TGIS: Proudly working with Lone Wolf Cycling & Le Domestique and Scottish winter caps are back

Le Domestique winter cap

photo Red Dots Cycling

We're embracing winter...

Our Le Domestique and Scottish winter caps are restocked in both sizes and now available from our online shop.

We produced a final round of the popular winter caps for our friends, Lone Wolf Cycling. And we are happy to announce that a new design is upcoming...

TGIF: New Lanterne Rouge Cycling Cap & Custom pink polk dots

Lanterne Rouge Cycling Cap

photo Red Dots Cycling

We firmly believe the last place rider in the Tour de France deserves special distinction. Introducing our new Lanterne Rouge cycling cap! 

Bernard Hinault (first) & Gerhard Schonbacher (lanterne rouge),

1979 Tour de France

He may be the last place finisher but to hang in every stage and finish before the time cut, well he's as just important as the first guy. The Tour de France organizers admired that rider since 1903. The name hails from the red lanterns that used to hand from the caboose of railway cars. It means the last placed rider, not of failure but is a symbol of success. We believe it's the French way;  love for the tough underdog and always fighting to the finish. 

For the lanterne rouge can be payday. He will be invited to the many post Tour criteriums as these criteriums pay the riders to participate. For an unknown, lowly paid professional rider, in those days - it could be very lucrative for this rider to come last and make double his salary in a couple weeks. There was plenty of drama in the back of the peloton with riders racing for the coveted last place spot. Riders would hide behind cars, they'd hide behind bridges just to lose a few seconds and take last place.

Svein Tuft was the first Canadian rider to win the honor in 2013 knowing how to suffer, getting over the mountains and not quitting the Tour.

We proudly present the Lanterne Rouge made from Linen/cotton in the color porto. Embroidered lanterne rouge design to signify that you will never quit!

Now available here.

Our latest custom cap for Brian's little girl...

Thanks Brian and you're welcome!

TGIF: Ride Hard! The new Flahute Cycling Cap.

Flahute Cycling Cap

photo: Red Dots Cycling

Flahute: Riders who perform with love for the tough northern classics with dangerous cobbles and chaotic weather imaginable in bike racing. 

Flahute racers are a tough breed here are some of the greatest: Merckx, Buysse, Van Steenbergen, Van Looy, De Vlaeminck, Schotte, Hinault and Kelly. Predominately they are Belgian, love the foul weather, inhuman roads and win the northern classics.

We have created a unique cap in honor to all Flahute racers and to all cyclists who honor the "hardest of the hard men" of cycling. Attention to detail is important as we used a vintage blue linen/cotton reminiscent of the early Belgian national jersey color...

Merckx flying the Belgian blue jersey,

1974 world championships, Montreal.

Are you tough enough? We think so...

Flahute cycling cap, now available here.

TGIF: Cheering Tifosi for Il Lombardia

We'll be cheering:
Tifosi Cycling Cap

photo Red Dots Cycling

We are looking forward, cheering like Tifosi, to Sunday's final Monument... Il Lombardia!

This great Italian Monument is nicknamed, the Classica delle Foglie Morte (the Classic of the falling leaves). This will be the 109th edition favored for the punchy climbers. The Tifosi (the cycling mad fans) will be cheering their heroes on the epic climbs: Madonna del Ghisallo and the incredibly steep Muro di Sormano (1.7km, max grade: 25%)...

We'll be cheering like Tifosi!

TGIF: Working, watching world road race championships & multi buy orders

photo Red Dots Cycling

TGIF...

The World Road Race Championships are on and we are watching the exciting action. We are in our most busy season producing custom orders, new winter caps and replenishing our existing online stock. I'm happily working (see image above) and watching the U23 Men's road race... a fun relationship!

Just a pleasant reminder to our online clients...

Thinking of multi buy orders! (Order more than one cap at same time) You will pay shipping on your first item only. Every cap following is free shipping on us!

Ready for Winter: New North Star, Scottish & Le Domestique winter caps!

(l to r): North Star, Scottish & Le Domestique.

photo Red Dots Cycling

Winter's fast approaching here in North America. And, in preparation for the cooler temps, we are proud to introduce our new winter caps: North Star, Scottish & Le Domestique!

All three winter caps are made from 100% wool. The North Star is made from 100% Italian wool. All three caps available from our shop in both sizes: S/M & M/L.

This is our first series and we have our second series of winter caps due in about 1-2 weeks time.

La Fabrica Girona: Our connection has never been closer.

Words to live by...

'Life is too short for Bad Coffee.'

via @LaFabricaGirona

La Fabrica Girona Spain is far away from Vancouver. In a way, our connection has never been closer.

Both cities share the love for the bicycle, that's where it stops. The cycling culture is deeply rooted in Spain, made famous by the many pro cyclists that live there. Now, two expats are helping bring coffee culture to Girona... Amber and Christian Meier.

They are a popular couple and have numerous articles written on their unique business. Christian is a pro rider for Orica GreenEDGE and coffee aficionado. A while ago, he sent us a email that they were about to open a cycling theme cafe and expressed keen interest to sell our cycling caps. We couldn't be happier. We regularly follow Orica GreenEDGE especially the exploits of Christian and Sven Tuft.

After a few emails back and forth we have made arrangements to now have our cycling caps in their cycling theme cafe in Girona, Spain!

We're hopeful to, one day,  journey over to Girona to meet them, enjoy their coffee and personally deliver some more of our caps!


Globe and Mail article here.