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.
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View Comments
@Ron
I just scored an awesome side gig ala Velominatus Budgetatus - I whipped up a website for my LBS and I give them one weekly update for the paltry sum of $100 a month and all employee purchase benefits. Can you say "New S-Works White Princesses and Podium Shoes"?
@pakrat
Thanks, I'm definitely going with the XL - even if its a little snug at first it will be perfect when I peak in two months
@Cyclops
I didn't realise the podium shoes were available to the general public (or are they just available to state champions?)- I would totally rock the shit out of those at the office...
@mcsqueak
Keep in mind these bad ass threads don't show up overnight, so order early. Just placed the Witte jersey order meself.
On a related note, you definitely will get noticed while wearing your kit. Seems nearly everyone has visited the site these days. At a local TT this past weekend I had so many compliments on the jersey I stopped counting. Full disclosure: One dickhead says to me in a mocking tone in the start line "You can count my violations when I'm passing you." I didn't take the bait, but he didn't pass me either (not cuz I'm fast, I simply started four riders in front of him)!
@Ron
Ron, like I said last week, if you look in the right big mass-market stores, faux denim is cheap. The nasty part is free. Also, no sizing issues - one size fits all, whether or not it looks good!
@Minion
@pakrat
Hah, yeah... it'll be awesome to be passed while going up hills in the fancy-schmancy kit and be mocked for it at the same time. Oh well, there is no rule about having to "go fast", you just need to be able to suffer!
I'd love to order ASAP (and if I get this new job I will because it'll come with a nice raise), but I have some trips and car repairs (ugh) to pay for before summer is out so my fun money is spoken for at the moment. Sad face.
I'm definitely going to get the "traditional" bibs and jersey first, with arm-warmers and the gillet. But I'm thinking the white jersey would look pretty dope with the white side-panels of the original bibs as well.
@Cyclops
Ugh, I use to make websites for side money as well, but I can't stand working with the clients. "Change this, no change this... can't you just make it do this? That should be easy... just this one other LITTLE thing I forgot to mention..." and on and on. Bah! A bike shop site would be a good gig, though.
I think Custom DeFeet wool socks would be GREAT, but their minimum is 144 pairs. That is a lot of socks... they would probably get sold eventually, but that's a lot of money up-front for Frank and the crew.
I actually roll the Defeet Classico in Red/White. They actually match the kit pretty well even though they are red and not orange. Plus when at speed (which is easy to do when sporting the V kit for motivation) they look as if they are made for the kit.
@Hanneke
That's so annoying. And you're absolutely right. I blame KRX-10, who is not Dutch and doesn't insist on being so, for jokingly calling it Swarte because I was referring (also jokingly) to the white kit as the Witte Kitte. Swarte didn't look right but I figured I was wrong after typing Swarte into Google and not getting an alternative suggestion. Knowing K-Dog, he was probably deliberately trying to get under my skin by using the "dirty" Dutch (Afrikaans) and I was too dense to notice.
Says something about the state of your life when Google's suggestions are a more meaningful (and erroneous) barometer on spelling and grammar than is your education. Merckx, that's embarrassing.
Thanks for the correction - it's been updated.
@Cyclops
Have you ever worn good socks? Change your life. Shit socks? You'll get blisters and other things that we really don't need to be getting on top of all the other suffering we go through.
I'm waiting for samples from Champ-Sys, actually. They also now offer a cotton cap; although one of our community member's mother has sent me a home made cap which is the complete bomb-digity, which means we may be offering a hand-made cotton cycling cap. How cool is THAT?
The Champ-Sys shit has to be good enough to carry the V-Name. I've also implored Castelli one last time to go easy on the minimums, and am waiting on a response.
The items we'd like to add, Merckx-willing, are socks, gloves, and caps. Like I said, I'm waiting on Champ-Sys which have better numbers (both qty's and price) and if they are good enough to carry the V, we may see some more products showing up in the near future.
Cyclops: how bad can you screw up sock?
If your not careful saying crap like that you will be religated back to Cat5 shit zone. Thats a Rule of the peloton, everything matters...everything
have you ever worn a fine castelli sock that is made purposely to fit the mid-foot, with an Italian seamstress that has drank more wine and ate more cheese thinking of how to make a novel design for YOU? A sock with fabric that is purposed to make you 'not feel a thing' is right, then you compare that to others and you can see differences
Ok, try it, its usually a $10 bill
I prefer mine precisely 6" above the ankles in a Euro-pro-cool w/preferred racing stripes up the Achilles
wool in winter
thin goods in summer