed the rider closer to the ground—was invented and inflatable tires were invented three years later. Though bikes saw a boom in this decade, most people still rode in their day-to-day clothing, even if it wasn’t always comfortable.
At that time riders typically wore homemade wool shorts. Although wool helped to stay warm even when wet from rain or sweat, it was also scratchy, and sagged when it got wet.
Throughout the years manufacturers tried to solve the wool problems, but it was only until Italian clothing maker Armando Castelli and his son, Maurizio Castelli, introduced silk jerseys to the peloton in the early ’50s. Silk was lighter and cooler than wool, and took color much more vibrantly.
Later on cyclists began donning a new breed of synthetic fabrics including nylons, polyester, polypropylene, and acrylic, which were sweat-wicking, light, skin-tight, stretchy, and easily dyed. After a decade of research, Lycra was invented by DuPont Manufacturing in 1959. Assos constructed the first pair of Lycra cycling shorts for the Ti-Raleigh team in 1976, and Castelli popularized the trend with its own made-for-public version a year later, a black one-size-fits-all pair of shorts. Cotton and wool shorts became obsolete. Word got around about this new type of cycling shorts, and customers lined up around the factory on the day they were introduced.
This was a short history of cycling shorts. It’s interesting isn’t it? Leave your comments below and let us know what you think! We have everything covered for your fabric needs!
https://www.bicycling.com/bikes-gear/a22724424/history-cycling-clothing/
