Local cyclist creates athletic jerseys for big, tall men

Local cyclist creates athletic jerseys for big, tall men

(Courtesy of Scott Rockwood)


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SALT LAKE CITY — While 63-year-old Scott Rockwood may not fit the mold of what some see as the typical cycling enthusiast, that doesn’t mean he isn’t in the market for athletic gear.

Rockwood describes himself as a “bigger guy” who has had a difficult time finding athletic jerseys that fit since he started road biking five to seven years ago.

“Although I’ve been able to find some things online in sizes that work, for the most part, the things I’m able to find are just not as interesting from a design point of view,” Rockwood said. “They’re rather plain and generic looking jerseys, not as fun and interesting as what you’d typically find in a bike shop.”

Last Fall, Rockwood decided he would help other men who may have trouble finding jerseys by starting his own business, Perzist.

Perzist offers patterned athletic jerseys for both big and tall men. Rockwood recently launched a Kickstarter campaign in hopes of raising $18,000 to cover part of the manufacturing costs. So far, more than $1,500 has been raised.

At the beginning of the project, Rockwood surveyed more than 300 cyclists about the fit of their jerseys and learned that 39 percent felt jerseys were too tight in the belly, 36 percent felt jerseys were too short in the body and 30.7 percent felt jerseys often were too tight in the chest.

Rockwood, who has a background in graphic design, has designed his own line of jerseys and worked with Clothier Design Source, a pattern development company based in Minneapolis, to develop prototypes in a variety of larger sizes. The company will also develop the jerseys when they are ready. With the help of friends, his company has developed sizes to fit heavier and taller men.

Jerseys for the tall men, who are often slender but whose jerseys tend to be too short, are geared toward men who are between 6 foot 2 and 6 foot 6. Jerseys for the big men are for men between 5 foot 11 and 6 foot 1, Rockwood said.

“Cycling jerseys are made notoriously small,” Rockwood said. “If you’re not just a real skinny, fit person you’re going to have a hard time finding jerseys. So what I’ve done is shape these jerseys for the bigger guys, for the bigger bellied guys, where there’s a lot more room so that they don’t feel so tightly squeezed.”


I think as America becomes more and more fitness conscious, I think there's more and more cyclists who will be entering the market, not all of whom are going to be skinny.

–Scott Rockwood


The name “Perzist” came from the word “persistence.” Avid cyclists often ride for hours and miles, Rockwood said and noted, “When you’re going up hills, sometimes it gets really hard and you just kind of have to keep sticking to it and be persistent and eventually you make it to the top of the mountain.”

The jerseys are currently available for pre-order on Kickstarter. Those who pledge $78 will receive the first jerseys and those who pledge $200 will receive three jerseys.

A $10 dollar pledge will receive recognition on the Perzist website once it is launched. Any contribution is welcome.

The Kickstarter ends May 3, according to the account. To learn more about the jerseys, visit the Kickstarter.

Rockwood hopes to resolve jersey size issues soon and begin shipping product to those who have pre-ordered by mid to late June. The jerseys will be available on the Perzist website starting in late June.

At least three different jersey styles will be available when the company launches. Rockwood hopes to raise enough money to increase that to five sizes. He also hopes to have about 1,000 jerseys in stock.

While doing research for his idea, Rockwood learned cycling is one of the most popular recreational activities in America.

"I think as America becomes more and more fitness conscious, I think there’s more and more cyclists who will be entering the market, not all of whom are going to be skinny," Rockwood said. "So there’s already a lot of cyclists on the road that are either tall or heavy that have a hard time finding jerseys."

Rockwood said he is excited to see if there really is a large group of men looking for jerseys like his that haven’t been able to find them.

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UtahLifestyle
Megan Marsden Christensen

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