Categories: Accessories and GearEtiquetteLa Vie VelominatusLook ProMusings from the V-BunkerThe Rules

The Nine Kit

Misty Mountain Hop

Riding in bad weather is an incredible experience assuming you don’t fall off and break your hip, or you don’t get hit by a car. Those realities aside, the weather adds a dimension to the ride that you simply don’t have on a sunny day, lovely as they are. The other day I was riding early on a cool morning with a light mist. The humidity in the air seemed to dampen the sounds of the city a bit, and the warm moist air wrapped about me like a cloak. At sea level, it was raining, but the clouds were low enough that as I climbed up away from the coast, I rose out of the rain and into the clouds which seemed to cling to the treetops as they clawed their way along the hillside. The early rays of the sun were trying to penetrate the clouds, and in some spots where the could cover was thinner, the rays burst forth with stunning clarity.

I was in another world entirely.

I keep wearing my S-Works Evade helmet when the weather gets bad outside. And every time, it’s a fresh disappointment that I don’t look like Boonen or Lizzie, who both look amazing in that festering turd of a helmet. But I don’t. I blame my grapefruit-shaped head and the vaguely bewildered look on my face. I’ve thought about ways to make my head look less like a fruit of a popular primary color, but everything I try leaves me with this same stupid round head. If you can’t choose your parents, you should at least be allowed to choose your face; it seems like a basic humanitarian issue.

Ugly as it is, however, it is very warm and keeps the wind off my wet, flowing locks, and it also has enough surface area that I have added various strips of black reflective tape to help make me more visible in order to satisfy to my lingering desire not to end up on a texting-driver’s bumper. (I’ve also covered bits of my Nine Bike with the same tape, and it is awesome.) The Castelli Gabba jersey is the go-to wet weather riding jersey, also with some reflective materials on it, and in Spinal Tap Black it matches the V-Bibs perfectly. This is a jersey that will make even the most stubborn fair-weather rider get excited about rain.

Finally, I’ve been wearing DeFeet’s orange Cyclismo socks in bad weather along with the Orange Damsels, but with the mercury dropping, I’m going to switch over to the orange Slipstreams to keep my feet toasty in the coming cool rain. And, I’m considering designing an all-orange V-Jersey. You heard me.

There is a fine line between being safely visible and looking like a bicycling traffic cone, but the best rides are the rides we come home from. Indulge in the magic that only a Rule #9 ride can bring you, but make sure you stay safe, and keep your Nine Kit in good taste.

Vive la Vie Velominatus.

frank

The founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking. As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen. Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.

Next Velominati Super Prestige: Chrono des Nations Les Femmes 2015 »

Previous « V Point V Magnitude Awesome

View Comments

frank says:

Oct 21 2015 at 2:00 pm

@PeakInTwoYears

@nobby

Merckx damn it!! My VKit arrived this evening!! Can’t wait to try it out. I feel the mighty power of the V coursing through my veins!!

WHUT??

Please tell me this was part of the recent pre-order. I thought I had another two weeks to wait, at least.

Do you check your email? Or our Facebook? We emailed everyone and posted that we're waaaaaaaay ahead of schedule. You being in the US and far from Europe, I expect you will be waiting another week or two for the postal gnomes to do their work...

@nobby

@PeakInTwoYears

Oh yes my friend. 2 pieces of black and orange awesomeness!!!

Stoked!
PeakInTwoYears says:

Oct 21 2015 at 2:13 pm

@frank

Do you check your email? Or our Facebook? We emailed everyone and posted that we’re waaaaaaaay ahead of schedule. You being in the US and far from Europe, I expect you will be waiting another week or two for the postal gnomes to do their work…

I did read the email, which is why I was surprised that the pre-order stuff is already coming in because the email said I still had 2-3 weeks to wait. If I have to wait another two weeks, that's only what I was expecting. Besides, I just got a month's worth of freelance work thrown at me, so I'll have fairly limited riding time for a while.

Very excited to get the new kit, though! Especially looking forward to having the gilet for later in the fall/winter.
JonnyG says:

Oct 21 2015 at 2:21 pm

Im guessing the parcel that royal mail tried to deliver today when I was at work is my V kit then.

The day after I got the all clear to get back on my bike after my triple hand fracture.

It's clearly a sign.
wilburrox says:

Oct 21 2015 at 7:34 pm

@Sparty

That's a gorgeous snapshot and hard to believe that scenery made for a chilling and sketchy ride. Just looks too nice. Cheers
Sparty says:

Oct 22 2015 at 2:10 pm

@wilburrox

The weather was deceptive that day. Hence our under-prepared or ill chosen kits. Not one of us in the bunch had a rain cape. Brisk, but dry for the start. A few light drops of rain. Then all of hell broke loose - sleet and sideways rain. An hour later the sun broke through for 15 minutes only to be dismissed by another squall of sleet and pelting rain for the remainder of the ride. I won't be so ill prepared this weekend.
Ron says:

Oct 23 2015 at 11:07 am

@frank

@scaler911

Fall is officially here in the PNW, but you wouldn’t know it. It was 25.5 here FFS. Not that any of that should matter to me at all, I haven’t swung a leg over the TT in far too long. Missed you fuckers…… I’m back.

FFS. I’ve had three rides since coming back from South Africa after starting a new job. Cogal Saturday will get the engine humming again, I’m hoping. It’s always tough getting back into it.

Wait, I didn't know this! I just finished my first year at a new job. Besides a true 9-5, finally putting in the finishing work to get my arse out of grad school has seriously fucked up my long road riding. If it weren't for the fact that I commute 5 days a week and ride on Sundays too, I'd be mailing my V jersey back and getting read to hit mid-life blimping. But fuck it, soon enough I'll just have a 9-5. And, I also ride right past the cross training park on my way to the office, so I can cx train any morning or evening I want.
Ron says:

Oct 23 2015 at 11:17 am

Thanks for all the suggestions on knee warmers for wet/cold. Looks like I'll just be sticking with my wool ones, if someone from the PNW is saying go with those. Good, I can put that money towards the Lezyne lights. Love the idea of a light on the fork, coupled with a light on the bars.

Fitting fenders to the SS commuter tonight. I see tight clearances and many cuss words.