Spin Cycle Clothing
Spin Cycle Clothing is a brand that mixes bold aesthetics with a commitment to high quality and performance. I spent some time with founder and modern Renaissance man Nathaniel Peek to talk about his rapidly growing brand, and found out just how unbelievably talented this guy really is.
Words - James Raison
ABOUT
Nathaniel shredding some trails.
Spin Cycle Clothing is an extraordinary one-man, Adelaide-based cycling apparel company. Nat does everything. EVERYTHING. From designing the kits, building and running the website, communicating with the factories, customer service, photography, social media, and all the rest. It’s mind-boggling. That's all possible because Nat is infuriatingly talented at everything.
I tried writing his whole work history but it was longer than The Odyssey. His highlights include internationally awarded 3D software designer, 3D graphics and animation, web design, multimedia, education and community outreach, federal government liaison, and head dessert chef. That exceptional mind for precision, quality, and design sensibilities are what makes his kit so good. His altruistic streak that led him into community outreach is what makes him a solid gold legend.
SPIN CYCLE
Nat had dabbled in kit design but it wasn’t until recovering from being hit by a car that he decided to launch a business devoted to it. It was time to bring his digital skills to a tactile product, something that’s a challenge for all kit designers but one that his work history makes him gifted at.
"I think really well in 3D. Visualising in 3D is really important and not everyone can do it. When you see something on the computer, you have to think about it in 3D. Until someone puts it on, that’s the final design. It’s really difficult to look at something on a computer screen and think it’ll work.”
That’s his style though, always pushing technical and aesthetic boundaries. The Feather Light kit we reviewed is Spin Cycle’s signature piece to date because of the extraordinary detail of the feather Nat drew himself. His intention to push the printing capabilities of his suppliers resulted in something far beyond what we expect from kit makers. The closer you get, the more detail you see.
The Feather Light kit has some amazing detail designed by Nathaniel himself.
PUSHING THE PHYSICAL BOUNDARIES
The Spin Cycle Clothing Mountainbike team was founded to give real-world feedback on the products under high-performance, and high-stress environments. Nat explains that “having an endurance team was crucial. I knew they’d put it through the ringer.”
The development done by the team benefits all customers. When they report that a new chamois Nat is testing in their knicks was comfortable for a 12-24 hour enduro, they will end up in the final product.
Testing kit is one aim, the other is to race hard and look damn good doing it. The Spin Cycle Clothing team has made quite a name for itself: “the team gets a lot of attention. It performs very very well. At most races we are on the podium. With the design we obviously stand out.”
No mistaking the Spin Cycle team.
FUTURE SPIN
Nat's ambition for Spin Cycle's future is to change the way people buy their cycling kits by going custom.
He explains: “I got the idea from the Tour Down Under last year. I found it fascinating that there were mobs of people in exactly the same stuff. It just blew me away that all these people came from all over Australia and that so many were wearing the same stuff. There’s gotta be a market for one-off attire.”
Stay tuned for exact details, he won't let me talk about it yet! I can assure you that it sounds amazing. I wouldn't bet against Nat being successful with his bold plans either.
Spin Cycle as a brand is a perfect reflection of Nat as a person. He's totally committed to quality and precision but always adds his own aesthetic touches to make his product stand out. Style meets substance. That's why we have enjoyed his gear in the past and really look forward to testing his products in the future.
