Did someone say it was summer? Whoever is scheduling the weather here is Melbourne is doing a terrible job. Summer solstice is just around the corner and it feels more like the beginning of winter. The crappy weather has given me some time to catch up on reading, something I just don’t do enough of.
A little while ago I purchsed Go Faster, a book which looks at the history of racing car graphics. While reading the book, I realized cycling jersey design has suffered a similar evolutionary demise. Both sports began with simple numbers and colours to differentiate between riders and the countries they replresent. As sponsorship and the media coverage grew, so did the number of sponsor logos and under considered designs.
Today it seems pro cycling kit design is given to any clown that has downloaded a crack copy of the Adobe Creative Suite. There are less then a handfull of designs in the pro peloton that deserve a mention. My personal favorite is the AG2R kit, designed by Dutch designers Studio Dumbar. The use of the faded black bib receives some negative feedback, but in all its a solid and considered design.
Maybe I’m just being critical and will look back in 10 years to think how good the HTC Columbia kit of 2009 was. Then again…maybe not.
