How to choose a new custom cycling/triathlon kit supplier

We want to make it as easy as possible for you to find the best possible kit supplier for your club/team/organisation – we think that we are the best available in terms of quality, custom service and price, but how can you compare suppliers? Here are the 7 questions that we think you should ask all the potential suppliers that you contact.

1. Can you send us some samples, free of charge with no conditions attached?

2. Is all work included in graphic design included in your set up costs, or will you have various limits in terms of fees per hour for graphic design work, limits on the numbers of colours a design can have and demands that graphics and logos only be sent in obscure file formats?

3. Can you give us the name and contact details of some clubs that you supply so that we can contact them for references?

4. When you make the kit will you resize the logos and graphics so that they are proportional to the size of each garment and so that graphics can cross seams and match up correctly? (It is extraordinary that some suppliers just print off the same size graphics for a size XS as they do for a size XL, so the kit ends up looking completely disproportionate).

5. What are you minimum order numbers?

6. Can you deliver kit within 4 weeks and are you prepared to offer financial guarantees on delivery times?

7. Can you offer specific ladies cuts across the range?custom bib shorts and jersey

We don’t believe in small print and there are no hidden extras in the way we run our business, so if you have any questions for us, please just ask!

Richmond Pro Cycling, USA

We have been supplying Richmond Pro Cycling with kit for a few years now – they are a pro cycling team from Virginia who are also very active in promoting cycling in the general community and in particular to disadvantaged groups. They are also kicking ass on their bikes and have become a force to be reckoned with on the US pro circuit, currently ranking 4th in the US Criterium Series.

Richmond Pro Cycling – custom kitThe team relies to a large extent on charitable donations to keep racing and they have done an amazing job in bringing cycling to a wider audience and giving something positive back to their community. You can find out more at http://www.richmondprocycling.com/ Not all pro teams are blessed with millions of dollars/pounds/euros from wealthy sponsors and they are trying to establish a new model where they give their time and inspiration to their community and in return they get some financial support back. Sounds like a pretty good idea to me…

East Midlands Postal Service Kit

We are very pleased to have supplied some custom tri kit to “The Posties” who are a small team that compete in Ironman events round the world. When you are going to compete over those sorts of distances, then you have every right to be demanding of your kit and we made some adjusments for them to help get the kit exactly as they wanted it.

Here is what they had to say:

Charlie,

A few things were important to us:
1)      That the tri top and shorts were separates (if you’ve raced IM distance you’ll know why)
2)      That the top had pockets to keep food in
3)      That we would be visible from a distance
4)      That the kit would be thin enough to be comfortable in hot weather
5)      That the shorts would be comfortable for bikes of up to 6 hours (the posties concerned know who they are)
6)      That you could supply kit in different sizes and lengths as we all have odd preferences (including one of our team who wanted sleeves on their tri top…don’t ask)

7)      And , of course, that we’d actually look like a team (and you can see from the photos that we did). We raced twice as a team this year.  Once at Beaulieu in a middle distance warm up and once at IM Germany.

We looked great, even if this year we didn’t send anyone to Kona.  First Postie past the post was Graham in 10.04 (despite being at least 2 stone overweight and training for only 6 weeks which is basically very annoying); Adrian in 10.12; me in 10.54; my brother 10.57 (oh yes); Adam in 12.30 and Alex some time later via a number of the medical tents.

emps custom tri kitKit was great.  Next A race for the Posties is Lanza 2009 where it will get an even harder pasting.

Jason

HSBC custom triathlon kit

We were very pleased to provide custom tri shorts, tops and custom cycling jerseys for more than 600 athletes competing in the HSBC triathlon. We worked closely with HSBC to get their kit exactly as they wanted, lengthening the custom men’s tri tops and the leg of the custom tri shorts (we are always happy to change the cut of our kit like this for clients whenever it is feasible).

Here is what HSBC had to say about us:
Charlie,

It was a great weekend and the sun was actually shining all day!!

The kit went down really well and nearly everybody wore it during the race.
We had absolutely no complains and people are already wanting to buy more.
Great quality, the changes to the branding and sizing were perfect and it
looked fantastic on the day.
Kind regards,
Tanya

MAD mtb Dublin

We were very happy to get an email from one of Ireland’s largest mountain bike clubs, the Mountain Bike Association of Dublin(www.madmtb.com) who we recently supplied. The team dog seemed particularly happy with the kit and here is the email they sent us:

Hi Nicole,

Please find attached some pictures of members (and mascot) wearing our new gear for your gallery.

Everyone is very impressed with it, some of the guys did a 200km tour last weekend and commented that the shorts were the best they’ve ever had. It’s been drawing compliments from members and other clubs alike and there’s been good demand for another order.

I’ve just finished taking requests for another order and I’ve had some ladies wondering if they could have 3/4 lengths without a bib?

Also, we’ve decided to get lycra shoe covers and cycling caps this time, so we’ll need a design for these. Is there any extra charge for this? (taking that all logos, colours etc are the same as before)

Many thanks,
Sean
www.madmtb.com

The answer to the questions are that we can do the 3/4s with no bibs and there is no charge for designing extra items for the range as the one off design fee that they originally paid covers all the cycling kit designs.

Cotswold league jerseys

We are proud to sponsor the leaders and winners jerseys for the Cotswold league. They organise a league over the racing season open to all-comers that uses a handicap system. In the recent Albourne race it was gutting to see that the LVIS boys could only manage third and fourth – what’s going on there? They were wearing Fernando Carvalho kit, the fastest kit on the circuit and they still didn’t make it to the top of the podium.

You can find out more about the Cotswold League at http://www.thecotswoldleague.co.uk or their facebook page http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7315182239

Boards Cycling Kit, Ireland

We have just made the cycling kit for a popular Irish Cycling forum, boards (http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=410). They have confirmed our belief that the Irish are the best natured people on the planet and it has been a pleasure to work with them to produce their kit.

Here is what they had to say to us:

Hi Nicole,
Just wanted to drop you a line to let you know how happy we are with the kit! I finally managed to pry it from the hands of the Irish Postal service on Friday, and managed to get the stuff out to most of the guys that needed it in time for the Wicklow 200 on Sunday.

Everyone was universally delighted with the way it all turned out, the fit and design worked out just perfectly, and there were quite a few compliments from other riders on the day.

We’re so happy with the stuff, that there should be another order going in in a couple of weeks, and we will definately be getting training jackets for the winter (although we’re trying to enjoy the good weather we have right now while we have it!)

Also, I see from your blog that you’re now offering cycling caps, and am wondering if we would have to pay another design fee to get a boards cap aswell (as it wasn’t an option when we got the initial designs done)

Thanks again for everything, and I look forward to ordering from you again!

Al

In fact the one off design fee that they paid when they placed the order covers the complete custom cycling range, so there will be no extra design charge to make custom cycling caps or any other custom cycling kit for that matter, even though we did not originally do a design for this.

North Somerset Cycling Development Squad

We were very happy to supply some jerseys to the NSCDS and they kindly sent us a photo which I have to say makes the jerseys look fantastic.

Here is the email they sent:

Charlie
I thought I’d send you a photo of one of our lot for your gallery.
Everyone loves the kit and we will be sending in another order very shortly!
Do the new caps come in different sizes?
Cheers
Hayden

The answer to the question about the custom cycling caps is that they are currently one size fits all.

Wheelworx tri- leading Irish team

We are very proud to supply some of the leading triathlon teams in europe – in Ireland we have supplied the kit for a few years now to Wheelworx, which sponsors leading athletes such as Ailen Morrison, Elena Maslova, Fernando Fuentes, Katharina Baldinger and Kim Visby.

Congratulations to Kim who just finished 11th in the Lanzarote Ironman and congratulations to Katharina for making our tri-suits look so great.

We have supplied a full range of kit to Wheelworx, including cycling and triathlon kit and it is available for sale in their shop. Find out more about them at www.wheelworxbikes.com and if you are in Dublin then you should definitely pay them a visit for service from people who are passionate about their sport.

Client feedback from Nenagh Tri

Here is what Nenagh Tri had to say about their kit:

Hi Charlie,

Here is a snapshot of some of the lads before they lined out for the Joey
Hannon memorial triathlon last week (the little lad on the right won it).

I spent 5 1/2 hours in my gear the previous week at a 1/2 ironman and it was never less than comfortable. I thought the bulky zip would cause a problem under the wetsuit but it was fine. Thanks again for a great job.

Rgds

Joe Cantwell
Nenagh Tri

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