The Pedla has released its new range of summer clothing, including a TEST jersey that's made from a prototype fabric from iconic Italian manufacturers M.I.T.I. (Manifattura Italiana Tessuti Indemagliabili).
M.I.T.I. was established in 1931, and was the pioneer of 'warp knitting', a process that runs yarns parallel to create durable and stretchy fabrics. You’d be hard-pressed to find a brand that has not used its Superroubaix or Thermoroubaix fabrics somewhere in its range.
The Pedla's TEST jersey is made from a brand new carbon M.I.T.I. fabric. Pedla has produced a few of these TEST garments in order to trial new fabrics and cuts before they go into production, and has a team of test pilots, including former Giro d’Italia stage winner Dave McKenzie, providing feedback.
This new fabric uses carbon fibres for wicking, anti-odour and anti-bacterial properties. These fibres also help stop the fabric tearing in a crash.
The new TEST fabric sure has a different feel to it
It's quite stretchy, and has a rough and ‘crunchy’ feel – much like an old T-shirt that's been left to air-dry. The carbon-reinforced fabric has a visible block weave, which is likely used to increase surface area and help with wicking.
We donned the TEST jersey for a short ride on an especially hot and muggy day. While the material was a bit heavy for a high summer garment, it kept us dry, surprisingly cool and comfortable.
The TEST jersey is still strictly in the prototype phase; the colour swatches printed on the fabric are evidence that it's not yet ready for production.
Justin Abrahams from The Pedla also mentioned that the brand has a Carbon Ceramic Road Rash garment in development. It's currently being put through its paces by an Australian World Tour rider, whom Abrahams asked us not to name, but the fabric has previously been tested with a bench grinder to make sure it can prevent you from losing skin if you hit the deck.
The new Full Gas Aero jersey is like other popular lightweight summer jerseys
As for the rest of the summer garments, the new lightweight Full Gas Aero jersey is made from M.I.T.I. Dimple Dry Aero fabric that is soft to the touch and quite stretchy. The Pedla Long Haul G2 bibshorts receive an updated leg gripper from the pair we tested previously.
Many other smaller clothing brands are using similar high-quality fabrics, but may be behind the curve when it come to innovative technologies because of the costs involved. It is unique to see a smaller boutique brand such as The Pedla prototyping cutting-edge fabrics similar to those the bigger brands are testing.