Calling all cyclists with literary leanings!
Velobici, the Leicestershire cycle clothing manufacturer, is holding a writing competition inspired by British success at the Tour, and to celebrate the launch of it’s new roadwear collection – the first set of which will soon be winging its way to RCUK Towers for test.
Essays of no more than 1,000 words on one of three subjects (The Bike, The Race or The Ride) should be emailed to [email protected] by 10pm on Friday August 17.
Place your chosen category in the subject field. Alternatively, visit www.velobici.cc and click the appropriate link on the Writing Competition page.
Entries will be judged by a venerable panel that includes Velobici founder, Chris Puttnam, former British road race champion, Matt Stephens, cycling writer, Matt Rendell, Eurosport commentator, David Harmon, Adrian Bell of Mousehold Press, and Andy Ward, cycling doctor and writer.
Chris Puttnam said: “The cycling world has a wealth of writing talent and we thought after all this year’s success in all riding disciplines that there are some inspirational stories to be told. We have three categories: The Bike, The Race and The Ride, so your story doesn’t have to be about professional racing. It can be about your own rides, your own memories”.
The winner of the Race category will receive a new set of the road wear, and offered a choice of the Van Able or Van Dapper jersey and shorts.
The Bike category winner can choose between a Bob Maitland or Tommy Godwin jersey, made to commemorate the heroes of the 1948 London Games.
The winner of the Ride category will be offered a Lombardy cardigan with matching seamless merino wool scarf and gloves.
Female winners could walk away with a set of Velobici’s Ella Paris or Ella Nice merino wool arm warmers, collar, and hat, and technical vest and briefs from the company’s soon-to-be-released women’s wear collection.
Additionally, each winner will also receive a copy of the latest publication from Mousehold press, and be recorded by David Harmon for podcast on the Velobici website.
RCUK is soon to receive a set of Velobici’s new Roadwear collection, which includes four garments: two jerseys, and two sets of bib shorts.
Each is made from a Meryl-Lycra ‘actisystem’ fabric which Velobici say makes them soft and durable, light, windproof, and quick drying, and protective against UVA and UVB rays.
We’ll be putting it all to the test as the first publisher to test the new kit. Here’s a few of the tech specs in the interim:
The Van Abel men’s jersey has a full zip and dropped hem at the rear, five rear pockets (two zipped), silicone gripper, reflective piping on the sleeves and hem, and is lined with a waterproof fabric. It has a Velobici pattern on the side panel and chainring motif on the chest. It will sell for £140.
The matching Van Abel shorts, made from a Lycra-Meryl fabric, will feature a Velobici side panel weave to match the jersey, flatlock seams, and a Gopresia Airmesh pad. It will sell for £130.
The Van Dapper men’s jersey and shorts follow a similar design but with yellow binding rather than red, and will sell for £140 and £130 respectively.
