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cervo rosso strada 2.0 l/s winter jersey
it is a well-known fact that all graphic designers wear black, a look enhanced by a polo-neck or turtle-neck jersey in the days of apple's steve jobs. because he was cool. i have no idea if jonny ive wears either black or turtle-necks, but i believe the point is perhaps well-made and likely already laboured to death. though the black look is probably a style choice, in the days prior to computers its history may be more invested in pragmatism. with items such as cow gum, felt tip, rotring and letraset, much like bicycle mechanics, black seems the ideal solution.
but of course, graphic designers are too cool for school, the sort of people blissfully unaffected by events that would elicit a wholly different level of excitement in normal folks. and as thus, it is necessary to cultivate an aura of disdain for anything deigned to be sub-standard, one of which is the use of typefaces that demonstrate a lack of understanding of typography and the uses to which it should be put.
if you see what i mean?
though it seems no longer to be a part of the interweb, in my early years of designer affectation and wearing of black (though i stopped short at the polo-neck) there really was a website called 'designers against brush script'. i'm loathe to quote the definition of those who employ this particular typeface in their day to day entrepreneurship because it's considerably less than flattering. but much like the atomic bomb, it's not the device that's inherently bad, it's the folks that press the button.
which is a long-winded way of raising my principal objection, superficial though it may be, against previous items of apparel received from switzerland's cervo rosso. in more than just one instance, their otherwise excellent apparel was marred by the words 'it's your ride' placed vertically over the central back pocket. the slogan itself is less than objectionable, but screening it in brush script...?
which is why there were celebrations in the croft when the strada 2.0 arrived fresh from the now financially disparaged country of switzerland. rather than any sign of brush script about its person, that central rear pocket (with outboard security zipped version) featured instead a highly admirable logo advising that this comfortable, warm, fleece-lined jersey is swiss cycling apparel. the superficiality of all this can be identified by the fact that when worn, such wording cannot be seen by the pilot.
according to the cervo rosso website, the strada 2.0 is designed for cool weather riding, an appropriateness to which i can readily attest. though outing number one had to be curtailed due to serious crosswinds that threatened to upend both rider and bicycle, weekend number two brought the strada 2.0 to its senses. as i departed the bike shed with flashing lights front and rear, it was snowing rather heavily and the temperature was pretty close to zero but from the wrong side.
i cannot deny that, though cool weather is decidedly where it's at, the strada is not really constituted to be worn al fresco in precipitous slushy snow. therefore i augmented my dress code with a cervo rosso outer shell, packing a rain jacket just in case the weather became colder or wetter. true to form, it did both. however, as one layer midst a winter baselayer and two outer layers, the strada proved itself every bit the equal of the weather; toastiness was mine. it's also worth mentioning that pairing the strada with cr's thermal bibshorts and leg warmers was a particularly good choice too.
the fleece lining offers a lovely soft smooth interior, and though i figure the collar could bear a few more millimetres of height, at this point in january, i usually wear a merino collar over any jersey in any case. the sleeve length proved to be almost perfectly judged, while the torso was a close, but not spray-on fit, a feature that well behoves any winter jersey.
so now i can hold my designer head high in the winter peloton, free from having to affect disdain, even though it really is my ride but not written in brush script.
the cervo rosso strada 2.0 l/s winter jersey is available directly from their website, in sizes xs through to xxl at a cost of €135 (approx £103).
cervo rosso strada 2.0 l/s jersey
sunday 18 january 2015
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