Our aim at Vanelli is to offer quality performance custom sports clothing and an affordable price point. Vanelli was launched in the UK during the 2015 Cycle Show at the NEC Birmingham. In July 2018 we moved our production to a brand new facility and production line. This has enabled us to offer the latest fabrics and products to our expanding client base.
Everyone at Vanelli rides a bike. We train, race and enjoy bike riding all year round. It is because of our continued desire to ride a bike that we know exactly how our kit performs in all conditions. For that reason half of our team “force” themselves out into the mud and blood of the UK Cyclo Cross season after a tough summer of time trials and Crits, whilst the other half has the even tougher job of road testing the kit in the South West of France.
Our 2 newest members of the team are focused solely on our newly lauched Netball range. With both members in or having been in the England Netball set up, and regularly playing at local, regional and national level, they are perfectly positioned to develop the range.
With offices in both Cheshire and Leicestershire, we are ideally positioned to service customers all over the UK. Finally we only work with factories within the EU. Our fabrics, pads and inks are all produced in Italy. This guarantees the best standard of product and also offers strict environmental and worker protection.
“I discovered my passion for cycling from the age of 14. After a few rides with neighbour and cycling legend Paul Sherwen I joined my local cycling club, The Weaver Valley CC. It was on a fateful clubrun back in 1991 that I met long standing friend and now business partner Matt Ellis. We have gone from spending summer seasons bike racing in the south of France and winter seasons snowboarding and skiing in the French Alps and nearly 30yrs later here we are as co owners of Vanelli.
It was in 2015 that the opportunity arose to start Vanelli Custom Sportswear with a focus on offering quality premium European cycle clothing at an affordable price. We also wanted to add the personal attention to service that we felt was missing in the industry.
Even with the pressures of work and the raising of 3 wonderful children I have maintained a deep love for the sport which has not abetted one iota. I firmly believe my continued presence in all aspects of the sport from TT’ing, Mtb’ing and Road Racing helps both me and the business. My true love though is cyclo cross and every weekend I can be found ploughing through the Leicestershire woodlands with the same vigour as the days when I hung on Paul Sherwens back wheel all those years before”
” It was on the Wild Wales Challenge in 1987 that I truly fell for the wonderful sport of cycling.
From a wide eyed 14yo on a 12 speed racer pedalling around the hardest roads the UK has to offer to 12 seasons racing in Southwest of France my philosophy has always been the same. To have fun and enjoy what is a most gruelling yet beautiful sport.
It was a former French team mate of mine who gave Hans and I the idea and opportunity of setting up Vanelli and we haven’t looked back since. Despite big changes and complete overhaul of factory and suppliers, we are on a strong footing to move the business to the next level.
My racing days are now over but I love nothing more than taking my young son out on the Cheshire towpaths and watching him develop the same confidence and thirst for adventure that hooked me to cycling all those years ago”.
