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

Barracuda says:

Dec 8 2015 at 5:36 pm

@frank

@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.

Or a slow nod to cover both bases, whilst wispering a long " YYYeeeeeessssssssss "
pistard says:

Dec 8 2015 at 7:31 pm

@frank

@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.

I would suggest facing in the direction of Mt Velomis would be appropriate as well.
chris says:

Dec 9 2015 at 4:04 am

@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?

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.
bianchibum says:

Dec 9 2015 at 10:37 am

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.
frank says:

Dec 9 2015 at 6:58 pm

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.
Barracuda says:

Dec 9 2015 at 7:23 pm

@frank

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.

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.
RobSandy says:

Dec 11 2015 at 4:57 am

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.
frank says:

Dec 18 2015 at 10:19 am

The samples of the VLVV kit are in and boy oh boy do they look great!
wiscot says:

Dec 18 2015 at 11:05 am

@pistard

@frank

@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.

I would suggest facing in the direction of Mt Velomis would be appropriate as well.

Wasn't Frank born on Mount Velomis in the same way Kim Jong Il was born on Mount Paekdu?
Ron says:

Dec 18 2015 at 11:17 am

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.