For over a decade, Welsh artist David Gwyther has turned speed into art. His work under the Death Spray Custom name has appeared on some of motorsport's most recognisable machines - Ken Block's sideways Gymkhana cars, Peter Sagan's green jersey-winning Tour de France bikes, and Alpinestars' celebrated "Anatomy" racing suit that made every motorcyclist look twice.
Now that same eye for speed, colour and rebellious craftsmanship comes to his own cycling apparel collection.
From Rally Stages to Road Bikes
Death Spray Custom wasn't built for subtlety. The name represents an approach to design that refuses to take itself too seriously - using spray paint to create work around speed, danger, and things that go fast.
His breakthrough arrived through motorsport. Ken Block's Hoonigan Racing Division commissioned livery designs for their Ford Focus RS RX rallycross cars in 2017, leading to work across all five Gymkhana vehicles. Growing up watching rally stages across the UK gave Gwyther the foundation for understanding what makes motorsport visuals work.
The work expanded beyond four wheels. Cannondale Pro Cycling brought him in for their 2014 Tour de France campaign, where each rider received animal-themed SuperSix EVO bike designs. Peter Sagan's Wolverine graphics became part of cycling culture during his green jersey dominance.
Collaborations followed with 100% eyewear, Bell Helmets, and the striking Alpinestars "Anatomy" suit that reimagined motorcycle racing leathers.
The 1980s Blueprint
Death Spray Custom draws heavily from a specific moment in motorsport history. The decade from 1985 to 1995 saw racing transition from analogue to digital technology. Graphics emerged from early computers. Colour choices pushed boundaries. Safety requirements demanded high visibility. The combination created an accidental golden age of motorsport design.
That era's aesthetic wasn't about looking back nostalgically. It worked because necessity drove creativity. Sponsors needed their logos seen. Drivers required instant recognition. The result was bold, functional design that modern sports apparel often dilutes into blandness.
The jagged graphics, colour blocks, and visual energy from that period make things look quick even when stationary. It's the opposite of today's minimal, understated approach that dominates cycling kit design.
Working Class Roots
Death Spray Custom rejects the polished sheen of contemporary cycling brands. The aesthetic leans towards workwear and manufacturing - designs that prioritise function and don't apologise for being straightforward.
No elaborate brand stories about conquering mountains or poetic narratives about suffering. No carefully staged lifestyle photography. Just clothing designed to work properly, look right, and serve its purpose without pretence.
The collection partners with Verge Sport, a manufacturer with twenty years of custom cycling apparel expertise. Both share a philosophy around made-to-order production that eliminates waste, maintains quick turnaround, and focuses on proper fit rather than following trends.
What Cycling Kit Lost
Modern cycling apparel has become predictable. Most brands chase identical aesthetics - muted colours, minimal graphics, names that sound expensive. Everything designed to be tasteful and inoffensive. The result is monotonous.
Death Spray Custom offers an alternative. Graphics that make a statement without crossing into garishness. Colours drawn from motorsport without simply copying vintage designs. Kit for riders who understand that performance and personality can coexist.
The Alpinestars collaboration demonstrated this balance - maintaining full technical protection while making a clear visual statement. The cycling collection follows the same principle. Technical performance wrapped in graphics with actual purpose and history behind them.
Technical Foundation
The collection covers core cycling needs. Short sleeve jerseys use Revo fabric with race-oriented cuts and extended sleeve length. Long sleeve versions feature Ridge fabric engineered for stretch and movement. Bib shorts incorporate Panama fabric with redesigned chamois construction. Vests, arm warmers, neck warmers complete the range.
Details separate functional kit from marketing exercises. YKK zippers resist failure. Bonded waists eliminate bulk. Embossed leg bands provide grip without restricting circulation. Traditional stitching methods ensure durability. These aren't features to highlight in promotional copy - they're the differences between kit worn once and kit that becomes essential.
The made-to-order approach means avoiding off-the-rack sizing designed for imaginary average measurements. Each piece gets cut for specific dimensions, assembled on order, delivered within weeks. It's the custom process Verge Sport refined over two decades, now carrying Death Spray Custom's motorsport visual language.
For Specific Riders
This collection targets a particular audience. Riders wanting subtle and safe have hundreds of brands offering exactly that. But for those who grew up watching Group B rally cars slide through forests, who think modern cycling lost something in its shift towards minimalism, who believe kit should carry character - this delivers what's been missing.
Death Spray Custom built credibility over a decade. Ken Block commissioned designs for rally cars worth millions. Peter Sagan rode these graphics to Tour de France victories. Alpinestars trusted the vision for reimagining their racing suits. Bell Helmets and 100% eyewear sought collaborations.
That same approach now applies to cycling apparel. No compromises on technical performance. No apologies for bold aesthetics. Speed, colour, and Welsh craftsmanship that ignores current fashion.
The collection launches through Verge Sport's direct model. Made to order. Fast delivery. Built properly. What you'd expect from someone who spent a decade making fast things look their part.
Sometimes the best cycling kit doesn't whisper.
