North East Single Speed (uk) Is Born

I've been a bit busy recently. 

I did my last MTB race of the season on my single speed finishing a reasonable 25th out of 37 competitors, done on a course that was tough on a SS. I was joined by my friend who also competed in his first race on a single speed and finished just ahead of me in 21st.  Despite being bitten to death by a swarm of vampire like midges we had both enjoyed ourselves, not least because of the light factor.  Being September the race ended up finishing in near dark conditions which was I suppose dangerous for some of the racers.  My friend and I came equipped as did a small few others with lights.  I love night riding so it was good to be racing on fast flowing single track with only the beam of light in front of me to guide the way.  It's the first time I've ridden so fast in semi darkness so it got quite scary at times, I can only imagine how the poor racers without must have felt!

The reason I mention this race here in this post is that I did something different on sign on.  After my name I got to fill out the little empty box which had TEAM written above it.  My friend and I both wrote North East Single Speed. That felt weird and a bit pretentious as we aren't sponsored but then I suppose nor are many cycle clubs.  And that is what North East Single Speed (NESS) is.  A club for SS.

I have recently created  this group on facebook to try and catch those who ride their single speeds in this area of England.  The aim is to try and get like minded riders out for group rides as well as form something of a race team.  I've already mentioned that I was trying to push local race organisers to be the first and have a specific recognised single speed category.  Not their own race, but just recognition that they took part.  I've had some luck so far and talks are under way for next year.  So for this I've been concentrating on creating a more professional look of this SS group.  Mention was made of getting a Jersey made and so after a bit of searching designing began.

After some hours of fiddling and playing with designs and lettering I've managed to create something with what looks about right.  I'd love to show you the Jersey product but I can't right now as the company doesn't have a feature to save design to a hard drive.  However, I can show you the logos I did for it.

The Jersey is white and black with bands of dark red in it.  The upper chest and upper back are in white and that is where the logo go.  On the front it looks like this:

and on the back it looks like this:
 

The logo is based on a lone chainring for obvious reasons.  The flower is the Yorkshire white rose (think Wars of the Roses) petals are beer bottles a symbol of socialising!

a little motto is written on the back near the bottom which reads 'Derailleurs are for Failures'

No doubt when I get proper pictures I will show you.

So for me this is all exciting.  Some may curse me for trying to make it more main stream.  That's not really my aim.  SS is said to be on the decline and I'm gripping it and trying to bring friends together for fun rides and doing something the Americans have. A category all of there own.

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