Each week Cycling Weekly takes one step closer to finding the best club jersey in the world. To enter your club email cycling@futurenet.com
Ever clocked a local club run speeding past and reckoned their amazing kit could teach the WorldTour fashionistas a thing or two? Or maybe you felt it had no place being displayed in a public place and should be consigned to the recycled fabrics bin in the supermarket car park.
That may be a little harsh, but in any case, now you get to take a better look as we assemble club kits from all over the place and get the stories behind them. Even better, you get to choose your favourites in a weekly poll – this isn't called Club Jersey Clash for nothing! In each week's instalment we'll announce the winner of the previous week's clash.
Meet our clubs this week: Jubilee Park Cycling Club and Kibworth Velo Club. Let battle commence!
We spoke to Jason Price, Jubilee Park Cycling Club's welfare officer and social media officer.
Q: How long has the club been going and what sort of riding do your members do?
A: The club formed in 2019 from a newly built housing estate looking for some social rides. Most rides are road but we have some members who have taken part in cyclo-cross as well and we have had team track days.
Q: Tell us the story behind the jersey design.
A: The jersey is supplied by Primal, it’s been the same design for two years now. The colours are that of the local town, Rogerstone, to fit in with the local sports teams like football and rugby. The stand out on the kit is the bear, the club are sponsored by a local and well-known brewery, Tiny Rebel. So the bear takes pride of place on the jersey.
Q: What are some of the most interesting rides – or biggest achievements – members have worn it for?
A: Biggest rides have probably been the Dragon Devil, covering 300km throughout the Welsh hills in just over 10 hours. The club is going to Majorca in March 2024 to tackle some climbs!
Biggest achievements, some pretty big ones. We have four members who have completed an Ironman and we are hoping to add two more to that list in 2024. We have a former British and Welsh hill-climbing champion from their youth days. We also have two members who actively compete in time trials.
Zwift racing is popular with one member surpassing 150 WTRL team time trial races.
Q: Is there anything else you might like to add about the jersey or the club?
A: Very small team at present, hoping to expand and achieve more & more.
We spoke to Fraser Law of Kibworth VC.
Q: How long has the club been going and what sort of riding do your members do?
A: Formed in 2016, we are a group of mainly road riders who came together through shared interest. We have around 50 regular members, with up to 25 taking part in two or three regular weekly club rides around South Leicestershire. We also stage Zwift events if the weather is too bad to ride out.
Q: Tell us the story behind the jersey design.
A: Our first attempt at a club jersey was a rather colourful affair, created using an online shirt design package. After living with it for around a year we decided it had to change. Seeing the many brightly coloured club jerseys around, a small group of us decided on a complete redesign. The black edition KVC jersey was born, along with a new black, red and silver logo. Le Col was chosen to produce it, reflecting the quality design.
This proved so popular that soon the entire club were kitted out in stealth black, with matching caps, winter jackets, gilets etc quickly following. Much later we introduced a red and a white edition for hot summer rides and climbs. All fit closely within the KVC colour palette and design guidelines.
Q: What are some of the most interesting rides – or biggest achievements – members have worn it for?
A: KVC organises summer trips regularly as well as UK events. The squad have recently taken part in Etape Loch Ness, the NW 500, the Dragon Ride, the Fred Whitton, London to Paris, Ride London, Coaldrops Yard Criterium, as well as many local events. We have taken trips abroad to ride up Passo Stelvio, Mont Ventoux, Mallorca every September, Tenerife, and next March we’ll participate in Ride Flanders.
Q: Is there anything else you might like to add about the jersey or the club?
A: KVC exists as a club to share our love of road cycling. We’ll attempt anything, but never take the business too seriously. (Apart from looking good, which is a serious business!)
