Pas Normal Studios Brand Summit 2019

Our friends at Pas Normal Studios recently held their annual brand summit, an opportunity for their retailers to see and try the latest season's gear, provide feedback direct to the designers, and of course to ride.

Rowan, our Gresham Street store manager, was the lucky one who got to spend three days in Spain, but this was no holiday - there was a lot of learning to be done and a lot of miles to be ridden.

We've been fans of PNS from day one, they hit the ground running with a superb race fit and understated but stylish designs, and they haven't rested on their laurels. Each season sees subtle tweaks to improve fit and performance, new materials (including completely new pad inserts this season) and classy new colourways.

Part of what makes their range so successful is that they listen - something that other brands both big and small can sometimes forget. PNS listen to riders, they listen to retailers, then they make real use of that feedback.... They iterate and improve and go from strength to strength.

We have the latest Spring 2019 season in stock now at our Gresham Street store, and available to buy online.

Here are some of the highlights from the Summit event:

Day One: Arrival

On arrival, the first afternoon was straight down to business, with a short ride up to Tibidabo (the highest point in Barcelona town). 4km long, up to 400m altitude, with great views looking out over Barcelona.

The evening brought Welcome drinks and dinner at Barcelona's legendary Velodrom cycle shop, getting to meet and compare notes with PNS folk from all corners of the world.

Day Two: Barcelona - Girona

Day Two brought the main event - a full day of riding as the core of this flying visit. Cycling from Barcelona to Girona with a 14km climb in the middle, up to Santa Fe 1300m above sea level.

A proper 160km day, riding with 50+ riders, with amazing views throughout the ride, and a great finish in Girona town. Definitely a serious cycling hotspot & Rowan could see why so many Pros choose to live there.

Day Three: Girona - Barcelona

Maximising his time in Girona, Rowan was able to sneak in a short climb out of the town pre-breakfast. A 10km climb straight out of the town onto quiet and winding roads was the perfect way to start the day.

Then it was time for the return leg from Girona to Barcelona along the coastal road, 130km of twisting and turning through little Spanish towns all the way back.

All in all it was a whirlwind visit, but one well worth making. We're no strangers to PNS gear, we ride it ourselves, but this was a fantastic chance to really put it through its paces with the actual designers and manufacturers right there on hand, along with a bunch of like-minded retail folk from around the globe.

Rowan is of course now even more of an expert on Pas Normal gear, so do pop into Gresham Street to check out the range in person and take advantage of our advice on fit and selecting the perfect combination.