Pro kit a no-no?

2

Comments

  • meesterbond
    meesterbond Posts: 1,240
    Personally I try to conform to all the rules of the Eurocyclist... search for the Facebook group if you've no idea what I mean (I would post a link, but Facebook's blocked here at work)..


    edit - found it! Rules of the Eurocyclist
  • Mog Uk
    Mog Uk Posts: 964
    Someone care to explain the black sock scenario....!!

    Nearly all my summer socks are black for both cycling and running ! Do I need to go into the confession booth and ask for forgiveness ? :?
    Manchester Wheelers' Club
  • gumball3000
    gumball3000 Posts: 14
    Mog Uk wrote:
    Someone care to explain the black sock scenario....!!

    Nearly all my summer socks are black for both cycling and running ! Do I need to go into the confession booth and ask for forgiveness ? :?

    It tends to be the older "Club" members that have a really strong view on the socks thing.

    I remember when Lance rode a TDF time trial with a pair of black Nike socks, someone actually wrote into Cycling Weekly to moan.

    There is a bit too much traditionalism in cycling clubs sometimes. I rode with someone who uses down tube shifters the other day. He still sees STIs* as voodoo!


    * Has STI become short for Sexually Transmitted Infection recently? Someone told me that Disease was too harsh a word and woulf hurt peoples feelings...(Not as much as VD would....). I wonder If Shimano are thinking of dropping the STI name.....
  • stevebendall
    stevebendall Posts: 136
    I have no bug bear on replica kit, I own plenty of it, and often wear it

    What does get me though are those that mix and match rep kit, jersey from one team, shorts from another, cap from another, and then don't get me started on the bike too!!!

    So yes, my winter training bike comprises a Coppi in Polti team livery, which i ride in a choice of 3 different designs of Team Polti gear, but each time the jersey matches the tights/shorts/cap etc. - oh, even the bidons match

    Same for my various bianchi's during summer, various guises of Mercatone Uno/Roslotto etc.

    If you're gonna look good, put some effort to the finishing touches!!

    I'll prepare to be lambasted by you all now for being such a tart, but I assure you its not all the gear no idea, been around and competed plenty o know where I'm at, just switched once I left my team to what I wanted to wear rather than what I should have to wear

    :oops: :wink:
  • gumball3000
    gumball3000 Posts: 14
    Nope...

    Totally agree.....

    There is nothing worse than a mish mash.

    Except, maybe, a Monster Mash.....
  • HungryCol
    HungryCol Posts: 532
    I have the full Saeco kit right down to the socks and love it. I think some of the team kit looks great but likewise some of it looks cack, i.e. not far off Vatican Swiss Guard stuff!
    Every winner has scars.
  • johnnyhotdog
    johnnyhotdog Posts: 142
    meesterbond wrote:
    Personally I try to conform to all the rules of the Eurocyclist... search for the Facebook group if you've no idea what I mean (I would post a link, but Facebook's blocked here at work)..


    edit - found it! Rules of the Eurocyclist

    i found some of the rules a touch worrying:
    52. During the pre-TdF medical checks, star riders of each team are STRONGLY ADVISED to play doctor with each other while shirtless. Photos taken must strive to be as HOMEROTIC AS POSSIBLE.

    what is the problem with black socks??

    :)
  • ajohn9
    ajohn9 Posts: 260
    i personally dont have a problem with team kit, wear whatever the hell you like!
    im probably gonna get bashed for this, but ive got a kazakh assos jersey and astana socks. look quality :D
  • andrew_s
    andrew_s Posts: 2,511
    If you ever get as far as competing in open events, you'll probably find that you have to wear either plain kit or your own club's kit.
    Until then, anything goes.
  • Slipknotjonny
    Slipknotjonny Posts: 197
    Hey Gumball,

    If your lighter than that now can I buy your Saeco jacket ?

    It might help me up a few hills. :lol:
    weight.png
  • Felix-da-house-mouse
    Felix-da-house-mouse Posts: 801
    i've got the liquigas bike and i wear the full monty in liquigas colours, shorts,jersey,socks not the gloves, helmet, shoes or glasses. I think it looks cool if you have the matching bike and colours it looks the nuts. go for it. I personally wouldnt wear a yellow jersey, why? i dunno really. to hell what everyone else thinks. thats what i say
    felix's bike

    pedal like you stole something!!!
  • cyclingfury
    cyclingfury Posts: 676
    Hey Felix, on a totally unrelated matter: I was thinking about using white bar tape on my best bike this year. Do you find that it gets dirty very quickly as opposed to black tape? If so, do you just replace it more often or have you got some tip about what you use to keep it clean?
    Lucy looks the bees knees by the way!
    ___________________________________________
    Titanium Bertoletti
  • Felix-da-house-mouse
    Felix-da-house-mouse Posts: 801
    cyclingfury wrote:
    Hey Felix, on a totally unrelated matter: I was thinking about using white bar tape on my best bike this year. Do you find that it gets dirty very quickly as opposed to black tape? If so, do you just replace it more often or have you got some tip about what you use to keep it clean?
    Lucy looks the bees knees by the way!

    hI,
    no not at all lucy hasn't had her 1st bday yet but the bar tape which is fizik tape
    cost is only £8.50 from wiggle stays bright white, (i bought the blue one as well to see what looks best when she comes out to play in the spring)i suppose if it got dirty you could always use DAZ as it gets you whites whiter than white..... supposedly. :lol::lol:
    felix's bike

    pedal like you stole something!!!
  • cyclingfury
    cyclingfury Posts: 676
    Thanks, I'll give it a try!
    ___________________________________________
    Titanium Bertoletti
  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    Aye Fizik tape is rather thin and leathery/plasticy - means you can wipe it if you need to.

    I like it and prefer it over the normal cork tape that tends to go nasty looking if it's not black.
    I like bikes...

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  • Felix-da-house-mouse
    Felix-da-house-mouse Posts: 801
    redddraggon wrote:
    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!

    can you order off decathlon's website or is it shop only? i tried the website and couldnt figure out how to "add to basket" etc. grrr
    felix's bike

    pedal like you stole something!!!
  • geoff_ss
    geoff_ss Posts: 1,201
    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 ;-)

    I tend to agree. However, a mate of mine (an ex-national champion as well!) was also a rugby fan and wore a pair of All Blacks socks throughout our tour of New Zealand in 1999. He even did a bungee jump wearing his cycling gear AND his black socks - the shame! I suppose they did sport a small white fern

    I sometimes wear replica jerseys, but only if they were being sold very cheaply at somewhere like York rally or Mildenhall.

    What does seem odd to me is the popularity of black or dark tops. There were several on sale at the velodrome and I've seen a few on the road. I'm all for being seen, particularly in Winter when even in daytime the light's not very good.

    Geoff
    Old cyclists never die; they just fit smaller chainrings ... and pedal faster
  • edindevon
    edindevon Posts: 325
    I'll wear team kit if I can get it cheap. I got a full zip short sleeved Phonak top from Probikekit on special offer years ago and it's still my favourite summer top.

    My best buy was a second hand Mercatone Uno winter yellow jersey. I got this second hand for a fiver from my colleague at work about seven years ago. She and her husband went over to Le Tour most years and he had worn it on one of the big climbs that year. He got such dog's abuse from all those on the roadside that he never wanted to wear it again, so I got the bargain. I still wear it most days in the winter, though it's far from bright yellow now and I've had to sew up nearly all of the seams.

    Edindevon
  • hammerite
    hammerite Posts: 3,408
    Felix-da-house-mouse wrote:
    redddraggon wrote:
    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!

    can you order off decathlon's website or is it shop only? i tried the website and couldnt figure out how to "add to basket" etc. grrr

    I've only ever bought in shop don't think you can buy online. Last time I went in to the Nottingham decathlon they had sold out of the AG2R stuff (apart from mitts and socks).
  • Ruari
    Ruari Posts: 217
    hammerite wrote:

    I've only ever bought in shop don't think you can buy online. Last time I went in to the Nottingham decathlon they had sold out of the AG2R stuff (apart from mitts and socks).
    Check out http://www.trikotboerse24.com for some great kit and accessories. I've ordered off them, just waiting on delivery. Will let you know how good/bad it is. :D
    FCN 1
  • de_sisti
    de_sisti Posts: 1,283
    sean65 wrote:

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

    To me, the above phrase is just like saying "don't wear a Rolex if
    you're not a successful, middle class businessman".

    Does it really matter if you've got the best kit/equipment but aren't that
    good a rider? I suppose all the people giving the derision to others
    who have good equipment but perhaps lacking in ability are jealous.

    It amazes me the extent to which a maligned minority group, as cyclists
    are, criticise each other so much.
  • popette
    popette Posts: 2,089
    I wear giro tops because they're pink and all ladies cycling stuff I've tried on is made with kate moss in mind and not giants like me.
    Black socks? what's wrong them 'em? I always wear black socks - got some wooly booly ones on now and I in summer I wear endura trainer type socks. One type of socks I don't get is those up to the knee socks that Paula Radcliffe wears.
    http://www.2010etape.blogspot.com
  • Jerry Marcoss
    Jerry Marcoss Posts: 7
    What about GB tops?
    Laisse passer!
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    gumball3000 wrote:
    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!

    And a little jab of EPO...

    :)
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    popette wrote:
    I wear giro tops because they're pink and all ladies cycling stuff I've tried on is made with kate moss in mind and not giants like me.
    Black socks? what's wrong them 'em? I always wear black socks - got some wooly booly ones on now and I in summer I wear endura trainer type socks. One type of socks I don't get is those up to the knee socks that Paula Radcliffe wears.

    They are supposed to work like compression socks to help blood flow around the legs I think. They must have some practical use anyway, cos they ain't got looks goin' for them!
  • Ruari
    Ruari Posts: 217
    They are compression socks- not sure about improving blood flow, but they reduce lactic acid build up. Agree they have no aesthetic qualities!
    FCN 1
  • mozwyn69
    mozwyn69 Posts: 170
    replica tops are fine, wear what you like. I have a few including full SIS kit which i think looks great. Also a few retro ones including the Peugeot jersey as worn by Tom Simpson which I wore up Ventoux last summer.The only exceptions I have (though don't really care if anyone else wears them) are the TDF jerseys. Personaly I think to get away with wearing the yellow jesrey you have to be under 14, as for the polka dot then either exceptionally good at climbing or an 18 stone plus rider on a mountain bike.
    Sometimes you have to lose yourself
    before you can find anything.
  • Clever Pun
    Clever Pun Posts: 6,778
    maander wrote:
    It amazes me the extent to which a maligned minority group, as cyclists
    are, criticise each other so much.

    elitism is everywhere I'm afraid...

    especially when you get in to specialised subjects
    Purveyor of sonic doom

    Very Hairy Roadie - FCN 4
    Fixed Pista- FCN 5
    Beared Bromptonite - FCN 14
  • HungryCol
    HungryCol Posts: 532
    mozwyn69 wrote:
    as for the polka dot..... an 18 stone plus rider on a mountain bike.
    :lol::lol::lol:
    Every winner has scars.
  • terongi
    terongi Posts: 318
    Excellent thread. I am really enjoying it.

    I especially like the guy pushing 40 who wears a TdF Young Rider jersey.

    In my experience, it is a cultural thing. For some reason, serious riders in the UK don't tend to wear replica kit (that is a generalisation - I don't mean to imply that anyone in replica kit is not a serious rider).

    But on the continent, everyone seems to be kitted out in their favourite pro team kit. In fact, when I go out riding in France or Switzerland I feel a bit of a plain jane compared with the local riders.

    I don't have any views about what other people should wear. Personally, I don't like riding around advertising a load of products and having paid for the privilege of doing so.

    The only replica kit I would consider wearing (because it doesn't have advertising on it) is a team GB kit, but I cannot find anywhere to buy it. Does anyone know where I can get some?

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