Almost feeling 'Pro' for a day!
schweiz
Posts: 1,644
A couple of years ago, whilst looking for a new sportwool jersey, I came across a new Swiss cycling brand, Cervo Rosso. The original jersey was made by Shutt and having heard good things about Shutt and wanting to support a fledgling company in my adopted home country I took the plunge.
Since those early days, Cervo Rosso has continued to grow. No longer using Shutt as a supplier, instead sourcing from Italy where we all know the finest cycling gear is made! I applied to join the 'Test Team' which as well as allowing individuals to ride as a team in various Gran Fondo's and sportives, meant that I now got my kit at a discount.
However, a few weeks back, Carlyle Ware the founder of Cervo Rosso put a call out on Facebook for Swiss Based Test team members to help him out with the 2013 winter photo shoot. The shoot coincided with the start of this years winter here in Switzerland. It couldn't have snowed more if it had tried. A 5:45 am start for the drive to Bern and a quick coffee with Carlyle was followed by swapping my bike from the boot of a 4WD Subaru into a VW Combi. I had my doubts but the VW was cooler than than the Scooby so I jumped in.
We picked up the photographer, graphic designer and another Test Team member at the station before heading to Kandersteg where we would load the combi onto a a rail waggon and then emerge into the Kanton of Wallis, where hopefully it would be better weather.
20 minutes later, the roads were black again but snow was all around. We met the rest of the Test Team members who had agreed to help out at the station in Sierre then it was off to Val d'Anniviers.
When we got there, the tent was blown up, the coffee machine switched on and we got changed into out Cervo Rosso winter gear. It was cold. The VW Combi is unheated so my feet and legs were already frozen, changing into cold kit just made it worse. Snow clogged the cleats on our shoes but we clipped in and headed upwards to help warm up. The first descent was cold! Any remaining heat was sapped out of my body. Carlyle handed me a gilet and after another couple of climbs I was starting to feel the blood flowing again.
So we were cold, the roads were wet with melt water, the generator was struggling to provide the coffee machine with enough power to heat the almost freezing water, so why did I feel so pro?
Well, firstly it was the kit. If you wear top qualty kit, that looks great and feels great, you feel instantly better. Secondly was the whole support with the tent, the combi, coffee mchine and the chocolate! Finally it was following or leading the combi whilst the photographers took there shots from through the open rear roor or even sat on the roof rack. We were slowing down traffic on the pass, but there was not one impatient blast of a horn.
To say I'd not met any of the people involved in the shoot either from Cervo Rosso or the Test Team members, there was a great atmosphere. Despite the real cold, everyone was chatting, having fun and it by the end we felt like a real team. Carlyle invited us all for pizza washed down with a glass or two of local wine and then coffee.
I've bought kit from many different companies, large and small, but none of them have made me feel a part of the brand as Cervo Rosso!
Anyway, enough of me, a picture speaks more than a thousand words, so here's a few from the day.....
Early start:
The Combi waiting for its train ride from Kandersteg:
Base Station - Ice Station Zebra:
and some of the finished shots:
me clipping in...
getting to know the team...
Leading the combi up the pass....
Since those early days, Cervo Rosso has continued to grow. No longer using Shutt as a supplier, instead sourcing from Italy where we all know the finest cycling gear is made! I applied to join the 'Test Team' which as well as allowing individuals to ride as a team in various Gran Fondo's and sportives, meant that I now got my kit at a discount.
However, a few weeks back, Carlyle Ware the founder of Cervo Rosso put a call out on Facebook for Swiss Based Test team members to help him out with the 2013 winter photo shoot. The shoot coincided with the start of this years winter here in Switzerland. It couldn't have snowed more if it had tried. A 5:45 am start for the drive to Bern and a quick coffee with Carlyle was followed by swapping my bike from the boot of a 4WD Subaru into a VW Combi. I had my doubts but the VW was cooler than than the Scooby so I jumped in.
We picked up the photographer, graphic designer and another Test Team member at the station before heading to Kandersteg where we would load the combi onto a a rail waggon and then emerge into the Kanton of Wallis, where hopefully it would be better weather.
20 minutes later, the roads were black again but snow was all around. We met the rest of the Test Team members who had agreed to help out at the station in Sierre then it was off to Val d'Anniviers.
When we got there, the tent was blown up, the coffee machine switched on and we got changed into out Cervo Rosso winter gear. It was cold. The VW Combi is unheated so my feet and legs were already frozen, changing into cold kit just made it worse. Snow clogged the cleats on our shoes but we clipped in and headed upwards to help warm up. The first descent was cold! Any remaining heat was sapped out of my body. Carlyle handed me a gilet and after another couple of climbs I was starting to feel the blood flowing again.
So we were cold, the roads were wet with melt water, the generator was struggling to provide the coffee machine with enough power to heat the almost freezing water, so why did I feel so pro?
Well, firstly it was the kit. If you wear top qualty kit, that looks great and feels great, you feel instantly better. Secondly was the whole support with the tent, the combi, coffee mchine and the chocolate! Finally it was following or leading the combi whilst the photographers took there shots from through the open rear roor or even sat on the roof rack. We were slowing down traffic on the pass, but there was not one impatient blast of a horn.
To say I'd not met any of the people involved in the shoot either from Cervo Rosso or the Test Team members, there was a great atmosphere. Despite the real cold, everyone was chatting, having fun and it by the end we felt like a real team. Carlyle invited us all for pizza washed down with a glass or two of local wine and then coffee.
I've bought kit from many different companies, large and small, but none of them have made me feel a part of the brand as Cervo Rosso!
Anyway, enough of me, a picture speaks more than a thousand words, so here's a few from the day.....
Early start:
The Combi waiting for its train ride from Kandersteg:
Base Station - Ice Station Zebra:
and some of the finished shots:
me clipping in...
getting to know the team...
Leading the combi up the pass....
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Comments
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Sounds like a really great experience. That last photo is extraordinary. I had to look at it for several seconds before I could make sense of it.Is the gorilla tired yet?0
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Looks like fun - I also totally agree with the whole " If you wear top qualty kit, that looks great and feels great, you feel instantly better. "0
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true, and what great picturesALIHISGREAT wrote:Looks like fun - I also totally agree with the whole " If you wear top qualty kit, that looks great and feels great, you feel instantly better. "http://veloviewer.com/SigImage.php?a=3370a&r=3&c=5&u=M&g=p&f=abcdefghij&z=a.png
Wiliers: Cento Uno/Superleggera R and Zero 7. Bianchi Infinito CV and Oltre XR20 -
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I agree totally, Great!!0
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Great post.0
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Cool story bro0
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Nice advert.Plymouthsteve for councillor!!0
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Cor. thats just awesome. I love riding in the cold and snow, that looks a brilliant day.
The dissenter is every human being at those moments of his life when he resigns
momentarily from the herd and thinks for himself.0 -
The font and red logo are very castelli-esque, especially on the side of the vw!0
