Shutt Velo Rapide - Part 3 of the Photo Shoot Out

This all started with Shutt VR so it seems fitting to end with them.
I'll use my introduction from a previous post.

Founded in 2009 by two cyclists Alex Raistrick and Simon Warren, Shutt VR creates cycle clothing designed with the average rider in mind who doesn't want to be wearing garish colours and patterns that clash with their pretty standard black shorts. All the materials and construction are sourced in the UK and they use handmade merino sportwool. Comparisons will be made and I won't be the first or last, it kind of looks like Rapha but with some colour - infact with some bauhaus or 80's colour patterns, you know primary colour bars with grey and black backgrounds.

They kindly sent me the Signature Sportive and a Summer Club jersey in a purple colorway they are considering for 2011.

The Signature jersey really is beautiful, what a great design. First big difference here is the weight of the fabric, it's so light and uses a 48% merino wool, 52% polyester mix. Not only is it much thinner it is a more relaxed fit than a 'technical' racing jersey so it can seem kind of loose when worn. This translates into comfort in the heat though. This is the jersey that I did wear when the humidity and temps were close to a 100. I am sure the white contributed too. It felt great when it was baking outside.

Also I am not really into the white cycling kit thing, it just gets dirty and transparent, but I stole glances at myself in store windows as I rode past and it does look great on.






I am sure it's just an aesthetic thing. Shutt VR really does stand out from the crowd with a very individual use of colour and light backgrounds - their winter range now introduces grey and black base colours suitable for the manure slick roads of Yorkshire or the oil of Manhattan's streets.

Thanks to Peter and all at Shutt VR

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Rapha

How can this be a look at modern British cycling style without the phenomenon called Rapha.

It's hard to add anything to what you may already know about them, here is their introduction:

Rapha creates the finest cycling clothing and accessories in the world. Designed without compromise for the most discerning rider, Rapha products blend style with optimum performance. A passion for road racing means Rapha is more than just a product company. It is an online emporium of performance roadwear, accessories, publications and events, all celebrating the glory and suffering of road riding.

from www.rapha.cc

You may have guessed that I don't own any Assos kit, ok so one pair of yellow arm warmers, therefore no Rapha either. Out of my price range. But having experienced a Rapha jersey I have cause to re-evaluate that statement. It would be worth the money, there is a reason it costs so much.

I tried the British 'Country' jersey. What a great fit, it feels tailored even though I am not the ideal cyclists physique. Again the quality of the stitching and the seams is superb. The rear pockets include the reinforced valuables pocket and another gem sized perfectly to stop that mini pump rattling around on your back.

It's lighter weight than the Colomba, utilizing Sportwool of 40% merino and 60% polyester mix, and the full length zip, a personal preference, helps regulate temperature. It worked great in the Chicago heat. If anything it made me aware of how hot the back panel of my bib shorts got.

The British jersey is one of 4 country jerseys each referencing a nation of cycling die hards, the Belgians, the French, the British and the Italians. The British jersey having a nice sleeve and pocket detail featuring the British colours and the Union Jack. As a Welshman I have further reason to point out the lack of any reference to the Welsh but that isn't Rapha's fault, though maybe a green pinstripe somewhere eh.

Uncle Dave in Law also tried their iconic black 'Classic' jersey which meets all the same criteria as above. We also discovered their secret stories. Many Rapha items have hidden stories to tell, inside the rear pockets of the jerseys are their tales. Well worth searching for.






They are both beautiful jerseys to wear. Very stylish stuff.

Thanks to Slate at Rapha - go check out their ever expanding range here:
http://www.rapha.cc/shop


Giveaway details coming soon..

Colomba CC

I would love to say I discovered Colomba Cycle Company when......
....but infact I was told about them by someone in the industry and what a gift that was.

Colomba's inspiration comes from the classic jerseys of the golden era of cycling, the days of Coppi and Bartali.

Those vintage days of wool have become the days of Sportwool made of 52% Merino wool and 48% Polyester.

"In choosing Sportwool™ the new designs have been focused on the sacred trinity of comfort, performance and style to give maximum benefit on the bike but also satisfy the café stop culture rooted in cycling tradition."

from Colomba CC website.

The Peace Race and Tricolour jerseys visually capture the post war race aesthetic.
The photographs on the site pale in comparison to actually holding the jersey though.
I was really surprised by the fact that the Peace Race jerseys I received in the mail actually felt different to my other jerseys. Not just the wool as opposed to polyester but also the weight and the way the fabric fell as it was lifted.

It's beautifully made, the three main colours are three different fabrics, not printed graphics. The Colomba text logo is actually raised flock printing and the dove logo, which pays homage to Columbus tubing, is embroidered. The stitching is very small and even and the majority of the internal seams are flat stitched.

Three large back pockets are perfectly sized and included a wow moment when I realized that there is a fourth zipped pocket for keys or valuables which is lined with a tough and waterproof material.

I wore the jersey a few times in the middle of a 90+ degree humid Chicago summer and have to say it probably isn't intended for quite those temps as I certainly noticed it's extra weight. But it was all I needed to wear through sunrise and the rising temperatures. Definitely more of a Spring and Fall item for those riding in warmer climes than the UK.

I love wearing it.
If pulling on your team kit puts you in the mind set to race then wearing this makes me want to get out there and ride l'eroica.

Colomba's range of jerseys can be found here at their site and they do delivery internationally.

Thanks to Chris at Colomba Cycle Company, Dave Esmond photography, and to models Luke Seeman and Brian Morrissey of XXX Racing-Athletico

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Wheelmen and Co.

Not sure where I first saw this wonderful pint glass but it caught my eye and I clicked onward.

Great name, classic graphics, love it.

As they put it

Simply put, we are “Classic Tailoring: Modern Function”

Cycling has been in Wheelmen & Company’s blood dating back to the 1800's. The founders, Kevin and Bradford, come from a long line of avid cyclists. Kevin’s Great Grandfather, Charles E. Heydt, was the chairmen of the Greenwich Wheelmen bike club in the late 1800s. Concurrently in time, Bradford’s Great Grandfather, Thomas Kelly, was establishing himself as one of the first bicycle repairmen in Ireland and one of the first to own the now known as Penny-Farthing bicycle

There store has some fun items for the cycling aficionado and the cap and hat are just a great graphic that brings a smile every time I see it. Gotta love the pint glass and t-shirt.


Head on over to their site to find more and keep your eye on them.

Photo Shoot Out - an introduction.

Ok so here is a prelude to a little something that has been simmering since my summer in the UK.

Sometime ago I posted that I loved the distinctive design of the Shutt VR jerseys that I had spotted in the pages of Cycling Weekly. Peter, of said company, made me an offer too good to resist. It led to an idea one summer morning in the UK and I sent out a few feeler emails to other British jersey manufacturers and to my Uncle in Law and photographer extraordinaire, Dave. And so it began.

By mid August I was unwrapping the finest in British cycling jersey styling all of which used the most hallowed of cycling fabrics, Merino wool. And believe me nowhere in the USA is Merino more hallowed than in Chicago, especially if it's orange. This was actually my first exposure to Merino cycle clothing, mainly due to cost and a childhood fear of itchy wool against my skin. How wrong could I be?!

Merino: the name of a breed of sheep now mainly found in Australia and New Zealand, it's natural properties make it ideal for athletic wear. Here is a summary of what can be found on Wikipedia:
- it is an excellent wicking material that pulls moisture away from the skin
- it absorbs water when wet but actually retains it's heat
- it contains lanolin, a natural antibacterial agent
- it has some of the softest fibers of any wool
- and has the greatest warmth to weight ratio of all wools

Basically it keeps you cool when it's hot and warm when it's cold.

In the coming weeks I will be posting 3 articles consisting of review like comments and some glorious photographs. The two other manufacturers will be revealed in turn, all three are based in the UK, use Merino in their fabrics and each company captures classic cycling style in it's own distinctive way.

It was a pleasure to be able to do this and now to share the results here.

Oh and I am giving away 2 jerseys, very slightly worn it's true, they are review jerseys after all.
I'll divulge details of how to enter soon.

Cheers, Steve

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Kid riding to school

Chicagoland Bike Map

When my wife and I moved to Chicago 2 years ago I uncovered a copyof a great bike map, it showed the surrounding areas of the city and indicated bike paths or safer roads for miles around. Unfortunately it was quite a few years old and falling apart. I searched websites and ebay but found nothing similar, until now.

I popped in to Roscoe Village Bikes last week to buy a lock and their on the counter is the 5th Edition of Active Transportation's Chicagoland Bike Map. It's a great buy that I suggest all cyclists in Chicagoland buy now. Actually I wish I had known at the time that membership to Active Trans includes the map and costs only a little more.

The map covers something like 60 miles North and South and West of the city? So gives plenty of new options for longer rides. Now I love the map but there is one issue. At least for those that are colour blind. I cannot see the difference between the colour of the safest bike route and an interstate, thankfully they tend to have the interstate number on them. The yellow is pretty tough to see too. But we are a small portion of society and who knows what the alternative would be? Dashed lines maybe, a black and white background with colour for cycle routes only?

Don't let this put you off, get to your LBS and buy one today or go online and join Active Trans and get it there.

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Poka Cycle Accessories

Suzanne Carlsen, avid cyclist, jewelery maker and all around designer has turned her talents towards bicycles themselves. She creates

“interesting” bicycle accessories, sometimes feminine, sometimes humorous but always stylish and useful.

Poka’s Toronto studio produces unique custom and limited edition headbadges, chainguards and a small but growing selection of bicycle bags.

Particularly partial to a custom head badge myself.

Head over to her website here to see more: Poka Cycle Accessories.

Wales at the Commonwealth Games.

It's always hard to follow what goes on at the Commonwealth Games and then figure out what those results mean. It's a bit like the winners of the MLB season being the 'World' Champions.

But anything Welsh catches my attention so here is a piece about 18 year old Becky James from today's Guardian Newspaper:

"Abergavenny's James clocked 35.236 seconds in the women's 500metres time-trial to take bronze on her Games debut. Anna Meares of Australia successfully defended her title in the two-lap event in a Commonwealth record of 33.758secs, while her compatriot Kaarle McCulloch took silver in 34.780.

James told the BBC: "I can't explain how happy I am. I wasn't sure I would get a medal. A bronze in my first Commonwealth Games is unbelievable. The Aussie girls are always so strong and to be honest I didn't expect to beat them. But to come and get a bronze medal here I can't even put it into words – I'm so happy."

But that kit looks bloody awful! Come on Wales get it sorted - hell I'll do it for free.

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Prints Available

You can now buy prints of selected pieces of my work online at 'The Untapped Source'.

In this first release I have 5 pieces available:
'Kessler', 'Vanderkitten', 'Vande Velde', 'Haussler' and 'Gent Wevelgem'.

Keep an eye on the store for further additions and future Limited Editions.

Thanks for your interest, Steve.