Pro kit a no-no?

Ruari

Hi, fairly new to road cycling, not in a club yet... What is the feeling on wearing replica pro kit? It looks good, and if it matches your bike is it soo bad?! It might motivate me to get out more... Let me know

cyclingfury

Do your own thing Ruari. If you haven't joined a club yet, wear whatever you want to match your bike. There's a fantastic range of kit these days so you don't have to necessarily buy pro team kit, but don't let anyone tell you that any "serious" cyclist would never wear replica team kit. And anyway some of the retro team kit one can buy is really classy and it would be a crime to deny yourself the opportunity to wear it!

AntLockyer

My opinion is unless you ride for the team you shouldn't wear their kit. Same for World Cup stripes and winners jerseys.

hambones

Manufacturers of all sport replica kits are mighty glad not everyone shares that view

AntLockyer

For football I do wear my Millwall shirt though so I guess it's jsut cycling I have that view for.

Mog Uk

AntLockyer wrote:

My opinion is unless you ride for the team you shouldn't wear their kit. Same for World Cup stripes and winners jerseys.

So the same could be said about football supporters and replica shirts.. !! :? Why is/should cycling be any different ?

As cyclingfury has already stated, you wear whatever you want / feel comfortable in.

mercurykev

Surely it's only clothes. I doubt that anyone passing would mistake you for a world champion, just because you had a certain type of stripe. However, I do kill anyone I see wearing black socks ;-)

Mark Alexander

AntLockyer wrote:

My opinion is unless you ride for the team you shouldn't wear their kit. Same for World Cup stripes and winners jerseys.

So does this mean that it's wrong to wear my team's football top or for that matter my Welsh rugby shirt on 6 Nations day?

I don't ride with the team kit because A, i'm to podgy carry it off b, I'm too podgy to carry it off.

AntLockyer

I wasn't saying it was a law, merely stating that I don't think you should wear cycling kit unless you ride for that team. To be honest I don't care what anyone else wears

heavymental

I wear my world champ stripes with pride! They just look so damn good. Course, I've had alot of stick off my old buddy Tom Boonen who said I don't deserve it! Wear what you like mate. Unless you wear polka dots but can't climb in which case you'll have to put up with abuse from grannies on their shoppers when they honk past you on the hairpins.

gumball3000

There is a bit of a "Club Rule" thing on this one. It is a bit like the theory that you should wear white socks.

I have my own team kit, but I also have a couple of bits of Saeco and Liquigas kit. Personally, I have never seen an issue with it. When I was a kid, I had a full Team Z kit! I tend to wear Assos now, but I still break out the odd bit here and there. The pink and blue Lampre kit tends to be Turbo in the garage only.

There was a spate of US Postal riders round my way with full kit and matching team bike. Always made me smile, but I would never knock it.

I actually have a Tom Simpson replica World Champ Jersey somewhere, but I am saving that for the Ventoux in the summer. Thought it would be a nice tribute...

AntLockyer

I'd like to retract all previous comments about cycling clothing.

Thanks

APIII

mercurykev wrote:

Surely it's only clothes. I doubt that anyone passing would mistake you for a world champion, just because you had a certain type of stripe. However, I do kill anyone I see wearing black socks ;-)

Oh great, so not only do I have to worry about the errant driving habits of white van man, but I have to be looking over my shoulder for sock vigilantes?

gumball3000

AntLockyer wrote:

I'd like to retract all previous comments about cycling clothing.

Thanks

Don't worry about it!

It is an age old Club conversation starter!

I agree with the Polka Dot theory though. The fact that Nike make one in xxl did make me wonder!

I have always found Race Leader Jerseys to be thorny ground. I dont think I would ever wear one. That said, I own a signed Pink Giro jersey, although it is framed in my toilet! Cunego's glory days!

I seem to recall a stroy of a Spanish guy training in the Pyranees in the 90's. He was in full Banesto Kit and punctured half way up a climb. The next people past were the Banesto team out training and their support car. Apparently they gave him a wheel and he continued on with them to the top. They even had lunch with the guy. Bet that wouldn't happen now!

gumball3000

Here you go then.

Me waiting for the group to sort themselves out after Luz Ardiden and before heading off to tackle the Hautacam.



My stuff got lost on the Plane and so I had to make do with what I had in my spare bag. Otherwise the Saeco Jacket wouldn't have seen the Pyranees! It was also June and it rained all day when we went up Le Tourmalet.

Pleased to say I am lighter than that now. I still managed 7 cols in 3 ! Portillon, Port de Bales, Peresourde, Tourmalet, Aspin, Luz Ardiden and Hautacam.

DavidTQ

Ruari wrote:

Hi, fairly new to road cycling, not in a club yet... What is the feeling on wearing replica pro kit? It looks good, and if it matches your bike is it soo bad?! It might motivate me to get out more... Let me know

Personally I wouldnt wear pro kit, but then I dont wear "team" football shirts either, as far as Im concerned if you would wear replica football shirts theres no reason you shouldnt wear replica pro kit.

I dont bat an eyelid about other people wearing the stuff, I just hate being a walking advertising board for someone whos doing nothing for me, Its bad enough having normal logos on every bit of my cycling kit

Ruari

cheers guys, made me laugh, and i think I'll go and get my team kit.... KED Bianchi Berlin! just to be different.... And yes I have a matching Bianchi! Would never dream of getting a Green, Polka, Yellow or Pink jersey- open the floodgates to those saying 'well the KED team had to earn their jerseys too...'. Thanks for all the advice, putting it in 'football' perspective helped!

gumball3000

No one has pointed out the black socks yet.......

hambones

Ok I'll bite....

What's wrong with black or dark socks? After all most bib tights seem to be black so white would look as bad as some 80's disco-dancing loon!

Ruari

was going to say that whit e socks with long tights would look odd at best (with a light coloured/white shoe even) and downright 70's with dark shoes! Just how do you eliminate 'black socks' on your travels?!

jimmythecuckoo

Anything that looks nice and makes you visible is fine by me. Replica team kit or not.

Sometimes teamwear is cheaper than plain so you cannot blame people for buying it.

sean65

Ruari wrote:

Hi, fairly new to road cycling, not in a club yet... What is the feeling on wearing replica pro kit? It looks good, and if it matches your bike is it soo bad?! It might motivate me to get out more... Let me know

You wear what you like Ruari. If it inspires you to get out more then that alone is worth it.

On a personal note I think it can look a bit naff. But then I never did get my head round the whole football shirt tribal mentality. (especially when worn by English tourists in foreign countries) :twisted:

And beware of falling in to the category of "All the gear but no idea". :roll:

Ruari

Thanks again for all the views, I think it'll look good. You're right about rep kit being cheaper at times than plain kit... Won't fall into the 'all the gear no idea' cat, I'm currently researching every possible thing I can about cycling, and trying to put it into practise! Started cycling when I started triathlon this year, and am now pretty set on getting more cycling done than tri. Thanks again for all the replies, much appreciated.

fluff.

I have a few replica jerserys, mainly because last years model is always dirt cheap, and they can look good (I try and go for the less garish shirts). I wouldn't buy tour leader type shirts, but don't care if others wear them. White replica shorts though, are a universally bad idea

On black socks, I have a few but they always get mixed up with my normal socks, at least white ones are easy to find.

Moomaloid

This kinda relates to my one major bug about cycling. As with any sport or hobby you can be made to feel a bit stupid or have the piss taken out of you for wearing replica kit. I had it when i was a kid and joined a club.

U see it in footy sometimes. Really hardcore, oldscore fans take the piss out of people who where replica shirts.

Wear what you want fella, who cares, people will look down their nose coz your bikes cheaper, your kits cheaper, whatever, let em get on with it. But i have found this attitude quite a bit with clubs.

Now i say all this from experience from years back, maybe the times have changed. Coz 10 years ago i actually found clubs quite intimidating places. Today i steer clear of replica kit, but that doesn't mean the odd polo shirt or t shirt won't creep in. :P

Wear what you want... its about enjoying riding.

redddraggon

I can't see any reason why replica cycling shirts shouldn't be worn. Although the Discovery kit seems to be cycling's equivalent of a Man United or Chelsea and so the wearer should probably endure some derision.

When I actually turn upto a rugby training session I wear a replica rugby shirt - so does everyone else though. I commonly wear an All Blacks - doesn't mean I think I'm anywhere near that standard, although I play best when I where a Wales shirt.

fizz

Wear what you want, as long as you like it, then it doesnt really matter to anybody else.

I have a selection of old "retro team" jerseys I've picked up off ebay

1 x Carerra Jeans
1 x PDM
1 x ADR
1 x GAN ( but I cant find it, its in the house somewhere though, hopefully )
1 x ONCE

And I bought myself 1 x Mercantoni Uno replica repro in the summer as a treat

I used to be an avid cycling fan in the late 80's and 90's when they showed it on CH4, and those were the teams I liked the kit of when i was younger, also I'm whatever his flaws and despite I think he was a doper a Marco Pantani fan, hence the Carrerra and Mercantoni tops.

If I get funny looks I get funny looks I dont really care.

drewster_70

I bought a white "young riders" jersey when I went to see the 2006 TdF, 'cos I wanted a souvenir from the trip. The white jersey isn't as in-yer-face as yellow, green, polka-dot; the only abuse I get is from my club mates who (quite rightly) point out that I'm at least 15 years to late to be qualify as a young rider ;-)

I'm also a bit puzzled about the "black sock" debate - there's nowt wrong with a club jersey, plain black shorts and black socks!

Cue the abuse .....

hammerite

Last summer I bought the Cofidis shirt and AG2R, the Cofidis shirt because I like Bradley Wiggins! The AG2R was because it was dirt cheap in Decathlon.

I quite like riding in them, they're comfortable, and bright so I won't be missed by the traffic! I needed kit at the time and they were cheaper than non team kit.

Our boy who is 6 got quite into TdF in the summer, so much so that we are basing our summer holiday around it. We got him a kids yellow jersey for Christmas, he loves it and is out on his bike more than ever because of it (not a bad thing!), plus he's really looking forward to the holiday.

What's all this about white and black socks??? I tend to wear trainer style socks, is that a bad thing too?

ean

Why would you want to associate yourself with the rather poor brand image of pro teams ?

redddraggon

hammerite wrote:

Last summer I bought the Cofidis shirt and AG2R, the Cofidis shirt because I like Bradley Wiggins! The AG2R was because it was dirt cheap in Decathlon.

Lol they're exactly the two I got!