Gonso cycling wear and the SQlab GO pad explained

In 1926 Johannes Gonser opened a small sewing workshop in Onstmettingen, a village on the Swabian Alb. What began as a regional textile manufacturer grew over generations into one of Europe's best-known cycling brands. The name GONSO is no accident: it combines the family name Gonser with the founding village of Onstmettingen.

The decisive move into cycling came from Hans Gonser in the early 1980s. He focused production squarely on cycling clothing and set a milestone that still shapes the market: Gonso is regarded as the inventor of the first synthetically padded cycling shorts in Germany. Buy a pair of padded shorts today and you are using an idea that started in Onstmettingen.

Since the Spring/Summer 2025 collection, Gonso has been presenting itself with a new logo and an evolved look and feel. The core of the brand stayed the same. The communication got sharper. The new claim “Feel good, ride better” makes the promise behind it obvious at a glance: this is about the riding sensation that good clothing creates, not about the loudest performance rhetoric.

The brand's own standard reads: cycling clothing with a perfect fit for every body and every riding style, free of anything that is not essential. That is deliberately not a pure road-racing approach. Gonso designs for touring riders, ambitious leisure cyclists and everyone who rides daily. Feel comfortable on the bike and you ride better. That is the idea.

In practice that means a design language that is clean and timeless. No overloaded graphics, no neon that looks dated after one season. The collection works with a colour range moving between earthy tones and fresh accents, easy to combine and built for regular rides rather than a one-off show effect at a trade fair.

The SQlab GO series comes out of a partnership between two specialists: Gonso contributes the cut expertise for cycling shorts, SQlab the ergonomic pad development. SQlab is best known for its saddles, handlebars and ergonomics products. The collaboration moves that expertise straight into the chamois.

The result is a pad that measures just 6 mm yet brings something ordinary foam pads do not: a thin layer of orthopaedic TPE gel on the underside. TPE gel was originally developed for medical use and has one decisive ability, absorbing shear forces. According to SQlab, shear forces are the primary cause of pain on the bike: the lateral friction around the sit bones that builds up while pedalling, rather than pressure load alone.

The SQlab GO Bib Cargo is a highlight of the series because it solves several needs at once: long-distance comfort, storage and a secure fit.

The fabric (80 % polyamide, 20 % elastane) is light, stretchy and sits very close to the body. Average weight is 230 g. The cut is a tight fit: snug, moving with you, never conspicuous. The mesh panel across the back of the bib straps ventilates exactly where bib shorts tend to become a problem in the heat.

The side thigh pockets make this model more usable day to day than classic bib shorts. Phone, energy bar, keys or gels stay within reach and stay put. That takes pressure off your jersey pockets on tour, which helps on anything from a gravel loop to a long day ride.

The grippy leg band holds the shorts in position without digging in. Combined with the wide, soft strap system, the comfort holds up after several hours in the saddle. The pad works in both the men's and the women's model. Gonso and SQlab adapted each one anatomically.

The Road Jersey is Gonso's answer to a simple question: what should a jersey look like if it never draws attention on the bike but reliably works? The answer is slim, technical and stripped back to the essentials: a dependable companion for regular rides rather than an over-designed statement piece.

The fabric: 84 % polyester, 16 % elastane. Breathable, quick-drying, with plenty of stretch. The usual requirements, well met. The slim fit keeps the jersey close to the body, aerodynamic enough for a fast ride without feeling restrictive. A full-length front zip lets you dial in ventilation, and the three rear pockets carry enough for long rides.

What separates the Road Jersey from the road jerseys of classic racing brands is the design promise: timeless rather than seasonal. Gonso skips loud prints and rotating graphics. The SS 2025 palette sticks to solid, combinable tones that still look right several seasons on.