First Ascent is one of the most established active wear and outdoor gear brands in South Africa. It’s also one of the most popular among cyclists, offering high-quality, durable apparel and gear. Here’s a detailed look at First Ascent’s head-to-toe cycling offering.
Paid partnership with First Ascent
HELMETS
First Ascent has a range of road and mountain biking helmets. The Vent is the most popular – and for good reason. It’s a high-performance road and mountain biking helmet with adjustable straps and a dial adjust to fine-tune fit. It has an aerodynamic design with large vents for maximum ventilation. As expected, it conforms to the highest EU safety standards.
PRICE: R1 199-00
BASE LAYERS
A classic First Ascent staple garment is the base layer. Used in just about every outdoor activity, First Ascent has perfected this unseen, but essential item of sports apparel. The Heatshield is First Ascent’s most popular base layer. Sleeveless for optimal comfort, it’s made from a lightweight, breathable, sweat-wicking fabric that keeps you cool on hot days and warm on cold days.
PRICE: R499-00
SEE THE WOMEN’S HEATSHIELD BASE GARMENTS HERE.
SEE THE MEN’S HEATSHIELD BASE GARMENTS HERE.
JERSEYS
Cycling jerseys for South Africans need to be cool, comfortable, practical, and stylish—without the European price tag! First Ascent delivers all that, and more. The Vent Jersey boasts comfort with ultra-soft, lightweight, highly breathable knitted Italian fabrics, full length YKK front zip, air venting mesh on sleeves and bottom back panel, low-profile collar and UPF 50+ protection on the main fabric. Other features include three rear pockets, a zip-secure rear pocket, reflective trims for low-light visibility and gripper elastic to prevent jersey creep.
PRICE: R1 199-00
SEE THE MEN’S VENT JERSEY HERE.
SEE THE WOMEN’S VENT JERSEY HERE.
BIB SHORTS
For good reason, and that reason is comfort, bib shorts are the most popular style of cycling shorts in South Africa. First Ascent understands that long hours in the saddle demand efficiency, comfort, and durability. Saddle discomfort is banished with First Ascent’s Alpha and Pro-Elite II bibs for men and women.
PRO ELITE II BIB
The Pro Elite II bib is ideal for 4-5 hours in the saddle, featuring a premium 100kg/m3 Italian Dolomiti chamois, smooth fabric and DryMotion textured side panels with four-way stretch to offer optimal compression and comfort. These bibs also have wide, plush shoulder straps for a secure torso fit, comfortable silicon gripper cuffs to prevent creep and reflective trim for visibility in low-light conditions.
The Ladies Pro-Elite II bib is designed with a tailored women-specific fit for comfort and performance.
PRICE: R1 999-00
SEE THE MEN’S PRO ELITE II BIBSHORTS HERE.
SEE THE WOMEN’S PRO ELITE II BIBSHORTS HERE.
ALPHA BIB
The Alpha bib is designed for races lasting longer than six hours or multi-day events such as stage races or cycling tours. It features an open-cell foam multilayer 120kg/m3 density Italian chamois with a moisture-wicking, soft-touch fabric on the top layer for superior ultra-endurance riding comfort. The main fabric incorporates Drymotion and UPF 50+ to keep you cool and protected on hot-weather rides. The bib also features four-way stretch for maximum mobility and reflective trims for low-light visibility.
The Ladies Alpha bib is designed with a tailored women-specific fit for comfort and performance.
PRICE: R2 699-00
SEE THE MEN’S ALPHA BIBSHORTS HERE.
SEE THE WOMEN’S ALPHA BIBSHORTS HERE.
GLOVES
The hands contact point between rider and bike requires both comfort and control. That’s why hand protection is essential. On long rides, properly fitting gloves with appropriately positioned padding ensure the rider can focus on bike control and not be distracted by hand chaffing or numbness.
First Ascent’s most popular cycling glove is the Cadence, which is made from a combination of suede, microfibre and mesh for optimal comfort and breathability. There’s a Velcro cuff closure for a secure fit and gel padding on the high-pressure areas as well as a silicone pattern on the palm for secure grip.
The First Ascent Cadence Glove comes in both long-finger and short-finger styles.
PRICE: R399-00 (short-finger) | R499-00 (long-finger)
SEE THE CADENCE CYCLING SHORT-FINGER GLOVE HERE.
SEE THE CADENCE CYCLING LONG-FINGER GLOVE HERE.
SOCKS
Foot comfort while cycling is a priority to enable hours of riding enjoyment. That’s why cycling requires a specific type of sock. First Ascent’s Element Air and Fire cycling socks have been designed to offer optimal comfort for long rides. The Element sock is made from a combination of nylon and elastane, which features breathable mesh and moisture-wicking fabric to ensure cool feet on hot days. There’s also toe and heel cushioning for optimal comfort.
PRICE: R149-00
SEE THE ELEMENT FIRE CYCLING SOCKS HERE.
SEE THE ELEMENT AIR CYCLING SOCKS HERE.
SHOES
Cycling shoes need to offer comfort, efficiency and durability. First Ascent offers a range of road, gravel, and mountain bike shoes. The Vent MTB Shoe delivers all that – and more (and looks classy too). The hard-wearing outsole is made from a rigid, rugged nylon composite for optimal pedalling efficiency, while a patterned grip underneath offers portaging confidence. The upper is made from high-density polyurethane with perforated vents for excellent breathability. There’s a reinforced toe pad cover for protection and durability and a tapered, grippy heel cup for comfort and pedalling efficiency. Closure is managed by a double A-top dial and cable system which allows for incremental tightening – or loosening – for quick and precise adjustment.
PRICE: R2 399-00
For more on the First Ascent cycling range, click here.
Paid partnership with First Ascent
