HTC and Specialized show how to do team branding well

Posted on 4 January 2011 by Alex Murray

Their 2011 kit may be unspeakably bland – black shorts do not a “retro-inspired” kit make – but the HTC-Highroad team and the riders aren’t. They swear, they laugh, they are funny. The are not robots who just ride bikes.

It’s something that Specialized have recognised in these clips for the squad.  It’s the perfect antidote to the overly serious clips Team Sky seem to be so fond of

HTC Men’s Squad

HTC Women’s Squad

It’s good to see a team giving equal attention to both their squads. It’s 2011, if you aren’t actively pursuing a strategy in the sport which involves more than 50% of the population, take a look at what you think you can achieve. Yes, women like racing bikes and watching racing too.

Not sure why there’s so much of Mike Sinyard, big boss of Specialized, in the clips but I guess they’re his bikes so can stays in the picture.

Posted in Professional, Road Racing, Video, Women | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Christmas gift haul

Posted on 26 December 2010 by Alex Murray

image

Clearly the letter writing campaign worked!

Posted in Books, Christmas, Clothing, Gift ideas | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Christmas gift ideas: Leather gloves

Posted on 16 December 2010 by Alex Murray

Every year people ask me what’s the best gloves to keep their hands warm in winter. There is only one answer: Leather

Now as a cyclist, you’re thinking “he’s going to say get the Rapha Leather Town Gloves” (£120) and yes, I might suggest them, but there are equally good alternatives.

Rapha Leather Town glove

At the moment I’m relying on a very generic pair of leather gloves from TK Maxx

Dents shooting gloves (£60) are silk lined and come with a track record of “doing the job well” which is important when it comes to winter gear.

Dents Shooting Gloves

Note the foldable trigger finger, perfect for all you touch-screen phone users, just make sure you get the ones for whichever hand you poke your phone with. Dents also do a wide range of other leather gloves to suit your needs.

Perhaps the best value can be found in one of the secret stores for great accessories: Marks and Spencer with prices starting at a more than modest £15. I have a pair that have survived several winters and still remain very wearable.

Marks and Spencer's Leather gloves

Posted in Christmas, Gift ideas | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment