El Cyclista

05.19.13

The P3 Parts Of The Budnitz Model No.1 Titanium

Quoc Pham Cycling Shoes

Probably some of the slickest shoes you could wear on the way to the office (or pub, or park, or coffee shop…). My first pair of racing shoes were drilled leather uppers with leather soles and nailed on cleats. The “Fixed” shoe above takes what was the best of that era of shoe design and updates the design with a few modern additions. The uppers are a natural tan leather and the soles are made of rubber (not disimilar to those on Camper shoes). The backs of the shoes have a nice reflective stripe. These are the sort of shoes that just get better with age as the leather gets used to your foot and starts to shape itself.

http://www.quocpham.com/

05.12.13

Anatomy Of A Jersey: Androni Giocattoli

Watching Stage 7 of the GIRO this week and Emanuele Sella get beaten into submission by Adam Hanson, there was lots of talk of how great it was that these guys were “up the road getting TV time for their sponsors“. In Hanson’s case the sponsors are obvious, and pretty well known. The team is also lucky to have principle sponsors who invest large amounts in the team, which in the end makes for a simple message and a nicely designed kit. In the case of Sella, not so much. A team that relies on a wildcard and the generosity of their national grand Tour finds it harder to attract the big name deal, and has to work hard to make the numbers work by bringing in as many backers as possible. It was just in this case apart from Venezuela (I took geography) I had no idea who any of the names where on the jersey (apart from the bike). So here it is, the anatomy of the Androni jersey.

05.05.13

Escapes: Dream Routes Of The Alps

Described as a book for “Pass-Lovers“, this is a collection of some of the most stunning mountain shots you will ever see. The incredible images are shot by Stefan Bogner who runs a design agency in Munich. Each year he takes a break and relocates to the Alps to continue his documentation of the most stunning roads in Europe. They are a combination of images captured from both the road and helicopter through all the seasons. I found the book on a recent trip to Europe, but unfortunately it isn’t available here in the US. It can be ordered from the German publisher Editions Delius here. It isn’t cheap, but believe me if you are looking for some road inspiration, this is the book.

04.30.13

Rauler Art

04.19.13

Pink And Assos Blue Baum

04.18.13

The Jossette Jersey By Cafe Du Cycliste

For the days when you can’t make up your mind, because the weather can’t make up its mind, the Jossette jersey by Cafe Du Cycliste is a good option to get you out the door quicker. Now granted when Anton sent me the jersey to test the weather here on the east coast of the US should have been ridable wearing it, but we were still down in the low 30s most days. So the jersey sat in its nice gingham bag while I was still wrapped up in multiple layers. Fast forward and the last few days have seen us get what feels like the beginning of Spring, and perfect riding conditions to try out this kind of jersey. Why is the jersey different? well it sits somewhere between wearing a jersey with a lightweight wind shell or wind vest, but allows you to keep the layers down (with a base layer). It has a high quality membrane layer and waterproof zip giving you insulation against rain and wind, while vents in the armpits and back pocket allow you to open it up to breath when you need it. The fit is pretty snug (although that might have something to do with me coming off the hug of winter with minimal miles in my legs) so it feels like you are wearing a race jersey but with the protection of an added layer without the bulk. It could be the perfect mountain climbing jersey, opened up on the way up to keep you cool, and with a pair of armwarmers good for keeping you warm on the way down. It is no surprise that the guys at Cafe Du Cycliste spend a lot of time in the Maritime Alps, where the climate varies a lot and can be a little bit damp. I can see where the inspiration for the piece came from. This is a really good addition to the kit bag for those days that catch you by surprise.

04.05.13

COURAGE

The thought of making your team to ride Paris-Roubaix must bring an incredible sense of excitement, and probably at the same time also a complete feeling of dread. A few years back I talked to some of the triathletes in the New York City Marathon, who described the symptoms of what they called the “Hudson River Flu” – a sickness you get from swimming in a river that quite frankly is not appropriate for swimming in (I won’t go into the details). Paris – Roubaix brings its own special type of “flu“. One that is described as hitting the rider two days after the race has finished, a result of the punishment the body receives riding over a surface that most of us would consider only appropriate for an all wheel drive. A “flu” that pains right into the bones. This all just comes from the surface, the storied cobbles, throw in the distance, 50KM of that over cobbles, some weather and a lot of riders making this their early season goal, it is no wonder the race holds the position it does at the top of the things we love about this sport. This year it is predicted to be rain free, and with some late-week rain probably dust free as well. None of this will reduce the spectacle. Thank the lord for the internet, I will have my Sporza and Eurosport streams flowing on Sunday looking down the line for Russ Downing and Alex Wetterhall, both who have won races back in my home country of Ireland and are now riding one of the biggest races in the world. I wish them luck, safe riding and good legs.

03.31.13

A New Brand To Admire: UPRIGHT CYCLIST, BOULDER, CO

This week we will see another new cycling brand launch itself to the world and attempt to draw dollars out of our wallets. This brand stands a damn good chance of doing just that right out of the gate. This brand won’t be making the kit that you or I will see on our local group rides, but instead beautifully tailored technical clothes for the urban rider. The brand is called Upright Cyclist, and has been the labor of love and now full-time job of Philip Siegert. Upright believes that the bike is the best way to travel in the urban environment anywhere in the world. That what you wear while doing it should both serve the need of riding, and look just as good when you reach your destination and take off your helmet. I was lucky enough to spend time talking with Philip, and his story should be an inspiration to the lot of us who have a day job in design, and a passion that lies somewhere in and around bikes. Upright Cyclist is a story of how someone saw a need and coupled it with their passion, to create a brand that at first glance looks like it is going to do really well.

Philip’s background lends itself well to imagining and getting a new brand off the ground. He spent years in the agency world as a strategist working with some of the best brands in the world, Patagonia and Burton to name a couple. But you might have to ravel back further with Philip, to his time as a bike messenger in Chicago, to discover where his deep love of riding began and his understanding of how good kit can make a world of difference on the daily ride. All those hours in the saddle were essentially the start of his R&D process, and have influenced what he is doing at Upright Cyclist.

When asked about his influences, like a lot of us he mentions Rapha–but it is maybe too focused on the performance side of riding, and the price point for a lot of riders can be prohibitive. We also talked about what Levi’s is doing with their Commuter Collection. And how it leans maybe a little too heavily on the style and fashion side. And that is probably where Upright will sit, somewhere between these two brands. Clothes that look cool off the bike, won’t fail when you need them most when riding, and at a price hopefully we can all afford.

Above: Some of the early jacket prototypes out getting a road test (notice the one on the left is still held together with pins)

The design process has been a fast learning curve for Philip. He picked up a lot by watching the brands he worked with as a strategist, but as with most things like this you don’t realize what you don’t know until you try. He ordered yards of fabrics like waxed cottons and had seamstresses work up prototypes to test out on the road. He learned pretty quickly what was working and what was missing. Like getting baked inside a waxed cotton prototype because he hadn’t put in enough vents. From there he enlisted the help of some product designers in his hometown of Boulder, people he met out on the road, to get the first part of the lineup to manufacturing spec and into production.

Upright is going to be a thoughtful brand. As much as the Made In America movement and the resurgence of craft here is taking hold, it is hard for a new brand to foot the difference in the cost of manufacturing here versus Asia. Eventually, if they can get a foothold in the market, they would like to source and produce here, but until then they are finding ways to give back to the community. They will designate a portion of their profits from annual sales and select pieces to both national and local non-profit entities. I am just about to get some of the new products and will post more when I have had some saddle time with them, but until then it is just nice to see someone throw himself completely into creating something, and come out the other side with a great new brand and position. We wish Philip and Upright the best of luck and look forward to seeing their products on riders all over the US. Their site will be up live this week, so go check them out.

www.uprightcyclist.com

03.29.13

I Remember Toeclips And Straps

Black leather uppers, with punched holes for ventilation. Black cotton laces. Leather soles, with metal plates nailed to the bottom. Metal toe clips and leather straps locking you in. Being that attached to your bike could sometimes be terrifying.