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review
Headwear
Primal Change 1850-2019 Cycling Cap Primal Change 1850-2019 Cycling Cap
2021 Primal Change 1850-2019 Womens cycling cap

Primal Change 1850-2019 Cycling Cap

8
by Lara Dunn
Fri, Jun 04, 2021 15:45
0
£15.00

VERDICT:

8
10
Stylish and effective, whatever the weather
Breathable and fast-drying
Stretchy
Affordable
Weight: 
36g
Contact: 
www.primaleurope.com
How we test

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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Lightweight, breathable and stretchy, the Primal Change 1850-2019 Cycling Cap is a good looking, well-priced and comfortable option for wearing under a helmet or popping in a jersey pocket 'just in case'.

Primal's caps comes in a huge variety of cool designs, some to co-ordinate with its jerseys, others to just stand alone. The Change 1850-2019 has been produced in association with sustainable transport charity Sustrans, with the stripes on the brim echoing global climate changes over the period from 1850 to 2019. The red stripes indicate dramatic recent temperature rises.

> Buy this online here

It's a good-looking cap, made from a double-knit 100% polyester SpeedPro fabric designed to move moisture away from the skin as quickly as possible and to dry fast. Helping this is a broad stretchy sweat-collecting band around the whole circumference of the inside. It also provides SPF35 protection.

Low in volume and super stretchy, it's a one-size-fits-most design, and fitted my average-sized head very well with no pinch points, helped by the softer, bendier brim construction.

2021 Primal Change 1850-2019 Womens cycling cap 1.jpg

It fits well under a helmet, with no issues of added bulk, and the moisture-wicking fabric does a brilliant job in warm weather. I had no issues with my head overheating at all. It dries quickly in wet weather too.

Thanks to the low weight and soft construction, it's easy to pack in a pocket or bag, and doesn't suffer for the experience, making it a good option for hiding helmet hair at coffee stops.

At this price, it's comparable with a fair number of cycling caps, but makes for solid value for money given the technical fabric, low weight and comfort levels. It's the same price as the Saikel Chevron Cap but more breathable, and very similar in function and performance to the Lusso Pain Cave Summer Cap at £14.99. There are pricier caps available, but given how well this one works and the wide choice of styles available, why spend more?

> Read more road.cc reviews of cycling headwear

One of 14 different designs, there's an option to suit every taste. It weighs little, packs into a pocket, wicks moisture very effectively and is affordable. There's little to dislike here.

Verdict

Stylish and effective, whatever the weather

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Primal Change 1850-2019 Cycling Cap

Size tested: One size

Tell us what the product is for

Warm weather cycling cap designed to wick moisture away from the head and dry quickly.

Primal says, 'Made from SpeedPro fabric that effectively wicks moisture, these colorful caps are also integrated with a sweatband and ensure excellent protection from the sun.'

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Primal lists:

100% polyester SpeedPro double knitted 180gsm fabric

SPF35

2-way mechanical stretch fabric

Soft elasticated interior sweatband

Flexible peak

One-size

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10

Nicely finished and good quality fabrics.

Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10

Did a great job both in hot, dry conditions and also soaking wet ones.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

There's not much to go wrong so this should last for years. It's machine washable too.

Rate the product for fit:
 
9/10

The level of stretch and the lightweight fabric make it a good one-size-fits-most proposition and it's well shaped to fit nice and close.

Rate the product for sizing:
 
8/10

One-size – level of stretch makes this a good option for all but the very largest or smallest of heads.

Rate the product for weight:
 
8/10

Weighs very little.

Rate the product for comfort:
 
9/10

Soft, stretchy, pliable and kept the head dry and a good stable temperature.

Rate the product for value:
 
6/10

Good performance and nice style at an affordable price.

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

Washed very well in the machine and super easy to look after.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Performed very well indeed.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Stylish, low weight and bulk, breathable and fast drying, stretchy and affordable.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Nothing really.

How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?

It's the same price but more breathable than the Saikel Chevron Cap and very similar in function and performance to the Lusso Pain Cave Summer Cap at £14.99. There are pricier caps available.

Did you enjoy using the product? Very much.

Would you consider buying the product? Definitely

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your overall score

It's very good: comfortable, wicks moisture very effectively, packs into a pocket, and is affordable.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 48  Height: 1.65m  Weight: 77kg

I usually ride: Liv Invite  My best bike is: Specialized Ruby Elite

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, touring, sportives, general fitness riding, mtb,

Primal Change 1850-2019 Cycling Cap 2021
Primal Change 1850-2019 Cycling Cap
Primal 2021
Primal
Lara Dunn

Lara has been riding bikes for longer than she'd care to admit, and writing about them nearly as long. Since 2009 she has been working as part of the road.cc review team whilst championing women's cycling on the side, most notably via two years as editor of the, sadly now defunct, UK's first and only women's cycling mag, erm, Women's Cycling. 

Believing fervently that cycling will save the world, she wishes that more people would just ride a bike and be pleasant to each other. 

She will ride anything with two wheels, occasionally likes to go fast, definitely likes to go far and is always up for a bit of exploring somewhere new and exciting. 

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