V-Announcements: VLVV Product Line and Long-Awaited V-Casquettes
Whenever I drive somewhere in my car, I find myself wondering what the road would feel like from a bike. Driving in a car feels like cheating, especially on a windy day; roads are gobbled up at constant speeds irrespective of the conditions. On a bicycle, you learn what it costs to move up a gradient or ride into a gale.
I slip down into the basement a few times a day to admire my bikes. It is not unusual for me to pull one down from the wall and sit on it and imagine I might be riding it. If I change a component, I’ll bring the bike upstairs for a few days so I can gaze at it and evaluate how amazing it looks. I changed the bar tape from white to black on my #1 once, just to try my hand at what it would feel like to ride with black bar tape. When I changed it back to white a few days later, I felt a visceral sense of relief.
This is more than just being a Cyclist; this is the life of a Cycling Disciple – La Vie Velominatus. It isn’t our sport or hobby; this is our way of life. Everything we do revolves around the bike, whether we happen to be riding or not.
We have long had a Rules-Centric V-Kit available, and today I am delighted to announce a new product line centered not around The Rules, but around La Vie Velominatus. The design concept is simple: a clean design with a nod to the most iconic kit design ever, La Vie Claire. A full V-Kit line including a Witte (white) and Zwarte (black) jersey, a Witte Long-Sleeve jersey and gilet, Zwarte bibshorts, Zwarte Women’s bibs and shorts, and a new V-Shirt.
In parallel to this, I am over the moon to announce that we finally have V-Casquettes coming; one to match each style of kit. They are handmade in Italy by Apis, the premier cap manufacturer in the world and who make the caps for Omega-Pharma Quickstep among others.
The V-Kit Pre-Order window is open as of today and will be closing on January 1 at which time the order will be sent to manufacturing. (Orders may be modified or cancelled any time before January 1 at which time everything will be finalized for manufacturing.) The expected ship date is mid to late February. Please note that orders are shipped in the order they are received.
The Casquettes will be arriving at Velominati Headquarters in the next two weeks or so, depending on whether the troubles in Europe are impacting shipping schedules. Orders will be shipped as quickly as possible once they arrive, but we are not able to guarantee that Casquette orders will be arriving in time for Christmas (although we will do our best). The VLVV V-Shirt is available to ship as of now.
All products are available at The Gear. Please let us know if you have questions or if you are having trouble placing an order.
VLVV.
@Ventorum
I’d imagine that unless they sought permission that The Keepers would issue a Cease and Desist notice. I’d also think that it was a pretty inane thing for anyone to do to try to ride off someone else’s efforts. This being the polite response.
@Ventorum
Give them a lesson on spelling.
Oooh nice,especially the black.
Might have to wait until the new year though as funds are a bit tight after doing up the Graham Weigh and just bought some of the new club kit as well.
@RobSandy
Silly me, looks like it’s me who needed a 4th grade spelling lesson :)
They are locally based and I don’t think they knew the grandness that is Velominati. I think I’ll just contact the admin and give them a heads up :)
Ah, caps!!! Awesome.
I rarely find myself trapped in an automobile, but yesterday I spent 10 hours traveling back from a T-Day visit to the parents. I spent most of it looking out the window at the various farm lanes and country roads running alongside the highway, wishing I were riding a bicycle.
Doesn’t help that we also pass through the Blue Ridge Parkway, which I have yet to ride. I was thankfully a little less envious of it, as the fog was extremely heavy.
@Ventorum
It’s hard to believe they’d accidentally make up the same word we did? Definitely not OK to take the name, but also it’s always flattering to be imitated.
We actually already have a pilot racing team in Portland, OR – the kit is very similar to the classic V-Kit. If they are genuinely interested in racing under that name, the vision for the team is to extend the clubs across the world; we would define the kit design and manufacturer, and the sponsor’s logos are placed on the jersey.
@bea
You appear to be right; the Women’s bibs are already on the move.
@JohnB well as a general rule it treats any site with a .cc suffix the same, seeing as the majority of those are cycling sites, I’m pretty sure it’s just a productivity measure to ensure I don’t get too distracted.
@Mikael Liddy
Bastards!
@frank
The flattery would be greater if their site wasn’t one giant morass of rule fails…
@chris
Yeech – I hope the poor bugger finds a treatment for the last one, that looks close on being terminal.
@chris
The bottom pic makes me afraid for the future of the planet as a whole.
Only a matter of time before the Oxford Dictionaries adds ‘ Rule #5 ‘ as a entry.
Isn’t that last pic from the new Star Wars movie? one of the furry characters beloved by Lucas?
@Simon Bishop
Socks? Don’t talk to me about socks… Frank knows all about socks don’t you Frank? ;-)
That’s the newly discovered Reverse Wookie. It only shaves his guns where the socks make contact.
The socks were lowered for effect, and this is the ONLY known photo to exist of his species.
Rumor has it she was shot shortly after and buried in the wilderness of Northern Georgia.
@frank
Of course I’m always right, but man, it’s good to be really right sometimes… ;)
I hope they keep moving!
When a practitioner of yoga finishes a session, they press the palms together, close the eyes, and say “Namaste.”
How is one to finish a ride? I tried today. I stopped and reverently uttered, “Vive la vie Velominatus.”
But should I be on the bike or beside it? Eyes open or closed? Looking to the sky or toward terra firma? Any advice, @frank?
@G’rilla
If we’re aligning it with the theory behind the yoga gesture, I would suggest stood facing the bike directing your gesture towards it in a show of thanks.
@G’rilla
Stand beside it as an equal, holding it with one hand as you touch your sternum with eyes closed. You may follow your instinct as to whether you should face toward the sky into which many of our heroes have ridden, or toward the ground beneath our feet upon which they rode into legend.
@frank
Or a slow nod to cover both bases, whilst wispering a long ” YYYeeeeeessssssssss “
@frank
I would suggest facing in the direction of Mt Velomis would be appropriate as well.
@G’rilla
Head bowed, down on one knee with on hand on the tops and one on the saddle (with the drive side facing you of course) whilst silently thanking the bike for putting up with the fact that your guns will never truly do justice to its grace, beauty and potential to be ridden fast.
Frank, those new black VLVV tees are pretty damn fine; any chance of a long-sleeved version coming out? They’d be perfect for the winter months.
The caps are here, and this is the most beautiful model I had available to me. Three Point System demonstrated admirably for a creature with big floppy ears and no clue what a Cycling Cap is.
She couldn’t sit still enough to model the Classic Cascquettes, but they are equally awesome.
@frank
That young lad is in desperate need of some Rule #33 enlightenment
Good luck with that one @frank
Caps, by the way, are on the list.
Great job, black for mine though.
The first ride in the sacred V Jersey is imminent. It’s also the last ride of a hard training block, before a decent rest for the first time in months. This is going to hurt. In a good way.
The samples of the VLVV kit are in and boy oh boy do they look great!
@pistard
Wasn’t Frank born on Mount Velomis in the same way Kim Jong Il was born on Mount Paekdu?
Goddamnit! Why did you have to do an awesome redesign of the kit? I haven’t budgeted for this! Looks like the baby coming during Giro Month will have to sleep on the sofa, crib $ is going towards jersey, bibs, and gilet.
That’s the christmas money (& more) spent. VLVV kit & casquettes ordered.
The current CAD to USD exchange rate has me holding off (40% premium just to look fantastic) and feeling like the hesitant favourites that let Terpstra ride away to glory in the 2014 Paris Roubaix.
Any idea when the next order window is gonna open up? I’ve cut the kids allowances in preparation.
We’ll open it up just as soon as the last one gets delivered…which should be any day now. Thanks!
@frank
Does that mean the V-Kit is being shipped at the moment?
Had an email not too long ago that said shipping would be around the start of April due to the extension of the ordering window into January. Think the original cutoff date was December 28th.
@Teocalli
Doh – I didn’t read that correctly. Couldn’t find my glasses as they were on the end of my nose.
The anticipation builds!
Any update on the shipping? Still not received my order & The last email said April shipping.
Any update on the June pre-order with expected shopping end August-early september? I received the dekals in the same order in July but still haven’t heard anything regarding the VLVV-kit paid för in June.
Same query here – I sent off an email last week re the order but have heard nothing back.
Cheers,
David