Capo – Exclusive Interview With Capo’s Gary Vasconi

The following is an exclusive interview with Capo’s Gary Vasconi. We like the Capo stuff…a lot. Here’s a look behind the scenes at what motivates Gary and the Capo crew to design and create some of the very best riding gear on the market.

The Capo Forma Cima Jersey in Blue...and WHITE. YES!

Tell us about you and your partners at Upland Sports group:
GV: Robert Carbone and I own Upland Sports Group and Capo Cycling Apparel – ownership is 50/50.  Upland Sports Group is the parent company and the Exclusive Distributor for Capo Cycling Apparel.  Rob and I have known each other for 17+ years and worked at 3 different companies together before starting USG in June of 2002.  We both are married with 2 children, are avid cyclists, and used to be the best of friends until we started this business together (just play’n)!  We both have worked in the Wireless, Semiconductor and Communication Industries in Sales, Marketing and Management rolls.  After 10+ years in the Technology arena Rob and I had seen enough of Corporate America.  We spent 9 months developing our business plan around the import / distribution of Italian cycling products in the US. We attended the 2002 EICMA Expo (Italian show) and presented our business plan to 11 different Italian companies that didn’t have representation in the US or didn’t have proper representation based on our research.  Of these 11 different companies we met with Upland Sports Group signed distribution agreements with three, Bergamo Cycling Apparel, Nalini Shoes, and SOMEC Bici.  We had already identified the apparel market as our largest opportunity and our own brand was built into the original business plan based on the market gaps that we identified within the industry in 2001/02. But we weren’t ready to lunch our brand right out of the gate – better to cut our teeth with a somewhat established European vendor.  Our best and longest standing relationship is with Marcello Bergamo.  As soon as we walked through the factory both Rob and I know they were going to be a great fit for us long term.  They understood that their pure Italian designs would be a tough sell to the US masses, but they were willing to be flexible and believed in what Rob/I were trying to accomplish in the US market. This allowed use to modify patterns, pick textiles and develop designs specifically for the US market.   As we developed their brand in the US and experienced some of the industry politics (add/dropping Italian lines)  we both knew we needed full control over our company and products – thus the launch of Capo Cycling Apparel in 2005.  Our motto, Capo is your head to toe, on and off the bike, European Apparel Supplier.

Can you fill us in on your history as cyclists/business people/industry insiders?
GV: Again, Rob and I are both avid cyclist today – no real racing anymore (or in the past!) because of the families and business, but we try to ride anywhere from 2 to 5 days a week depending on family and business schedules.  To us cycling is not just a sport, but a lifestyle or way of life.  We’re both from very strong Italian families, so there’s been a lot of Italian influence in our lives – a good example was the Gran Fondo Gourmet that the VG.com team attended – sport, eat/drink and enjoy friends/family.  I’ve been on and off the bike my entire life – started racing BMX when I was 9 then bought my first MTB in 85(ish), first road bike when LeMond won his 2nd Tour in 89.  Rob raced in College at USD as a CAT3, but bought his first road bike in ‘90 – an Eddy Merckx.  As business people we have a pretty simple philosophy.  You’re only as good as your last day and as soon as you get cocky, complacent or take things for granted it will be OVER, just as fast as it started.   In addition, we have an indirect sales methodology – it’s not about Rob or I, but about our end customers, retailers, and employees – if we can fill the needs of these 3 parties all things fall into place.  We are definitely not industry insiders, but more of industry outsiders – no sure if this has helped us or hindered us, but with the business has grown each year since we started in 2002.  Next frontier is the European market!  We will be expanding into Italy and the UK in 2011.

...and the Cima short...FTW!

Thinking back, is there a specific piece of clothing or a brand that you’ve owned or used that really, really impressed you? How has that item influenced the Capo line and where can the consumer see its influence in your 2010 product?
GV: Rob and I get a lot of inspiration from out of industry companies – industries such as Tennis, European Futbol, Skiing, Polo, Moto GP and Mountaineering.  With this said, there were a couple of products that we use to wear prior to starting Upland Sports Group / Capo Cycling Apparel (7+ years ago) that were great products, but they didn’t have any style / passion / or “bling”  – in our humble opinion – then there was the team / custom apparel that we were able to design, but it  wouldn’t last a season and wasn’t the most technical of garments.  This is truly where the idea for Capo started – “Could we make a superior technical product that is fashion forward and develop it into a brand of Technical Lifestyle Apparel?” It’s an ongoing challenge that we strive to nail every season – it never stops!

What’s your favorite piece in this year’s line and why?
GV: The Cima Bianca Kit (White Cima) – First and foremost I love the Euro Trash White, Bling Bling look and we have to pay homage to the Italian climbs!  Second, the kit fits like a glove (skin suit style / fit) and the technology is second to none.  The jersey uses our new HSC (Hi-Stretch Compression fabric / SPF 50) in conjunction with the Sphere TX on the back that stabilizes the jersey when loading up the rear pockets, plus you get the added benefit of the Silver Aid on the side and underarm panels for anti – odor.  There is no movement in any part of the bib short while you are on the bike – we use 280g Power Lycra on the main panels and 240g Power Lycra on the side panels and with our 8cm Dual – Ply Power Compression Band at the leg opening (sans gripper) which gives you additional muscle compression over the long haul – the MLDAnatomic 4 density chamois has a crescent moon shape to contour to the male antimony – no extra material, no bunching like a traditional flat chamois – it’s truly the world’s only 6 hour chamois.  (Ed: That’s funny…we just happen to carry the Cima stuff.)

Give us three words that you want people to associate with Capo;
GV: Performance, Comfort and Style

Can you confirm or deny USG’s second-place finish in this year’s riding/drinking biathlon with the VeloGear buying team during the Tour of California? Would you care to comment/heckle/explain?

Do you miss the Giro? Me too.

GV: I’d rather not comment – I still have scary dreams about Mr. McNeil! But the VG.com team is welcome back anytime! Wine, bikes, good friends – what better way to spend a weekend?

Thanks Gary – for a full look at all of VeloGear’s Capo Forma offerings take a peek HERE. Thanks for taking the time to check out the interview.

VJ

Capo – An Exclusive Interview With Capo Co-Founder, Gary Vasconi

The following is an exclusive interview with Capo’s Gary Vasconi. We like the Capo stuff…a lot. Here’s a look behind the scenes at what motivates Gary and the Capo crew to design and create some of the very best riding gear on the market.

The Capo Forma Cima Jersey in Blue...and WHITE. YES!

Tell us about you and your partners at Upland Sports group:
GV: Robert Carbone and I own Upland Sports Group and Capo Cycling Apparel – ownership is 50/50.  Upland Sports Group is the parent company and the Exclusive Distributor for Capo Cycling Apparel.  Rob and I have known each other for 17+ years and worked at 3 different companies together before starting USG in June of 2002.  We both are married with 2 children, are avid cyclists, and used to be the best of friends until we started this business together (just play’n)!  We both have worked in the Wireless, Semiconductor and Communication Industries in Sales, Marketing and Management rolls.  After 10+ years in the Technology arena Rob and I had seen enough of Corporate America.  We spent 9 months developing our business plan around the import / distribution of Italian cycling products in the US. We attended the 2002 EICMA Expo (Italian show) and presented our business plan to 11 different Italian companies that didn’t have representation in the US or didn’t have proper representation based on our research.  Of these 11 different companies we met with Upland Sports Group signed distribution agreements with three…Wanna read the rest? Of course you do. Hit this link to read the complete interview.

“Wriders” Wanted – VeloGear Launches Test Team Program

VeloGear.com Launches VeloGear Test Team
Online retailer now accepting applications for product reviewers

May 8, 2010 – Omaha, NE – Citing a lack of quality peer-review in the softgoods channel, Kent McNeill and Jay Thomas decided to start their own. Beginning Friday, May 8^th, they’ll be accepting applications for the VeloGear Test Team, an online community of writers who also ride. The team is open to any and all applicants that log mid-to-high range miles, even if affiliated with other programs or team. The catch? Ya gotta be informative. Or funny. Or better yet, both. Acceptance into the VeloGear Test Team Program places you squarely in the crosshairs of our swag cannon meaning that you’ll receive between four and six articles of cycling gear per year. You’ll be expected to use ‘em hard and put ‘em away wet, documenting your observations along the way. Once you’ve had the chance to log some saddle time you’ll need to submit a product review, one that we’ll publish via email, social media, the Velo Jones blog and the VeloGear.com website. More info? Head here for the full post including details on how to apply.

“Wriders” Wanted – ALL THE DETAILS

VeloGear.com Launches VeloGear Test Team
Online retailer now accepting applications for product reviewers

May 30, 2010 – Omaha, NE – Citing a lack of quality peer-review in the softgoods channel, Kent McNeill and Jay Thomas decided to start their own. Beginning Friday, May 8^th they’ll be accepting applications for the VeloGear Test Team, an online community of writers…who also ride. A lot. The team is open to any and all applicants that log mid-to-high range miles, even if affiliated with other teams or programs. Once accepted into the program riders can expect to receive 4-6 pieces of cycling gear per year. The catch? They have to review them. And make us think. Or laugh. Or better yet, both.

What kind of riders are we looking for? All of ‘em. Every discipline, every climate, every make, model and year. Dunno if you’ve noticed, but we’re not the trinkets and trash guys anymore (OK, fair is fair – you want a sprocket necklace? We’ve got you covered.) Check out the new site – we’re rocking all new gear from the best suppliers on the road and dirt sides; Capo, Jett, Castelli, Sombrio, Swobo, Pearlizumi – this is the gear you’ll be testing.

Here’s what the head muckety-mucks at VeloGear had to say;

“As cyclists we’re often faced with inconsistencies among the global community of cycling apparel manufacturers. Having the latest in Italian cycling super-finery is great – but only if you can translate the ownership experience into the domestic lexicon,” stated McNeill, “It can be really, really hard to get the information that you want from many manufacturers’ websites – and nobody wants to buy something that they’re not sure is going to fit. We wanted to find a core group of riders and bloggers to test and review the brands that we carry so that we could begin to build a qualitative and quantitative database – one that our customers could rely upon as they make their purchasing decisions.”

“This is an opportunity for VeloGear to add something substantial to the cycling dialogue,” stated Jay Thomas. “It allows us to add value to our existing partnerships from a marketing perspective and provides as legitimate benefit to riders looking for more and better information. Plus 30 or so lucky riders in 2010 are going to get some pretty sweet stuff.”

Potential applicants for the test team program are encouraged to visit the VeloGear Facebook community page to find and fill out an application. Once accepted, riders will be sent various articles of merchandise fitting their riding style, discipline or regional climate, the first of which is a VeloGear Test Team kit consisting of Capo bib shorts and jersey. Subsequently, as vendors come online with the program team members will have the opportunity to ride in the very latest gear from the industry’s top suppliers. The team is open to men and women and riders of all disciplines including road, track, cyclocross, XC, DH and all-mountain.

About VeloGear:
Velogear.com has been a trusted source for quality cycling apparel, unique gear and gifts since 1999. Founded by the owners of VeloNews, Velogear.com initially offered a small selection of unique gifts to help the magazine’s customers buy hard to find cycling items. In 2009, Velogear.com was purchased by two dedicated cyclists and industry veterans, Kent McNeill and Jay Thomas. Both bring a proven customer-focused perspective and a brick-and-mortar retail sensibility to Velogear.com. With stores in Kansas, Nebraska, and Missouri, Kent and Jay are making it their mission to provide online shoppers with quality products and exceptional service at Velogear.com.

Hey Ansel Adams…cheggout our sweet photo contest!

It only looks arty. It's built like a flippin' Sherman tank.

Want just the rules? Skip to the link at bottom. Interested in longwinded, possibly juvenile preamble? Bless your heart. Me too. Hit the same link.

THE BEGINNING: So awhile back Kent and Jay bought VeloGear from the dudes at VeloNews (or as the industry literati call it, “Inside Communications”). VeloGear in its heydey was rokken like Dokken, but the wares were, well…let’s just sum them up in four words: “Park Tool Pizza Cutter”…uhh…”ish”. The market for those proud beauties is really only so big and with the Park Tool guys engineering everything to withstand a mutuallly assured destruction-type event they were kind of just lasting forever, so things quickly got a little saturated and the much-heralded VG cash cow started kind of limping along back toward the barn.

But that was OK. You see, our heroes had a plan. Wanna know what it was? Want the photo contest rules? Wanna know the secret of invisibility? Click this link to get to The Velo Jones Blog!

Hey Ansel Adams…GET OVER HERE.

Want just the rules? Skip to the bottom. Interested in longwinded, possibly juvenile preamble? Bless your heart. Me too.

It only looks arty. It's built like a flippin' Sherman tank.

THE BEGINNING:
So awhile back Kent and Jay bought VeloGear from the dudes at VeloNews (or as the industry literati call it, “Inside Communications”). VeloGear in its heydey was rokken like Dokken, but the wares were, well…let’s just sum them up in four words: “Park Tool Pizza Cutter”…uhh…ish. The market for those proud beauties is really only so big and with the Park Tool guys engineering everything to withstand a mutuallly assured destruction-type event they were kind of just lasting forever, so things quickly got a little saturated and the much-heralded cash cow started kind of limping along back toward the barn.

But that was OK.

You see, our heroes had a plan. In the back of their minds and possibly over a beer…or 6 they mapped out the path for the new VeloGear. In super-simple words (what choice do I have, really? My lone two brain cells are redlined already), they decided to transform VeloGear into the place that you went to get COOL stuff. I guess the pizza cutters WERE cool, but it’s really a matter of persective. They wanted to sell stuff that THEY thought was cool.

So you saw a lot of the tchatchke-type stuff fade away. Gone were the bike chain bracelets (oh wait – we still have those. We’ll make you a killer deal if you want one), and drastically reduced was their open-to-buy for Park Tool promotional merchandise. That stuff got replaced by goodies from Hincapie, Capo, Jett MTB, Sombrio and a host of other brands that are best-in-class. Big huge flippin’ Jolly Green Giant steps have been taken whereby VeloGear is being transformed from cycling’s online trinket shop into an extension of Kent and Jay themselves – it’s a house of style for stuff that your local shop may not carry.

Now our guys aren’t pretending to be Mario Cipollini, but they do put their miles in and they also both have a bit of the tastemaker in them. They’re discriminating and carry what works. And they’ve done a really good job of getting rid of the dogs in the inventory and replacing them with some show ponies.

But one area where we feel as if we’re still lacking is in identity. The voice of the brand. You see some of the irreverance shine through here and in the blog on VeloGear.com, but a picture is worth a thousand words as they say, so we’re turning to you guys to help us out. All of you have probably seen a Patagonia catalog, or something from Marmot, The North Face or Big Agnes. You’ve seen the beautiful captioned lifestyle and action shots taken as the morning mist burns away over a soft righthand break or as a ropeline ascends and disappears into cloudcover from a narrow bivy.

The other Duke

The climbers and surfers have OWNED this sort of imagery ever since Duke Kahanamoku first paddled into the north shore waters and Sir Edmund Hillary bade Tenzing Norgay to fetch him more yak milk for his tea.

Not anymore.

I say, Tenzing.

We want your shots. From the road, dirt, track or trail. Action shots? Hell yes, but we also want the shots you get:
- as your buddies get their minds right just before a DH run
- as your posse stops to hat up prior to a big climb or descent
- as you goof around trail or roadside busting each other’s chops
- as your fully-loaded tourer points upwards into that lonely road disappearing over the horizon or remote mountain saddle
- as skinny dudes kitted out in spandex engage in full-on post-ride demitasse chugging glory.

The rules are simple:
1. Post your shots on our Facebook fan page. You can get to that bad boy HERE.
2. Include a caption. It should state the location, general frame of mind or any context important to understanding the importance of the shot
3. Is there a product we carry in there? Cool, but not necessary. Let us know.
4. If we select your shot for our website or an e-blast we’ll give you a gift certificate to be used on VeloGear (sorry, we’re all out of the Frederick’s of Hollywood ones) for $25.
5. If we use your shot in our catalog along with a quick anecdote from you we’ll give you a gift certificate for $75.

Not Velo Jones (I'm not that tan.)

So plug through your archives. Or strive to get the shot that catches the light, the mood and the spirit of it all just right.

Keep those cards and letters coming, baby. We can’t wait to see ‘em.

Your pal,
Velo Jones

VELOGEAR – WHO ARE WE?

"Ummm, we're not twins."

A few nagging idiosyncrasies aside, we’d imagine that we’re a lot like you – in our lives cycling is a foundation, not an accessory. Bikes and bike gear bring out our inner kid, the one standing in slack-jawed awe as our parents rolled out that first 35lb over-geared, banana-seated freedom-generating monstrosity. Within these pages are items that stirred echoes of that same unbridled joy. That fueled our desire to expand our frontiers. That made us want to pin our ears back and fly.

Enjoy. Because we sure do.
Kent and Jay

Velo Jones’s Diary – VJ Heads to Nebrasky

Small charters now available through Expedia!

Part One of “Velo Jones Diaries – The Planes, Trains and Automobiles Chapters”

The past two weeks have seen Velo Jones traipsing all over the Central Rockies and points east. Ever wonder about that lone exit dubbed “No Name” off I-70 just before you pull into Glenwood Springs? Stayed there. For 2 nights. In what could charitably be described as an “eclectically heated” short-term rental with mom-in-law, huge dog, 2 crabby kids and patience-challenged wife (lack of sleep stirs her inner Linda Blair). Velo Jones does not require sleep himself, but it’s really a matter of dialing down any sort of requirement to perform anything resembling higher brain function. In other words, when you have two little kids, if you want to preserve any shred of self-esteem you just have to learn to aim low.

Wanna read the rest? Head to the Velo Jones blog…

VeloGear’s Backyard – Velo Jones Goes to Nebrasky

Part One of “Velo Jones Diaries – The Planes, Trains and Automobiles Chapters”

Small charters now available through Expedia!

The past two weeks have seen Velo Jones traipsing all over the Central Rockies and points east. Ever wonder about that lone exit dubbed “No Name” off I-70 just before you pull into Glenwood Springs? Stayed there. For 2 nights. In what could charitably be described as an “eclectically heated” short-term rental with mom-in-law, huge dog, 2 crabby kids and patience-challenged wife (lack of sleep stirs her inner Linda Blair). Velo Jones does not require sleep himself, but it’s really a matter of dialing down any sort of requirement to perform anything resembling higher brain function that makes that statement possible. In other words, when you have two little kids, if you want to preserve any shred of self-esteem you just have to learn to aim low.

That trip to the Roaring Fork Valley to look at potential homes for the VJ clan was probably the low-point of my/our travels; I enjoyed it (probably because I’m a bit of a whackjob), but I’m pretty sure nobody else did. There were two other trips that qualify as high points over the past two weeks though and I thought I’d take a few minutes to tell you about them. I’m always interested in learning about how others approach training through challenging winter months and over the course of two tripsI got to spend time with some of the folks who are among the very best at it. First up were Kent and Jay from Midwest Cyclery, the parent organization behind four kick-ass multi-brand Trek Concept stores in Omaha, St. Loius and Kansas City. The astute among you (or Kent and Jay’s families) also know these guys as the new owners of VeloGear. I also spent 8 solid hours with Len Zanni, four of them riding shotgun in his pickup and the other four touring the Honey Stinger and Big Agnes operations (of which Len is marketing guy and part owner). That story is upcoming in part 2 of the “VJ on Wheels” travel series.

Nebraska was first, so let’s start there. I flew into Omaha from DIA a couple of Mondays ago. In my mind I see myself as a person with few preconceptions. I’m generally delighted by seeing new places and things, but looking back and realizing that I was so off base in what I thought I’d see as opposed to what I actually did see it’s clear that living in Colorado has made me a little myopic. Coloradans, especially ones that live in ski towns tend to look at the rest of the world like Americans look at Canada – shallowly. Maybe a bit dismissively. Or maybe that’s just me – I’m willing to concede the point that I’m not really a deep thinker. I’m not saying that it’s right, just that that’s sometimes how it is. Mea culpa.

In any case, Omaha (and its airport) were bigger than I had expected. In my mind I was prepared for something the size of Madison’s airport – where you could look out the front door and pretty much see your house from there. Mistake. Omaha’s airport, while certainly not O-Hare, LAX or LaGuardia still isn’t small. I had an “Oh crap” moment when I realized that my deeply embedded lack of orientation skills (again Dad, sorry), were brilliantly showcased through the spotlight of a completely foreign environment. I was kind of lost. And with too many options. With lots of signs shouting at me; “Ground Transportation!” “Rental Cars!” “BAGGAGE CLAIM!!!” Well, maybe they’re just signs to you, but in moments of low-grade anxiety it always seems like they’re shouting to me. A little bit like Alice in Wonderland. Kind of creepy.

Rave-level disorientation. W/O the smart drinks.

The problem as I see it is that when you enter an airport by car your choices are clearly defined into “Arrivals” and “Departures”. Shoot – I can deal with that. What I had a harder time with was finding the sign that said “Here’s where your friends are picking you up, you silly monkey”. If only the Omaha airport would have the common decency to erect appropriate signage for sleep-deprived and brain cell-challenged travelers. And bumbling amateur orienteer-ers. As I was about to engage ‘Commodore 64′ (this is how I’ve come to think of my brain and its mental capacity) and apply it’s frustratingly limited bandwidth towards figuring out an appropriate exit strategy from this fiendishly conceived mass-transit rat maze, lady luck smiled upon me. I looked out the front windows of the airport and saw a black Volvo station wagon parked outside, the silouette of big-haired person sitting behind its wheel. Two possibilities crossed my mind – it was either my mom circa 1988 with a big old can of CFC-rich Aqua Net hairspray at the ready, or it was Jay and his white boy ‘fro.

Jay! YAY!

Not Jay...

Apparently Omaha’s airport lacks the ability to bend the linear concept of time because I was not transported back 20 years to that awkward period of Forenza sweaters, leg warmers and acid-washed jeans. Instead it was Jay out there. And Kent. Double bonus for me, who if pressed into service as a French Legionairre or forced to embark upon an African Safari would surely be the first among the pith-helmet crew to be mangled by tigers or molested by naughty monkeys. Seriously – I can barely find my way to my own garage. Disaster averted.

Wool Cycling Jerseys! Vintage Horton Prints! Winter Riding Gear (headband not included)!

Snuggled comfortably in the warm confines of Jay’s car, he turned the igintion and a husky, cultured feminine voice blurted out “Jay Thomas…IS CONNECTED”. I started laughing. Then so did Kent, and finally so did Jay. Apparently the Volvo syncs with his phone so that he can talk hands-free while driving. Think about that for a minute. Now think about the first cell phone you ever owned. We’ve come a long way, baby.

First order of business: food. We left the airport and much to my surprise, Marlin Perkins from “Wild Kingdom” did not make an appearance. Now I know for a fact that there are not cheetahs and gazelles romping about the plains of the midwest. I know this. Yet at the same time, I couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed that Omaha did not look like the African savannah-like image that’s always lived in my head when thinking about Omaha. Soldier on, Velo Jones. Disappointment aside, Kent and Jay did create a parallel – they led me to food. I haven’t actually eaten red meat since Interbike last fall, but today seemed like a good day to break the streak. I heart you brown cow. You are delicious.

From there we took a tour of their stores. They have two in Omaha along with one each in KC and St. Louis, all of them Trek concept stores. Now I don’t know about you, but my inner nerd starts to ping when I wlk into certain places – a William and Sonoma (I’m a kitchen-nerd), any decent Home Depot or Tru-Value, and bike shops. Any bike shop. All of them. It’s like witnessing someone else’s interpretation of bike culture. From a sociological standpoint, it’s pretty cool to see it through someone else’s lens. And their shops are cool – and not just because of all the swank product displayed around the respective sales floors (Project One road stuff, fixies, townies, kids bikes and one BOMBER tricyle – talk about coming a long way – nice job, Trek), but because of the employees rolling in and out on a bitterly cold Midwestern day with their driveside pants-legs pegged, bikes all fendered-up and icycles frozen and hanging from their whiskers. These shops and the folks that live there are core…in the best possible way.

Jay and Kent walked me through their shop systems, pointed out other lines that they carry (Capo, Cervelo, Gary Fisher, Serotta, Mirraco BMX, Campy, Castelli and many, many others), and finally we ended up back at the mothership – their office and warehouse facility. It was there that we got into the meat of “The VeloGear Project”. It’s probably a long and boring story for anyone not actually in the room, so I’ll try to make it short – we talked about how to transition this little company from its roots as the premier place to go for a Park Tool Pizza Cutter to a vibey, cool online retailer that offered all of the hard to get stuff from here and abroad. We talked about how best to get that message across. We talked about great service, value and follow through. About how to provide information and useful consumer reviews along with a broad range of products. We talked about what being a good corporate citizen in the bike world meant in 2010…and we talked about bikes, bike stuff and bike races – the comfortable conversational terrain of lifelong bike geeks.

I know this makes no sense. Trust me.

The fruit of that conversation from a professional standpoint is, well…a little daunting. It’s a tough economy to make “the little engine that could” model work. The competition out there is sophisticated, and in most cases able to call upon far greater resources. But I like our chances. Why? VeloGear wants and needs to be successful. That’s the American way, right? In the words of an old boss of mine “We ain’t here to donate.” Crude, but true. A business has to run in the black. What inspired me about this series of conversations held over the course of two days can be summed up in two sort of generalized observations;

1. Kent and Jay and just about everyone that works for them or alongside them, whether at retail, as a buyer or as a vendor are cyclists. The Nebraska crew have the bug – and have it bad. And I mean that in the nicest way possible. These guys are core riders; road, ‘cross and MTB. They ride in winter. They ride on gravel roads. They strategically “pre-bonk” in the late winter and spring to simulate race conditions (thanks Kent – that story has generated more laughs than I can tell you). They laugh at their relative isolation from the “hotbeds” of cycling culture and are content just to keep putting in their miles, rain, snow or shine. They walk the walk.
2. They also care deelpy about doing the right thing for the local, regional and national cycling communities. They want to stay profitable, but they’re committed to providing better-than-fair value to the consumer. It’s completely obvious that they take their obligation as a cycling organization very seriously – they have a loud and powerful voice among manufacturers and they’re not afraid to use it. Put simply, what you guys think about them and the way that they conduct business matters to them.

After a full day of talking shop Jay and I headed off to Lincoln for Indian food (real Indian, not Native American) with his family. The list of deeply held misconceptions about Nebraska continued to grow. Did you know that Omaha is larger than Lincoln…and by a lot? Omaha is roughly the size of Milwaukee or Sacremento. Lincoln on the other hand is about the size of Madison or Boulder (and has a lot in common with those two hipster cities). Also, Lincoln and Omaha are roughly 45 minutes apart. I never knew. Know what else is weird? Trees. TONS of ‘em. After getting over my intial disappointment of not seeing lush, waving grasslands filled with loping giraffes I was actually pretty blown away by how many trees there are – and how undulating the terrain is. I’m not sure that the thumping drums from the opening of Wild Kingdom will ever really leave my subconscious when considering Omaha, but the reality was still pretty cool.

Dinner with Jay’s family went about as expected. Jay’s wife is still one of the smartest people I know. His kids are charming – they’re polite and engaged. They look you in the eye when they talk and their not really self-conscious about being kids. And yet at the same time you can tell that they’re the cool kids at school, but without the attitude that sometimes accompanies that particular mindset. Living in a resort town we see a lot of sullen teenagers that project attitude in place of actual confidence. That’s part of being a kid I know, but I really hope that my two kids can look a little bit like Jay’s as they grow up.

Remember how I told you that I don’t need sleep? Jay put me in a guest room on an air mattress with about 10 blankets. I didn’t think to ask why, but I was glad to have them when the temp in that room dropped to absolute zero that night. Strangely, those are ideal conditions for me and minus the omni-present background noise of coughing and crying toddlers (always a fixture at my house), I slept like the poster child for Ambien. I woke up to a fragrantly powerful pot of fresh-brewed Peet’s then jumped into the kid’s bathroom for my morning constitutional errr, shower.  Despite the curiously fossilized bar of soap (apparently it’s ornamental – the kids use liquid soap), the shower was awesome. Nobody screaming or crying, TONS of hot water and time, sweet time.

From there we headed back to HQ in Omaha, but first we stopped at DeLeon’s, a 24-hour Mexican food drive-through. I liked Nebraska before, but DeLeon’s will make me come back. Breakfast burritos with homemade red chile salsa = awesome. I’m pretty sure that if I lived there I’d weigh 400 pounds. The DeLeon’s folks can burrito-ize properly. Dang.

We met back up with Kent at the warehouse and got back into the meat of the conversation about how to move forward with VeloGear as a brand. How to remain true to ourselves and our friends as cyclists and how to draw more core cyclists to the website. Out of that day came some of the most innovative, consumer-involved thinking that I’ve been a part of since I joined the bike biz over 20 years ago. We plotted out a multi-faceted strategy to support the community, to underwrite events and riders, to upgrade creative elements and communitcations and through all of that, to maintain the brand’s unique voice and to provide you the consumer with better, more relevant and more entertaining information.

So keep your eyes open. There are some big announcements coming from our camp – stuff that’s so cool that it’s really hard to keep it under wraps until it’s finalized. What I can tell you is that it’s going to be a heck of a lot of fun – for all of us.

Next time, my friend. Next time.

Thanks for hanging in there through this lonnnng preamble about our plans for world domination. Stay tuned for a complete recap of my road trip with Len Zanni, Lance Armstrong’s soft-spoken and good natured mountain goat henchman. I took a trip to Steamboat Springs with him earlier in the week to see the Honey Stinger and Big Agnes facilities and got the firsthand poop on what really happened at Leadville this past year.

Oh yeah. An edict handed down from the new bosses is that we give TONS of stuff away to VeloGear loyalists. So “fan” us on Facebook. Or follow us on Twitter. You’ll be happy that you did. Winner, winner chicken dinner.

Ciao -

VJ

Velo Jones’s Diary: Dawn Patrol – the View is Always the Same

My backyard. Please use image to orient rescue team.

Items in an aspiring skinny guy’s fitness toolbox; cycling jerseys, training books, foul weather riding gear…and a loud alarm clock (paired with an understanding spouse). I’m not sure if any of you read last week’s rant - you know, the hellfire and brimstone one about leaving about 25lbs of cellulite baggage behind (no pun intended), but I’m back with a report on the good, the bad and everything in-between from week one of my quest to arrive at Sea Otter in mid-April with something resembling decent form.

Week One: Prior to coming 100% clean about how much I suck, I will state in all honesty that I came out swinging. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday of last week I got in 2 hours a day of spastic backcountry xc skiing. My training partner is a bit of a dump truck himself – he’s not going to win sprint-distance anything anytime soon, but he’s still faster than me…and always willing to go at the drop of a hat. Never stops smiling either. Of course, he will wander away from time to time and when the trail points downhill you have to wait up, but for the most part I like having him along and he seems pretty stoked to get to go. Also, occasionally he will roll in poo. Or attempt to bring down an elk. Never a dull moment.

Wanna read the rest? Guaranteed to make you feel better about you. Click HERE…

Dawn Patrol – the view is always the same

My backyard. Please use to orient rescue team.

Items in an aspiring skinny guy’s fitness toolbox; cycling jerseys, training books, foul weather riding gear…and a loud alarm clock (paired with an understanding spouse). I’m not sure if any of you read last week’s rant - you know, the hellfire and brimstone one about leaving about 25lbs of cellulite baggage behind (no pun intended), but I’m back with a report on the good, the bad and everything in-between from week one of my quest to arrive at Sea Otter in mid-April with something resembling decent form.

Week One: Prior to coming 100% clean about how much I suck, I will state in all honesty that I came out swinging. On Friday, Saturday and Sunday of last week I got in 2 hours a day of spastic backcountry xc skiing. My training partner is a bit of a dump truck himself – he’s not going to win sprint-distance anything anytime soon, but he’s still faster than me…and always willing to go at the drop of a hat. Never stops smiling either. Of course, he will wander away from time to time and when the trail points downhill you have to wait up, but for the most part I like having him along and he seems pretty stoked to get to go. Also, occasionally he will roll in poo. Or attempt to bring down an elk. Never a dull moment.

Taken from the monkey's perspective (the football is just out of the frame).

So. Three days of good effort, even if I do feel like a monkey on roller skates. Making the sweet proverbial love to a football. How can I suck this much? I’ve been XC skiing for 3 years. Not with any regularity, but still…really – am I this uncoordinated? This much of a wuss? I bought edged and shaped gear last year thinking that although it probably wouldn’t allow me to carve a SG turn when pointed downhill, they’d at least it’d alleviate the undistilled and abject terror that accompanies anything but flat or uphill terrain.

Wrong.

 Skiing has turned out to be one outlet of many for getting my matabolism up and my blood flowing, but it’s not the only one. Thank goodness…because I’m just horrible at it. I don’t know about you, but there’s something about the metronome-like quality in most outdoor pursuits that puts my mind at ease and allows me to reapproach stuff from life, work, community or whatever else with a fresh perspective. If skiing were my only tool I’d never figure anything out. Too busy fearing for my own life, I guess.

I’m getting way off track.

Above in the first paragraph I mentioned things you need to get fit – gear, knowledge and commitment. Know what you need most? Time. I’m having a hard time figuring it out. We’ve got two little kids, one massive dog and an honest-to-goodness job – all of which require engagement along with a fair amount of care and feeding both in the literal and figurative senses. I think that the concept of commitment is closely paired with the ability to manage time properly and to best effect. In my case, I don’t seem to have much time. The dog needs walking, the kids need loving, the house needs cleaning and the blog needs writing. Among other things, I’m also easily distracted. Kind of like a clucking hen. Honestly, I seem to have the attention span of a 12 year-old. Come to think of it, that really shouldn’t come as a surprise.

Oh look – a review of the new Motorola Droid! Be right back…

You get the picture. Damn web browsers and their capabilities to keep multiple tabs open. I was so much more productive when there was less distraction. I don’t want to imply that I’m the only one that’s challenged by time management or having a family – clearly I’m not, but I do have limited innate weapons with which to address my stunningly poor ability to focus. And because of that, once I’m sitting at my desk I’m sort of locked in for the day. So early workouts during the work week are it – either that or late nights on the trainer.

I have yet to bust out the trainer, but I’m guessing that it’ll make an appearance this week. I just can’t ski every day and feel good about it. As a nod to my preferred discipline I may mount up my mountain bike instead of my road bike. (Point of information: it’s not actually MY road bike – my friend Keith loaned it to me about 8 years ago when I crushed an artery in my hand in a mountain bike fall. Yes, 8 years. It’s a USPS Trek 5500 if that helps. And yes, apparently I am that guy.) In any case, I’m actually shipping it back to Keith so I may not have a choice about which bike to put in the trainer – I’m really looking forward to the noise that a 2.4 tire generates tho’. Stoked about that.

I’ve also been to the gym a few times – but I stink at that too. Gyms weird me out a little bit. I’ve been working with a trainer here in Breck named Scott Ferguson…and he’s awesome, I just can’t seem to tear away from my desk consistently to meet with him. What I have learned from him are some basics about raising metabolism – making your big muscles wake up and fire off until they croak…over and over and over and over. After a workout with him there’s no doubt left that very few people in the world gave more than you did on that day…and you feel it. I walked like one of the dudes from Monty Python’s Flying Circus for almost a week after the first time we met. Gleaned from Scott’s warm embrace were certain facts about how your body works and what you need to do to keep it humming along, happily consuming calories in the background. Add rapid-fire push-ups, sit-ups, squats and spints to the regimen. Check. Awesome.

Food is another issue. I love food. Love it. I’m the primary cook in our house and that’s both a good and a bad thing. In general, I cook responsibly – light on fat and sugar, heavy on lean protein and veggies. The problem is eating balanced meals with consistency – deconstructing a lifetime’s worth of poor eating habits has been and continues to be a challenge. I’ve read the Schwarzbein book cover-to-cover, so I understand the need to eat both frequently and thoughtfully, but I’m just not there yet. Step one is having the right stuff in the house to munch on and step two is actually doing it. And my wife keeps making chocolate chip cookies…which are not only good, but very possibly the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever eaten – a bit of oatmeal, a pinch of cinnamon, brown sugar instead of white. They’re a cruel torture device designed to test my willpower. And they’re my Kryptonite. I love you, chocolate chip cookie…

So there are my tools; skiing, hiking/running/riding the trainer, frenzied calesthenics, sporadic trips to the gym, eating right, not eating wrong and trying to get up early.

For week one I’d rank myself on a scale of 1-5 with 5 representing right-wing fanatacism (or left-wing I guess) the following way:

• Exercise: got out 4 out of 7 days. Ranking: 3
• Diet: tried to eat frequent balanced meals. Actually ate a lot of flour-based food…including cookies. Ranking: 1
• Getting up early: actually did it the 3 days that I tried, but plan was mucked up by a teething baby and a few sleepless nights. Ranking: 2

So on a scale of 1 through 5 (again, with 5 being awesome), my average for exercise, diet and time management was…wait for it…was a 2. Lame.

They're right - the view really IS always the same...

I know that I’m not the first person to suffer from lack of commitment and follow-through. In fact, there are some incredible examples of people who’ve demonstrated laudable willpower and resolve. I’m not there yet. But I’m trying.

So how did your week go?

Thanks for tuning in,

Velo Jones