07.11.2010 | 11:00 pm
A “YOUR QUESTIONS, ANSWERED” UPDATE: If you’ve asked questions in the comments, got back and check to see if there’s an answer. The Twin Six guys have been answering directly within comments here. Got another question? Ask it in the comments below.
A LIVESTRONG DONATION UPDATE: Twin Six just said they are going to double the percentage they originally planned to donate to LiveStrong from the 2011 Fat Cyclist Gear pre-order. Which is ridiculously cool of them, and maybe an extra-nice incentive for you to get yourself some Fat Cyclist gear.
You’re riding your bike. People see your jersey, which says “Fat Cyclist” on it. And yet, paradoxically, this jersey actually bolsters your already overwhelmingly good looks, bringing you well into — and quite possibly beyond — the “smokin’ hot” zone. You are now as irresistibly attractive as you are athletic.
You don’t come across jerseys like that every day, my friend.
Way back in 2007, Twin Six and I met and they showed me a bunch of designs for jerseys. Among them was an orange, black and white beauty of a jersey with a clydesdale rearing up on its hind legs.
I had to have it.
Lacking confidence, we had only 300 or so of these jerseys made, and we had extensive chats about what we would do with the ones we couldn’t sell. As it turns out, we shouldn’t have worried. They sold out, fast.
So, when Twin Six and I started talking about the 2011 Fat Cyclist Gear collection, I threw out something that had been on my mind a lot: “What if we brought back the original design? But this time, with better fabric, better fit, and a full-length zipper?”
Which is what we’ve done. But now, instead of just a jersey, you can get this design on your shorts. On your jacket. A hoodie. Your running shirt. And more.
The 2011 Fat Cyclist gear collection identifies you as part of Team Fatty (you’ll notice that the original design has been slightly tweaked to include the “Team Fatty” symbols), fits and looks great, and is in short very likely to be your very favorite jersey ever.
If You Just Want to Get Ordering
If you’d like to skip my sparkling, descriptive prose, well…frankly I’m a little hurt. But fine. Here’s the bare bones list of items and prices, linking to the pages where you can buy them on the Twin Six site.
Men-Specific Stuff
Women-Specific Stuff
Everyone-Specific Stuff
And now, let’s get on to the the part where I show you what everything looks like and use my extraordinary marketing prowess to make you want to buy three of everything.
Short-Sleeve Jerseys: Men’s and Women’s ($75)
At first glance, people won’t be able to tell the difference between the 2011 jerseys and the 2007 jerseys. But they’re a lot different if you look beyond the design. The Twin Six guys have really stepped up their game, fabric-wise, pattern-wise, and quality-wise. In other words, your Fat Cyclist jersey is not going to be your best-looking jersey, it also stands a good chance of being your best-fitting, most comfortable jersey, too. Check out the men’s jersey. Here’s the front:
Yes, the inside collar really is pink and says “Fight Like Susan,” so even the orange jerseys are still very much “Team Fatty.”
Now check out the back:
You’ll also notice a few design changes from the first jersey. The “FatCyclist.com” on the back is easier to read. The “201″ has been replaced by “WIN.” And on the circle around the clydesdale on the back, it says “Team Fatty” instead of “Fatty’s Bike Blog.”
And now, let’s take a look at the women’s version of the jersey. Here’s the front:
And here’s the back:
All the same good stuff from the men’s jersey, but with a women’s cut and the color pink. I went with the different color for women not because of some sexist thing, but because pink is the color generally associated with breast cancer awareness, and that seems like something women would like to be associated with, too.
Also, a lot of women commented they wanted pink jerseys last week. So I thought I’d go with it.
For men’s jersey’s, click here. For women’s, click here.
Bib Shorts: Men’s and Women’s ($90)
I used to buy very expensive bib shorts. Like the $150 – $200 ones. Yeah, I know that’s nowhere near the top end, but it’s still a lot. For the past couple years, though, I’ve been wearing nothing but the Team Fatty (and other Twin Six) shorts, and I love them. They’re comfortable, they’re durable, they look great.
If you haven’t tried bib shorts, you should. For one thing, you lose the elastic at the waist, which — even if you don’t realize it — is uncomfortable when you’re bent over your handlebars. For another thing, they keep the chamois where it ought to be. And for yet another thing, they hold your gut in and de-muffintop-ize you, at least somewhat.
Here’s the men’s bib shorts for 2011:
As for the women’s shorts, I asked last Friday whether we should go with bibs or shorts. The response was overwhelming. Bib shorts it is. Check ‘em out:
Try ‘em. You’ll like ‘em. I mean it.
For men’s bibs, click here. For women’s, click here.
Long Sleeve Thermal Jersey: Men’s and Women’s ($90)
I have one long sleeve thermal jersey. Just one. And from October to March, I wear it pretty much every single ride. Arm warmers are fine if you know it’s going to be warming up during the ride, but for the months where you know it’s going to be cool the whole time, it’s nice to have something that’ll keep your arms and your chest and your back warm. This is a 100% super-soft micro thermal fabric, fleeced, yet breathable and durable.
If you live somewhere where it’s cool outside several months out of the year, you’ll be amazed at how often you’ll be able to skip the base layer or jacket and just go with this instead. And you’ll love how much freer you feel without the bulk and tightness of a base layer under your jersey. This jersey is going to be your new favorite.
Here’s the men’s version, front:
And back:
And here’s the women’s version, front:
And back:
For men’s long-sleeve jerseys, click here. For women’s, click here.
The Hoodie: Men’s and Women’s ($30)
First of all, yes: the price is not a typo. This all-cotton hooded sweatshirt is really just $30. It’s probably the screamingest deal of the whole 2011 Fat Cyclist gear lineup. It’s got a full zipper, raglan sleeves, two front kangaroo pockets (just in case you carry a kangaroo around with you), and a hood.
The colors are the same for men’s and women’s hoodies: black, with white and orange art. The only thing that differentiates the men’s and women’s hoodies is the cut. Yeah, I didn’t know there was such a thing as gender-specific hoodie cuts either. Turns out there is.
Check out the front:
And the back:
For men’s hoodies, click here. For women’s, click here.
Tech T’s: Unisex ($45)
Well, when you marry The Runner, you’ve got to start having a Team Fatty shirt for runners, right? And I’ll bet that more than a few of you do some running of your own. Or maybe you like to wear something a lot less jersey-looking when you mountain bike. Or maybe you are going to do the run in the LiveStrong Challenge. Or maybe you know a runner and have been wondering what to get her or him for Christmas.
There are probably other possibilities for this shirt. Regardless, you can bet I’ll be wearing this at the NYC Marathon in November.
This is a 100% polyester microfiber fabric — lightweight, breathable, and durable. Fitting is the same as Twin Six men’s cotton t-shirts.
Check out the front:
And the back:
To order a Tech T, click here.
Wind Jackets: Unisex ($95)
What if it’s windy outside? You don’t want to put a garbage bag over your head when you’re riding, do you?
No. No you do not. Because that makes you look like a rolling bag of trash, that’s why.
Instead, wear this lightweight Vortex Rip-Stop jacket. It’s windproof, water resistant, and very durable. It’s got a dual directional full zipper and vented side panels. No back pockets, and the sizing skews more toward men’s, so women: be sure to calculate accordingly.
Check out the front:
And the back:
To order a wind jacket, click here.
Camelbak 24oz Bottles ($10)
I don’t use any non-Cambelbak-made bottles anymore. I just don’t. In fact, you may remember I found alternative uses for all my old bottles.
So check out the new 24oz Team Fatty Camelbak bottles:
Black is the new black.
To order bottles, click here.
Wool Socks ($12)
I love wool socks. Well, actually I love wool everything. No, wait. I don’t love wool cereal bowls. Cereal bowls should be made of a completely different material.
But for socks, especially, wool is the best. In warm weather or cold. There’s nothing better. And nothing as good.
These 5″ wool socks are made of soft performance wool. You will love them. Check out the front:
And back:
By the way, there is no pink version of the socks this year. Pink goes great with orange anyway, right?
To order socks, click here.
Be Stylish, Fight Cancer
Every Fat Cyclist clothing item you buy — whether pink or orange — has a big cut for LiveStrong built right into it. I donate 20% of my cut, and Twin Six matches.
Which means a lot of money goes into the fight against cancer, and I still get to put some money into my kids’ college funds and put off applying for that job at Taco Time. Thank you.
When Will Your Gear Arrive?
Everything should start shipping the week of September 27, and will be landing on U.S. doorsteps October 4th or so. For international orders, add another week or so.
So, for those of you joining Team Fatty in Austin on October 22 – 24, you have the option of sporting your 2011 gear in 2010. You trendsetter, you.
Regardless, all of this will arrive well before Christmas. Before Thanksgiving, even. And even before Halloween. (Oh, consider the Halloween possibilities the new Fat Cyclist gear creates!)
Questions and Answers
Got questions? Here are some answers to common ones.
- How long does the pre-order last? From now (Monday, July 12) ’til Midnight July 19 (Central time).
- Can I Order if I Live Outside the U.S.? Heck yeah.
- What About Sizing Info? Check out the Twin Six Sizing page here.
- Will Dr. Lammler Have a Quote Behind the Middle Pocket? Yes he will. You’ll have to wait to see what it is, though.
- Where’s the T-Shirt? The Fat Cyclist T-Shirt will be rolled out and made available for order in time for the 2010 holidays.
- What if I’m a woman and I want an orange jersey? Buy a men’s jersey. It’ll still fit OK, probably.
- What if I’m a man and I want a pink jersey? Buy a women’s jersey. I have no idea how it will fit, though.
If you have questions I haven’t preemptively answered, ask in the comments or via email. I’ll either update this post, answer in comments, or reply directly by email, whichever makes the most sense to me at the moment.
Thanks for supporting LiveStrong, Twin Six, and me. Seriously.
And you are going to love your new gear. I know I can hardly wait for mine.
Comments (95)
07.9.2010 | 7:15 am
OK, I usually don’t post on Fridays, because according to my stats engine and search engine optimization reports, I am extremely lazy. Oh, and also I don’t want to hold you up from beginning your weekend ride and other festivities. You’re welcome!
But this Monday, I’m going to be doing something kinda big — something I do only once per year — and I thought I’d give those of you who haven’t checked out of the office and started your weekend early a little sneak preview.
The Original.
I’ve liked every single one of the Fat Cyclist jersey designs. But for whatever reason, this one has a special place in my heart:
Yep, the original.
There weren’t many of them made: 300 or so. So you probably don’t have one. And the truth is, Twin Six was a newish company at the time, and the jersey had a few problems:
- The material was heavy and rough.
- The stitching below the zipper tended to come out
- The pattern wasn’t dialed in.
But still. I loved that design. And I’ve lost track of how many times people have said to me that it is the best-looking jersey they’ve ever seen, and wondered how they could get one.
Well, you couldn’t.
But next week, you can.
The Original…But Better.
Because you’re sitting in your office (or home, or driving down the freeway and recklessly looking at your web-enabled mobile phone) on a Friday (or a Saturday, or a Sunday), I’m going let you have a sneak peek at the 2011 Fat Cyclist / Team Fatty jersey:
And here’s the back:
Yep, for 2011, we’re bringing back the original design. But with a few differences that I’m pretty excited about. Such as:
- The material and pattern are much better. As in, they’re the same quality that you now expect from all Twin Six jerseys.
- Full zipper. Yes!
- There’s a women’s-sized version.
- There are several tiny design changes, mostly to “Team Fattify” the jersey. I’ll let you see if you can find them.
But Wait! There’s More!
I’m not going to show you everything that’s going to go with this jersey, but there’s going to be some great stuff. Stuff I have not sold before.
- A long-sleeved version of the jersey.
- A windbreaker jacket
- A wicking tech T, for those of you (ok, us) who run, or who want a more casual look when riding (check it out on the right).
- A hoodie.
- Wool socks. Yes, I’m bringing wool back.
And there will be more. The 2011 shorts, for example, have a new design and go incredibly well with this jersey. And the bottles — still Camelbak Podium bottles — have a new look I think you’ll love (I do).
You’re going to have to wait ’til Monday to see all this, though. I can’t show everything right now, can I?
Please Help Me Solve This Dilemma.
There’s one thing I just haven’t been able to decide, and I need some help from the women readers of this blog to help me out:
Should the women’s shorts be bib shorts or “team” shorts (no bib)?
Most women I know who ride don’t use bibs. However, I’ve given a pair of bib shorts to Lisa and a pair to Kellene, and they both like them a lot. Prefer them even.
So, women: which will it be? Tell me in the comments. And if you don’t care and would buy either, that’s good to know too.
When Does The Ordering Start?
The pre-order for everything starts this Monday, July 12, and goes through Monday, July 19. I’ll post pictures and links early Monday morning.
This way, you’ll get your stuff in plenty of time for Fall riding. Or for Christmas.
And as those of you who have missed the pre-order know, I don’t order a lot of extras of anything. I sell jerseys once a year.
Which lets me focus on important things like fake news and fart jokes the rest of the time.
Comments (141)
07.8.2010 | 9:50 am
A Note from Fatty: Dustin Brady works for Shimano. His fiancé, Michelle, had the same kind of cancer Susan had. It progressed about the same way, and they tried similar treatments. Dustin and I started talking as we each tried to find ways to accomplish something (anything) in the fight against cancer, and have become good friends. Thanks in large part to the incentives Dustin and Shimano have provided, Team Fatty has become a real fundraising force in the fight against cancer.
Dustin has asked me if I could publish this letter, and I’m more than happy to.
To the readers of Fat Cyclist:
My name is Dustin Brady (the secret Shimano Guy) and I’ve asked Elden to share this letter with you.
I would like to in as short as possible tell you of my beautiful fiancé who passed away Monday night and share of her amazing spirit, smile and sass that made those around her smile.
I met Michelle through a friend at Interbike in 2005. I wasn’t looking to meet anyone at the time … but I guess that is when you meet someone great … when you least expect it. Her genuine smile captivated me … it wasn’t flirty … it was just who she was. When I learned she lived fairly close to me … I asked if I could take her to dinner and that I would drive up to see her. She replied, “You’re not getting any but sure.” From that point, I knew I liked her … she wasn’t afraid to give anyone crap and she stood on her own.
She turned out to be someone I loved and connected with on so many levels. She was beautiful, she loved to travel, she liked to ride and she followed cycling. As a kid she competitively water skied. She appreciated nice things but was casual just like me … shorts, shirts, sandals … no problem. And I would not remember her properly if I didn’t say she was fiercely independent. She had great style and she cared about others often more than herself … she was sarcastic … and in time I knew she loved me back.
When we traveled, she didn’t care if it was a hostel or a nice hotel. Her smile and energy guided her everywhere and their wasn’t anyone she couldn’t connect with…this energy and outright positivity would carry her through her fight with cancer.
About 2 ½ years ago she first learned of her cancer. As a lot of you know … it is a roller coaster of a ride. Peaks and valleys … it was at this time I first chatted with Elden … our fight was strong, Susan’s and Elden’s fight was strong, and as I read all of your comments to his postings I learned that your fight was strong … and this is why we wanted to help fight with all of you this BS known as cancer.
As Susan fought, so did Michelle … her sass, her smile, and her energy helped me face her battle. Her desire to live each day to the fullest was always there but she kicked it up to 11 and we did just that … Lived each day to the fullest. I gave her everything I could … a trip to Greece, a ring and my commitment to her for the rest of my life.
As we lived and fought, the cancer did slow her down … and while we moved slower … we were still giving it our all.
In her last days she truly lived each day to the fullest … she was pinning it so hard, she was wearing her mother and me out. The last activity she did before going to bed on July 4th was to light and toss a firecracker for the 4th of July. When asked if she wanted to light that fire cracker, her eyes literally opened wide and she nodded clearly and concisely. The point of this story … she had a lust for life and lived each and every day of her life to the fullest.
I will continue to fight with you all and I thank you for all you have done to support Elden in his fight. Elden has the soap box, I can arrange the goods, but without all of you, we have nothing.
Sincerely,
Dustin
PS from Fatty: If you like to write cards of encouragement, it would mean the world to Michelle and Dustin if you send Michelle’s mother a card. It would be great if you can tell her in your own words that she raised a beautiful and spirited woman that lived and honored all of those who share in the fight.
Patricia Weiser
PO Box 419
Fulton, CA 95439
Comments (69)
07.6.2010 | 12:37 pm
I am not a big fan of waking up. To illustrate my lack of unexcitedness about waking up in general, I would like to provide to you the following list of things about which I am not excited, stack-ranked (with most unexcitedness at the top) to give you some context:
- Brocoli
- My receding hairline
- The letter “C”
- Waking Up
- Flat stages in the Tour de France
Ordinarily, I should point out, “Flat Stages in the Tour de France” would be much higher (i.e., providing even more unexcitedness) in this list, but so far, the carnage in these stages (haven’t watched today’s stage yet so don’t give it away) has made them much less unexciting than usual.
(Note to self: write a post about how conflicted I feel about the fact that I scan through flat stages of the TdF at 4x speed, but stop and rewind for crashes.)
And in short, I don’t much like waking up.
But this time of year, I gladly set my alarm for 5:00 AM. And while I don’t like — and will probably never like — the moment of waking up, it’s totally worth it.
Because this time of year, early mornings rule.
Getting Away With Something
More than ten years ago, as Dug and I were first discovering night riding, we stood at the top of a climb that overlooked the lights in Utah County. “Look at all those chumps, watching TV. Eating. Sleeping. Whatever-ing,” said Dug. “They don’t know what they’re missing.”
“It’s like we’ve found a huge chunk of time in the day we never knew existed before,” I replied. “Like we’ve found out that the day actually has 28 hours if you buy the right clock.”
“It’s like we’re getting away with something,” Dug concluded.
We were so freaking deep. But we were also right. And, as it turns out, the same applies to the early morning, as well. If you’re willing to do with a little less sleep, a little less grooming, and can make yourself feel OK about telling your little twin princesses that from now on they’re in charge of their own breakfast, you suddenly have a big chunk of time that nobody else has.
Oh, Cool.
So there’s the “more time factor.” Fine. But around here — and in some places, probably year round — that’s only the tiniest benefit.
What I love the very most about riding in the morning is the temperature. Through the simple act of setting my alarm clock, I am able to take a daily vacation from the heat of the day. There’s something fantastic about feeling cool — maybe even a little bit cold — when you’re outside exercising on a day that’s going to have a high of 101 fahrenheit (or, for those of you who prefer metric measurements, 255.37 kelvin).
In fact, I’d go so far as to say it makes you feel a little bit like a genius. With just a dash of smugly superior.
Plus, when you’re not miserably hot, rides are just better. Here’s The Runner yesterday — we rode up Grove Canyon to the top of Timpooneke, then to the Ridge Trail and down Tibble Fork — about three hours and 4500 feet of climbing into the ride:
I should point out that — judging from the rate of evaporation from my brow — it’s about 9:40 AM and 68 degrees f (293.15 kelvin) outside when this picture was taken. In the middle of the day, it doesn’t matter how beautiful a ride is — you’re just thinking about how brutally hot it is outside, and how soon you can get near an air conditioning vent.
If you start out early, on the other hand, you’re a little more prone to notice that you are, in fact, riding singletrack across a mountain meadow, with aspen trees in the background. On an epic mountain bike ride you started from your house, no less.
Balance
Maybe the most awesome side-benefit of the early morning ride, though, is how it leaves you feeling for the rest of the day. If I get a ride in before the day gets started, I’m calm, friendly, and happy. I can deal with everything and anything.
If, on the other hand, I don’t get a ride in, I’m…um…less calm, friendly, and happy. And while I can still generally deal with everything, my methods of dealing are perhaps less…calm, friendly and happy.
Unless you consider sarcastic remarks calm, friendly, and happy, that is.
Of course, this is an easy post to write this time of the year. It’s light, even at 5:00 AM, and that makes it, apart from the moment of disorientation and resentment upon first awakening, easy to wake up.
Stay tuned for my post in a few months, however, which I am tentitively titling, “5:00 AM Sucks. Bad.”
Comments (53)
07.1.2010 | 1:01 pm
In some alternate universe, those of us with a fondness for empty calories rule the peloton, because — in this magical alternate universe — those empty calories make us faster. The complicated relationship we have — in this universe — with pastry simply doesn’t exist, because in that (much better) universe, the more donuts you eat, the faster you ride. The better you do in races.
And on July 17, I will spend a day in that universe.
Because that’s when I’ll be riding the Rotary Club of American Fork’s Tour de Donut — presented by One on One Marketing and powered by FatCyclist.com.
Yep, that’s right. I’m an official promoter of the event. And not just because I’m a beloved sports blog personality. I’m promoting it because I simply cannot imagine a more awesome combination of three things I love. Specifically:
- Riding: The Utah Tour de Donut is a three-lap road race around a seven-mile course in American Fork Utah. I like the fact that it’s not a long course. I like the fact that it’s not a steep course. I like the fact that if I get lost on the course I’ll probably still find my way home.
Eating: At the beginning of each of the three laps, you have the opportunity to eat as many donuts as you want (i.e., can stand). Each donut you eat knocks three minutes off your time. The winner each year has finished with a negative amount of time. I expect to do well in this race, but I do not expect to win. The guy to the right — Regan Fackrell (his real name) — is the returning champion, and frankly I don’t think I have a prayer, because Regan actually trains for the event, using techniques champion food-eating contest pros use. Still: I can try, darnit.- Cancer Fighting: In addition to local projects, this year — at my request — the Utah Tour de Donut will be benefitting LiveStrong.
I don’t know if I’ll ride the beach cruiser tandem with The Runner, ride solo, or ride a tandem with alternating twins. I see benefits with all possibilities. In any case, this is going to be a silly, fun, puketastic race that will also do a lot of good. I’m really excited to be part of it.
And I’d like you to be part of it with me.
How You Can Participate, Even If You’re Not a Local
The most awesome way you can be part of the Utah Tour de Donut is to come ride it with me. But taking a quick glance at my reader stats, I see I have quite a few more readers in Australia than I do in Utah, and — sadly — I expect most of you aren’t going to make the trip.
But you can still participate, through the medium of donating to the cause, in exchange for which I will do your bidding. Here’s how it will work:
- If you donate $10, I will loudly (as in “shouting at the top of my lungs”) proclaim — before eating a donut — that I am eating it on your behalf. You can do multiples of $10, too. If you want to get really specific about which lap you want me to eat your donut, just say. If I get way more donations for this, I will delegate some of the eating to The Runner, The Swimmer (we’re currently trying to persuade The Swimmer to ride tandem with The Runner) or to one of the twins. But I’ll still do the shouting.
- If you donate $50, I will write your name (or short phrase of your choosing), in a Sharpie color of your choosing on a visible place on my body or — if I run out of room on my body — jersey. So in a way, you’ll be riding with me. And I promise to try not to throw up on your name.
- $If you donate $100, I will write your name (or short phrase of your choosing) in Sharpie on a place of your choosing. Yes, that can include on the top of my head, on my (awesome) quads, or on my face. I have no shame.
To participate with me this way, go to the Tour de Donut site and click the Donate button down toward the bottom-left of the page. When you get your email receipt, forward it on to me (my email address is “fatty@fatcyclist.com”) with instructions on what to do.
If You ARE a Local, Come Ride With Me
If you do happen to live in the area, head on over to the Tour de Donut Registration Page, where you can get details about the race. Register as a family, solo, or a tandem. Or if you’d like to come join the fun but aren’t in the mood to compete, why don’t you volunteer?
And please, wear your Fat Cyclist jersey (or t-shirt, whatever) if you’ve got one. Trust me, this is one occasion where nobody’s going to question what it means.
Comments (65)
« Previous Page Next Entries »
