UPDATED: BIG NEWS (again) – Sugar Kits #hugeinjapan

UPDATE: I admit, I was a little excited when I first posted this, please forgive me … but I failed to mention that you need to use project code Tim Jackson 16.2 once you’ve created your account/ log-in to access the kit details and place your order. #mybad 

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I am beyond pleased to be able to announce another kit collaboration with Castelli!

The #sugarcrash fundraiser kit was an amazing success, and a lot of fun to do. It also served to get my creativity fired up and made me want to pursue something I’ve toyed with for years. I’ve always enjoyed visual creativity, but lack the actual skill to produce the designs I have in my head.

When I was the Brand Manager for Masi Bicycles, I loved the creative process and partnerships that I had with Pete Demos (Creative Director) and Rick Ortiz (Designer). Designing the graphics, selecting colors, creating ads and catalogs, were among my favorite parts of the job. I was lucky to work with some very talented folks who were great at taking my ideas and thoughts, and then turning them into final products. Sometimes it was a bloody-knuckle process, and other times it was an immediate YES! In the end, regardless of the route to the final product, it was always a rewarding adventure.

Jump ahead to where we are right now; Mike Heenan at Castelli, or as I call him Gandalf (because he’s a wizard-sorcerer who does design magic) is another great designer who has been able to take my rambling ideas and thoughts, massage them, add his own perspective, and make me scream HELL YEAH! The creative partnership with Mike has already been an amazing one and I am giddy to introduce the new #hugeinjapan kits.

Background on the design;

When I was with Masi, I had a little blog called Masiguy. It got to be kind of a big deal, of sorts, in the very small world of cycling blogs ten-plus years ago. During that time, Masiguy became a very popular blog, along with the Masi products, in Japan. Our distributor there had me visit the Tokyo Cyclemode consumer show for a number of years. I had no idea at the time just how popular Masiguy-san had become there, outside of knowing that the blog had really good readership in Japan. Once at the show the first year, I was blown away by the number of Japanese consumers who knew who I was … and even asked for autographs on the Japanese version of the Masi catalog, as well as being photographed with many people. To this day, I look back on my trips to Japan, and the people I met and worked with, with great happiness.

Now, keep in mind, I’m 6’3″ tall and was still doing a lot of track racing at that time, specializing in Match Sprint and Keirin … so I was literally #hugeinjapan. シュガー is “sugar” in Japanese script. The 7/13 is a bit of a nod to the Japanese Keirin uniforms, with the upside down 13 a further wink at my own “luck.”

One of the things I love most about the design is the subtle and perfect homage to Yoshiaki Nagasawa and his bikes- the bikes of Japanese track legend Koichi Nakano, who won an unprecedented 10 World Championship Sprint titles, all on Nagasawa frames. Mike did an incredible job with the Nagasawa tribute, as well as capturing the entire 80’s Japanese cycling “vibe” I was hoping for.

As with the #sugarcrash kits, they will only be available via preorder on the Castelli team order site. The order window is closing on Friday, June 24th. Also like the #sugarcrash kits, these kits will be in the team fit … think Ricky Racer fit. They are snug, performance fitting, so if you think you’re between a medium and large, I suggest go large.

Just like last time, as long as the minimum number of pieces are ordered per style, the following will be available;

• Men’s and Women’s Jerseys- $90
• Men’s and Women’s Bib Shorts- $115
• Vests- $80
• Arm Warmers- $45
• Short sleeve Speedsuits- $155
• Long sleeve Speedsuits- $165

Once the order window closes, delivery is estimated as August 26th … just in time for CX season to start ramping up … a perfect excuse to get a long sleeve Speedsuit!

I’m very proud of the work Mike has done on the design concepts I bombarded him with. He’s a wizard-sorcerer with the patience of a saint! Pretty stoked on these kits and hope you will be too … so order early, and order often!

Tim

PS … keep an eye out here for additional cool product announcements in the near future too, I hope.