Cycling clothing is inherently awkward: shorts with built in suspenders, pockets in the
back of shirts that get stuffed and bulge out all weird, and zippers down the front on a shirt that has a stand-up collar. Team kit designers are not only challenged by the aforementioned design and material of cycling clothes, but then they must somehow put together a bunch of disperring corporate logos and slap them on strange places like shoulders, hip bones, tail bones, etc. These logos often have different colors, styles, and font types. Thus, putting these all together in an entire assembly that matches and looks pleasant is difficult to boot. On top of the difficult of sponsorship placement & matching, kit designers must make these all fit into a nice color scheme and design. On top of that, cyclists have differing body types, and making a kit that is flattering on both the climber and sprinter is another challenge.
While these are all challenges kit designers face, some do a much better job than others. Some kits are outright hideous, others tolerable, and the rare few-
hot.I decided to do a 2007 year in review of some local team kits, going on an up or down basis, HOT or NOT. Now, who am I to be saying whether things are hot or not? Well, I am the mystery blogger for December 30th. That means I can call your team "not hot" if I want. However, I will not claim to be the fashion guru, as in my everyday life I have terrible fashion sense. Some may disagree with me. Normally, I would say: "too bad. I am the mystery blogger on december 30th," but i like consensus all that hippy shity, so I have created a survey that you can fill out as you read this post. Open another window, vote, and I will post the results later in the day. [addendum: i tried to make a survey monkey survey, but it would only let me do 10 questions for free without upgrading, so no survey for you. please put your opinions in the comment section. sorry]
As I was doing some very techinical research on google, trying to determine whether kits were hot or not, I had so few "hots" that I had to lower my standards. [Lowering standards seems to be the theme of 2007.] I revised my critia, so that a large number of people wouldn't get bad self-esteem from this post.
What did I base things on? Well, I would like to say that I had some measuring stick, but I just kinda went with my gut. I looked for a few things: good complementary colors, appropriate font, how logos were placed, how things "tied in", and how different kits looked in action. This last piece was interesting, because some kits did not look good great while people were standing, but they looked good on the bike. Moreover, I held a different standard for different teams. For instance, I held some higher-level teams that have more money (and perhaps paid a designer) to a higher standard to some local clubs that may not even have sponsorships on their jersey.
AMD MastersHOT. The old farts know how to do it. AMD kits tie in very nicely; the royal blue and black look nice together and the sponsorship placement is not overbearing. Years and years on the bike not only make cut calves as can be seen on the left, but also result in a keen sense of bike kit fashion.
BBC 
HOT.While these kits could be a bit too patriotic for my taste, something about them works. They don't look that great when people are standing around, but in action, the dark blue and dark red create a commanding presence. Classy. The shorts are especially nice.
BPG/RH Villa
HOT.
Green and red? At first, I'd say blech as it seems like a bad Christmas card, but these jersey just look good. Really good. Maybe it is just this ultra-sexy picture and non-masters men's hot legs. But I think it is really the hats. Those hats are really hot. Actually, maybe it is just all the glamor shot pictures on this website that make these kits looks so good, but no, i actually think these are pretty hot kits.
Cal Giant
NOT.Blech. Strawberries, I'm sorry, but these are hiddeous. That strawberry on the front looks dumb. The color looks terrible, it is just unattractive in general. A shame, because I think sponsoring a strawberry company, you could have made something really hot kits that was all red. These just look pretty cheesy.
Colavita
NOT.This color scheme just sucks. There is way too much going on in this kit. Moreover, the font type stinks and I do not like where the sponsor's name is placed.
CRC Hill
NOT.I realize that when you are sponsoring some real estate company that sells multi-million dollar estates, you are trying to look classy, but in your attempt to look so classy, you just look like one big sissy. Dude, you are wearing spandex, this is not high society. A thin and dainty font like Garamond or whatever it is makes the riders look feeble and weak. The font needs to be beefed up and some more creative use of colors is needed.
Davis Bike Club
NOT.Please. This is just color overkill. That much of any color on a jersey would look stupid. Try some stripes or panels or something. Ugh.
Dolce Vita
HOT.When I first saw this jersey, I thought "cursive font?" that is dumb. But, I think these kits are quite attractive. The navy, orange, and white are quite complementary. I think the kit designer did a fine job of placing lots of sponosrs and still tying in a theme. Well done. Plus, this is a cute picture.
Eagle Racing
NOT.Lots of things can go on cycling jersies. Words, logos. Big pictures of eagles (or anything else for that matter)
do not look good on a team kit. I will stick to my conviction that pictures are for commemorative jersies given out for completing a century, tour, or other such event...not for a team kit.
EMC/Vellum
NOT. This is terrible. That speckled grey looks really stupid. Who thought the fade out was a good idea? And then that red? This has got to be one of the worst looking jersies in the NorCal peleton. I hear this team is changing sponosrs or something, so hopefully they will put some more care into designing this kit better.
Fremont Freewheelers
NOT.This blue isn't royal blue it is aqua. And that is gross! Black and aqua paneling. This is not an acquarium. Plus, it appears the shorts are a different shade of blue. That is not good. I do not like these colors at all, and do not feel any design will improve such a terrible aqua.
ICCC
NOT.This jersey isn't as terrible as some others (see above), but what pushed it to the
not was thechecker board down the front. What's up with that? That is dumb. I know that cyclists race in circles a lot, but this is not the indy 500.
Left Coast
NOT.Sorry left coast; this jersey had potential being that it was green and could have done something interesting, as there aren't many green teams. But it just ruined it with that neon green trim. Eww! What were they thinking? Moreover, this jersey automatically got a not hot for the picture on the landscape and biker. This looks like a jersey you get for completing a century, not a team kit. I do not like pictures on team kits.
Los Gatos
NOT.I like red. I like yellow. But this red/yellow combo just doesn't do it. I think the overall design and triangle looks good; it is just the color scheme that is whack. They do a great job of putting lots of sponsors on the jersey in a logical fashion—I think if the color scheme was changed, this jersey might bump into the hot category.
Metromint
NOT. I'm sorry, but I couldn't put polka dots in the "hot" category. Team kit designers can only design good looking team kits so long as the corporate sponsorship has a nice logo. The thing is, metromint has very nice looking products, a stellar website, and a great font type. I think if the polka dots were smaller—very tiny dots – instead of these big ones, that could be better. In addition, I don't like how the bibs tie into the jerseys.
Morgan StanleyHOT.Looking at this jersey standing still, I think it is pretty boring. But it looks good on the bike, and that is the most important. There is nothing outright bad about this jersey. It is simple, nice colors, nice paneling...and, good enough. Hot? Well, I said I was lowering my standards. The Morgan Stanley team kit is like the "40 yr old marriage pact" you make with your best friend.
NorCal Velo
HOT.These look good. The colors go nicely together and the font is nice. I also think the jersey design is pretty solid. Nice short paneling also.
PenVelo
NOT.There is nothing outright that I can think of why I don't like this jersey; I just don't. Something about it rubs me the wrong way…but nothing I can pinpoint. Perhaps it is the arcs on the jersey. The thing is, it isn't nearly in the same category as EMC/Vellum-- it is quite borderline, but I am getting tired and so am being more picky. Whatever, the peninsula is full of graphic computer designers; they should have something off the hook.
PROMAN HOT.This has got to be one of the best looking jersies. The baby blue looks great and the red just pops out so nicely in that cool font. I think the kit designer did a good job of placing everything and tying it together. Plus, these ladies just look like tough shit in this jersey when they are moving, and as gorgeous as anything on the podium. This jersey looks good both standing still and moving fast.
ProTech
NOT.Yuck. Yeah, you'd think less is more with all this black, but this is just boring and there is nothing going on here. Some side panels are needed. Also, that big sun looks stupid. This logo should be tiny.
Roaring Mouse
NOT.Not only is this yellow the most hideous shade of yellow, but it looks dorky with that font. I'd suggest changing the yellow to less orange and change the off-color to grey, and then make a better font.
Rock Lobster
NOT.These are gross. Why would anyone think seafoam green was a good color? No. Pastels make people look weak. On principal I have to say this is an ugly kit.
San Jose Bike Club
HOT.Props to SJBC. There is nothing special about these jersies, but I think they are pretty good club jersies, with nice side paneling. Nothing fancy; basic, simple, and good.
Safeway HOT. These look good—the bright white letters on black really bring things out. It was also a way to tie together logos that otherwise wouldn't have matched.
Spine
NOT. I don't know why, but I just don't like it. There are too many colors. The yellow and blue look silly together and there is too much white.
Squadra HOT.This is one I would say I shouldn't like because of the yellow strip, but these actually look really good in action. I think the paneling and use of black accents is done extraordinarily well.
Team Oakland
HOT.These look good. I like the coloring, minus that blue font in the middle with kaiser permemente. Something needs to be done about this. But, the orange and white works well, and the paneling design is aces.
Tibco
HOT.This are very, very attractive jersies. The lettering looks good and the light color is very hot on these ladies.
Touchstone
NOT.There isn't anything going on. It is so plain. The royal blue just sits there, blah. It just needs some sort of excitement, some sort of design, some panels, something.
Value Act
HOT.These are great looking jersies. At first you might think red, white, & blue? But it doesn't matter- these are wonderfully designed and makes me think these ladies are even hotter! This is a perfect jersey to contrast with touchstones: same colors, but look at the superior use of accents and paneling, espectially on key areas like the their and biceps.
VanderkittenNOT.I'm sorry, but a huge kitty on the front doesn't make me think I'll kick ass, regardless of the logo say. Or that pink plaid version kit, that is even worse. I think that looks silly. Why didn't you just make these jersies in baby tee's? I am traditionalist and I do not like big logos on the chest.
Velo BellaNOT.I just don't like pictures. Like above, a picture of girl riding a bike, much like a cat, doesn't seems to make for a hardcore jersey. I much prefer use of font and paneling for accents, not pictures.
Velo Girls NOT.No picture, but the hot pink is just so obtrusive it makes me think this is a junior high team.
VOS
NOT.
The font is just too much. I think that there needs to be more work on the paneling; it is too plain. This jersey attempted to do well, but I think it just came up short. More needs to be going on, especially on the front.
Webcor
HOT.
These are great looking jersies….but only on the women's team. I don't know why, but I think they look silly on men, but great on women. Perhaps the green is a smigen darker on the men's kits? Perhaps the big WEBCOR across the chest only looks good on breasts? I dunno, but this hot is only for YYs.
Disclaimer: I had glasses and braces until 8th grade; wore tapered leg jeans (before skinny jeans were cool) until 11th grade, was in the marching band, and owned enough Christmas sweatshirts made out of puffy paint that i could wear a different one to school for two weeks before Christmas. 
This here blog is kaput ~ and thanks for the times. I'd hoped to post something poetic ... meaningly hallmark'ing the occassion. But, the winds already blew away that sand painting.
Anyway, there'll be more graphics and widgets and RSSfeeds and blogrolls. It'll be chock full of almost-fresh content, and bad grammar, and and spammy hernandomediacroticraticdialectimadness in hopes of stealing you away from concentration ~ and maybe pissing away some of your time at work, or occasionally flaming it up with agro-anonymous comments.
Best Team: PROMAN
Best Rider: Andy Jacques-Maynes
est Woman: Shelley Olds
Best Man: Ben Jacques-Maynes
Best Race:
Best NorCal Prosey ~
Thanks again for taking part in this little experiment. I'm going to have my next project up fairly soon (http://norcalcyclingnews.com/). Whether that will be worth a crap is yet to see.
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