July 17th, 2025 | by Keaton Smith and Quincey Cummings
The only true “roadie” among us at Bivo is Sam. He’s done all the classic roadie things. Shaved legs. Tall socks. White kit. Marginal gains. And honestly, we love teasing him for it!
While the rest of us might not be perfectly in the roadie camp, we have heard all of you roadies who have been asking–no, pleading!!--for an all white bottle to complement the other hilarious and amazing things that make you a roadie.
So, we’re overjoyed to introduce the first ever, limited edition Roadie White bottle. In two lightweight models (because, ya know, weight weenies!), these white bottles are meant to complement every other eccentricity that you and your roadie pals love.
But!! We wanted to top it all off by offering the Ultimate Roadie Bundle, featuring a pair of White Bivo bottles (because, obviously, matching bottles are a must!), a set of Qeja Race Day all-white cycling socks, two free white dirt caps, and free shipping on US orders.
White socks and white bottles go hand in hand on the bike, so to celebrate matching kits and the roadie world, we are featuring a story by one of the QEJA socks founders, Quincey Cummings!
The only true “roadie” among us at Bivo is Sam. He’s done all the classic roadie things. Shaved legs. Tall socks. White kit. Marginal gains. And honestly, we love teasing him for it!
While the rest of us might not be perfectly in the roadie camp, we have heard all of you roadies who have been asking–no, pleading!!--for an all white bottle to complement the other hilarious and amazing things that make you a roadie.
So, we’re overjoyed to introduce the first ever, limited edition Roadie White bottle. In two lightweight models (because, ya know, weight weenies!), these white bottles are meant to complement every other eccentricity that you and your roadie pals love.
But!! We wanted to top it all off by offering the Ultimate Roadie Bundle, featuring a pair of White Bivo bottles (because, obviously, matching bottles are a must!), a set of Qeja Race Day all-white cycling socks, two free white dirt caps, and free shipping on US orders.
White socks and white bottles go hand in hand on the bike, so to celebrate matching kits and the roadie world, we are featuring a story by one of the QEJA socks founders, Quincey Cummings!
Have you ever received socks as a gift? Of course you have. In our family, they’re practically a currency. We’ve always loved giving them—and getting them. Bike socks? Check. Running socks? Hiking? Skiing? Lounge-around-the-house socks? Check, check, and check again. But somewhere along the way, we started asking: why so many different types?
That question came up more times than we can count. And finally, someone said it out loud: “What if we tried to make the perfect sock?”
We laughed. Then our dad looked around the table and asked, “No seriously—why don’t we make that sock?” He wasn’t joking. And that’s how QEJA started.
Have you ever received socks as a gift? Of course you have. In our family, they’re practically a currency. We’ve always loved giving them—and getting them. Bike socks? Check. Running socks? Hiking? Skiing? Lounge-around-the-house socks? Check, check, and check again. But somewhere along the way, we started asking: why so many different types?
That question came up more times than we can count. And finally, someone said it out loud: “What if we tried to make the perfect sock?”
We laughed. Then our dad looked around the table and asked, “No seriously—why don’t we make that sock?” He wasn’t joking. And that’s how QEJA started.
The idea was born during what we call a “COVID Christmas”—a month of isolating as a family at home in Park City, Utah, during the 2020 holidays. There were ten of us in the house: four married couples, a high school senior, and a toddler. We’d already exchanged socks as gifts (again), and someone voiced what we’d all been thinking for years: “Why can’t we just have one sock to rule them all?”
We had no experience in textiles or apparel, but our crew had a surprising range of skills. Our dad had decades of experience in overseas manufacturing and logistics. One of us had a master’s in industrial design. Another pair ran a marine services company with years spent in customer service roles. A soon-to-be grad had digital marketing chops. It was a bit of a long shot—but also maybe just the right amount of crazy to work.
We knew this from the start: if we were going to make socks, we had to do it with as little environmental impact as possible. The textile industry is notoriously extractive. So we set out to build something better.
The idea was born during what we call a “COVID Christmas”—a month of isolating as a family at home in Park City, Utah, during the 2020 holidays. There were ten of us in the house: four married couples, a high school senior, and a toddler. We’d already exchanged socks as gifts (again), and someone voiced what we’d all been thinking for years: “Why can’t we just have one sock to rule them all?”
We had no experience in textiles or apparel, but our crew had a surprising range of skills. Our dad had decades of experience in overseas manufacturing and logistics. One of us had a master’s in industrial design. Another pair ran a marine services company with years spent in customer service roles. A soon-to-be grad had digital marketing chops. It was a bit of a long shot—but also maybe just the right amount of crazy to work.
We knew this from the start: if we were going to make socks, we had to do it with as little environmental impact as possible. The textile industry is notoriously extractive. So we set out to build something better.
We found a textile consultant in North Carolina and explained what we wanted. “So, something like a fine Italian dress sock you could ride a century in?” he asked. Yes—exactly that.
Soon we were talking with a factory outside of Milan. After several rounds of samples and testing, we landed on a thin sock made from recycled nylon and polyester in high-friction zones, and soft organic cotton where comfort matters most. The blend was breathable, durable, and—most importantly—versatile. A sock you could wear on the bike, on a hike, or to dinner. Mission accomplished, at least in concept.
But we weren’t just thinking about the sock—we were thinking about everything. Packaging. Shipping. End-of-life. The factory was surprised when we refused individual plastic bags for every pair. “Won’t they get damaged?” they asked. We took the risk. Tens of thousands of socks later, we’ve only seen two or three pairs arrive unsellable. That extra plastic? Totally unnecessary.
We also ship by sea whenever we can, reducing emissions. We’re proud members of 1% for the Planet and certified by the Change Climate Project for reducing and offsetting our carbon footprint. We even registered as a Utah Benefit Corporation to bake the triple bottom line—People, Planet, Profit—into our legal DNA.
It’s not perfect. But it’s progress.
We found a textile consultant in North Carolina and explained what we wanted. “So, something like a fine Italian dress sock you could ride a century in?” he asked. Yes—exactly that.
Soon we were talking with a factory outside of Milan. After several rounds of samples and testing, we landed on a thin sock made from recycled nylon and polyester in high-friction zones, and soft organic cotton where comfort matters most. The blend was breathable, durable, and—most importantly—versatile. A sock you could wear on the bike, on a hike, or to dinner. Mission accomplished, at least in concept.
But we weren’t just thinking about the sock—we were thinking about everything. Packaging. Shipping. End-of-life. The factory was surprised when we refused individual plastic bags for every pair. “Won’t they get damaged?” they asked. We took the risk. Tens of thousands of socks later, we’ve only seen two or three pairs arrive unsellable. That extra plastic? Totally unnecessary.
We also ship by sea whenever we can, reducing emissions. We’re proud members of 1% for the Planet and certified by the Change Climate Project for reducing and offsetting our carbon footprint. We even registered as a Utah Benefit Corporation to bake the triple bottom line—People, Planet, Profit—into our legal DNA.
It’s not perfect. But it’s progress.
So, we had a great product and a clear mission. The next part should be easy, right?
Not even close.
We launched in 2021, got our first inventory in 2022, and focused on e-commerce from the start. Many of us live semi-nomadic lives, and we wanted a business that could travel with us. But online sales have proven more difficult (and more expensive) than we imagined. You’re not just competing with other sock brands—you’re competing with everything. The algorithm isn’t waiting for someone to type “perfect sock.” It’s busy convincing us we need an air fryer or a new skincare routine–in the next four seconds.
Retail? That was always part of the plan, too. But in a post-pandemic world, many stores were overstocked and cautious. Doors were harder to open than we expected.
So we tried a third route: meet people where they are. Literally. We packed our van with socks and hit the road, showing up at cycling and running events across the Western U.S., and that’s where we found our people. Athletes love our socks. Event participants try them, wear them, and become loyal customers.
We’re still in the early chapters, but we’re gaining momentum. The product works. Our values are strong. And the people who wear QEJA get it.
So, we had a great product and a clear mission. The next part should be easy, right?
Not even close.
We launched in 2021, got our first inventory in 2022, and focused on e-commerce from the start. Many of us live semi-nomadic lives, and we wanted a business that could travel with us. But online sales have proven more difficult (and more expensive) than we imagined. You’re not just competing with other sock brands—you’re competing with everything. The algorithm isn’t waiting for someone to type “perfect sock.” It’s busy convincing us we need an air fryer or a new skincare routine–in the next four seconds.
Retail? That was always part of the plan, too. But in a post-pandemic world, many stores were overstocked and cautious. Doors were harder to open than we expected.
So we tried a third route: meet people where they are. Literally. We packed our van with socks and hit the road, showing up at cycling and running events across the Western U.S., and that’s where we found our people. Athletes love our socks. Event participants try them, wear them, and become loyal customers.
We’re still in the early chapters, but we’re gaining momentum. The product works. Our values are strong. And the people who wear QEJA get it.
Featuring two white, lightweight bottles, two free white dirt caps, and a pair of white Qeja socks.
Featuring two white, lightweight bottles, two free white dirt caps, and a pair of white Qeja socks.
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