Saalbach, a beautiful mountain town nestled in the heart of Austrian Alps, recently played host to the Global Bike Festival. One of the event’s key sponsors was the cycling clothing company Isadore which was founded by twin brothers and professional cyclists Martin and Peter Velits in 2013 when they were still racing on the Pro Tour.
I sat down with Peter to hear how he managed the transition from a highly successful professional cyclist (he completed the Tour de France 6 times and finished 2nd in the 2010 Vuelta a España) to owning a very successful business.
Origins of the Company
Peter explained that he and Martin founded their company in 2013. It’s interesting because the company wasn’t originally called “Isadore.” The origin of the name is unconventional. Peter explained, “We were about to launch our website when someone asked if we had checked to see if the name hadn’t already been used. When we checked, the name was already taken, so we had to come up with a new one. There was one song by an American band that we liked, called ‘Isadore,’ it was not too long; it was not too short so we decided to use that. Simple.”
Peter explained that for years he and Martin wanted to do something outside of riding their bikes. “We know products,” Peter stated and so, from there it was a question of sticking with what they understood and that was clothing. However, Peter admitted that “we were super naive and the whole process of manufacturing clothing was way different from what we thought.” It was “learning as you go,” as Peter described it.
Peter’s decision to retire from cycling in 2017 was borne out of three factors. Firstly, he had a recent child that he wanted to be present for; secondly, the business that they had started years before was expanding and thirdly, he had not really recovered from an operation on his left leg and he was faced with the dilemma of dropping to a lower level of racing. Peter opted to focus on the business.
Transition from Cycling
I asked about the transition from cyclist to business owner and Peter eloquently explained “there was no real transition. I just left the bicycle indoors and went to the office. The hours I would have spent training I focussed now on the business.” Peter explained that for the last few years of his cycling career, he was running the business at the same time as competing, explaining that “after one race, Martin finished the stage and was straight on the bus calling suppliers.” This was one of the main reasons that Martin retired only one year later, so he could focus on the business.
Isadore was and still is a family-run business with both brothers working in key positions along with their parents and Peter’s wife. Peter explained that it was only recently that they appointed a Chief Financial Officer, an area Peter used to manage and a Product Designer, a role that Martin previously fulfilled. This was required because the business is growing.
I was interested in understanding what skills from their cycling career had helped them achieve success in business. Peter insightfully explained, “Cycling is an endurance sport. Endurance is needed in business; you have to go through bad times as well as good ones. As a professional, you can have really good legs but that never lasts, then you go through a bad phase, it’s peaks and troughs, so sport is the same as business.”
Difficult Times
Talking of difficult times, we discussed the global pandemic and how that impacted the company. Peter noted that initially they cut their budget and like everyone, worked from home. However as “lockdown” eased, there was an upturn in sales. This was attributed to the fact that cycling was one of the few sports people could do (at home or outside) and there was a spike in sales.
This increase was short-lived, however, and now there is a different challenge as a consequence of inflation. Not only this, but Peter explained that Brexit also resulted in the evolution of their supply chain. With their garments being produced in Italy, Slovakia, Lithuania, and Portugal, it made it necessary to establish a partner within the UK to help with the issues that have arisen as a result of the UK leaving Europe. All problems which the brothers are navigating their company successfully through.
Core Values – Sustainability
Underpinning the success of their business is a set of values. One core value is “sustainability.” Long before it became mainstream, Peter and Martin ensured that this was central to their company. As Peter proudly explained, “We were one of the first cycling brands to do it. We used recycled material and even the packaging is recycled and biodegradable. This is because when we received our new kit, there was plastic everywhere and we knew we could do better.”
The extent of their commitment to sustainability is evident. Since the start of 2022, they have even been using only multi-use biodegradable mailers. This has reduced the usage of cardboard boxes, resulting in lower package weight and consequently lower emissions.
Furthermore, Isadore operates a “repairs or crash replacement service” which is where they offer a repair of your damaged garment, free of charge. If it’s beyond repairable, they offer a 50% discount on an exact replacement, or the closest possible option if that item is no longer available.
Their Products
Isadore offer the complete range of cycling clothing, including gravel options and an urban range.
Their jerseys are of premium quality. I rode in their “Alternative jersey,” and it really got put through its paces as I took it for a 120km ride that included 2400 meters of elevation up one of Austria’s highest roads, the Grossglockner, in temperatures reaching 30C.
The jersey performed well. With three pockets, I was able to carry the necessary extras for a long day in the saddle. The pockets stretched significantly, ensuring there was no feeling of anything digging into my back.
The jersey was comfortable and despite the high temperatures, I did not feel I was overheating. The strong zipper made the jersey easy to open.
Despite me battling the bike as I climbed, the jersey stayed in place, due to the strong elastic around the waist and arms. The stretchy side panels ensured there was significant give as I climbed out of the saddle.
The branding on the back of the jersey is discreet and subtle, making this a very elegant item of clothing. It won’t be long before this finds its way into the professional peloton.
Similarly, the “Alternative bibshorts” were simple and elegant in design but fully functional. A nice black colour means they are interchangeable with any jersey.
Like the jersey, the shorts had good elastic around the legs which included tiny rubber dots that hold them in place by gripping your skin.
The best feature of the shorts is the padding, though. Just the right thickness so that after 5 hours in the saddle, I was still pedaling without discomfort.
Overall, these are excellent, well-constructed items of clothing that combine simplistic and elegant design with functionality. I will enjoy using them.
The Future
As a company, Peter said that they are still learning. “It’s an ongoing process,” he says. “We are attracting talented people to grow the brand. In a cycling team, you can’t choose the people, in our company, we choose the team.”
The team the brothers are referencing includes the recent appointment of new design staff who have the task of broadening the range of products so Isadore can offer more unique designs to their expanding market. In addition, it will be the task of their new Marketing Manager to promote these new models.
The Isadore brand continues to evolve and grow. I’m convinced it won’t be long before this will be seen on the shoulders of a Tour de France rider, showing that the brand really has returned to its roots.
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