The Paris-Rouen race in 1869 is said by many to be the first ever road race. Beginning beneath the Arc de Triomphe, the courageous riders – all 325 of them – made their way through St-Germain, Mantes, Vernon, Louviers and Rouen, all without the aid of modern GPS technology and safety equipment.
The race was tough, and with 123km in total it’s fair to say that none of the participants got an easy ride. What many people forget, is that this road race, the first ever long distance road race, was won by an Englishman; long before Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish graced our television screens and brought cycling’s ‘second coming’ to the masses, James Moore was pedalling his way north-west of the French capital. Pedalling his way to victory.
It is from this that we got inspired here at ProBikeKit, we thought about the many riders, professional and amateur, that have put on a jersey and slugged it through a tough endurance race over the years. James Moore’s case in particular left the biggest effect on us, and it was this victory and this race that has ultimately led us to launch the PBK Heritage collection. We thought of Moore’s first pedal rotations on race day in a foreign country, his tough days pushing his (probably pretty heavy) bike up the hills, and his glorious night of victory in Rouen, celebrating his winnings: a thousand gold francs and a new bike.
Armed with the desire to pay homage to Moore, we set out to create something that embodied the blood, sweat, and tears of cycling, but also the romance, the desire and the passion. This is where the PBK Heritage collection comes in.
The Collection
Block colours, bold designs and full of character, the new PBK Heritage Collection is a true testament to the riders of yesterday, only with the technology of today. The collection features jerseys, both short and long sleeved, and bibshorts. Each garment echoing victory cries from years gone by, the Heritage Collection is true to cycling’s past. Let’s take a look at the range.
Shorts sleeved Jerseys
Named after cities in the Paris-Rouen race, the short sleeved jerseys in the PBK Heritage Collection are striking and bold, with modern functionality to go with the looks.
The Rouen Short Sleeved Jersey
The Rouen jersey takes it’s name from the very same French city. Sitting in Upper Normandy, Rouen has historical ties with England; once ruling the Anglo-Norman dynasties, the city enjoyed a rich and cultured history of being conquered and developed, and then conquered and developed some more. Most notably was the burning down of the old Romanesque cathedral in 1200, which has since been rebuilt and re-engineered throughout many different eras. For a few years in the late 19th century, the Rouen Cathedral was the tallest in the world.
Fittingly, the Rouen jersey has been engineered with a timeless look in mind, it’s block colours and subtle design will remain a key look as other, more throwaway styles and fashions come and go.
The jersey is available in two colour ways: red, black and white, and black and white, and features a 3/4 length zip and a subtle, short collar. The simple design and triple rear pocket makes the Rouen an extremely versatile jersey suitable for any ride.
Left to right: Rouen Jersey in white | Rouen Jersey in red and white
The Vernon Jersey
Lying on the banks of the Seine, the commune of Vernon provided riders of the Paris-Rouen route with nice views of the water and quaint architecture, as they possibly took a moment to reflect on their race and think about attacking the second half of the route. To commemorate Vernon, we’ve brought you this full-length zip option, which is perfect for those up-and-coming Spring and Summer rides when ventilation and cooling is key.
This comes in blue, black and white, red, black and white and a more classic black and white.
Clockwise, left to right: Vernon Jersey in blue and white | Vernon Jersey in black and white | Vernon Jersey in red and white
The St-Germain Jersey
The St-Germain jersey is the 1/2 zip option, which exudes style and class, just like it’s Parisian counterpart. Looking back to the post-war cultural boom of the 1950’s, where jazz clubs and cafés came to life as a signifier of a new era. Today, St-Germain remains a cultral hub, full of galleries and artistry.
Our St-Germain jersey reflects the style and class of the Bourgeois Parisian quarter perfectly, with details on the chest and fine linings of colour trimmed neatly to separate the colour. This jersey comes in white and lime green and white and black and red:
Left to right: St-Germain Jersey in black, white and green | St-Germain Jersey in red, white and black
Long Sleeved Jerseys
The long-sleeved Vernon
Just as the short sleeved Vernon will keep you cool on Summer days, the long sleeved version is constructed with warmth and comfort in mind. The long sleeved range comes in the form of the Vernon, a well-insulated jersey that will keep you warm on those tough, winter days. With it’s prominent horizontal white band across the chest, the long sleeved Vernon is a salute to the cycling jerseys of yesterday; choose yours in red or blue.
Vernon Jersey in Blue | Vernon Jersey in Red
Bib shorts
And finally, there’s the PBK Heritage Bibshort Collection. The bibshorts come in two options, the Louviers Pro Bib Shorts (left) and the St-Germain Bib Shorts (right). The St-Germain are a Lyrca, elastic bib short, made with breathable material to increase ventilation.
The Louviers Pro bib short is a cut above your average cycling short: streamlined, aerodynamic and solid, this bib short is meant for serious riding and optimal performance.Celebrate the grit, the passion, the cuts, the bruises, the teeth-grinding climbs, the champagne, the steel frames, the competition, the love, the fear, the romance and most importantly the speed. Here’s to you James Moore, here’s your heritage.
Heritage Louviers Pro bib shorts | Heritage St-Germain bib shorts
