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‘It’s raining, you’re training’. We’re all too familiar with training in the rain here at Wheelbase; with stores in the Lake District, the North East and Yorkshire we know all too well that it can (sometimes) be ‘grim oop North’. Chances are though, if you’re a keen cyclist ANYWHERE in the UK and are determined to train throughout the year regardless of the weather and time of year then then you’ll no doubt be regularly faced with cold, wet weather where the large majority of your attention is focused on trying to stay as warm and dry as possible for the duration of the ride.
It’s no coincidence that Spatzwear’s genetic code is woven into the harsh but strangely beautiful landscape of West Yorkshire; you may be familiar with the saying ‘necessity is the mother of invention’, well Tom Barras the former UK-based professional cyclist, is testament to it! The founder of Spatz Wear has spent countless hours training on the grippy roads of Yorkshire in weather conditions that define the word grim.
With a background in product design before his professional racing career, Tom couldn’t help but start to imagine different solutions to the problems of regularly riding in cold, wet conditions and experiencing wet feet for hours on the bike. As his mind wandered and he began to voice his frustrations to a regular training partner (who also happened to be rather well-known British Olympic Triathlete) he was encouraged to begin to prototype his very own solution to this age-old problem.
The growth of Spatzwear has been rapid since the launch Tom Barras’ original Spatz overshoe.
Tom threw out the rulebook and came at the problem from a whole new angle; starting from scratch Tom devised a new, hugely different overshoe, handmaking the first pair at his dining room table. Next up was some real world testing and luckily for Tom he didn’t have to wait for long until the next band of rain came whistling across the Yorkshire moors. Wearing the first prototypes under his tights on another training session with his Triathlete companion conversation soon turned to how cold this rider’s feet were and it seemed like a good time for Tom to reveal his new overshoes.
To cut a long story short Tom and his training partner set up a new business partnership and following numerous subsequent protypes and extensive product testing Spatzwear was ready to be launched to the cycling public. The response from frustrated UK road cyclists was overwhelming, with the first production batch being snapped up almost immediately. Since that time the Spatzwear brand’s growth has been rapid, seeing a quick succession of other products being developed with each one going some way to enhancing a rider’s enjoyment of their cycling whether that’s protection from the elements, helping to regulate temperatures in extreme heat and cold or enhancing aerodynamic efficiency. Whether it’s base-layers, gloves, overshoes, socks or gilets Tom has identified existing problems with current clothing before throwing out the rule book and prototyping new products with a completely fresh outlook and refining each concept with the very best materials and manufacturing processes available.
Check out the range of Spatzwear extreme weather cycling designed specifically to help you ride in more comfort through the coming months…
Spatz Roadman 2 Overshoe £84.99
Spatz Roadman 3 Overshoe £89.99
Spatz Legalz Pro Overshoe £64.99
Spatz Legalz Glo Overshoe £64.99
Spatz Legalz 2 Overshoe £59.99
Spatz Neotoez Toe Warmers £29.99
Spatz Sokz Long-Cut Socks £13.99
Spatz Basez 2 Baselayer £74.99
Spatz Coolr Summer / Indoor Baselayer £54.99
Spatz Thrmoz Winter Gloves RRP £79.99
Spatz Glovz Race Gloves £64.99
Written by Johnny Dodgin
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