When does kit become retro

Matthewfalle

Coming up to spring and Prendas' latest email dropping into my in box, I was pondering this: when does team kit become retro?

I know some people say that you shouldn't wear team kit as you didn't ride for the team (not me by the way, I'll wear whatever I want) but with the burgeoning popularity of Eroica events and shops like Prendas making a pretty penny out of replica kits, is there a time scale (say 10 years?) before the above "rule" becomes defunct?

Also I was about 3 when Molteni were about so too young to ride for the team but the kit is uber cool.

This isn't a troll by the way as I'm a 100% believer in it's your bike, your money, your life - do exactly as you want.

Waddya say folks?

guy.spartacus

The same as all fashion

Just after the stage where you look at it and say 'what on earth were they thinking' and before it's stocked in Primark

bendertherobot

Matthewfalle wrote:

Coming up to spring and Prendas' latest email dropping into my in box, I was pondering this: when does team kit become retro?

I know some people say that you shouldn't wear team kit as you didn't ride for the team (not me by the way, I'll wear whatever I want) but with the burgeoning popularity of Eroica events and shops like Prendas making a pretty penny out of replica kits, is there a time scale (say 10 years?) before the above "rule" becomes defunct?

Also I was about 3 when Molteni were about so too young to ride for the team but the kit is uber cool.

This isn't a troll by the way as I'm a 100% believer in it's your bike, your money, your life - do exactly as you want.

Waddya say folks?

It's simply about time. I'm about to review Prendas' 20th Anniversary kit but also Andy's book about the art of design. The beauty of the Prendas stuff is that once you've determined sizing then every retro jersey should have exactly the same fit.

Of course, one man's retro is another man's nightmare. FWIW, I think Prendas make some pretty great choices in what to resurrect.

fat daddy

Its a moot point.

99% of people out there wont know if its retro or not, they don't know the history of cycling

however 1% of people that see you will know if its retro or not ... however this 1% will shun you for wearing team outfits anyway.

so it just doesn't matter, the only people that will know will hate you either way

pblakeney

I will suggest that as long as the team is defunct then it is retro, and okay.

bendertherobot

PBlakeney wrote:

I will suggest that as long as the team is defunct then it is retro, and okay.

Sky kit next year then.

pblakeney

bendertherobot wrote:

PBlakeney wrote:

I will suggest that as long as the team is defunct then it is retro, and okay.

Sky kit next year then.

In the same bin as U.S. Postal.
And presumably Astana and RadioShack? So many others...

rick_chasey

10 years.

JesseD

I passed someone wearing a heinz cycling top on the way into work today, was embarrassed for him.

Retro kit needs to be at least 20 years old IMO or whats the point?

Molteni/Peugeot/La Vie Claire/Mapei etc are all fine, US Postal will not be cool for at least another 10 years and Sky kit is never going to be OK in my lifetime.

pblakeney

Just a personal opinion, but US Postal will always be tainted in my eyes.

Matthewfalle

PBlakeney wrote:

Just a personal opinion, but US Postal will always be tainted in my eyes.

Agree, but if its cheap enough then good for winter kit.

No worse than Festina though, surely?

pblakeney

Matthewfalle wrote:

PBlakeney wrote:

Just a personal opinion, but US Postal will always be tainted in my eyes.

Agree, but if its cheap enough then good for winter kit.

No worse than Festina though, surely?

Everyone will have their own compass on that. For me, it is more about how he treated clean riders than the cheating itself.

bendertherobot

It's always going to be a struggle. The Pearl Izumi Postal kit was very nice but, as you say, no one will wear it. There will be land fill full of Livestrong kit. Even the Radio Shack stuff is tainted.

bompington

I'm sure it won't be long before my 2014 lidl jersey is the most desirable kit out there...

davesnothere

I like the look of these, good for vizness too

Matthewfalle

PBlakeney wrote:

Matthewfalle wrote:

PBlakeney wrote:

Just a personal opinion, but US Postal will always be tainted in my eyes.

Agree, but if its cheap enough then good for winter kit.

No worse than Festina though, surely?

Everyone will have their own compass on that. For me, it is more about how he treated the clean rider than the cheating itself.

FTFY

cld531c

Does that mean no one will want my stars and stripes Motorola jersey???

ayjaycee

I don't know the answer to MFs original question but Prendas seem to have hit on one or two real classics. However, some others are truly horrible (I thought the Mapei kit was foul at the time and it hasn't improved with age!).

Am I right in thinking that the designs / graphics etc. are the only retro thing about the Prendas stuff and the materials and construction are all modern day Santini?

pblakeney

DavesNotHere wrote:

I like the look of these, good for vizness too

I don't need any jerseys, but when I do, I think it will be these two.

debeli

Retro kit can be worn with woollen shorts without irony.

And without ironing.

And it is only valid if you have to explain what it is.

And you have to be able to pretend to know who won what while riding for that team.

And who didn't.

Otherwise it is just another old t-shirt.

This is fact.

pblakeney

Phht!
Them folk that take it all too seriously.

fat daddy

ayjaycee wrote:

Am I right in thinking that the designs / graphics etc. are the only retro thing about the Prendas stuff and the materials and construction are all modern day Santini?

Absolutely .... it's what makes it retro ... if was real and wollen and hot and itchy it would be vintage

Garry H

cld531c wrote:

Does that mean no one will want my stars and stripes Motorola jersey???

Can I have it? How tall are you?

Always thought that the US Postal kit looked pretty good,much better than the Festina kit, with the stupid big watch on it.

Matthewfalle

Garry H wrote:

cld531c wrote:

Does that mean no one will want my stars and stripes Motorola jersey???

Can I have it? How tall are you?

Always thought that the US Postal kit looked pretty good,much better than the Festina kit, with the stupid big watch on it.

I have a US Postal that I use on a regular basis with no qualms.

My Trek in Italia is also US Postal colors but as I got it for nothing I don't care. As it's got big phat carbons on it the locals don't care either, they just buzz off the big phat carbons...

Garry H

Matthewfalle wrote:

Garry H wrote:

cld531c wrote:

Does that mean no one will want my stars and stripes Motorola jersey???

Can I have it? How tall are you?

Always thought that the US Postal kit looked pretty good,much better than the Festina kit, with the stupid big watch on it.

I have a US Postal that I use on a regular basis with no qualms.

My Trek in Italia is also US Postal colors but as I got it for nothing I don't care. As it's got big phat carbons on it the locals don't care either, they just buzz off the big phat carbons...

A bloke from work just bought a second hand aluminum us postal Trek for sixty quid. 9 speed ultegra and decent wheels. It is absolutely pristine, looks like it's never been ridden. Good looking bike.

pottssteve

Anything looks retro when I wear it....

shortfall

Why does anyone give a sh1t about what kit someone else chooses to wear? There's so much snobbery in cycling. Jerks are jerks regardless of what they're wearing or riding. I thought the important thing was that we're all cyclists?

ben@31

ayjaycee wrote:

I don't know the answer to MFs original question but Prendas seem to have hit on one or two real classics. However, some others are truly horrible (I thought the Mapei kit was foul at the time and it hasn't improved with age!).

Am I right in thinking that the designs / graphics etc. are the only retro thing about the Prendas stuff and the materials and construction are all modern day Santini?

The Mapei jersey is actually quite nice in real life. Looks much better than it does in the photos.

You're correct, the Molteni jersey is replica screen printed on an average quality modern jersey

ben@31

ayjaycee wrote:

I don't know the answer to MFs original question but Prendas seem to have hit on one or two real classics. However, some others are truly horrible (I thought the Mapei kit was foul at the time and it hasn't improved with age!).

Am I right in thinking that the designs / graphics etc. are the only retro thing about the Prendas stuff and the materials and construction are all modern day Santini?

The Mapei jersey is actually quite nice in real life. Looks much better than it does in the photos.

You're correct, the Molteni jersey is a replica screen printed on a modern jersey. It's of average quality, meh not the best I've owned.

sloppyschleckonds

The Rapha Wiggins kit has become retro, as no fcuker wants to be seen in it

ayjaycee

ben@31 wrote:

The Mapei jersey is actually quite nice in real life. Looks much better than it does in the photos.

Just goes to show how personal opinions can differ - I've seen that Mapei kit in the wild and stand by my original opinion. To me, it would have to look at least much, much, much and a bit more much better before it became even vaguely acceptable!