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tic-cc hc short-sleeve jersey

tic-cc hc short sleeve jersey

in what seems like the latter years of prehistory, i suggested to the producers of islay's local newspaper, that they might like to approach future sustainability by printing on recycled paper. in one of those 'right back atcha' moments, they said that, if i could find suitable paper stock at an economical price, they would be happy to discuss the matter further. of course, this was pre-millennium, when recycled papers often closely resembled amateur attempts to make paper, and few of which resembled what you and i would describe as 'white'.

tic-cc hc short sleeve jersey

for those of us endeared of the rustic look, this hardly seemed much of a problem, and possibly even a badge of honour. but, as a result of attempting to be in the vanguard of a sustainable effort, the prices were somewhat excessive. so, despite my enthusiasm for what i thought might have been a unique selling point, those in charge of the purse strings declined to explore the matter further. following the last year of economic challenge, i doubt they'd be any keener to resurrect the idea, though i believe recycled stock is now more economically priced.

tic-cc hc short sleeve jersey

the other, perhaps more pertinent reason for such a refusal at the time, paralleled that of calmac, when defending the decision to build the current ferry plying the islay route. the boat is not as economical to operate as present day perspectives demand, but at the time it was conceived and built, such matters were not considered to be pressing. likewise the possibility of printing on recycled paper; it was seen to be an eccentric choice which there was no pressing requirement to fulfil.

nowadays, however, the realities of climate change have made many revise their thoughts on the subject. the world's petrol and diesel cars are likely to become obsolete within the next ten years, while the extraction and consumption of fossil fuels has become the pariah of the energy world. which brings us to the staple of present day velocipedinal sartorial excellence: the polyester jersey. even the various sportwool variations rely on a percentage of polyester to give 'body' to the merino wool component. the downside to this is that polyester is derived from oil which, as mentioned above is beginning to lose its flavour (so to speak).

tic-cc hc short sleeve jersey

thus, in order to minimise use of these oil-derived yarns, the cycle clothing industry has begun to explore the use of recycled polyester. always keen to do 'the right thing', daphne and andrew at tic-cc have adopted just such an environmental stance with their range of hc jerseys, of which i have had the pleasure of not only wearing, but getting thoroughly wet in the process. according to daphne, 90% of the polyester used in the production of this remarkably diaphanous jersey (the medium -size weighs in at a scant 102g) is recycled. using italian performance fabrics, the body and side panels employ a great deal of perforation, keeping the rider cool while achieving such a remarkably light weight.

tic-cc hc short sleeve jersey

i'd say that tic-cc's medium size is a smidgeon smaller than many others; if you inhabit the upper regions of medium, i'd recommend moving up a size. the jersey is cut shorter at the front to provide an optimum on the bike fit, a task it performs very well. however, being somewhat long of torso, i found frequently when off the bike, that the hem struggled to cover the lowered front of a pair of tic-cc bibshorts. combine that with the shortness of a tic-cc baselayer, and one had to be somewhat careful not to expose more than is seemly in public places.

tic-cc hc short sleeve jersey

it is, what i believe would be termed a race-fit, a fit that it embodies remarkably well, offering comfort that almost suggested it wasn't there. due to intermittent rain, i partially covered its extreme lightness of being with a bright pink tic-cc gilet, a choice that was at least partially vindicated by a monumental downpour between debbie's and foreland road end. fortunately, though rain featured throughout that particular ride, the ambient temperature matched the jersey's minimalism almost perfectly.

the hc jersey features no collar to speak of, offering ideal ventilation on warm days, with a a ykk zip that, despite the thin-ness of the fabric, was easy to pull up or down, depending on necessity. the three rear pockets are not only remarkably robust, but capacious enough to contain a compact digital camera, a mini-pump and tyre-jack and a compact backpack. however, the right side pocket features a small internal waterproof pocket for coffee money, keys or card, which i found interfered with trying to fit stuff in or out of the main pocket. granted, once aware of the inner pocket, it was a tad easier to negotiate.

tic-cc hc short sleeve jersey

daphne and andrew are to be commended on taking such major steps towards sustainability, and on producing such an effective and quality cycle jersey. and for those who wish to remain perfectly co-ordinated, there's a pair of socks that mirror the white front hoops and the polka dots on the left sleeve and shoulder (or the opposite way round if you prefer to be seen as a rebel).

the tic-cc hc short-sleeve jersey is available in neon fuschia, midnight blue, neon lime, neon mandarine and storm black (reviewed). sizes range from xs- xl. currently the neon mandarine storm black, and neon lime jerseys are on offer at £81.60, while the other colours retail at £102.

tic-cc.com

monday 9 august 2021

twmp ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................