Monatsarchiv: November 2012

… oder „Eleven Gear“ ist der Name einer kleinen Radbekleidungsschmiede aus Nord-Kalifornien. 

Offensichtlich gibt es ja schon genug Radbekleidung in allen möglichen Formen, Farben und vor allem Preisklassen, auch wenn sich Campagnolo nach dieser aus dem Geschäft verabschieden wird. Eleven Gear hat aber ein paar ganz nette Ideen, die ich bislang so noch nicht gesehen habe.

TRAFFIC MASTER

The Traffic Master Jersey (with Uniform Vehicle Code on sleeve) … when being seen trumps all other fashion considerations (however, we feel that acid-green and lemon-yellow together is the new black). If you ride your bicycle when it’s chilly, foggy or dark, in appreciable traffic or any combination of the above, we think the long-sleeve Traffic Master jersey should merit your consideration. With a full-length zipper, this not-so-subtle vesture can double as a light jacket over another garment. Designed and manufactured in California from Italian Giotherm™ fabric. 

CORAL SNAKE

A highly visible jersey with a design borrowed from nature: Pure yellow with red and black. We add highly reflective striping on the back and sleeves, which will give pause to any predator thinking of making a quick snack out of you.

Full zipper for hotter days and three roomy pockets in back for herpetologists field guide, antivenom syringe and a couple of flash-frozen field mice. Designed in California and made in the USA of sublimated Aries Micro Plus fabric. Sorry, it does not come with a loudness switch. It’s visual volume is factory set—to ELEVEN.

Da fällt mir doch gleich folgendes ein:

OK, das waren die etwas, äh, auffälligeren Sachen. Jetzt kommen wir zu Team Jerseys, dies es nie gegeben hat, die wir aber immer gerne einmal gehabt hätten.

TEAM REPUBLIC OF ANAEROBIA

Scoured by relentless headwinds, with roads that either snake up impossibly steep mountains or connect scruffy towns separated by almost unimagineable distances, the Republic of Anaerobia is a nation few seem to care to visit. In fact, the Republic is a completely inhospitable nation for the sport of cycling—but of course we find it perfect for training our National Cycling Team.

The Republic of Anaerobia borders Paraguay and Bulgaria. Most world maps published today fail to show The Republic.

Veni, Vidi, Vomiti: To honor your Anaerobian effort, the proud motto of the motherland is emblazoned on each garment of the official Republic uniform. Traits of the Anaerobian include persistence and the insatiably quixotic desire to explore the boundaries of the Republic. Talent is not a prerequisite—only an appetite for the journey is necessary. For Anaerobians, the pain is the reward. The Republic is a place where suffering begets a transient but unmistakable ecstasy. 

Little Known Anaerobian Facts:  •  The style of government that is practiced in the Republic is known as a velocracy  •  Karl Marx had a resting heart rate of 36  •  Lenin was a promising racer before the revolution, winning several minor kermesses in Belgium  •  Stalin owned 7 bicycles but never rode any of them.  •  Boris Yeltsin always put vodka in his water bottles which perhaps explains why his longest ride was no more than 2 kilometres.  •  In the 1960s, before his days at the KGB, Vladimir Putin was an assistant Directeur Sportiv for Molteni.  • During Ukraine’s Orange Revolution (Помаранчева революція), protests were halted each day from 1–4pm to enable the national cycling team to train on the downtown criterium course.

TEAM POSEUR

Strength-sapping sleet, bone-rattling cobbles, furnace-like temperatures on seemingly unendurable climbs: These were the conditions that defined the strong men of professional cycling in their day. Perhaps that is why one rarely hears of the legacy of Team Poseur.

In 1968 the little-known Poseur team toiled in the pro ranks of continental Europe. Sponsored by a small factory in Nancy that made clip-on ties, heel inserts for mens’ shoes and women’s dickies. The team was small, and their budget, meager.

Poseurs were a band of grim-faced grogneurs, an équipe of riders like Oopgegaven, DeBonque, and Barfolini, crafty and determined riders who could find a way to lose more races than they entered. Poseur riders battled the giants of the road in their day. They scarcely earned the respect of their peers in the pro peloton, but did they flinch? Never! The heart of the true Poseur can withstand any insult. 

The Poseur era ended when a new co-sponsor, Charlatan, came on board late in the season bringing an influx of francs. But when the promised cheque was lost, accusations flew, and Charlatan withdrew its sponsorship, casting its lot instead with the nascent sport of competitive bodybuilding. Time has not smiled sweetly on this once mighty team. You only find them at the best coffee shops and bakeries, always riding easy, never taking the lead. So now the question is: Do you have what it takes to re-ignite the storied history of Vélo Poseur? You may be Poseur’s last hope.

Ok, Eleven Gears hat aber noch eine andre schöne Idee, und zwar entweder aus im Unternehmen vorhandenen, oder aber aus eigenen alten Startnummern Mützen oder Windjacken zu basteln:

It takes only five numbers to make our race number cycling cap. We’re sure you have five numbers lying around (psst … check your bulletin board).

The cap is comfortable. It’s thin (and as such works well under a helmet). Long-lasting. Waterproof. Warm. It also diverts a little bit of stuff that would otherwise end up in a landfill! Definitely a conversation starter. 

With a classic, three-panel design,  it has a short, semi-rigid bill that can be flipped up or down. Cotton twill tape with elastic at the back. Designed and manufactured one at a time by real people in the USA.

We’ll coordinate getting the numbers from you after you place the order. 

This jacket is made from YOUR event numbers that you’ve collected! We’ll use them to create a one-off fabric, and from there, your windbreaker. This is obviously a labor-intensive process. And the result? A striking, one-of-a-kind garment that will elicit memories of your athletic exploits for years and years. Comfortable. Waterproof. Warm. Definitely a conversation starter. See below for ordering information.

Made of your own Tyvek race number, breathable gussets, collars and cuff. Allow at least eight weeks for delivery. Add $21 if you would like us to use generic numbers that we have. Call us at  707.824.2007 if you have any questions about this unique garment. Designed and manufactured in the USA. Comes with a mess of Elevengear temporary tattoos.