Newb to club riding wearing World Champs jersey

dilemna

Several new faces have appeared on the club weekend ride which is good, but how does one go about telling one of them that wearing World Championship colors ie the rings awarded to Cav is bad etiquette unless you have earned them in which case you would be Cav or Thor Hushovd. Also the jersey is nothing like the club kit. The other newb faces are wearing their own gear, non descript Lycra until they get club kit next season and are fitting in well, but the person with the World Champ strip is adamant that they are going to wear this jersey and not buy club kit. They also have an inflated opinion of their cycling abilities. It is a small/medium sized club that likes to welcome all, but certain rules and ettiquette should be adhered to. Should several established members have a "quiet" word with the non-conformist newb?

What do you think?

jim453

This is a joke. Isn't it?

dilemna

jim453 wrote:

This is a joke. Isn't it?

Nope.

rolf_f

No, but seriously - this is a joke isn't it?

jim453

What I mean is,

I find it hard to believe a member with 2000 posts has not seen and read at least 50 identical threads to this and seen how they all end. And therefore must be a troll.

In case it isn't, who cares what anyone wears to ride their bike? It really would not bother me in the slightest. I'd say let him get on with it.

Ringo 68

dilemna wrote:

Several new faces have appeared on the club weekend ride which is good, but how does one go about telling one of them that wearing World Championship colors ie the rings awarded to Cav is bad etiquette unless you have earned them in which case you would be Cav or Thor Hushovd. Also the jersey is nothing like the club kit. The other newb faces are wearing their own gear, non descript Lycra until they get club kit next season and are fitting in well, but the person with the World Champ strip is adamant that they are going to wear this jersey and not buy club kit. They also have an inflated opinion of their cycling abilities. It is a small/medium sized club that likes to welcome all, but certain rules and ettiquette should be adhered to. Should several established members have a "quiet" word with the non-conformist newb?

What do you think?

Surely by the standard above, it is bad etiquette to turn up in any team colours as well unless you have earned the right to ride for said team.

If, as you say, your club likes to welcome all I couldn't think of a more unfreindly way to greet a new member than saying "sorry, but you have to be a world champion to wear those colours"

(well there are probably more unfreindly ways to welcome somebody but you know what I mean)

MaxwellBygraves

Troll.

cornerblock

dilemna wrote:

jim453 wrote:

This is a joke. Isn't it?

Nope.

Course not, that would require a sense of humour.

desweller

It's a cycling club for goodness' sake. It's supposed to be SOCIABLE FUN. How on earth does being a petty and supercilious twit help that?

Chip \'oyler

dilemna wrote:

Several new faces have appeared on the club weekend ride which is good, but how does one go about telling one of them that wearing World Championship colors ie the rings awarded to Cav is bad etiquette unless you have earned them in which case you would be Cav or Thor Hushovd. Also the jersey is nothing like the club kit. The other newb faces are wearing their own gear, non descript Lycra until they get club kit next season and are fitting in well, but the person with the World Champ strip is adamant that they are going to wear this jersey and not buy club kit. They also have an inflated opinion of their cycling abilities. It is a small/medium sized club that likes to welcome all, but certain rules and ettiquette should be adhered to. Should several established members have a "quiet" word with the non-conformist newb?

What do you think?

You are Dave Brailsford and I claim my £100

cougie

It'll be too cold for just jerseys soon so he will have to hide it under a jacket.
Problem solved.

ben16v

i`m aware of the rules but dont take too much notice, i wear a planet x jersey on my cube is that not allowed? or do you not want your club to grow?
come on its hard enough for a newbie to get into a cycling club let alone expect them to spend loads of cash (which they will do in time) for club kit before being a real member! assuming the club is friendly and doesnt frown too much on what ever they ride/wear i`m sure it will be succesful
give the lad a break! (just leave him on the hills then ask how he won his jersey when your waiting at the cake stop)

woozor

I suppose you need to play for arsenal before you can wear there kit aswell.

Id wear the WC kit and if a member of a club showed me disrepect good luck to them. End of the day its a design if you like it you buy it you wear it.

Pokerface

To anyone who says a WC jersey is just another jersey and if you can buy it, you can wear it, etc - I say yes. Of course you can. Wear what you want and so on ad infinitum.

However, anyone with the slightest respect for the history and traditions of cycling wouldn't wear a WC jersey. It's just one of those things that really should be earned. This doesn't apply to other team kit, or other replica kit from other sports.

In the past I would (personally) never dream of wearing WC kit unless I had actually earned it.

And even now that I can legitimately wear it, I feel a little odd about wearing it. Because my jersey is the same as that of Tony Martin and hate people seeing me and thinking I'm just another guy who bought a WC jersey to wear out on club runs.

Once I get personalized kit with my own sponsor logos added, then I'll wear it with more pride.

As to the newbs on club runs wearing it - they probably don't know that some people don't like it. I recall earlier this year when I was leading the World Cup and had a special jersey, a new guy showed up to my club TT wearing the full World Cup leaders skinsuit. Obviously bought off eBay. I suppose I could have had a word to say it wasn't cool, but life is too short.

I don't see a problem politely telling a newb that some people might find it disrespectful to wear a WC on a club run. They can wear it the other 6 days of the week if they want.

The only thing I would get upset about is someone else wearing a WC jersey and pretending they won it! Same goes for anyone who wears national team kit. You know who you are....

Pokerface

PS - I spent the last 3 years or so training my butt off 6 days a week all year round and gave up a lot of things to win my jersey.

So no, I don't particularly want to see you wearing a WC that you picked up from Wiggle on sale. By all means, lose a limb and beat me on the road for the right to wear the jersey. Otherwise please stick to wearing Assos or Aldi or Sky or any other jersey you can find.

However, I wouldnt say anything to someone if I saw them wearing one on the road.


Rant over.

rubbernekker

And that ladies and gentlemen is the most definitive answer we will get. But I will precis it just for fun-

You are a bit of a tosser if you wear the rainbow jersey without the graft but, you are also a bit of a tosser if you tell someone off for wearing a rainbow jersey.

Clear as crystal!

Mad Roadie

DesWeller wrote:

It's a cycling club for goodness' sake. It's supposed to be SOCIABLE FUN. How on earth does being a petty and supercilious twit help that?

exactly - if this is not a troll then - if Cav draws new cyclists into the clubs fantastic - the more out on the road on a bike the fitter the nation will be, the louder the cyclist lobby vote etc etc

if he is proud of Cav (as he should be) an wants to emulate his hero - even if in gear only - good on him/her

peter101cycle

To the OP, please give us the name of your club as i want to be sure of never riding with your lot in the future? If you are looking for new members and growing the club, this attitude is a sure fire way of failing.

I have been cycling with my club for 8 years, never worn club colours and even worn the yellow jersey (bought by my wife as a present and yes, she didn't know better!) for a couple of seasons (which is now the only one ' left intact after my Assos was cut off me in hospital recently). Nobody ever mentioned a word about what I was wearing or not wearing, at least to my face.

Our club has grown substantially, probably near doubled in the last couple of years. At a guess, yours probably won't with that attitude.

PS. Just read the original post again, wow LOL.

LeicesterLad

+1 Everything Pokerface said.

MountainMonster

Are you a race team that is paying the people who are riding to do soemthing? No, so therefore you have no right to dictate what they wear-

Some of you really need to pull your head out, worried so much about what other people are wearing, if someone likes something, let them enjoy it, rather than doing nothing but being an arse.

Pseudonym

cougie wrote:

It'll be too cold for just jerseys soon so he will have to hide it under a jacket.
Problem solved.

or maybe he has a world champ's winter jacket as well...

bobtbuilder

To give a slightly different perspective, I am a huge Mario Cipollini fan and as such own and wear both the Acqua & Sapone and Domina Vacanze versions of his World Champs kit. I wear it for normal rides and for club runs. I don’t claim to have earned it, I am not trying to kid anyone that I am an actual World Champ, it’s just my way of showing my allegiance to my favourite pro cyclist. It’s more personal than wearing the generic team strip as it’s the rider that I admire rather than either of the 2 pro teams in question.

If anyone thinks I’m a bit of a dick for riding it, fair enough. If anyone gives me a bit of banter about it, that’s fine. I like a laugh. If someone is genuinely upset or offended at my breach of etiquette then grow the fcuk up.

cougie

I had a wc top back when I was a schoolboy

Nobody in the club mentioned it to me and nobody mistook me for Greg Lemond.

Pokerface - respect to you and your jersey.
My mate is a pro and he worked hard since he was a junior to make it into the pro ranks.
Now anyone can buy his jersey.

Cycling is a business and if jerseys are sold people have the right to wear them.

sheffsimon

dilemna wrote:

Several new faces have appeared on the club weekend ride which is good, but how does one go about telling one of them that wearing World Championship colors ie the rings awarded to Cav is bad etiquette unless you have earned them in which case you would be Cav or Thor Hushovd. Also the jersey is nothing like the club kit. The other newb faces are wearing their own gear, non descript Lycra until they get club kit next season and are fitting in well, but the person with the World Champ strip is adamant that they are going to wear this jersey and not buy club kit. They also have an inflated opinion of their cycling abilities. It is a small/medium sized club that likes to welcome all, but certain rules and ettiquette should be adhered to. Should several established members have a "quiet" word with the non-conformist newb?

What do you think?

Personally, I wouldn't wear rainbow bands and dont think others should, for all the reasons Pokerface has stated. I wouldnt pull anybody up for it though, live and let live.

As for the inflated opinion about their own cycling abilities, take 'em out miles from home and ride them off your wheel. Job done.

Peddle Up!

dilemna wrote:

...They also have an inflated opinion of their cycling abilities.

Put them at the front of the group then.

rolf_f

M'eh! I'm the world champion of riding up Woodhall Road in the morning. I know it isn't a UCI recognised event but if Contador is too scared to show, then that isn't my fault. I wear my World Champions jersey with pride*.

Besides, winning a world championship doesn't give you the right to wear the rainbow jersey - it gives you the right to wear the rainbow jersey whilst racing. I'd imagine most holders of genuine rainbow jerseys probably make a point of not wearing them when they aren't racing.

(*OK, I don't have one and can't imagine I ever will unless I joined Dilemnas club in which case obviously I'd have to buy one).

MattC59

again ????

Pokerface

Rolf F wrote:

Besides, winning a world championship doesn't give you the right to wear the rainbow jersey - it gives you the right to wear the rainbow jersey whilst racing. I'd imagine most holders of genuine rainbow jerseys probably make a point of not wearing them when they aren't racing.

Road WC will always wear their stripes whilst training. The sponsors want to see their name on it in photos, etc. Cav will be in that jersey all the time for the next 11 months or so if he's racing or training.

Tony Martin won't be seen in his unless racing I'd say.

Me - I'll wear mine on and off. More so once sponsors are signed up so I can promote them.

My last word on it is your perspective on this debate changes a little once you have a dog in the fight.

Tom Dean

peter101cycle wrote:

To the OP, please give us the name of your club as i want to be sure of never riding with your lot in the future? If you are looking for new members and growing the club, this attitude is a sure fire way of failing.

I have been cycling with my club for 8 years, never worn club colours and even worn the yellow jersey (bought by my wife as a present and yes, she didn't know better!) for a couple of seasons (which is now the only one ' left intact after my Assos was cut off me in hospital recently). Nobody ever mentioned a word about what I was wearing or not wearing, at least to my face.

Our club has grown substantially, probably near doubled in the last couple of years. At a guess, yours probably won't with that attitude.

PS. Just read the original post again, wow LOL.

I agree that we shouldn't put restrictions on newcomers but why would you not wear club kit after 8 years of membership? Do you not want to be associated with your clubmates? Or are the colours just really horrible?

ollyridesfirst

Jesus....this debate is worse than helmets! (i wear one )

If you like the WC jersey....wear it! If someone else takes offense, that's their problem. End of the day, it's a replica jersey and people wear it because they support either what it stands for or the person currently/previously WC.

To all the people who have a moan about it......get off your high horse and relax a bit! There's more important things going on than moaning at someone because of what they chose to wear...

edit to add....Pokerface...massive respect fella, but does it really bother you that much? You know you earned the jersey.....why do you care what anyone else thinks?

Mr Dog

Its a jersey. Nothing more. Like it ... wear it... end of. 8)