Fifty Plus (50+) - Ride jerseys: Love 'em, hate 'em

Warning: cross post from NorCal. But I thought it might amuse my 50+ friends as well

Have you ever done a ride that you were proud of or wanted to remember, only to find the official ride jersey just didn't work for you?

That happened to me after I rode the Devil Mountain Double.

There was only one thing to do: Take matters into my own hands. Here's my story:

http://ccorlew.blogspot.com/2012/06/unauthorized-devil-mountain-double.html

Have you ever done a ride because of the jersey? I have. Both riding Tierra Bella (jersey photo (http://www.tierrabella.org/images/TB08_jersey_front.jpg)) and earning the California Triple Crown (jersey photo (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ccorlew/6873679534/))were somewhat jersey motivated. But more often I do a ride and hate the jersey that goes with it.

I love the "Spook" jerseys... the Kern Wheelmen (in Calif.) sponser an interesting ride each year called the Spooktacular. It starts outside of Bakersfield. The century is friggin' hard (there are two; I've only attempted the horrible, I have never tried or even considered the "hidieous") but I keep coming back because I love their jerseys. Some of the older ones are my all time favorite I wear again and again... great colors, cool designs, something different then the usual...

My other favorite for many reasons but especially because of the jerseys are the Wildflower out of Creston CA (not the Chico Wildflower). Its a very popular ride which usually sells out on the day it opens for registration. Most spectacular jerseys always very pretty.

It's generally hard for me to find any jersey that has stylish graphics. Just sayin'.

A lot of rides do not offer women's jerseys, and the men's sizes are too baggy on me.

I've never done a ride for the jersey, but I'd like to earn that Triple Crown jersey some day.

I've done the Huntington Beach marathon because their cool finisher medal is shaped like a surfboard, and the San Francisco marathon because their medal has rubber feet on the back and can be used as a wineglass coaster.

cccorlew, your design is light years better. The offical jersey is awful.

I like the front of the oficial jersey, the back not so much.

Don't get ride "Jerseys" over here- They only seem to offer cotton T's which I don't wear while riding. When will the organisers get it into their heads that if they want "Free" advertising for next year- provide or sell a proper cycling jersey in a good material that will be used on rides.

cccorlew, your design is light years better. The offical jersey is awful.
Yep. It's like Michaelangelo having to suffer through a neighborhood art fair. Your jersey design is the best.

Maybe you should work on commission. I'd like a DFL Cycling jersey to match my customized yellow Walz hat that says the same thing.

Your jersey design is the best.

Maybe you should work on commission. I'd like a DFL Cycling jersey to match my customized yellow Walz hat that says the same thing.

Would it look something like this?

http://i489.photobucket.com/albums/rr256/sru75/IMG_2790.jpg

I think this is a case of simple individual preference. I looked at the blog pictures and at both jerseys. Each has something that appeals to me. There's definite thought behind both.

Personally, I'd be more likely to wear the official one, but wouldn't have been dissatisified if the unofficial one was the official jersey. I simply prefer the brightness of the official one.

As a design professional, I have to say I much, much prefer the clean lines of Curtis's DMD jersey. Excellent work.

Hate 'em - at least all I've seen.

Lighthouse Century (formerly out of San Luis Obispo, CA, now Morro Bay) usual has nice jerseys. YMMV

Generally, I hate all ride jerseys because they do not fit and are not full zip. I buy race cut full zip jerseys. Ride jerseys are cut for riders with big guts. The California Championship jerseys fit so I suspect the triple crown ones would fit as well.

Curtis, your design looks like an improvement. IMO, promoters should pay more attention to jerseys and make them really cool since some of the rides, such as the DMD, is so hard and quite an accomplishment.

Would it look something like this?

http://i489.photobucket.com/albums/rr256/sru75/IMG_2790.jpg
Yeah, mine says "DFL Cycling/bringing up the rear". Yours is a little less, shall we say, provocative. I'm trying to convince my wife to use her $20,000 embroidery machine (it's not that expensive, but it costs more than any of my bikes) to put cool stuff like that on my cycling caps.

Most jerseys look like billboards to me. It's not my thing.

Ride jerseys as 'momentos'. I like the way you think, cccorlew!

It's a good looking design, Curtis, nice job. :thumb:

Could you please PM me the mfr you found that would do a 2 jersey run or whatever you ended up doing, or point me in the general direction? Thanks.

I like your version better, Curtis.
When I started riding, my policy was that I wouldn't buy myself a riding jersey. I felt it was like the tail wagging the dog and that the only way I could wear a jersey was to earn a jersey. I earned two by riding the MS ride for the University of Pennsylvania Health System team twice. I was pleased that they were rather conservative. After that I could, in good conscience, buy my 50+ jersey. :D

As a design professional, I have to say I much, much prefer the clean lines of Curtis's DMD jersey. Excellent work.

As a non-design professional, I could not agree more. The jerseys this week at the Harpeth River Ride were actually pretty clean and not bad looking, so I've ordered one. Full-zip too!

I actually prefer the official jersey, which means that Curtis' design is better since I have been assured by everyone that I am aesthetically challenged/blind.

The "I did it in one day" on the back may be a throw-back to the T-shirts given at the early Davis Double Century rides that always referenced 200 miles in one day. That brings back fond memories, which may explain my bias.

The California DEATH RIDE not only has the best name, but the best jerseys as well: http://www.deathride.com/ just my opinion, i've never done the ride (i live in PA).

Most jerseys look like billboards to me. It's not my thing.

+1

It's a good looking design, Curtis, nice job. :thumb:

Could you please PM me the mfr you found that would do a 2 jersey run or whatever you ended up doing, or point me in the general direction? Thanks.

Exactly what t4mv said, Mr Corlew. That would be greatly appreciated.

An error has occurred AmFaeEmbra! You must have 50 posts in order send Private Messages. Your current post count is 49.

PM of thanks can now go on it's way :o)

I just received my 2012 Ride the Rockies Jersey. It is excellent. Besides looking good it is a high quality Hincapie full zipper jersey. I am anxious to finish the ride; so, I can wear it.

My 2010 Hotter N Hell 100 jersey was also quite distinctive and cleverly designed. It was also a full zipper Hincapie jersey.

I'm riding the Cali Triple Criown (one more ride to do) this year because I like the jersey. When I first started racing in NorCal back in 1971 or so, I coveted the California State Champion's jersey, basically the Cali state flag with the bear on it. The Cali Triple Crown jersey is close enough.

Unfortunately, the basic CTC jersey is NOT full zip. Grrrr! I am hoping that the organizer will get some full zip jerseys made. The only way to get the bear on a full zip jersey is to ride the CTC Stage Race, which involves not only three double centuries, but over 45,000 feet of climbing. Which is OK, but tough to schedule if you're from out of state and need to fly down three times, and it makes it a bit tougher to do on a fixed gear, but then that's why I do it. The CTC Stage Race jersey is made in a limited-edition full zip version, and it has gold bands on it (instead of the standard red).

Anyway, I would have thought that ride organizers and club jersey secretaries would have realized the advantages of full zip jerseys by now to have made non-full-zip jerseys totally obsolete. Although I understand that full zips don't work for some women, so we may never get rid of them completely, like we did with wool five-pocket jerseys.

Luis

This post needs more photos.
I love the CA triple crown jersey. I actually think it was my main motivation to to earn it.

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2377/5756209753_bef2c70825.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ccorlew/5756209753/)
Dan and Curtis Davis Double 2011 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ccorlew/5756209753/) by ccorlew (http://www.flickr.com/people/ccorlew/), on Flickr


I also made a jersey for NorCal Bike Forums. Not a ride jersey, but I like like it. Note that is is full zip
http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4124/5030624828_2a19cea23a.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ccorlew/5030624828/)
Knoxville Double end (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ccorlew/5030624828/) by ccorlew (http://www.flickr.com/people/ccorlew/), on Flickr

And of course, the ever popular 50s
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2483/3868446203_b68baeda37.jpg

The Cinderella Classic women's ride only makes a jersey every five years. Tricia got one last year.
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5109/5586674487_1ff04094e6.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ccorlew/5586674487/)
Tricia Cinderella jersey MyLilPony (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ccorlew/5586674487/) by ccorlew (http://www.flickr.com/people/ccorlew/), on Flickr


Here's the Tierra Bella Jersey I likes to much.



http://www.tierrabella.org/images/TB08_jersey_front.jpg

Here are the only jerseys we own, besides 50+jersey. The white is 2010, the blue, 2011.
255490 255491