Thanks, Updates, Kits? and Goals

First let me say thanks to you all for another great season of XXC. While the mag is still far from the world dominating grip that the ad packed glossy mags have, the mag gets a little bigger with every issue. Sure I can't get a (non mag) cycling news outlet to publish a press release from me to save my life (must think XXC is too low brow for 'em), I am still sneaking the word out to the masses via word of mouth, t shirts, stickers, and a kick ass digital and print mag about the greatest sport in the world. Not to mention a nice group of racers who kicked some ass this year sporting some fine looking XXC Mag kits. They didn't have to. They just did, and that helped a lot. Thank you.

I am proud of the mag and the work I have done on it, and I hope to keep all that up in the coming months, not to sound like some sort of guest/host banter from The View, but what makes the mag the mag is YOU! I can't stress that enough. Your willingness to share your race accounts, talents, photos and experiences with XXC is what make the mag. My only regret is not yet being able to compensate my contributors as they should be. I'm getting there though, just stick with me please. To all the contributors of XXC Magazine: Season Two I say thank you from the bottom of my chamois.

___________________________

Don't forget- From now until December 13th if you purchase a digital download or send me the order #, etc., from your MagCloud order your e mail will be put in the digital fishbowl for the chance to win a sweet prize package from XXC, Squirt Lube, ByeKyle, Ergon, and Princeton Tec. Click here for more details.

_________________________

A new addition to the XXCMAG.COM site is the EVENTS page. There used to be a kick ass endurance calendar site for all things endurance, but it seems to have not been updated in a LONG time, so I am doing my best to compile and list 2011 events as they become available to me. If you have a race that needs listed please shoot me an e mail (via the contact page). Also there is some ad spots open on the page. If you would like to sponsor the EVENTS page (ad would be the banner at top of the list) for 2011, or feature your event on the page with an ad shoot me and e mail.

___________________________

Kits? Been getting some questions about the XXC Magazine team kits. So I am not officially trying to see if there is any real interest from folks in another order of XXC Mag kits. If I order them by Christmas I would hope to have them by February. It would once again be PRE ORDER ONLY. I would love to float this and order up a bunch and sell, but it's all too pricey and the mag is not exactly making my credit score look too peachy! LOL! I may add in caps this time too. There would be no pre order required for the caps. In case you forgot what the kits look like see below....

Jerseys...

Bibs...
Caps...

Options? You would NOT have to order complete kits. Just a jersey? Just shorts? No problem! Jerseys would be racer cut only, men's or ladies cut. Shorts would be bibs or regular. Caps are the caps- one size fits all, yada, yada, yada... The shorts design may be altered a bit, meaning I might ditch the fun hurts tag on the ass and replace it with something more offensive. Kidding- I mean less of course. But I will let you know before this gets official.

2011 prices are yet TBD, and all of this is of course based on whether I get enough interest and enough pre orders to do it. If you would happen to pre order a jersey and in the end XXC can not place the order due to lack of order your money will be refunded ASAP. I would have liked to have done this earlier in the year but in the midst the stress of moving and wondering if XXC would even be around in 2011, I didn't think it wise. Now I do. ;) So if you think you might be interested, post a comment here on the XXC Facebook page. Also if you own a shop and think you might want to order some to sell in your store, shoot me and e mail and we'll discuss pricing. Thanks.

I addition to the kits there might be some word soon on the return of popular t shirt design. Not sure yet, but if the planets align...

___________________________

Goals? We all have them, and I have quite a few for the coming year. Personally I plan to get back to racing more. While I was NEVER a podium finisher (other than a few 3rd places, and a few "dick spots" to my credit), I was happy enough competing right in the middle of the mid pack. After a year of stress, a second DVT in my leg, and moving, I hope to get back to more racing across my new state of Michigan as well as some of my fave NUE races and endurance events. And as far as goals for the magazine I have a few there too...

1. Increase advertising. Yes ads. If I can get a few more advertisers to commit then I can focus on goal two.

2. Maybe ditch MagCloud in attempt to get the print mag less expensive to purchase. I doubt that I can get it under $5 even with more ads, but I can probably get it under $10. Having said that, I don't want to compromise the look. Meaning no thin ass paper, b&w photos, etc., If my vision of XXC is compromised and it looks like shit, I fail. Not good. But if I can, maybe I can get copies into the bike shops without going to debtors prison. 2b. Look for a publisher that digs the XXC vibe and will work me me to unleash it cheaper?

3. Revise the web site. This has already started behind the scenes, hope to have something in the works by the time spring rolls around.

4. Make it to InterBike next year to get the face of the folks who won't return my e mails! LOL!

5. This is sort of a hard goal for me, but I need to have more fun with the mag and realize that I have the greatest job in the world. Sure the pay sucks, but hey I get to ride at a time of day when most folks are having their 3rd cup of coffee or giving the boss the first of many 'birds' behind his/her back. I also get talk about bikes and bike racin' all day (or all night, if I indeed did take that brunch time ride), and work with great photos and cool stories from all over the world. The wife has got my back, and my boy thinks what I do is "cool." I need to not care if my neighbors are wondering why I never leave the house for work, or why most folks see me in either a bike kit or flip flops and shorts most of the year. I do what I do and I love it. Not to mention as graphic artist/designer I have seen my stuff go from "OK" to stuff I really love in the past 2 years. Yet another reason my old employer can suck it. LOL! I look forward to learning more and doing more with XXC in the months to come.

OK, this might be the LONGEST XXC Blog post EVER. Sorry. But let me know about the events, kits, etc., And don't forget to contribute your story to XXC. XXC #10 is due out in late January and I have some pages to fill!

Thanks!

Jason Mahokey
XXC Magazine