The cycling jersey is a blank canvas, awaiting your design.
Cycling enthusiasts enter into the sport innocently enough. Their love of biking usually begins with short, liberating rides after work or on weekends. But for some, the passion intensifies quickly and they become involved in long group rides, spandex clothing and clip-less pedals. Soon thereafter comes the first bike race---just to see how it goes. After a win or two, the enthusiast has fallen head over heels for cycling, and starts to think about designing custom jerseys.
Since cycling has gained popularity in recent years, it's easier than ever to design your own bike jersey and have it made. Several companies offer lots of templates that you can customize for your own needs. Other companies will even help you design cycling jerseys from scratch.
Instructions
1. Do some research to decide which company you want to create your jerseys (some good Internet search words are "design bike jersey" or "custom cycling jersey"). If you already have a favorite brand of cycling clothing, you may want to visit that brand's website to see if they offer custom or semi-custom jerseys. Your decision may instead be based on how much help the company can give you with your design and the design templates they offer. There are many designer/manufacturers that can help you refine your ideas for a bike jersey and create the finished product. A few of the top custom design companies are Voler, The Cycling Jersey, Atac Sportswear, and BikeJerseys.com. Plan ahead if you would like to wear your jersey in an upcoming race season or for a specific ride: most companies require approximately six weeks production time after a design has been finalized.
2. Choose the type of jersey---or fabric---you'd like. Some cyclists order full kits, which include warm to hot weather riding gear and/or cool to cold weather gear---from short-sleeved to long-sleeved jerseys and shorts to tights. You may only want one or two short-sleeved jerseys for summer riding. Once you've decided what your seasonal needs are, take a look at the supplier's options within those seasons. Do you want pockets? With zippers or without? Would you like the front of the jersey to unzip completely, half-way, or only a few inches? If the company provides only one warm weather option and one cool weather option, you may want to look for another supplier.
3. Choose your colors. If you already have an idea of the colors you want, keep in mind that a central, dominant color with one or two complementary colors usually looks more sophisticated than using four or more colors. If you aren't sure which colors to go with, the company likely will have its full color palette, with combination suggestions, on its website. Don't worry if you don't see the exact colors you want; most companies can give you any color you ask for.
4. Choose the font style for either a team name, slogan, or both. Keep the font style consistent throughout the jersey for a cleaner overall design.
5. Choose word placement. The most prominent places for writing on a cycling jersey are across the chest, across the back of the shoulders, the side panels, and down the sleeve (especially with long sleeves). A fun place to hide something more personal---such as a nickname or a favorite saying---is on the neckband, armband, or even across the lower part of the back, above the pockets. Some companies can even print a few hidden words just inside the pockets.
6. Choose graphics and their placement. Usually, graphics are placed over the belly and/or on the back below the shoulders. You can choose from the hundreds or thousands of designs in the company's online book or come up with your own. If you come up with your own original design, most companies will request it in a computer file format. If your design was not created on your computer, scan an ink or marker drawing and email the file to the company. Some companies also will be able to make your design from a photo. Don't be shy about asking if you have something specific in mind.
7. If you race and have personal or team sponsorship, you must provide your sponsor's logo via email or on a disc. Your sponsor can provide you with the official company logo and also let you know whether or not you can alter the logo's colors to better incorporate it into the design of your jersey.
8. Take a look at the final design and make sure it is exactly what you want. If not, make your improvements. Once you give the go-ahead on a final design, most companies will require a deposit of 50 percent to 100 percent of the total cost. These deposits are almost universally not refundable.
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