V-Announcements: VLVV Product Line and Long-Awaited V-Casquettes

New Kit design (VLVV) and 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.

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.

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View Comments

Teocalli says:

Nov 30 2015 at 3:52 pm

@chris

Yeech - I hope the poor bugger finds a treatment for the last one, that looks close on being terminal.
Barracuda says:

Nov 30 2015 at 3:54 pm

@chris

The bottom pic makes me afraid for the future of the planet as a whole.
Chipomarc says:

Nov 30 2015 at 4:30 pm

Only a matter of time before the Oxford Dictionaries adds ' rule 5 ' as a entry.
wiscot says:

Nov 30 2015 at 6:16 pm

Isn't that last pic from the new Star Wars movie? one of the furry characters beloved by Lucas?
Velodeluded says:

Dec 1 2015 at 3:18 am

@Simon Bishop

So good…..will be ordering soon, to spread the word here in the UK…..any socks thou…would look so cool!..

Regards, always obey the rules Simon

p.s #rule96? wear black/white/grey and always orange.

Socks? Don't talk to me about socks... Frank knows all about socks don't you Frank? ;-)
Mike C says:

Dec 2 2015 at 5:21 am

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.
bea says:

Dec 2 2015 at 10:27 am

@frank

@bea

@frank

@frank

@bea

Seriously? Women get shorts? Not bibs?

Thanks for the feedback! The overwhelming feedback I get is that the ladyfolk don’t like having to disrobe when going to the loo; but I will add a bib for the women and we’ll see if there’s any interest. It should be up a little later today. Cheers!

Women’s bibs are now online and available.

Waaaw! That’s service!

I pretend to be ‘one of the guys’ and actually have no idea what women wear. But I definitely prefer bibs over shorts, even with the (very) occasional undressing in the wild (and strangely enough almost always in winter).

Nice kit!

You appear to be right; the Women’s bibs are already on the move.

Of course I'm always right, but man, it's good to be really right sometimes... ;)
I hope they keep moving!
G'rilla says:

Dec 5 2015 at 2:59 pm

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?
Mikael Liddy says:

Dec 8 2015 at 2:13 pm

@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.
frank says:

Dec 8 2015 at 5:12 pm

@G’rilla

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?

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.