Morvelo Overland clothing range review

There’s a tendency to think that going for a cycle ride means kitting up in tight Lycra and all the gear. But the Morvelo Overland collection goes against this, providing technical clothing that’s casual looking and could be worn as well off the bike as on and for other sports too.

It’s a style that works well for bikepacking, for which Overland was initially conceived, where you probably don’t want to mooch around camp in Lycra. But Morvelo Overland kit would also pass muster in a less formal work environment or for casual dress for a trip out in the evening. And it means that you don’t need to cycle to work with a backpack of clothing to change into, making your commute more comfortable.

There’s a whole range of clothing available and we’ve tested a selection.

Morvelo Overland Native Mountain Jersey £90

The Mountain Jersey looks like a normal hoodie, but with a lined hood and a soft peak. You also get a couple of front pockets as well as a concealed, zipped breast pocket and another on the side seam. It’s made of a polyester fabric that gives a bit of insulation, but isn’t too hot to be comfortable when riding.

It’s subtly styled for cycling too, with a slight drop to the tail and longer arms that have a seam at the inside of the elbow joint so there’s a curve to them. There are thumb slots in the cuffs to help stop the sleeves from riding up. Plus there’s a two way front zip to help regulate temperature and the Morvelo logos are reflective.

It’s worth noting that the sizing of the Overland Mountain Jersey is pretty generous: I sized down one and there was still plenty of room. Morvelo sells the same design with added front logo, called the Trip and with sewn on patches as the Hoard.

Morvelo Overland Tract short sleeved shirt £75

The Overland short sleeved shirt is actually a pretty technical cycling jersey disguised as a casual shirt. So the fit is pretty close and there’s not too much windflap, but there’s loads of stretch so you don’t feel hemmed in on the bike. Being a polyester/Lycra mix, it wicks and dries well.

Cycling features include a longer back and tapered pockets on the side seams, so you can stash quite a bit of kit away. The same piece is also available in the Back Country, Outsider and Foliage patterns.

Morvelo Overland Beyond Tech Tee £30

Yeah, it looks and feels like a tee shirt. But the Overland Tech Tee (again there are different designs available) is made of polyester, so it doesn’t wet out like a cotton tee shirt, insulates and wicks well and dries out fast. Plus there’s a slight drop to the rear for better on-bike coverage and a reflective logo sewn on. It’s comfortable and effective.

Morvelo Overland Selector shorts £90

One of the most surprising pieces in the Overland range is the Selector shorts. They are super stretchy, so they’re really comfortable to wear both on and off the bike. But they still manage not to look baggy. They dry really quickly too, so they’re easy to wash and will cope with a downpour on an excursion.

You get three zipped pockets so stuff won’t fall out, and they are DWR treated, which helps to fend off showers. To ensure a good fit they have internal press studs to take in or let out the waistband. They’re plenty comfortable for rides around town, but Morvelo also sells undershorts with a lightweight pad. The Overland collection includes full bibshorts too, which have three rear pockets built in for cargo lugging duties if you want to wear them for a longer ride. We’ve not tested either the undershorts or the bibshorts.

Whereas the majority of the Morvelo Overland kit is unisex, Morvelo offers its Selector shorts, bibshorts and undershorts in both men’s and women’s fits.

In summary

One disadvantage of Overland for all day wear – and this applies to pretty much all the kit – is that its polyester content means that it suffers from the usual problem with synthetics of body odour build-up after you’ve cycled in it. So your colleagues might not thank you for wearing it all day in the office. Plus, Morvelo recommends washing it at 30°C and you can’t tumble dry it, so it’s a bit more tricky than cotton clothing to keep clean between excursions.

>>> Buy now: Morvelo Overland clothing range from Wiggle

But overall, it’s a clever new take on cycling kit, adding versatility and comfort without impacting on technical performance. I find I’m wearing one or other of these pieces most days, even if I’m not planning to ride anywhere.