102: Endless Summer: The Shirts.

You can't actually get your full on tan if you can't get your bibs up over your knee. What I mean by that is if you're hoping to ride your bike, and get the best tan possible. You should probably be certain that you can ride a bike. (ps, is that a real shirt above? Who would make something such an outrageous claim?) That's just one tip for you.

I'm full of tips. Here's one that my uncle used to tell me.
He used to say "You want a tip, I've got a tip for you. Don't Smoke."
Cracked us little ones up every damn time too. So clever.

I digress.
T-shirts...

I made a commitment to myself not too far back to stop wearing t-shirts so much. How indeed am I to advance the sport of Male Fashion if I do not participate. Therefor, no more t-shirts, or at the very least, less of them. One week is all that I could manage. For I only bought two other shirts and they pretty much look the same.

The other thing that doesn't help the situation is that every time I turn around people are making sick, sick t-shirts. Like who? Well, I've got a few examples for you.

1. Trackosaurus Ride Hills T-shirt. Black is always good. Joy Division. Also good. Except for that movie that came out a couple years ago, Control. Not so good. I have to think that the life of Ian Curtis just wasn't that pretty. I mean the acting was good and the shot list pretty good too. However, I guess thats what you get out of a director who made music videos for U2. Lucky for us, when I looked him up on IMDB hoping for something else interesting I saw that he's making a new movie that Bono is writing. Whatever.

That kind of went down the negativity road. Shit, I'm starting to sound like A. Myerson. Someone put me out of my misery. The shirt however is dope. I don't even mind saying "dope" its that good.

2. JJ & Jens & Fabian & Stuart. by Gage and Desoto. Can I just say that I love this shirt too? I love this shirt because every time I wear it someone asks about it and they're always the craziest questions. One time it was... "Is that like, a shirt from a Law Firm?" I said "Yes," because I could actually see this as a Law Firm. And if I could have anyone representing me in the court of Life it would be either Stuart O'Grady, or Jens Voigt. You know that either of those dudes are willing to go the distance. Another time it was..."Oh my god, I can't believe you're wearing a Crate & Barrel T-shirt." And then you've witnessed the power of Helvetica.

I could also go on and on about Gage and Desoto, and I will, but not here. Not now. Soon.

3. MASH Tour of California Shirt. Go to the site and look at the back. This is what you see when you climb Mt. Palomar on a road bike, and these guys did it on fixies. Craaazy. Garrett sent this over right around the time he was putting together a little piece for the next Embrocation about their experiences. Ok, he sent it later, but I was just trying to shorten the timline. Its a really cool shirt though, and I couldn't get great photos of it because the graphic is on the back. Look through the other stuff while you're there because Garrett is an awesome graphic designer...



4. Chamois Time is Tanning Time. Oh hello, here's this one again. Try to stay calm as it is an Embrocation original. Well, actually that's not entirely true. Remember when I said that D. Action said embro felt like young girls licking his legs? Well, that is true and this is creatively what came of that scenario. A little direction and those cats over at JDK can really crank out the hits... you can't see it here, but once I get some close ups you'll see that there is not only an Embrocation Moka Pot, but the JDK logo buried within the design.

We only got a few of these made so get one before they are gone. You know. Like summer.

God damn it is so hot out.

050: The Stuff Legends are Made of.

I'm really trying to break my T-shirt habit, but these new shirts from Rapha aren't helping anything. I saw these shirts a few weeks ago and wanted to know more about them. So, when I found myself in Rapha's head office the other day, it was the first thing that I asked.

"Who do I need to talk to about these Legend Shirts?"

This was one of the people I was directed to. Graeme Raeburn was the man for the job and he helped me get all the answers that I needed while providing the background stories as well. Also, if I'm informed correctly he is a 'leg breaker' on the bike.


I was directed to two people actually. Sam Huddleston and Graeme were the go-to guys for the shirts. They also only answered my questions after explaining that it wasn't they who actually designed them, it was a designer by the name of Ultan Coyle, they just cleaned them up and made the designs really work.



The designs were based around each of the three riders kits (or strips as they are known here in the UK) and at the same time attempting to encompass the magnitude of the personalities of the three riders.



Le Professeur: Laurent Fingnon
I like this one,(I like all of them actually) and it is reminiscent of his time with Renault - Elf - Gitane. It is interesting to note that Fingnon was actually hired on the Gitane team to ride support for Mr. Hinault, another one of this Legends series.

The design, so say the designers, was meant to be a little more cut and dried with this one. A little more "clinical" I think was the word. Seems fitting for someone who's nickname was le Professeur.

"Prix Citron" is also written on the shirt and means, or lends itself to meaning "sour lemon." It also, at least in terms of the French Open is given out to the player with the "strongest character." That could mean a number of things...such as his fortitude and strength in riding, his ability to survive all odds based on character strength...or could also point to something else. Maybe a 'bitterness' in losing by eight seconds to some American that shall remain unnamed. Either way, he's still a legend.


Le Blaireau: Bernard Hinault
Blaireau means "badger" in French. Besides being one of my favorites in the animal kingdom it also adequately describes Hinault. Not only physically does his stance on the bicycle make him look kind of like a badger...his spikey hair and lips curled back into a grimace in the photo that hung over the doorway of one shop where I used to work. But, he also had a penchant for never letting go. Never letting go of his prey or opponents, which is also a characteristic of the well known animal of the same name.

This has to be my favorite of the three shirts though. With the La Vie Claire squares well represented and the tiny badger (which Sam made) replacing the bird that once sat in the corner. It must have been somewhat of a treat for the designers to work in the De Stijl style onto a shirt. Well played.

Favorite Badger story: Instead of stopping at the blockade that was put up by protesters in one Tour De France Hinault instead flicked down a few gears and charged right into the protesters. Not stopping his bike, instead speeding up, causing himself a few broken ribs and his adversaries - well, I'm sure they got quite a fright too.


De Leeuw Van Vlaanderen: Johan Museeuw
The Lion of Flanders as he was known to all. I love this shirt as well. Its Mapei roots make me smile thinking of Museeuw's grimace of sheer pain that is only made comical by the number of brightly colored baubles and boxes placed throughout his Mapei kit.

And as a side note, I've always wondered where Hup got their kit ideas. Was that a slam? I don't think so.

Favorite Lion story: This as well is one that Graeme and I talked about at Rapha HQ the other day. That Musseuw had come back from his Paris-Roubaix knee injury a couple years later to win the prestigious race, and as he entered the Velodrome (one that I'm excited to see in a couple weeks) he pointed at his knee while crossing the line. That some said he would never race again. Ha! This was a testament to the fact that this is the ultimate hard-man.

I asked why Rapha decided to go with the tshirt instead of a jersey or something a little more extravagant? As Graeme so aptly put it: *"They are the kind of shirt that you'll be wearing out someday and someone who gets it, they'll know and either come and talk to you about them, or you'll get some sort of wink or nod of acknowledgment." That's ok with me.


The other thing that we talked about. Or noticed out loud was that these articles of Rapha clothing do not carry their signature Stories. On every piece of Rapha clothing there is a little story, sometimes they are printed on tags, sometimes the inside pocket of a jersey, another one is just silk screened to the inside of a shirt. However, there was nothing hidden with the depths of these shirts.

Why?

"Well, I don't think that there are Insides Stories with these" remarked Graham. "The inside story is whether or not you know what the actual shirt is talking about. Who these characters are and what they stand for."

I think that these shirts are great. They are great artistic tributes to some cycling greats without having to plaster their faces all over everything. Which, with the exception of the Great Mario (you know the look, out the car window, huge hair), who wants to see anyway? What I'm really wondering is, are there more? Who would be next? Merckx? Tchmil? Lemond? (seems like an obvious choice given the other two and the heat between them...but would Rapha choose a...gasp...American??)

Get them here.

*these are paraphrases from a few conversations that we had, and even those I'm using "quotes" I'm using them rather loosely.

045: N a h b s : Wrap-up. Part One. Of Many.

I realized while looking through the photo and video content that I obtained from the handmade show that I would have to post about three times a day for the next...ok, so I didn't think it through that far. What I'm trying to say is that I've still got good stuff from the land of handmade bicycles. I'll just keep dipping in to it as things get boring.





A video of Sacha White talking about his new Speedvagen Track Bike. Pretty hot stuff. But then again, that is kind of what we all expect from Vanilla right? That's just the way that it goes.

I started a 'channel' on vimeo to put these things.
Check it out.

As I was watching this video I came across this little article by Amy Walker over at Momentum Magazine. They had a very nice booth at the show and took some great photos as well. I think that somewhere they had a booth set up...

The last part of her article she talks about the five things that could be done to enhance the Nahbs experience for next year. I'm a big fan of this. I'm glad that she has opened the dialogue as to keeping these things not only fun and exciting but working to expand the cycling audience.

I'm a big fan of her #4. Thanks Amy.

I would also like to add one on as well.

6. Expand the awards to include a number of other artistic diversions that happen throughout the show. There are all kinds of things happening in the periphery that are easily overlooked each year. Like, as Amy mentions earlier in her article, the lack of women builders.

So, here's what I've got for you.

NAHBS: The Other Awards. And the Other Winners.

Award:
Best Underground Club Formed During the NAHBS
Winner:
The Hot Tub Club.

You thought I was going to say the Framebuilders Collective didn't you? Nope. I don't think this one got the same amount of hype, but who knows where they will be in a year. My guess is that they're going straight to the top.

Letsee...who have we here: I think all the major food groups are represented. Signal Cycles, Villin, Courage, Seven Cycles, Cambridge Bicycle Shop, Chicagoland Racing (Ben Popper), Hufnagel Cycles, and if you look closely even Sachs in the background. (Thanks to Molly for the Photo.)

Award:
Best Guerrilla Marketing Campaign
Winner:
Independent Fabrication

What is guerrilla marketing anyway?

Guerrilla marketing is an unconventional system of promotions that relies on time, energy and imagination rather than a big marketing budget. Typically, guerrilla marketing tactics are unexpected and unconventional; consumers are targeted in unexpected places, which can make the idea that's being marketed memorable, generate buzz, and even spread virally.
- Wikipedia.

Novel concept.

This was their campaign. Taking over bathrooms everywhere.

What I would be really curious to see though. Is photos from bike shops everywhere. Because they gave out these posters at their booth and I'm sure that they have made their way to gracing the walls over more than one fine bicycle purveyor? This might actually make a good photo spread for an upcoming Embrocation: Bike Shop Bathrooms. I could see that.


Award:
Best Sock Puppet.
Winner:
Pucket, the official Artbike Puppet.

Pucket is the one on the left. I believe that she was given out as part of the raffle that Artbike was holding during their Goldsprints event. I don't know why someone would want to give up such a wonderful prize/pet, but who am I to judge. All I know is that she's got a good home now. I don't know what happened to the creepy blue sock puppet.

Award:
Best Nahbs T-shirt
Winner:
Duh.


I used the same image for the intro to the Speedvagen video above. There are still some available. You can get them here.

——

Now, maybe some of these would be considered "joke" awards. I wouldn't consider them in that fashion, but whatever. But I think that it brings up a good point, and that point being that there needs to be more going into the Nahbs awards and award ceremonies. For example and in all seriousness now:

Paint - These guys work their asses off to make sure that all the bikes look good. There could even be individual awards. Best Paint Job, Best Painter, Best Thematic Paint Job?

Booths - I've seen a ton of work go into each and every booth that goes up at these things. Why is there not an award for this? It might also make it interesting to see where they go from year to year. Maybe get a Home Depot to sponsor this award and give out a gift certificate for the winner to use for their booth next year? Just another little idea.

Best Use of An Old Thing in a New Way - I don't know if you saw the Signal wine rack, but that is what I'm talking about.