Shopping from 1938 - Unis Sport Catalog

PDX messenger and Jack Taylor enthusiast, Joel Metz, forwarded along this amazing french catalog for Unis-Sport, an early sponsor of the Tour de France.  I'm reposting product highlights in case you're in the market for a tailored ensemble for bike camping or cyclo-tourism.   My own mail order form -  post marked 1938 - will include a request for a wool pullover with the Tour de France logo and a pair of the Raynaud model leather cycling shoes.  Shop for yourself...

 

  

  

  

   

  

  

 

 

Archival Footwear - Sidi Touring Shoes

AC friend and Rivendell General Manager, John Bennett, sent me photos of his unworn Sidi touring shoes. Unlike modern "carbon" models w/velcro strap adjustments, John's Sidis come with an old fashioned lacing system and walkable soles. Though these Sidis come from the past, several of my randonneuring friends wore them during this year's edition of Paris-Brest-Paris. I think they're stunning enough to wear with cords knickers and a wool pullover to work.

Eugene Tweed Ride 1/16/10

by Lesli Larson

On Saturday, I'll be joining friends for the third Eugene Tweed ride. Here's my ride report from the Spring 2009 edition. For novice participants, I'm setting aside a few garments for your Saturday ensemble. Since the forecast calls for rain, I'm suggesting you layer with a Hilltrek ventile cycling jacket in lieu of the more traditional, heavy overcoat. For dryer conditions, substitute a Huckecote tweed shooting jacket: the Clunie for ladies or the Redford for gents (matching caps and breeks available).

Hilltrek ventile cycling jacket

Lavenham patchwork tweed vest

Fingerless mitts

Purdey shooting breeks

Quoc Fam traditional cycling shoe (courtesy Wallblog)

Brady Stour

Finished ensemble

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Addendum: day of ride photos here.

Shoe shopping from Bicycling, Circa 1980

A guest post by Archival Associate, Tom B.


Like Lesli, I pine for the ability to mail order from the past – just a single Montgomery Ward’s catalog would be acceptable. But I’m experiencing similar saudade as I leaf through Bicycling magazines from the early 1980s. The articles are fine, but it’s the advertisements that slay me. Imagine being able to buy a new Suntour Superbe gruppo! How about all those Avocet imports? Their re-branded Ofmega hubs and cranks are particularly tantalizing. And, even though I ride with clipless pedals, it’s the shoes in Bicycling that really make me wish that the advertised phone numbers would still link me to a pair of Bata Bikers for $14.95.

Archival Footwear: Traditional Leather Touring Shoes

Carnac Forclaz (discontinued)

Vintage leather cycling shoes (anon.)

ExIT cycling shoes by Jeff Mandel

Bata bikers (discontinued)

Sidi leather touring shoes (discontinued)

Bata "badminton" shoes (discontinued)

If I had to design my own line of footwear--I'd repurpose leather cycling shoes and advise folks to wear cushioning insoles. At the Oregon Manifest handbuilt bike show, I noted a number of people sporting Sidi Dominators with knickers or straight street clothing. In short, the Sidis were doubling as daily wingtips or casual sneakers.

For daily wear, my preference is for a more simplified leather (not Lorica) cycling shoe, preferably with perforations, silver metal eyelets and a nice rolling or wrap around rubber sole.

For cycling specific use, I like the look of Stelvio shoes or Reynolds shoes. Both brands are still available for sale (though hurry--no brand seems to have image permanence these days).

Bike Portland ran an article on Jeff Mandel, a custom shoe maker who is now making both leather cycling shoes and saddles. If my ship comes, I'll be ordering a pair of Jeff's cycling shoes with that amazing red sole (adding in a special request for silver eyelets).

Just saw these great custom cycling shoes by Riotgeer Design.

Archival Gent: (early era) Michael Jackson

I didn't see this coming but I've become a bit of a come-lately fan of Michael Jackson (the early years). It started out with a larky screening of the video retrospective, History Volume I. Now, a week later, I find myself checking out the VHS copy of "The Making of Thriller" and including "Wanna be Starting Something" on a mix tape for my L.A. friend, Mimsy. To keep everything structurally sound and straightforward, I want to say that I'm primarily obsessed with Michael's proto-MTV sartorial style: black loafers, exposed socks, slim-legged trousers, and sometimes, rolled up suit jacket sleeves. If you're curious about this fine archival edition of MJ, check out the video to Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough. Though I rejected MJ as a teen, I can now appreciate the homages to Judy Garland, Bob Fosse and Fred Astaire buried in MJ's videos and dance choreography. On the Making of... video, MJ recounts how Fred Astaire phoned him up after his moonwalking performance on the Grammy awards show and told him that he liked how he [Michael] moved. Endorsement enough from the original archival gent!