Kit & Gear Repair FAQ
As you know we are all about being kind to the environment and making quality work last. That is no different when it comes to our kit and gear repairs. Below we answer common questions and give some more info about the kit and gear repair process.
Do you do the repairs in your studio? Yes, all our repairs are done in our studio in Toronto. We work out of an old auto body garage, our custom paint work, along with a small retail space is found on the main level. Our second story has our full sewing production space where we create our cycling bags and do the repairs.
What are the different types of repairs? Every piece can be repaired in a few different ways depending on the damage and budget. For example for a hole we can do a single layer patch with visible stitching or take it one step further with a double layer for a cleaner look. With our sergers we can do invisible seam repairs on any type of garment anywhere from simple seams on jerseys or bibs to more complicated items such as gloves, shoes etc. Unraveling shammies has been the most common repair to date which we either fix with our overlock machine or a triple zigzag stitch. Not such an oblivious fix? We can probably find a creative way to save the item so email us photos of the damage and we can let you know the options.
Will my gear look new again with the repair? It depends; if we are closing up some loose stitching you won’t even notice where it was done. If your gear has a hole in it and we have to do a patch, you will see it. Like a scare after an accident wear it with pride, think of it as a conversation starter.
Can I see some examples of repairs you have done? Yes check out the gallery of past repairs. If you follow us on Instagram you will also catch some stories with recent repairs.
What is the cost of a repair? The cost really comes down to how we go about the repair and the time it takes to fix. On average a repair for one piece of gear can run anywhere from $15 to $50. It depends on the type of repair we have to do, the size, how many and the fabric. At the end of the day; the repair will always be less then the cost of a replacement, extending the life space and keeping it out of the landfill.
Will the repair last or is it a temporary fix? VéloColour doesn’t do temporary, we make/fix to last. In saying that some repairs can be a bit experimental in how they are executed, if you find the patch or stitching isn’t living up to the VéloColour standard bring it back and we’ll fix it up for you.
I had a crash at a race today can I drop my gear off right away? We are happy to take kit repairs on a walk in bases during our open hours. Though we do require that your kit is freshly cleaned. No dirty bibs please!
How long does the repair take? On average we can get your item(s) back to you within a week or two. When you contact us or drop off we will give you an approx pick up date. If you need it back by a certain time let us know. The great thing about a small business, who’s doing the work in house, is we can usually make requests happen. Recently we had a person in from London, Ont for the day running errands. They dropped off their project in the morning, we got the fix done and they grabbed it on their way out of town. He gave us about a weeks notice, that way we could plan accordingly and blocked the time in our schedule to get it done.
Do you only repair cycling kits? Not at all, we are happy to repair most items. This includes items such as backpacks, shoes, hats, sweaters, pants etc. The one thing that is the trickiest to repair is zippers…..that’s not saying we don’t do it but those repairs are usually upwards of $60-$120.
As all cyclists know the butt of your pants is the first thing to go. We recently took two pairs of pants, cut the bottom half of the legs off one pair and used that materials for patches on both pairs. Then hemming the one pair into shorts meant, two pairs of pants headed to the landfill were saved and the customer walked away with repaired pants and a ‘new’ pair of shorts.
I don’t live in Toronto. Can I ship some gear to you? For sure! If you are in the US please use The Postal Service USPS (not UPS) and clearly mark the package as a repair that way we avoid any extra custom fees.
Have a question about a repair? Shoot us an email. We will be happy to give you an estimate.