Book Review: The Cycling Jersey by Oliver Knight

I've collected vintage cycling jerseys for over twenty five years. An Instagram favourite of mine was (and is) ThreeBackPockets run by Oliver Knight whose superb images of old-time cycle racing and jerseys is well worth following. Some months ago Oliver contacted me to ask to photograph my collection for a book he was writing. That book, The Cycling Jersey: Craftsmanship, Speed & Style, is now published and Oliver is seeking funding on Kickstarter (link below) from today. I hope to persuade you to back him and buy a copy of this superb and important book.

Vintage cycling jerseys represent a fascinating aspect of sports clothing and menswear history. The colours and craftsmanship of cycling wear make them wonderful objects to collect and even wear (with care) whether or not you're a cyclist. The book celebrates not only their history within the context of the sport, but also their design and manufacture. 

Vintage jerseys are often works of art and craftsmanship, with embroidered lettering and vivid colours, the best examples are beautifully made - hand-stitched and robust. Oliver kindly included in the book some of my collection and my thoughts about these lovely objects. As he is self-publishing it's important that he raises his target of €18,000. I know what huge efforts he has out into this book and, given its menswear interest, I'd ask that as many readers as possible support him. Many thanks indeed. See Kickstarter.

Meccanica - British-made cycling clothing

It's been good to see so much excellent British-made cycling clothing appearing over the last few years, previously dominated by foreign-made (but still very expensive) brands. Meccanica, based in Knutsford, Cheshire, is inspired by the current trend towards the retro, while retaining a very modern, casual look to their products.

I was sent a couple of items to try; both designed and made entirely in Britain. A basic polo and a merino wool cycling jersey, traditional in style. Both are made from outstanding quality materials, the cotton is thick and soft, while the merino is beautifully silky. Much attention has been paid to details such as logos, zips and pockets, and both items are suitable for casual wear on or off the bike.

Meccanica merino cycling jerseys and cotton polo

Meccanica recognise that everyone is different and cater for all sizes from small and slim up to 4XL while retaining a great cut and style.

See Meccanica's website for more information on their clothing and cycle products, including a range of bikes.

Velobici cycle wear designed and made in the UK - for those fast and slow days in the saddle

Velobici, a British-made brand of cycle clothing

The growth of cycling over the last five years has been breathtaking. The quiet country lanes that I knew so well are nowadays crowded with earnest Lycra-clad athletes in bright team jerseys on bikes that probably cost more than a small car. I love it. The more cyclists there are on the roads, the safer we are from those drivers who find it hard to see us.

Velobici merino Bordeaux classic jersey

But we don't have to follow the herd and wear Lycra. The professionals of thirty or more years ago wore woollen cycling jerseys. I'm not nostalgic about this - wool is not the best material for a high speed ride on a warm day, but for those gentler rides there's nothing like recapturing those days when we would load up our Carradice saddle bags with sandwiches and lemonade and potter down to the woods for a picnic (did that ever happen?).

Velobici designs and makes all their cycle wear in the UK. There are lovely-looking technical jerseys for those days when you want to burn tarmac and beautiful merino for those when you don't.

Velobici Bordeaux merino jersey

I own one of the merino jerseys (pictured above) and can report that it's beautifully-made, comfortable and actually quite good as a technical jersey, even though Velobici don't claim it to be. Combining classic looks with excellent design, it comes in different colours and is a stylish jersey for wear on or off the bike.

Velobici's technical jerseys, like the Guilder below, combine water resistance, stretchiness and a thermal soft loop pile to make them ideal for three season use by club racer or hardcore amateur rider alike. Even here there's a nod to the retro, with the beautifully-stitched orange letters, VB.

For more information on all their beautiful products, see Velobici's website here.

Velobici also make technical cycle wear - Guilder high performance jersey

Road Rags - merino bike wear made in England

As a keen cyclist, I look-out for British-made cycling clothing and accessories. I was therefore pleased to meet Mike Gore, who's behind Road Rags which produces merino wool cycling jerseys in England.

Mike kindly sent me a Smithfield top (pictured below) to try. Of soft dark grey merino, it features a pull-up neck, long sleeves with hand-warmer ends to them and a double thickness drop tail to keep you warm as you crouch down on the handlebars for more speed. I've found it ideal as the weather has (later than usual this year) turned chilly and it has become a favourite jersey.

Road Rags Smithfield top - and what lovely bikes!

Merino wool is superbly suited to cycling. The fibres absorb perspiration, moving it away through evaporation so that you stay cool in the warm. The coiled spring fibres trap heat from the body to keep you warm in the cold. I find also that it's less smelly in warm conditions than artificial fibres.

Road Rags offer several tops, for men and women. For town or longer rides, they have long and short sleeves; some with rear pockets for the more race or touring-oriented cyclist. They are beautifully made and the merino washes well and has enough stretch in it to be comfortable and well-fitted on and off your machine. See the Road Rags website here.

With thanks to Road Rags who supplied a jersey for this review.

Vintage cycling jerseys - a Tour de France special

I promised many months ago to show you some of my vintage cycling jersey collection. The Tour de France provides the excuse. 

I love their colour and vibrancy; many have beautifully-embroidered lettering. Made of wool, or knitted acrylic, they're uncomfortable to wear in hot weather and are reminders of the rough, tough days of professional cycling.

Anquetil and Merckx

La Madonna del Ghisallo - patron saint of cycling

The Italian love of cycling, religion and style come together at the chapel of La Madonna del Ghisallo on Lake Como, Italy. Grateful competitive cyclists have for years been offering bikes and other artefacts to the church. The little chapel became overrun and a large modern museum of cycling was built nearby.

Both are worth a visit by anyone who loves cycling or Italian style. The bikes and colourful team jerseys are rather haphazardly shown, but the amateur nature of the displays adds to the charm. Names such as Coppi, Fondriest, Bianchi, Colnago, Pantani, Gimondi etc will resonate with any lover of the sport.

All photos Grey Fox

Paul Smith's cycling jersey collection

I've referred before to Sir Paul Smith's love of cycling. Here's a short video in which he shows his cycling jersey collection.

Cycle Style by Horst A Friederichs - celebrating bicycle style and culture

I've talked before about the influence of cycling in my search for style as an older man. I've thought for a while that there's a gap in the market for a book celebrating the increasing diversity of cycle styles that there are in London. Cycle Style by Horst A Friederichs (recently published by Prestel) goes some way towards this filling this gap, celebrating the richness of London's 2012 cycle culture and reflecting the huge increase in bicycle use over the last five years or so.

I love this book as a record of the diversity of cycling style. As a source of ideas for the lycra-tired cyclist it's invaluable; tweed, wool, pretty floral frocks and smart suits can all look good worn on a suitable bicycle. The variety of machines used on our streets, modern and vintage, mass-produced and custom-built, is well covered. Although the book focuses on London, similar cyclists will be found in all the World's major cities.

My one reservation about this book is that the pictures are so carefully posed. I still feel the need for a more spontaneous street-photography-style record of a great city's cyclists. A photographer could stand for two hours anywhere in central London and fill a book with a fascinating record of a burgeoning culture; extemporaneous shots of cyclists in mid-journey, their hair, clothes and bikes not quite so tidy and shiny, would be an alternative and possibly truer reflection of our cycle style. However, I have no regrets about buying the book, which I will dip into whenever I need a cycling fix.

Scarves - still useful despite the warmer weather

As Spring arrives I find that my warm woolly scarves emerge less frequently. However, a lighter weight scarf comes in handy for those chillier Spring days.

I found this lightweight wool vintage scarf from an eBay seller here who has many similar in a wide variety of paisley and other designs and colours (he also sells a good range of vintage cycling jerseys). Reasonably priced and cheerful, they're worth a look.

Vintage track cycling jersey - 1968 Skol Six Day Race

This track cycling jersey is from the 1968 Skol Track Cycle Race in Wembley, London. Six day racing was tough; it started with individual riders racing for six days, the winner being the cyclist who covered most laps in that time. By 1968 it was a team event, with team members taking it in turns to rest.

This jersey was worn by team 9, to be Tony Gowland and John Clarey. However, Clarey was injured and this jersey was worn by his replacement, Jim Moore, who is pictured in the photograph below.

I love the excitement of track cycling, particularly at a time when Great Britain has such strength in depth and a beautiful new track, in the run-up to the London Olympics (see my post here) . This vintage jersey exudes the noise, speed and atmosphere of closely-fought track racing.

See here and here and here for more information.

 

Fausto Coppi - Il Campionissimo - champion of style and cycling

There are some men who have a natural gift for looking stylish, whether they're involved in sweaty sport or wearing a suit and tie. One such was Fausto Coppi, the Italian (naturally) cycling campionissimo. World champion, winner of the Giro d'Italia five times and Tour de France twice, he reigned from the forties to fifties, until his untimely and sad death from malaria in 1960 as he tried to extend his ailing career by racing in Burkina Faso.

On or off his bike he looked cool and stylish,a s these photos show. I suppose it's that natural self-confidence linked to the grace of a natural athlete that gave him an edge here - no doubt being Italian helped as well!

And here with his brother, Serse, who sadly died in a cycling accident.