Cycling gear and what it says about you!

Chartsengrafs

Probably a strange thread, but I hope ye will get where I'm coming from. Basically I need to pick up some 'proper' cycling gear to stop myself wearing winter running gear on the bike. Basically, does certain team gear make certain say, statements about the person wearing it? For instance I'm guessing that wearing Astana gear would make me look like one of those types wearing a Chelsea jersey in the pub?

Or am I paranoid?!! Is the An Post some fair game? I like the idea of wearing Irish gear. Cheers!

Captain Havoc

Basster wrote: »

Probably a strange thread, but I hope ye will get where I'm coming from. Basically I need to pick up some 'proper' cycling gear to stop myself wearing winter running gear on the bike. Basically, does certain team gear make certain say, statements about the person wearing it? For instance I'm guessing that wearing Astana gear would make me look like one of those types wearing a Chelsea jersey in the pub?

Or am I paranoid?!! Is the An Post some fair game? I like the idea of wearing Irish gear. Cheers!

I made a faux-pas there two years ago when I got my first road bike, I bought a TdF yellow jersey, I rarely wear it on the bike now, but it does get a reaction down the pub

Beasty

Captain Havoc wrote: »

I made a faux-pas there two years ago when I got my first road bike, I bought a TdF yellow jersey, I rarely wear it on the bike now, but it does get a reaction down the pub

I'll donate €100 to your charity if you wear that yellow jersey in this year's Tour de Kilkenny

Captain Havoc

Beasty wrote: »

I'll donate €100 to your charity if you wear that yellow jersey in this year's Tour de Kilkenny

SOLD (If I can't do TdKK, I'll make sure it's another one with you)

lescol

A must have for your first Wicklow 200 http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/-_-/5360042896/

The essential accessory http://wiki.boards.ie/wiki/Boards.ie_cycling_jersey

Captain Havoc

lescol wrote: »

A must have for your first Wicklow 200 http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/-_-/5360042896/

The essential accessory http://wiki.boards.ie/wiki/Boards.ie_cycling_jersey

If you're going to do it, do it right:

Beasty

Captain Havoc wrote: »

SOLD (If I can't do TdKK, I'll make sure it's another one with you)

I guess I'll have to put the "Beasty" jersey on display then

dave2pvd

Basster wrote: »

Probably a strange thread, but I hope ye will get where I'm coming from. Basically I need to pick up some 'proper' cycling gear to stop myself wearing winter running gear on the bike. Basically, does certain team gear make certain say, statements about the person wearing it? For instance I'm guessing that wearing Astana gear would make me look like one of those types wearing a Chelsea jersey in the pub?

Or am I paranoid?!! Is the An Post some fair game? I like the idea of wearing Irish gear. Cheers!

To not look like a fred: only wear sponsor's logos if they are sponsoring you (includes Astana, SKT, etc). Avoid wearing TdF jerseys (yellow, polka dot, etc). Do not wear world champion stripes, unless earned. Keep it plain, HTFU and pedal harder.

petethedrummer

I'd definitely wear an an post jersey but not the whole rig out. Its pretty much like playing 5-a side, any jersey is grand, you just look like a 9 year old if you turn up in a full Man UTD kit.

I wear an an post hat all the time. I saw a girl skiing in an an post cycling jersey last year. And completely irrelevantly I once saw chinese girl in San Francisco out jogging in a Dublin jersey.

Chartsengrafs

Thanks Dave / Pete, that makes sense. And everyone else for the extremely helpful input! Shame though, I think I'd look good in polka dots. Lack of climbing ability notwithstanding...

Missed the last Boards order so I'll pick up something plain in the meantime.

Mint Sauce

my poker dot jersey has certainly got a few comments on various charity runs, and has led me to try and prove its worthyness, with various degrees of sucsess

petethedrummer

Buy the anpost jersey. I presume some of the proceeds of the sale will go to the team.

IM0

All depends on how self conscoius you are really..meh.

but buying an an post one is more of a faux pas than the astana or a protour team one, you're wearing the jersey of your national grade team, but like I say depends what stick you have to put up with (group rides) or if you do solo rides, or if indeed your in a group who cares.

depends what tribe you want in to

ednwireland

just bought a milram jersey to go with my focus (its not an izalco unfortunatly). But i do have a indurain banesto jersey and a skil miko kelly jersey. Basically wear what you like but youll be ribbed for leaders jerseys unless your alberto

martyc5674

If your not too worried about appearance a tipperary hurling shirt, shorts outside the tracksuit pants...a pair of old tackies and the hurling helmet if your a bit soft...yeah that should do it!!
I wear aldi stuff myself!!
Marty.

lescol

I tend to buy plain jerseys but then I generally will not wear clothes with advertising on them. I really don't mind what the cyclist next to me is wearing even if it is the full USPS kit, so maybe that says something about me! I have one team jersey since I asked my wife to bring me something Italian from a trip to Rome, it is lovely on a hot summers ride so is hardly worn. Have a Boards.ie jersey which has been worn twice. Black shorts, mostly white socks. Of course your cycling club gear is always cool.

poolboy

Op. I have to admit starting out i was a bit worried about what to wear not wanting to draw attention to the total newbie on the road i lurked on boards reading all the rubbish posted about euro rules, dont wear this or that dont be caught dead in anything connected to lance etc. thankfully i now pay no attention to it i wear any jersey i like the look of and am waiting for my new livestrong jersey to arrive. Basically ignore the cycling snobs (there are many) wear a polka dot jersey with yellow shorts and a radioshack gillet if thats what you want! "Its not about the clothes";)

IM0

to a point but wearing (on the bike) the yellow, polkadot, or green jersey are sins, god says so.

DirkVoodoo

poolboy wrote: »

i lurked on boards reading all the rubbish posted about euro rules, dont wear this or that dont be caught dead in anything connected to lance etc. thankfully i now pay no attention to it i wear any jersey i like the look of and am waiting for my new livestrong jersey to arrive. Basically ignore the cycling snobs (there are many) wear a polka dot jersey with yellow shorts and a radioshack gillet if thats what you want! "Its not about the clothes";)

Keep lurking

Vélo

poolboy wrote: »

"Its not about the clothes";)

:eek: You're brave!

petethedrummer

me@ucd wrote: »

but buying an an post one is more of a faux pas than the astana or a protour team one, you're wearing the jersey of your national grade team,

why not show your support by buying the jersey? I'm sure the team would be better off if more people bought the jersey and the team members would be happier as result.

Esroh

Basster.
Your local club needs you and they have a jersey to fit you

Captain Havoc

I couldn't agree more with esroh

c0rk3r

One of the best/funniest things ive ever read on cycling forum is a description of a guys first club cycle. He wore either a yellow jersey or polkadot jersey unaware of the disgust generated by this decision. Whilst they were about to climb or sprint one of the guys breaks away. A number of people are left in the pack and one turned to the jersey guy with the most ruthlessly stinging jibe ive heard "you gonna let him away with that champ". A lesson was learned that day. lol

Stick with defunct/disbanded team jerseys. Unfortunately theres a snobby view within the cycling fraternity to look down on someone wearing the latest jersey as a tour de France bandwagon jumping try hard.

IM0

Username-in-use wrote: »

One of the best/funniest things ive ever read on cycling forum is a description of a guys first club cycle. He wore either a yellow jersey or polkadot jersey unaware of the disgust generated by this decision. Whilst they were about to climb or sprint one of the guys breaks away. A number of people are left in the pack and one turned to the jersey guy with the most ruthlessly stinging jibe ive heard "you gonna let him away with that champ". A lesson was learned that day. lol

of course theres a whole other set of guys that will say club cycle and break away dont belong in the same sentance. Break aways are for races only

DirkVoodoo

There is no real comparison with cycling gear and other sporting gear. You can wear a Chelsea jersey down the pub (or when with your mate's girlfriend), you can wear a Leinster jersey out around town (pop that collar and flash those dubes Ross), but cycling gear can only really be worn on the bike unless you are heading out to a Spring Break concert.

Furthermore, since teams change, disband and reorganize pretty much every season, it is hard to "support" a team unless like the guys say it is your local club. There are few choices, with retro kit being the only really accepted one.

Then there is the case of the "tour" jerseys. If they handed out a "top goalscorer" or "hardet tackler" jersey in other sports then this might apply. After all, I can imagine that the looks of disgust would be even more severe if you went out to play 18 holes in the local golf club wearing a green blazer. You are not supporting anything, you are not even saying anything, but damn you better be able to back it up. Wear a green jersey, you better be able to kick ass in a sprint. Wear the polka dot and you should be able to glide up any hill in the big ring like a feather on the breeze. Unless of course you are making an ironic statement.

As for Livestrong kit, I really don't know where this stands, frankly I don't want to know.

The only analogue I can think of is the guy who walks out onto the pitch wearing 200 euro nike mercurial vapors - he better have the skills to back it up or people will go out of their way to show him up.

IM0

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

Then there is the case of the "tour" jerseys. After al Unless of course you are making an ironic statement.

the irony is they are making an ironic statement but dont know it :eek:
so is that a double negative which makes a positive so..its not ironic then
hmmm..[rubs chin]

Captain Havoc

Username-in-use wrote: »

One of the best/funniest things ive ever read on cycling forum is a description of a guys first club cycle. He wore either a yellow jersey or polkadot jersey unaware of the disgust generated by this decision. Whilst they were about to climb or sprint one of the guys breaks away. A number of people are left in the pack and one turned to the jersey guy with the most ruthlessly stinging jibe ive heard "you gonna let him away with that champ". A lesson was learned that day. lol

Stick with defunct/disbanded team jerseys. Unfortunately theres a snobby view within the cycling fraternity to look down on someone wearing the latest jersey as a tour de France bandwagon jumping try hard.

I wore a yellow jersey on my first day out

Lumen

poolboy wrote: »

Op. I have to admit starting out i was a bit worried about what to wear not wanting to draw attention to the total newbie on the road i lurked on boards reading all the rubbish posted about euro rules, dont wear this or that dont be caught dead in anything connected to lance etc.

It is perhaps worth re-stating (for any other lurkers who might get the wrong impression) that boards cyclists are, in general, the biggest bunch of Freds going, and that the Euro rules are largely an ironic joke.

DirkVoodoo

Lumen wrote: »

It is perhaps worth re-stating (for any other lurkers who might get the wrong impression) that boards cyclists are, in general, the biggest bunch of Freds going, and that the Euro rules are largely an ironic joke.

The REAL irony of course is that, no, this is not a joke. It is very, very serious. There are days I get out of bed and cry that my teeth are not nearly white enough, my tan not deep enough and my veins not varicose enough.

lamai

Beasty wrote: »

I'll donate €100 to your charity if you wear that yellow jersey in this year's Tour de Kilkenny

:D

good man