BLACK DOG BIKERS CHARITY JERSEY

Mental health affects 25% of the population - a fact veteran MTBers Richard Vickery and Geoff Waugh know all too well, which is why they got together to produce this special edition ‘Black Dog Bikers’ jersey.

Seeking inspiration for the design from the web, Geoff stumbled upon a picture of Frank Gorshin as The Riddler in the 60s TV series of Batman. It got him thinking about riddles and how the brain is always trying to trick us; that for a person with mental health issues, life can be a constant riddle; trying to make sense of the day to day.

The picture was faded but had fantastic colours, and both Geoff and Rich loved the baddy character’s great outfits. A couple of days later Rich dug up a cartoon dog’s head which became the group motif. To the drawing board!

The letters on the jersey back are purposely scattered in a haphazard fashion to mimic the way jumbled and fractured thoughts often behave. Question marks, like riddles, what is the answer?  

‘Black Dog Bikers’ got its name after what famous British wartime prime minister Winston Churchill called his own depression; the Black Dog. It rolls off the tongue whether said in full or simply “BDB”.  

The pair knew they wanted something different from the normal riding top. They wanted something  to stand out enough that other riders, folk in cafes - anyone -may be curious enough to ask more about it and they could engage in conversation and pass on the message. Essentially it is to welcome anyone in.

And most importantly profits from all jerseys sold will go to the mental health charity MIND to help them in their essential work.

“FKD was our first and only port of call to produce such a special garment and they have done a brilliant job,” said Geoff. “We all want to spread the message that more people struggle with mental health issues than we think and that they are in all walks of life. Buying one of these jerseys is just one way of helping the experts to help us to understand such a complex subject.”