The world of cycling is built on a rich history. Often we reward cycling companies with our support based on their longevity in the peleton. What is special is when you find a company that nudges it’s way into the peleton while simultaneously supporting the cutting edge technology all the while giving a significant nod to the classics that we are all fond of. Recently, I was introduced to a fledgling company that is not only carving out a niche’ for themselves they are doing it with some pretty special processes, techniques, and deliberate business philosophies.
Founded in 2009 during a ride in the Yorkshire Dales by avid cyclists Alex Raistrick and Simon Warren, Shutt Velo Rapide’s mission is simple; to create their own brand of well designed, high quality cycling garments in Sportwool that do not cost a fortune.
Shutt Velo Rapide sources all its materials from British manufacturers to create the very best in British-made cycling clothing.
Using traditional cycling jerseys as its inspiration, Shutt Velo Rapide has created a mixture of cycling wear from sporty to casual, feature rich and designed in complimentary colours. We source almost all of our materials from British manufacturers, truly enabling us to create the best in British made cycling clothes. We are extremely proud that each of our garments has been designed and manufactured by hand in the UK.
Sold – That was merely the first three paragraphs from their ‘About Shutt’ page. They go on to tell you more about their target market and the general strategy that is behind their product set. What is not obvious is the people that are behind the brand the pride that is obviously deeply rooted in this small Yorkshire company. It became apparent when I moved a couple items into my cart and then neglected to check out. Only a few hours later, to my surprise, I received an email from Shutt VR’s Sales & Marketing Director – Peter Bragg. He was inquiring if any help was needed and to ensure that the site was working properly. I am sure to Peter’s relief it was merely a user interface error. If there is one thing that we know in the eCommerce space – Customer Service is king. His simple gesture to reach out and ensure things were okay led to a series of emails that helped us electronically introduce ourselves. This included his wife helping with decisions on items to order based on my Pacific Northwest local before finally retiring for the evening. It should be pointed out that Yorkshire Dales is 8 hours ahead of PST.
Needless to say, my first buying experience is one to remember and as part of our conversation Peter mentioned the latest summer jerseys that were officially being introduced the following Monday (today). This line includes full zip and summer weight material for the dog days of summer. I am excited for my shipment to arrive and to put my new Shutt VR kit through the paces.
Here are a few other tidbits that Peter passed onto me that helped confirm what a great little company Shutt VR is.
A small company that has worked hard for their core values that includes local jobs, women in cycling, and the junior programs – great stuff. Please take some time and review the growing line up from Shutt Velo Rapide Limited.
All I need now is to ride that gorgeous Yorkshire Dales country side.
I would just like to thank you for your very kind words. We work hard at everything we do and we like to please our customers and to get a response like this is just great, Thank you
SW