Broken Riders are making quite a splash in the mountain biking world but before we go any further who exactly are broken riders and what makes them tick?
While recovering from a dislocated ankle Tom developed the idea for Broken Riders. The aim: “To develop a product for people like him.” Tom sums up Broken Riders perfectly: “It’s for the ones who hurt themselves trying to improve but get back on because they love the freedom their sport brings and yearn to get lost again in the moment of the ride, when time stands still and nothing else matters.”
Broken Riders rightly believe in looking after the planet; as such, all their products are produced from EarthPositive® cotton (ethically sourced, carbon neutral and manufactured using sustainable energy sources such as wind and solar power) or ethically sourced bamboo.
Broken Riders were kind enough to send both their single crown t-shirt and claret logo hoodie for me to put through the ringer. So, how are they holding up?
Before even opening the package, I could tell the hoodie was going to be heavy duty, I wasn’t wrong.
With its 60% organic cotton and 40% polyester construction the inside of the hoodie is warm and fluffy while the outside feels tough and heavy duty, but not hard.
The inks used are eco-friendly air dried, water-based inks. I’m not into hoodies with big branding and logos so the red on claret logo and tag on the pouch are right up my street.
It’s only when you get close and personal with the Broken Riders Hoodie you realise just how good it is. The stitching is immaculate throughout although there were a few thread ends that needed tidied up – no biggie if you own scissors. The hood cord is stitched into the hood which stops it disappearing and the cuff and waist are tight enough to keep the cold out but not be annoying.
The single crown t-shirt has fast become my go to top and why wouldn’t it be? It’s bold and in your face, yet somehow understated.
Broken Riders t-shirts are 100% cotton (or bamboo for an extra £2) and use the same eco-friendly inks as the hoodies. They also share the same high-quality stitching and red tag on the sleeve as the hoodies have on the pouch.
Due to the cotton construction and quality stitching the t-shirts are super soft and didn’t have any areas that rubbed the skin, either on or off the bike.
Final thoughts
With a ‘big brand’ hoodie costing over £50 and some t-shirts not far off the same these days you can’t really beat the price of Broken Riders clothing. In fact, a lot of the big brands don’t even get close to the quality! Yes, they are that good!
Having worn both garments on the bike, wrenching and to the shops I have washed both several times at the recommended 30 degrees (remember that eco bit?) and they both still look new.
My medium sizing is spot on with the hoodie having a casual but not too baggy fit and the t-shirt having a modern, slightly tailored feel. If you like a baggier t-shirt I would consider going one size up.
I have one gripe about the Broken Riders hoodie and that is that the cuffs are a little too long making them feel tight past my wrist – a minor gripe and one that won’t bother everyone.
If you’re in the market for some new clothes you can do a lot worse that supporting an eco-friendly, customer friendly British company. Oh, and their stickers are probably the best in the game!
January 2021: James Sloggie
