UK-based cycling apparel brand Kostüme has announced an official partnership with endurance athlete Sarah Ruggins for her upcoming attempt to set the fastest solo cycle across Europe.
Starting on June 5, 2026, Sarah Ruggins will attempt to break the current outright record of 16 days, 20 hours and 59 minutes. The route covers more than 6,000km from Tarifa, Spain, to Nordkapp, Norway, involving 35,000m of climbing across nine countries.
The challenge, titled One Way North (OWN2026), sees the endurance athlete cycling up to 22 hours per day in temperatures ranging from -10°C to +35°C.
Sarah Ruggins previously set the overall world record for the fastest return cycle from John O’Groats to Land’s End and back in May 2025. She completed the 2,700km route in 5 days, 11 hours, and 14 minutes, surpassing the previous men’s record by nearly seven hours.
Based in Bristol, UK, Kostüme is a brand that specialises on a ‘demand-validated manufacturing model’. It produces technical cycling apparel via limited-edition, preorder-only batches to eliminate waste that may be caused by overproduction and overstock.
Sarah Ruggins will use Kostüme’s award-winning bib shorts, which feature a women-specific four-layer memory foam chamois designed for multi-day ultra-distance cycling.
Sarah Ruggins said “I’ll be wearing Kostüme for my next world record attempt because of its exceptional craftsmanship from head to toe, anchored by a technically engineered women-specific chamois that measurably improves saddle comfort on my longest days. Their unique approach to apparel – sustainably producing high-performance kit for all body shapes and genders without reducing inclusivity to a slogan – also mirrors my team’s commitment to inspiring everyone to go further and faster.”
Ed Bartlett, Founder of Kostüme, said “Sarah’s approach to performance – and her values – perfectly mirrors our own. In endurance sport, comfort isn’t a luxury, it’s a fundamental basis of success. When someone is riding 22 hours a day, even the slightest distraction or discomfort can undermine both psychological stamina and physical performance.”
Sarah Ruggins’ athletic career was previously interrupted by a rare neurological disease that required years of physical rehabilitation. Her return to elite sport is now being undertaken in support of World Bicycle Relief, a non-profit organisation that uses the power of bicycles to aid mobility.
According to Kostüme, its latest partnership aims to prove that high performance and sustainability are not mutually exclusive. By manufacturing only what has been sold, Kostüme is able to invest in higher product specifications while reducing waste.
www.kostume.cc
www.own2026.com
