V-Kit: Zwarte, Witte, Winter
When we designed the V-Kit in the winter of 2010, we thought we’d arrived at the ultimate Velominatus look. But, as it turns out, Spinal Tap Black isn’t for everyone. Apparently, not every climate is like that of the Pacific Northwest, where a heat advisory is issued when the mercury hits 30C (85F) and businesses close when it dips below 0C (32F). Evidently, some places get a touch warmer and colder than that.
Just like having a perfectly curated stable of bicycles ready for each and every possible weather condition, year-round Rule #9 Cycling Awesomeness requires the kit to support it. Which meant that we needed to expand our kit options. With each season comes a different array of requirements. With each climate comes a different set of boundary conditions. Each requires a different bit of kit, and all of it needs to be Rule compliant (though the very fact that any of this is being discussed begs the question whether Rule #5 isn’t being violated in heaps) not to mention that every bit should work in perfect harmony with every other bit.
It is with this objective in mind that we present you with three lines of Velominati V-Kit, Zwarte, Witte, and Winter. (I’m disappointed that Dutch doesn’t have a more exotic word for “Winter” than “Winter”. For the Love of Merckx, would it kill us to put a “V” in there somewhere?)
The obvious place to start is with the easy stuff. The first addition to the V-Kit family was the Long Sleeve V-Jersey, which was released earlier this year; a no-brainer, really. Next came the Obey the Rules Arm Warmers released in the Spring, an even less-brainer than the LS V-Jersey. Based on the realization that there is nothing more disappointing than covering up that beautiful V-Cog on your chest with a garish YJA when the weather turns unexpectedly nippy, we now have the V-Gillet; an uninsulated lightweight wind & waterproof vest that stuffs down for easy storage in your jersey pocket.
Then things got complicated, and leave it to KRX-10, our genius V-Designer, to ask distressing questions that reveal how poorly thought-out our concepts were. Why were we offering a second kit, aside from the obvious reason that the community is asking for it. What was the purpose of a white kit? Would it be a revision of the black, or is it an entirely new design? How would it relate to the overall identity of Velominati? How would it work with the existing V-Bibs? Would we make adjustments to the black V-Kit to better support the white? Would we add V-Bibs specifically designed for the white V-Jersey? Would we only offer them in defined configurations, or would we design it with the flexibility to mix and match? Finally – and perhaps most importantly, what would we call it?
Obviously, the answer to the above questions are somewhere between “9” and “yes”. An all-white V-Jersey is paired to all-black V-Bibs in what we are calling the Witte V-Kit. While the black Witte V-Bibs* are designed to go with the white Witte V-Jersey, they look smashing with the original (now re-named) Zwarte V-Jersey; the women have been rocking this combination all season with the Women’s V-Shorts. Conversely, the Witte V-Jersey looks dapper as fuck with the original Zwarte V-Bibs.
We leave you with the choice: Zwarte, Witte, Winter. However you choose, choose wisely and choose carefully. Place your order by midnight on September 15 for the next V-Kit shipment, scheduled to arrive in early November. If you have already ordered the V-Kit and would like to switch your order to the Witte Kit, please contact us.
*Please don’t attempt to distract us with the observation that “Witte” is the Dutch word for “White” and that the Witte V-Bibs are, in fact, black. They are named in parity with the intended full kit, not individually.
@All
You’re right, I’ve repented and thrown myself before the Merckxy Seat. I have plenty of cycling socks that I never wear because they suck. I’ve just been blinded by the need for V-Socks and lost sight of “you get what you pay for”. I guess it’s quality socks V-Socks of no V-Socks.
Cyclops – our lives are running parallel! Last week I was helping a friend install the cabinets he’d made at a house under construction. The tile guy had a few of those same bags lined up in the garage. Never have I been so excited over grout!
Must be the LOOKs we ride. Oh, and great work on the new gig. Shop discounts sound incredible.
Holy cannoli. Is this the Big & Tall V-Team? How many of you lads over 6’3″ and over? Goodness. At least I’ll have plenty of wheels to sit on during the inaugural Velominati Group Ride.
Gianni – Good eye, but I call baloney. We all know Frank was screwing around on vacation and dog sitting. That book is just a ploy to make his teachers happy as school starts. He ain’t been studyin’, he’s been dueling with volcanoes.
@Cyclops
Eh, who am I kidding – the only podium I step to is at our annual stockholder meeting, and the stockholders are more interested in looking at sales projections than BOA lacing systems, go figure. So by that pricing rationale, a carbon sole and cleat attachments run $200 when you look at the cost of the road shoe. huh.
Don’t get me started on gloves. Rapha Grand Tour gloves in white…..the Shit. Period. Style, form, and function meet, albeit at a hefty price tag that is worth every cent.
@sgt @VeloVita
No, no, no! Giordana Formared. Sleeker and more stylish than the Silverline.
@frank
What I prefer about the Formared over the Castelli is the more modest branding (along the outside of the hand””visible while riding, but not such a prominent part of the glove). Those Castellis do look sweet, though.
@RedRanger
Very valid point.
@frank
I stand corrected… those look first rate.
Nice togs, too.
@Ron
I’m still planning a ride to commemorate the WC in Solvang, CA (closest thing to Denmark this side of the pond) on Sept. 25. 100-120km, 2k climbing, on the best roads we have to offer. Who’s in?
@frank
Fuck yeah!
My next little project is a V-race number tag. Gotta make it Look Pro. A small piece of white plastic like you see on Pro Bikes, and yes, cognizant of Rule #75, it will only be worn when appropriate. Since I am not a racer, it will only go on for events. Nothing pisses me off more than to get some Merckx-awful cardboard number the organizers expect me to put on with garbage bage ties on my bars. No Fucking Way. Even worse is when they do this to my VMH, who rides a Cervelo with aero shaped tubes. Then push a plate a 100 miles? Bullshit.
So, the race number will be like those nice race ones, attached to the rear brake caliper. Where you usually see “Vittel” or the race sponsor on the tag? Yeah – mine will sport a Velominati decal. The number itself will be the removalable/changable vinyl decals.
Actually, someone wanting to make a lot of money could probably offer these to event organizers. I’ll pin a number on, but No Bullshit On My Bike.
@pakrat , @sgt
These are absolutely the tits.
@Steampunk
The Formareds do look nice. I may have to give them a go in white for next season. Honestly, the only gloves I’ve been really disappointed by are the, dare I say, Assos summer gloves (gasp!) Frank’s Castelli Aero’s look nice, but like Tim Krabbe, I love my wrists and wouldn’t want to cover them with aero cuffs
Ah ha ha…Krabbe does love his wrists! Finally finished that book, though I’ve read parts of it many, many times.
Ooh, a late September trip to CA. Hmm, might be awesome & I do have a brother who lives in that wacky state.
@Gianni
More significantly, did you see he snuck another of those fucking Adilettes into the frame again?
@Nate
Looks like Giro got those right in this iteration. The previous version (Giro Lusso) of the white gloves had black palms that stained your hands after a sweaty ride, not to mention what they did to white bar tape. I don’t know that I’d rock the beige with anything other than a wool jersey however.
@G’phant
Hey hey hey! At least he stands behind (and on top of, hur hur hur) the things he buys. Am yet to see any photos of your helmet mirror, Bretto has a camera don’t he?
@VeloVita
Yeah, best feature is having tan lines on the back of my hands again, just like I did as a kid when I first started riding and spent my allowance on a cheap pair of old skool gloves with cotton net backing.
@Nate
Sorry Dude… too much padding, and I hate the velcro straps. I like Frankie’s Aero gloves better, except for the wrist thing. And the Forma Reds look OK, but at twice the price of the Silverlines?
I don’t think so!
@Ron
C’mon out! The Santa Ynez Valley has some awesome riding!
Holy shit, Buck Laughlin was an outstanding character. Fred Willard is great. I saw “Waiting for Guffman” in high school and then proceeded to watch is dozens of times again.
Nice work, sgt! Alright, if I visit my brother sometime this fall I’ll try and arrange a visit. I have hopes we’ll have a strong network of Velominati spread out across the globe so that when each of us travels all we have to pack is pedals, helmet, and kit and we can get some riding in. That would be awesome. A global V-Team. As it is now we have Seattle, Idaho, western Canada, HI, NZ, eastern Oz…and more.
As for gloves, my favorite pair are some really slick rainbow crocheted ones from prendas. Not that well made, but they’re just for special days. Curious about the Giro The LX mitts, look great, have very similar ones (forget the maker) that have not held up well. I do have some PI mitts that are going on five years old and are in fantastic shape. Killed me to pay $45 for them (was only a nascent Follower) but they look brand new. That’s a strong statement for mitts.
@sgt
If your hands are so fussy about gloves, refer them to Rule V. BTW I really should get down your way some time to check things out.
@Ron
Where in Cali is your brother? In the Bay Area myself.
@frank
Having bought a bunch of different sets of gear through Champ-Sys, my take is that their bottom of the range (super cheap) stuff has a commensurate level of quality. In terms of socks, the cheapest ones were pox – the expensive ones have been pretty good.
You get what you pay for…
Fookin’ ride time.
@Steampunk
@frank
I was mostly referig to the gloves. If the socks aren’t Castelli I can live with that. But gloves should really be Castelli. I feel strongly that the cap should be as well but I can live with a non Castelli cap.
@Nate
I agree 100%
@RedRanger
Mixing and matching is, however, not necessarily un-Pro. The Pros are told what to ride, we have the luxury of picking and choosing the best of whats available in our price range.
@frank
I get a bit OCD about sets. It’s gets strange at times.
Your problem, not Franks? ;-)
@Oli
You are correct. Just admiting to it. Don’t want to come across as a kit snob. I am far from it.
I couldn’t come up with one fully matching kit if my life depended on it…but I’m a bit OCD in other regards, so I can fully relate.
@Oli, @RedRanger
Me too, diagnosed OCD. Occupational hazard, probably. And, I’m guessing that if you’re drawn to this site, many of you have a bit of it yourselves…
OCD, of course, doesn’t mean you’re detail-oriented or right or anything like that. I just means we’re a bit nuts.
@RedRanger
We should be happy with a non-Castelli cap. I have one, and I think it’s been discussed in these pages previously, but the Castelli caps are quite out of dish as the brim is too big. I.e. they are too much like Chiappucci’s ill-fitting lid, not enough like Big Mig’s impeccable style.
@Nate
Less padding = mo bettah… Rule V your own damn self ;-)
@Ron
You’d best bring a bike unless you want to ride my 8sp trainer.
@Nate
Again, I’ll point you to the Pro line. Castelli makes a cap which is complete shit. They also make a cap which is the cat’s cock. That is the one we would have made, but the V-Mom cap is looking more like the ticket at the moment.
I think that was a compliment: I ran into a guy at a restaurant last night that knew who I was but I did not know who he was. He started talking about my bike and winning the state championship and that he was going to get a racing license next year and somehow he knew that I had recently upgraded. Then he said he was talking to a female co-working about me and said that if I was standing in a line-up of cyclists that I would be the last one she would pick as a guy that lays down serious “V” (paraphrased by me, of course). I said because I’m kinda big? He said “No, you’re just so laid back but yeah, you don’t look like the typical hard core 140 pound road racer.”
@Cyclops
I think what he was saying is that you look too fat to climb but that you’re obviously just belly breathing.
Frank – what is the word on the skinsuit for cx racing? You getting one made? And are you racing this fall?
@Ron
They don’t have ‘cross racing in Sea-town. They think they do, but the only real ‘cross action is here in Stumptown. And Belgium.
This is how we roll ‘cross round here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tqWqVX46WU
And (this will probably get me a lifetime ban from VM for all the rule violations and just posting it):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0_GbPVkv9k
@frank
Is that supposed to be a link for the v mom cap? It’s not working.
@Hanneke
It’s funny how when you’re working on something letters and numbers stop looking like letters and numbers are start to just look like symbols. I was just walking by the grocery store and there was a girl outside popping those letters and numbers onto the big sign above the store, with the big long suction cup stick thing to put the letters/numbers up.
She stops me and asks, “Does the ‘4’ go that way?” and points up at the sign to where she had the number 4 pointing to the right instead of the left. My first thought was, “Are you illiterate?” but then I realized she’d just gotten to the point where none of what she was looking at looked like letters or numbers…all just squiggly lines.
Now I blame this condition, and not K-Dog, for my screwing up the word Zwarte.
@RedRanger
No links.
@scaler911
Oh scaler you ain’t seen nothin man. Ever been to Burning Man?
@pakrat
Yes I have. But figured that’s not really cycling related. Not that the Cross Crusade here is either.
@frank
Most excellent news.
Is this the shit Castelli cap?I was thinking about getting one in white and one in black since I’ve ordered the white kit. But if it sucks, I won’t get it.
@Jeff in PetroMetro
You should get this one:
I think it would pair well with faux bluejean bibs.
@Jeff in PetroMetro
I don’t know about that one. It looks a bit off. I am ashamed to admit I got the Tech one. It’s all wrong, as is clear from the photo. Haven’t recently found a cap better than the Campagnolo ones, but it wouldn’t be right to wear that one if’n you don’t run Campa.
@mcsqueak
No way he needs something like that in Tejas.
@frank
True that. Just got my Castelli Cervelo Test Team cap in the mail today. Nothing but the tits
@mrwiggs
@mcsqueak @Nate
In January and February. Maybe.
I whine like a spoiled brat when the temp gets under 10C.
Rule #9 is all about heat and humidity here. Heat index has been around 40C since I can’t remember when. It’s 5am right now and the heat index is 30C. The chickens are laying hard boiled eggs.
@scaler911
Please. Everyone. Enough with the Videos. Performance was cute. But these things you can’t un – see. When I’m a burnt out ex velominati living on the street, juggling unicycles and licking cycling caps for a buzz I’ll blame you, Scaler. I’ll blame you.
@Nate
The Campagnolo caps rock. But I am running Dura-Ace on my LOOK. What I really need is a LOOK cap. I can’t find one.
Here’s another Castelli cap. The color looks Dutch Monkey orange to me. But the bill still looks too long. And the price costs an arm and a leg.
@Jeff in PetroMetro
Rule V. Seriously, Dude. This is why you’re a broken nation.
Up here in the Great White North, we do summer at 40 with the humidex, and will get down to -20 come January. And I’ll ride. And I won’t go claiming Rule #9 every twenty minutes. I’ll just ride. I suspect Marko can relate…