It has been a busy couple of weeks in the Velominati Boardroom as we’ve been scrambling to finalize a few partnerships and get all the products for the Keepers Tour customers designed and produced. Suffice to say, fists and beers were slammed in tandem as we feverishly worked out the final designs.
Producing V-Pints, V-Shirts, and V-Musettes seems a simple enough task; and we also needed a flag and banner to fly at the roadside of the various races we are due to watch from the roadside, including de Ronde van Vlaanderen and Paris-Roubaix. There was also a the small matter of getting our hands on musette bags, which aren’t commonly found on the market, as far as we could tell. Fair heart, never worry; Gianni and his VMH took matters into their own hands and made them up from scratch. If their other business ventures fail, musette-sewing may be a good fallback, they Look Fantastic.
The most significant effort due was for the Keepers Tour Cobbled Classics 2012 design; enter our graphic-design mastermind, KRX-10. We tossed a few emails across the net and settled quickly on the notion of using a variation of the Lion of Flanders. “Now we need a public-domain vector graphic. Race you to it”, was the last word from KRX10 on the matter before the design was finalized. Then it was on to deciding on a tag line, with the result being perhaps the best example of what happens when the Keepers argue long enough on such matters.
With that, we proudly present the official artwork for Keepers Tour: Cobbled Classics 2012:
The last two weeks I’ve felt like a kid waiting for Christmas as orders were placed and we entered into the torturous period of time while we waited to lay our hands on the final products and see the fruits of our labor. And I have to say, this round may have produced our finest products yet; the V-Lion and tagline turned out magnificently, as did all the other items. The flag and banner are actually breathtaking – waving in the wind. We hope you like it as much as we do.
A few items of note: Attendees of Keepers Tour will receive a musette packed with their V-Shirt and V-Pint along with a few lovies from our sponsors, and will also have the honor of commenting for the next year with the V-Lion badge. Also of note is the matter that these products are not available for sale and will never be; the only way to get Keepers Tour products is to attend a Keepers Tour, so bear that in mind next time around. Finally, if you’re looking for a real photo of the V-Pint, you’ll have to wait until we arrive in Belgium, as they were shipped ahead while I was away on business and as such they have not yet been seen by anyone, even me.
Please also get yourself acquainted with our Twitter and Tumblr sites if you’ve not done so already – we’ll be reserving the site for major updates, and will be posting minor updates in those to locations throughout our trip, with Twitter being used for small updates, and Tumblr for the ones that are too much for a tweet and too little for the V.
VLVV.
[dmalbum path=”/velominati.com/content/Photo Galleries/frank@velominati.com/Keepers Tour CC2012/”/]
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View Comments
@Dr C
That yotty footage is mental. Thanks.
@Bill
@Skip
last days the weather was good, generally it is chilly in the morning and it cools down quickly in the evening. Past Saturday, it was quite cold in the morning, so had my arm and leg warmers on. later the day, I took leg warmers off. Sunday I rode E3-Prijs, it was foggy all morning, IMO even cold (however, I am a bit of a Rujano type - small and skinny). I arrived home and then the sun was out of course...
Next Saturday 10°C, strong nordwind, drizzle. but this time of the year, the weather is very unpredictable. so I would take my arm and leg warmers, maybe a long sleave jersey, rain jacket, maybe some overshoes or Belgian Booties.
Alright then peeps - I've started working on the other Keepers about the next V-kit iteration being something of a throw-back design. Not necessarily wool - modern materials, same as we're doing - but a throwback/tricolore pattern. The witte kit is a step in that direction from swarte but it could go much further. Who's with me?
@marko
Pre-order and yes.
@Vin'cenza
What he said
@marko
I'm torn. I have grand plans to keep buying a piece or two of kit until I have everything. I've got a witte kit, but I don't have any of the original awesomeness. Of course, if the new design is Fantastic, I'm in for one. (Eventually.)
These guys do bags. I have ordered custom kits from them and they have been great. http://tineli.com/custom-design-clothing/product-details.php?pid=615
My goal for the Keepers Tour is that people will suspect that I'm doping.
"He must be doping. There's no way he could ride that well without it!"
@Chris
Hi, yes it is in London (south) - whereabouts is your office ?
Ping me on ohearnc at gmail if you like.
It's not so much the ride I'm thinking of, but having something warm to wear off the bike or while we watch the Ronde if it is raining/cold.
And anyone who wants to quote Rule 5 or Rule 9 at me is cordially invited to come for a 120km ride in Abu Dhabi in July/August (and Ramadan).
I'll offer free accommodation, as I will be able to recover any costs by selling your bike and kit after you are left in a melted pool by the side of the road.
@marko
Something like this: