Number 939

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Yep it's real... more here

Number 938

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This











This









and this

Number 937

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Congratulations
Andy Schleck 
2010 Tour de France 
champion!.... Here

Number 936

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If you had to have one multi-tool for the rest of your life, this solid titanium one would probably be it:



Here





posted by Matty Clark

Number 935

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The Trek Livestrong U23 kit for 2011 has been released.











Pretty snazzy. 

Number 934

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Number 933

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This is certainly a flashy way to dismount:








As seen at warm-ups for the recent World Cup race in Belgium Here ( 8:50 into video )
 -Posted by Greg Wolff

Number 932

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And this is certainly one Rockstar way to handle a team presentation......

Number 930

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AND THE WINNER IS.......

 The winner of our inaugural BEST KIT COMPETITION is Garmin Cervelo

After trailing Leopard Trek for the duration of the poll, a last minute surge puts Garmin ahead with 34% of the vote against Leopard's 28%


Garmin Cervelo                   34.62%   
Team Leopard - Trek         28.46% 

3rd place was far back....
Radioshack                         11.54%   

As expected, in last, was htc highroad with 4.62% of the vote.
The highest write-in candidate was Team Movistar.

Thanks to all who voted!

Number 929

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Looks like all these mostly black or mostly white jerseys are causing some confusion even amout the pros..
From Geraint Thomas's (Team Sky) Twitter:
  "Today I kept riding up to Garmin guys thinking they were my team mates"

Number 928

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This appeared in today's NY Times.... Suggested Taxi's of the future.












Posted by Matt Clark

Number 927

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We are gonna have a field day with this....
Team Leopard Trek takes snobbery to a new level. In an open letter to "agree on" certain characteristics.....

Hello all,
It’s been an exciting week for Trek as we announced our co-title sponsorship of LEOPARD TREK. The anticipation behind this launch is understandable, considering the fire power in the roster. There will undoubtedly be a significant portion of media coverage surrounding the team as the season kicks off next week at the Tour Down Under.
Please follow these naming standards when referring to the team in the media:
  • The team name is LEOPARD TREK. Please do not insert the word “Team” before LEOPARD TREK, in writing or conversation, as that is not part of the official name.
  • Please do not hyphenate LEOPARD TREK.
  • In written communication, LEOPARD TREK must be set in all caps.
  • In spoken communication, please use the appropriate pronunciation: LAY-oh-pard Trek.
INCORRECT: The new Team Leopard Trek includes…
CORRECT: The new LEOPARD TREK team includes…

INCORRECT: Leopard-Trek was presented to the media…
CORRECT: LEOPARD TREK was presented to the media…

INCORRECT: Trek announces sponsorship of Team LEOPARD TREK…
CORRECT: Trek announces co-title sponsorship of LEOPARD TREK…

Thanks for your help in establishing the proper team name standards. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.”

Here

Number 926

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If you are the Rockstar type that likes to hurl yourself with gravity very quickly on a wicked downhilling rig then you know nothing gets your mojo in a wreck as having to get that bike up the hill in the first place.
Enter the Ego kit.....Here








Big-ass battery in your backpack, torque slathering motor attached to your bike to get you up up and away....

Number 925

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Riding your bike thru Siberia???
Dude, we applaud your effort... But you're a dummy.....Here

Posted by Greg Wolff

Number 924

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They haven't turned a profit yet, and everyone in the world knows about them anyway, but somehow Twitter thinks sponsoring Radioshack is a good idea....
 









That's pretty Rockstar if you ask us

Number 923

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Winter Glove Shootout!
by Hunter Pronovost


DAY 3 
(outside temps 26 to 30 degrees)  

Links to Day 1.... Here      Day 2..... Here


DaKine Charger Snowboarding (!?) glove  - $19.99


VS.

The Pearl Izumi Elite Softshell - $63.99


     One of the things I specifically wanted to compare with this round-up of winter gloves is the performance of a good cycling specific glove against a non-cycling, winter sport specific glove. And because you can buy skiing, snowboarding or simple all purpose insulated gloves just about anywhere for less then nice cycling gloves at your local bike shop, I wanted to put the Pearl Izumi up against a far less expensive glove and see if the cycling specific product is worth the difference in cost.
     The Pearl Izumi Elite is a very nice glove. It is the warmest of the gloves tested so far and each time I have ridden with them they continue to impress.
     I bought the DaKine Charger glove at my local Marshalls ( a discount clothing store ) for $19. It's designed to be a midweight snowboarding glove and it costs more at full retail, but like I said, finding discounted gloves like these at TJMaxx, Marshalls, Kohls, Bonton, Ross etc... is pretty easy. And there were other DaKine and Burton models there costing even less. 

Dexterity 

Winner: The DaKine Charger
The DaKine has a fill layer that is thinner then the Pearl Izumi. It's true there is a bit more outer material to get in the way and reduce sensitivity with the DaKine but finger movement and gripping the handlebar is much better with the DaKine. That continues to be the one drawback to the Pearl Izumi. It has almost too much fill and you feel it while squeezing the bars. Not to mention the stiffness it creates.
You are not going to be pressing phone or cpu buttons easily with either of these, but the DaKine is just nicer to move around in.

Windproofness   
Winner: The Pearl Izumi Elite
The P.I. is air tight, no questions asked, easily the most windproof glove I have ever worn. The DaKine does a good job and would stay airtight for most of the day on a ski slope, but descending for 1.5 miles at 40mph starts to let the cold in.

Water Resistance
Winner: The DaKine Charger
The Pearl Izumi glove kept the water out for a little longer then the DaKine but once it was wet, it got wetter quickly. The DaKine did a great job for how much thinner it is and especially on the leather palm, water just didnt get in. The Pearl Izumi is obviously designed to be worn in sub freezing temps when water is frozen, because once all the fill gets wet, you're gonna be in trouble. Even the thicker padded sections on the palm seemed to want to hold onto water.

Nose wiping ability
Winner: The Pearl Izumi Elite
All ski\snowboard gloves are going to take nose wiping into account in some way. Notwithstanding, the Pearl Izumi has a great soft spot and doesn't let you down when you have the sniffles.

Actual Temperature Reading
Winner: The Pearl Izumi Elite
Initially, the DaKine glove didn't do as great a job keeping the fingertips warm as my hands adjusted. But after 20 minutes or so, both gloves felt ok and at the end of the ride, the Pearl Izumi measured 75 degrees with the DaKine at 70 degrees. That's a pretty big difference. However, both hands were comfortable and the Pearl Izumi ended up again being a bit too warm.

Overall Warmth Impression
Winner: The Pearl Izumi Elite
Pretty much from start to finish, the P.I. felt warmer. The DaKine glove has a minimal wrist cuff and that made a big differnce.
OVERALL WINNER
Based simply on which glove is warmer, the Pearl Izumi wins. Based on which one makes more sense, it becomes a close call. If I could only have one, I probably would take the DaKine and pocket the extra $40.

The Pearl Izumi Elite..... Buy it if cost isn't an issue, and if you are going to be riding in temps between 20 and 30 degrees.

The DaKine Charger ( Or we could say, any suitable, inexpensive ski or snowboard glove ).... Buy it... Plain and simple, find a inexpensive midweight pair, and buy them. Stay away from the heavy weight ski gloves. Gloves like these work great in temps around freezing, and they do a great job while you are riding. You do not need padding specific to cycling gloves when you have a glove with an insulating layer. Palm padding is for hot, sweaty 2+ hour rides in the summer. For these, leather palms is something to look for. Buy a pair that is flashy and looks cool and that will help with visibility on the road, plus a colorful glove seems more at home on a road bike anyway.

Next up we will compare the Pearl Izumi to what most say is the ultimate in cycling winter gloves.... The lobster claw style.


Tags: Pearl Izumi Elite glove review, winter cycling glove shootout

Number 922

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Liquigas's new kit has been confirmed



Our ProTeam wrap up ( number 911 ) has been updated

Number 921

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Miracles do happen!
Abercromie and Fitch fans worldwide rejoice!
Halfway thru the voting period and Team Leopard Trek is leading the way as Best Jersey of 2011.

Number 920

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Serenity Bikes has been importing frames and parts for a while, but they recently started producing some great looking colorways for their frames. Very cool.
 








More info here


Number 919

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C.A.N.R.S. contributor Greg Wolff has come up with what to do with the "negative" space on the new Team Leopard Trek jersey....

Number 918

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Now that we've seen the threads of the teams that will be on the elite stage of cycling in 2011, let's take a gander at the lesser known, but equally committed domestic American teams. This is a partial list that will updated as team kits become public.
Team Subway Giant. Not much to be impressed by here.
This kit is similar to other Subway designs.
It reminds us of a semi custom club design with logos slapped on
the standard chest\shoulders\sides.
This kit looks better on the road than on screen\paper.
GRADE   C+


Remember when Felt bikes were on the grand stage of the tour
under Team Garmin Chipotle? Seems like forever ago.
Anyway, so yes, here's Team Exergy Felt. If Daft Punk sponsored a pro team,
this would be it. This kit looks good. Not great, good. The earth tone
accent colors distract the viewer from the shaded geometric shapes, which
any Adobe Illustrator student would tell you
is the way to make something look like its 3-D
GRADE   B
Jelly Belly will probably not be changing their U.S. team's kit for 2011,
So here is the newly formed Belgium Jelly Belly \ Donckers Koffie kit.
Even though this jersey doesn't excite as much as say,
Jeremy Powers riding the barriers, we can say nothing bad about Jelly Belly.
They have been one of the longest US Team sponsors &
they have tricked us all into thinking candy
is a good snack to eat.... while riding.
Great design! Oops, I mean "Jrate Deezzine"!
GRADE    B+
Kelly Benefits takes a step backwards with this kit.
One look at this and fans will be running to the fridge for an ice cold Heineken.
Because of this kit, that UCI sponsored class for Team directors
now has a lesson point that simply deals with the impropriety
of using 2 shades of green in a kit design.
GRADE   D
SPECIAL AWARD... MOST DE-IMPROVED
Kenda Geargrinder here is trying to bring back
the early nineties, mountain biking, bad microsoft clipart,
and bicep curls all in one fantastic new team kit.
Wear this jersey anywhere near the Schleck brothers & we
are certain the 2 opposing styles will tear a hole in the space-time-continuum.
GRADE   C-
RealCyclist.com will be sporting this look for 2011.
At first glance, this doesn't delight. But after a couple of drinks,
you start to appreciate it. Vivid, asymmetrical artwork doesn't get used enough
in pro cycling, nor does long vertically running text & logos.
GRADE   A
Jeez its a race jersey, not a web banner ad.
Team Type 1, with their new European campaign aspirations
starts to take itself a little too seriously with the
new kit. Will they ride the Giro? I'm all for it, hope they do.
But they need to be reminded that Italians don't get diabetes(*),
nor do they like to read English in between wine gulps.
GRADE  B
United Healthcare moves away from the norm with their 2011 kit.
This jersey is a good fit for them. Professional, attractive, concise,
and effective. United Healthcare will no doubt continue to crush the
barely-insured U.S. competition wearing this kit.
GRADE  A-
Saving the perhaps best for last, here is the just released
Wonderful Pistachios kit. This kit is bold without being loud.
Fun, yet seriously pro. Loyal to the sponsor without being greedy.
The little catch phrases are neat - "Get Crackin", "All Natural".
It's lines and curves are a little dated, but that is minor point
that barely keeps it from scoring a prefect 100.
GRADE   A
So there it is... How do the US Continental teams stack up against the ProTeams? Pretty darn good I'd say. Teams seem to have put effort into design and it is good to see a lot of variety in the approaches to team kits. It is a shame, however, that no stateside team chose the super minimal style ( Team Sky, Leopard Trek ), but that probably comes down to marketing, team budgets, and the how and when these jerseys will be seen in the media.

There a couple teams that may or may not deviate from their 2010 looks:
Jamis Sutter
Livestrong U23 Team
Slipstream
Diadora Pasta Zara
They will be added when they become available.

(*) - definitely not true.

Number 917

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If you call up Richard Sachs in Massachusetts and ask really really nicely, he may be inclined to sell you one of these very cool musette bags:

Number 916

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Team Leopard Trek's jersey may disappoint some, but I reckon no one will be complaining about the car:

Number 915

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We are going to see if we can get our resident tech guru Matty Clark to tackle this one.
Hooking up your bike to Google Earth, putting your bike into google earth, and riding around while on the trainer.












This is pretty Rockstar if you ask us... Though that bike the inventor used in the picture is down right scary.

Number 914

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With the internet abuzz on the identity of the new
Team Leopard Trek
, it seems like this is pretty darn close to the jersey design.



















It is confirmed:


Number 913

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Lazer Helmets, always fashion forward, are coming out with an "urban" line. Some pictures here

Number 912

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These shorts need a mention....











Reflective patches on the backside.... Cheeky.....Here

Number 911

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Now that 2011 is firmly underway, let's take a look at the jerseys we will be seeing a lot of in the next 12 months:

Team Leopard Trek goes the high brow route ( ala Team Sky )
with this Banana Repubic minimal design. 
This jersey looks like something Martha Steward
would come up with if she had to design a kit & therefore
we have a feeling this will be popular with the ipad crowd.
Luxembourg must like it's cycling jerseys like it likes its army....
Minimal and unimpressive!
GRADE    B

This is probably the AG2R Mondiale design but
it hasn't been widely confirmed as such.
It sucks.
GRADE  D-
Team Astana gets a little more fast looking this year.
The streamlined shapes are a solid improvement
over last year. Slowly we are getting used to those puke colors.
GRADE   B-

Garmin Cervelo's kit was probably the most anticipated re-do
of the year & sure enough it storms in like a Fortune 500 Company .

The Argyle is slowly being killed off ( sad face ).
It ends up being more Test Team than Slipstream but
in the end we can't argue with this solidly striking design.

The only demerit is that large "E" on the shoulder.
GRADE   A-
Geox Fuji breaks onto the scene with a good effort.
This kit ends up being too black though
which will only draw attention to the
hideously colored bikes they will be riding.
( look for a picture of those soon )
GRADE   B-
Saxo Bank Sungard looks to silence the naysayers
with this slight departure from 2010. Somehow,
this is the only "white" jersey of the year that pulls it off.
White with some black accents - good
Strong logo representation - good
Asymmetrical artwork and detailing - good
Eagles pecking at your navel - bad.
GRADE   A

htc highroad ( must be in lower case letters!!! do not forget! )
This kit leaves a lot to be desired.... A LOT.
Broken color shapes, a sea of white, and way too thin material.
The only patterns and flow on this kit are created by
the visible bib seams underneath!
Yuck! Let's hope they make a throwback jersey or something for the tour.
GRADE   C
SPECIAL AWARD - MOST DE-IMPROVED

Here is Team Katusha's kit
( or "Katiowa" if you are a newbie fan seeing it for the first time )

This kit looks good. Although some may say its shapes and detailing
are a little 2009. I for one, think the "pointy abs of speed" trend can
hang on for one more year.
GRADE   B+
Oh Lampre Pink and purple...
Like Bob Roll, Twitter and Katie Perry, you have slowly worn

us out with your annoying-ness. Your sticktoitiveness is impressive.
We love you now. We embrace you. We can't live without you.
GRADE   B-
 
Licky Gas 's 2nd leaked kit is pictured here on Basso.
This one is no doubt the real deal for 2011 and even
though it is yet another mostly white jersey,
the restrained use of color is a step-up up from 2010.
The lower stomach section with the traditional points and curves
are boring & should have been made unfashionable years ago.
If there is one bright spot to the Sky \ Leopard
new school of thought, it is that jerseys can now be
plain on the abs of the rider.

GRADE    B+
The NASCARification of the ProTour is
illustrated well with the Omega Pharma\ Lotto Kit.
Still, the design has overall appeal and the use of
color is spot on. This one seems to mix all the new 2011 trends
well and it comes out perhaps the best looking of the year.
GRADE   A+
Movistar will be riding its rookie season
in this kit. We are guessing that design on the left
makes reference to a movie reel. It's a good effort, blending simplicity with flash.
Here is some advice for the riders.... If you want to sneak into a break,
attack or bridge up from the right side of the road!

GRADE   B
Team Quickstep begins it 600th year of pro cycling sponsorship
with this design. Definitely more playful and fun than year's past.
A step up we say, and a improvement over last year. 
It  may have been top-o-the-class without those red stomach stripes though.
GRADE    A-
Rabobank has been on this large-geometric-shape kick
for a couple of years now. Each year it looks worse then the year
before. Someone please kill off this concept.
GRADE   F

SPECIAL AWARD - WORST LOOKING 2011




This photo of a Francis de Jeux rider was taken during
a recent cross race & very well could be the road jersey for 2011.
It shows that FDJ is on the right track but it also
confirms that white is "the" color for the new year.

Lance was recently pictured with this kit. More pictures need to
released and this may look nothing like the finished product.
But this direction seems solid and has a lot of potential.
GRADE   A
( but please see the teacher after school )
Omitted from the ProTeam run-down was:
Team Sky ( unchanged from 2010 )
Euskaltel (unreleased, or no one cares enough to take a picture of it)
Vacansoleil -DCM ( also unreleased )
Team BMC - nearly unchanged from 2010, which ironically is the same as their chances at Le Tour.

As the remaining team's kits become known, they will be posted here and given there fair chance to play.

Here is a look at some US domestic teams new race clothes.