Bikes and beards, y'all. A manly model sports local artist Matt Hoch's
award winning t-shirt design. (Image: Threadless)

For those who don't know, Threadless is a community-based apparel website and they recently ended a bike-themed design contest to benefit the World Bicycle Relief organization.  And after 84,052 votes on the 272 submitted designs, the winner is (dun-da-da-dunnn) the Chippewa Valley’s own Matt Hoch! 

In Hoch’s design, titled “World of Bike” he used bikes to create the continents. “I wanted to have a design that included everyone who has, had, or wishes to have a bicycle,” he explains.  “I read about the cause and was very intrigued by what [WBR] was doing for individuals who could benefit from a donated bicycle.”

Hoch, who has been drawing since Kindergarten, has dabbled in airbrushing tees in the past but has only recently begun developing his self-taught computerized design skills.  “This was the first Photoshop design I've submitted for any sort of competition,” he states.  Pretty impressive, huh?  But this is only the beginning.  The artist intends to continue his design ventures and hopes to get his other, more localized, design out there as well.

Upon winning the contest Hoch has received numerous prizes including $1,000 cash, $250 Threadless credit, a custom-made Surly bike, and other cycle-related gear.

T-shirts and messenger bags sporting the “World of Bike” design are now available on Threadless and 25% of all proceeds will go to the World Bicycle Relief organization.  Since it was founded in 2005, the WBR has distributed over 120,000 bikes around Africa to promote health and transportation.