Customer Stories: Durham University Cycling Club
At Kalas we serve a diverse variety of customer types, who have at least one thing in common - they all want to create their own custom designed cycle clothing. These include individuals, small groups of friends, clubs, teams, companies, charities, and events. In our series Customer Stories, some of them tell us how we helped them achieve their objectives and highlight the aspects of Kalas’ service that they benefitted from the most.
Epic Landscapes and ‘Game of Thrones’ Winters
The City of Durham is situated in the Northeast of the United Kingdom, approximately 20 miles (30 kilometres) south of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. It is the main administrative city of County Durham, which is an area renowned for its rugged and remote landscape. To the west of the county you will find the North Pennines, a hilly place designated as an ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’.
Durham University is a prestigious institution which was founded in 1832, making it the third oldest university in England, only behind Oxford and Cambridge. Sport at the university goes back to its very foundation, with the inaugural Durham Rowing Regatta organised in 1834 and first recorded cricket match taking place in 1842.
Sports University of the Year
The university is well known for its team sports, in particular football, rugby, and cricket, but also has a strong reputation in rowing and athletics. Durham has twice been named “Sports University of the Year”, most recently in 2023. Under the name ‘Team Durham’, they compete in more than 50 different sports and since the 2011-12 season has ranked in the top three institutions in British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS).
Giving a voice to sports like cycling
James Riley was recently appointed president of Durham University Cycling Club (DUCC). He originally got into mountain biking, then switched his focus to the road a couple of years before becoming an undergraduate. James describes his role of club president as “being responsible for everything cycling”. Looking forward to his term as DUCC president he acknowledged Durham’s strong reputation for popular team sports, whilst relishing the opportunity he has in his new leadership role. “It’s nice to give a voice to other sports like cycling and I see great possibilities to move the club forward”, he tells us.
One of the main challenges of university sport in general is that every year some students leave after graduation, and a new cohort of undergraduates arrive. The club are predominantly active on the road. There is some mountain biking, but this is a more informal arrangement with the club. There is naturally also a close connection with the university’s triathlon club. Of the 70 or so cycling club members around ten take their racing very seriously, and James is keen to support and expand this element of the club.
Training, having fun and personal growth
Members have access to the University Sports Centre Performance Hub where athletes can train indoors and get advice on subjects like nutrition, strength and conditioning, and psychological support to assist with their performance and general wellbeing. Alumni of the cycling club have in the past gone on to race outside the UK, especially in Belgium. No one quite made it to WorldTour level yet, but the standard is high. However, it's not only about elite performance. James continues “As a club we focus on training, having fun and personal growth, rather than purely on racing. We try to make cycling inclusive.”
Truly epic riding and ‘Game of Thrones’ winters
Despite a recent foray into track racing, the road remains at the heart of cycling at Durham. James feels this is very much a product of their environment. “With The Pennines so close by it makes for truly epic riding. The landscapes are as amazing as they are challenging and the connection to where we train has such a big impact on our identity.”
It’s not only the terrain that leaves its mark on cyclists in Durham, but the weather also plays a part too in defining the character of those that venture on to the fells and dales year-round. “We have ‘Game of Thrones’ winters up here.” James laughs, “so we need to be fully committed.”
A famous institution like Durham University of course has some guidelines when it comes to visual identity. Palatinate is the purple colour that dominates the university’s corporate colour scheme, and therefore is found everywhere throughout the organisation, from academic dress to sportswear, and just about everything in between. Team Durham branding is followed by all the university’s sports clubs, but James was still able to add his own influence on the club design. With a nod to the landscape that largely defines the kind of bike riding they enjoy the most, three triangles dominate the front of the jersey, a symbol of the hills that surround.
Bleed Palatinate
James tells us the Team Durham motto is “Bleed Palatinate”, so the purple colour is clearly an important part of their identity. But there is no precise shade of purple that they must strictly adhere to. “The exact shade can change from year to year, it’s not set, but I have to say the Kalas kit all matches perfectly, from jerseys, to shorts, jackets and gilets they are all the same shade, and I can tell you that has not always been the case with previous kit suppliers”.
We ask James what it was that made DUCC switch to Kalas. “We found the quality of Kalas’ mid-range (ELITE) to be really good. The Mission Flow jacket with the removable sleeves is especially practical for the UK weather. And we feel the kit is just brighter, which is great for visibility. Compared to previous kits we’ve had the finish of the clothes is just better, with more reflective elements.”
James continued “The Club eShop worked perfectly. It ran smoothly without any issues, and everyone got what they ordered, faster than expected. Some of our members who are postgraduate students are only here for a year, or even less. So, a rapid turnaround is essential for them. They arrive in September and need winter kit pretty much immediately. It’s no good if it only arrives in March, then they will be gone after spring and probably will not have had the opportunity to even wear it”.
James concluded “The Kalas sales guys were also ready to support us in the running of our own events. They were proactive with suggesting how they could get more involved and acted more as a handler than a point of call. They donated prizes as well as flags and banners to make our events look great. This is a massive help for a small self-supporting club”.
Everyone at Kalas is proud of our association with DUCC and Team Durham, and we hope to have the opportunity to support them for many years to come, whilst providing kit that can cope with a ‘Game of Thrones’ winter!
