Mettle Cycling Team Kit - Road 2020
If the dumpster fire that is 2020 has made anything clear (beyond, of course, multitudes of injustices and disgusting politics, it’s that amateur bike racing is (or at least should be) occupying a space on the list of everyone’s priorities somewhere in between Kickstarter campaigns and your now defunct bread baking hobby. To be honest, the notion of privilege is heavily on display in our sport and to continue trying to “make it happen” like “Fetch” just furthers the plot that some cyclists just don’t understand what all the fuss is about.
The US never locked us all inside with threats of jail or fines (even suggesting such an idea incited protests centralized around access to hair salons) so we remained a lucky bunch in that cyclists had more access than just about any other out door sport; roads never closed down (unlike parks, pools, gyms, Futsol, tracks, hiking trails, state parks, lakes, and beaches). Oh, but Golf was spared, for whatever reason.
With the pandemic came a seismic shift in our world on how to continue this “sport.” Partnerships were put on hold, factories were shut down, and racing calendars dissolved with great resistance like the Wicked Witch of the West melting into the floor… and with it our sparkling fitness.
As such, “New Kit Day” came in August. Enough time to still firm up some tan lines and sport some new lycra but alas, still no racing. To be clear, Mettle has sworn off racing until a long list of requirements are met and we’re so not even fucking close to a single one of them. But everyone has found their second passion or a singular constant in their life that has occupied their time more than training and racing and we took those themes and applied them to this year’s kit release. We combined the talents of our 4 team photographers and sent them on assignments to capture it all from a safe distance. So here it is, Mettle’s new 2020 Road Kit, COVID-19 Edition.
Cycle Oregon
For 2020, we partnered with Cycle Oregon - A state non-profit that leads several giant rides through the best parts of Oregon every year. Through these rides, funds are raised to benefit the local towns the routes pass through. Their work is hugely impactful and generates community connections that would not otherwise overlap.
The Usual Suspects + 1
Anchorhead Coffee Co. - New to the Mettle team of partners, Anchorhead is based in Seattle and aligns closely with Mettle’s community involvement plus amazing photography. We’re still working on getting something into the world with them.
Easton Cycling - Trusty allies, always.
CyclePath - best wrenches in town and our go-to bike shop for in-store discounts and special orders.
Nuun Hydration - There’s no better hydration mix on the market and they’re a company run by amazing people and athletes.
