In an announcement on the corporate web site, accompanied by an Instagram submit, historic bike and element model, Ritchey has introduced that it’s going to now not be permitted to make use of the UCI rainbow stripe flashes on its WCS (World Championship Series) line of parts. The element vary which incorporates bars, stems, and seatposts, will retain the identical design, however the multi-coloured stripes will now get replaced by 5 darkish gray stripes. References to WCS on the Ritchey web site and packaging will now all get replaced by 5 blue stripes.
The rainbow flashes, in response to the submit on Instagram, have been part of the Ritchey branding for 30 years. Long earlier than the UCI trademarked the brand again in 2010, however actually after it first started utilizing it within the late 1920’s. This means using the rainbow stripes by Ritchey existed in a type of goodwill gray zone, the settlement with the UCI to make use of the stripes has now expired and seemingly cannot be renewed. Despite the storied historical past of the model inside UCI competitions, the game’s governing physique has tightened the web round using its now-trademarked logos, beforehand permitting Ritchey to make use of the logos as a part of a goodwill settlement in response to an announcement given to Escape Collective by a Ritchey consultant.
The documentation on the UCI web site concerning using the rainbows is now fairly unequivocal: ‘The rule is easy: if you’re not expressly approved to make use of any of the aforementioned property, do not use them! The UCI and the UCI-appointed Organizing Committee will systematically take the mandatory steps to ensure that their rights are being revered and that unauthorized use, if any, will likely be stopped.’
Spot the distinction (Image credit score: Ritchey)
The use of the property – these being the rainbow bands, in addition to the UCI emblem itself – is now reserved for official companions. Clothing model Santini for instance can promote duplicate rainbow jerseys, whereas the package sponsors of present world champions are permitted to do the identical, on this case, Pissei for UAE Team Emirates-XRG and Tadej Pogacar. And Specialized for SD Worx-Protime and Lotte Kopecky, although the American model seems to not be making the SD Worx package accessible for buy on the time of writing.
Not solely is using the rainbow bands now closely restricted, however even these allowed to make use of them are topic to very prescriptive pointers, which fits some approach to explaining why so many world champion’s bikes are so related in recent times. Everything from bikes to gloves, sun shades, and even facemasks has a ‘rainbow stripes zone’, with a clearly outlined border into which producer logos should not stray.
A last assertion on the Ritchey web site concerning the change states: ‘WCS will stay the spine of the Ritchey product vary. Its repute as the usual of high quality that cyclists have come to demand won’t be diminished, regardless of the absence of the rainbow stripes.’
Ritchey actually has loads of historical past, with its riders profitable World Championships up to now. (Image credit score: Ritchey)
The newest race content material, interviews, options, opinions and professional shopping for guides, direct to your inbox!