Cycling Socks WTF?

studiorat

I'm just ordering some bit's and pieces online here. I see most of the shops stock "cycling socks". What the hell is a "cycling sock" and how does it differ from say a tennis sock or any other sports sock.

And more importantly, will it make me faster?

endacl

Full carbon? I've a pair of aluminium socks. They're itchy.

piston

You need custom made lugged and brazed steel socks. Don't settle for anything less.

MajesticDonkey

They simply have extra padding in places like the heal and around the toes to stop your feet from getting cold, as most cycling shoes have holes in them (usually on the bottom).

Lumen

Quality sockage is like madness, you know it when you see it.

hardCopy

piston wrote: »

You need custom made lugged and brazed steel socks. Don't settle for anything less.

Titanium socks are the only socks you'll ever need.

TinyExplosions

studiorat wrote: »

I'm just ordering some bit's and pieces online here. I see most of the shops stock "cycling socks". What the hell is a "cycling sock" and how does it differ from say a tennis sock or any other sports sock.

And more importantly, will it make me faster?

It's a sock... much like a sports sock, but for cycling.

I dunno if they're much different than your common or house garden sock, but I do know my Rapha Merino cycling socks are the most comfortable things I've ever put on my feet!

They are Merino, and the stitching is done slightly different to normal socks in that there's no toe seam to chafe. The older pairs I have also have reinforcement on the inside of the right hand sock to keep it together if you rub against the chain.

Raam

Finally, a thread where I can be myself.

ashleey

There are only Castelli cycling socks. All others are not really cycling socks.

buffalo

After three years racing, I still wear my work socks half the time. Drives DirkVoodoo up the wall. ...that's mostly why I keep doing it.

DirkVoodoo

buffalo wrote: »

After three years racing, I still wear my work socks half the time. Drives DirkVoodoo up the wall. ...that's mostly why I keep doing it.

I can change you, I will change you. Gok Raam can help.

Raam

I can only help those who want to be helped.

buffalo

So what are the Sock Rules? Knee-length or ankle-height, and nothing in between? White socks only with white shoes?

GlennaMaddy

buffalo wrote: »

After three years racing, I still wear my work socks

Work socks, wtf?

DirkVoodoo

buffalo wrote: »

So what are the Sock Rules? Knee-length or ankle-height, and nothing in between? White socks only with white shoes?

Hey, my eyes are up here.

DirkVoodoo

GlennaMaddy wrote: »

Work socks, wtf?

He's a priest, didn't you know? His socks are very, very, very dark blue.

martinbourke11

i couldn't decide which socks so I've stopped wearing them altogether......

buffalo

GlennaMaddy wrote: »

Work socks, wtf?

Normal socks, socks that I would wear to work. My playtime ones are tube socks.

Mycroft H

buffalo wrote: »

After three years racing, I still wear my work socks half the time. Drives DirkVoodoo up the wall. ...that's mostly why I keep doing it.

I still wear the standard work socks too. Grey/Black/Navy dont look too bad with my blue shoes.

studiorat

Lumen wrote: »

Quality sockage is like madness, you know it when you see it.

White? Rule 28...

So I google "Sean Kelly Socks"

This is what I get :

For all The Rules followers, study the socks. Ponder carefully, for this is what yours should look like: white and the perfect height. This is the way to set off tan, veiny, incredibly powerful legs. Do your legs look like these? No, I didn’t think so, but these socks would be a start.

killalanerr

lads after my flat in Navan yesterday i rolled in with the a4 guys omg What assortment of knee socks and hairy legs can some of you not bring some pier pressure to bare in a bid to sort this is a sock outrage

el tel

I’m frequently complimented on my fastidious Rule 27 compliance

ashleey

http://www.everymantri.com/.a/6a00d83451b18a69e20148c67cea42970c-pi

Unacceptable socks

seamus

For men, there are only 3 types of socks:

- Black socks (commonly called "socks")
- White socks (commonly called "sports socks")
- Wooly socks (commonly called "winter socks")

I am not aware of any other type of socks. For men.

fixie fox

Wear your normal socks before they are due to go in the wash (Then, after a while, you'll end up buying normal socks that look like cycling socks)

bogmanfan

http://www.theonion.com/articles/cyclist-friend-explains-necessity-of-35-socks,18259/

daragh_

killalanerr wrote: »

lads after my flat in Navan yesterday i rolled in with the a4 guys omg What assortment of knee socks and hairy legs can some of you not bring some pier pressure to bare in a bid to sort this is a sock outrage

Chap in our club rode the A3 with no socks. Got 5th. Just saying like

buffalo

bogmanfan wrote: »

http://www.theonion.com/articles/cyclist-friend-explains-necessity-of-35-socks,18259/

I laughed so hard at the twist that article took.

DirkVoodoo

daragh_ wrote: »

Chap in our club rode the A3 with no socks. Got 5th. Just saying like

See! daragh_ has proved the point, winners wear cycling socks!

sconhome

buffalo wrote: »

So what are the Sock Rules? Knee-length or ankle-height, and nothing in between? White socks only with white shoes?

I was laughing at this myself. Compressport do a 'Run' sock and a 'Bike' sock and while they are exactly the same, they are not.

The 'Run' sock is a low ankle sock whereas the 'Bike' sock is the perfect ankle sock neither too short, nor too long, in accordance with the rules:

Rule #27 Shorts and socks should be like Goldilocks.

Not too long and not too short. (Disclaimer: despite Sean Yates’ horrible choice in shorts length, he is a quintessential hard man of cycling and is deeply admired by the Velominati. Whereas Armstrong’s short and sock lengths are just plain wrong.) No socks is a no-no, as are those ankle-length ones that should only be worn by female tennis players.

TiBoy

daragh_ wrote: »

Chap in our club rode the A3 with no socks. Got 5th. Just saying like

No socks have their place especially when compared to the evils of any dark sock and even especially more so if said dark socks are higher than 3 inches above ones ankle bone.

Yes no socks or white socks (max 3 inches above ankle bone) should be mandatory....surely there is internet based research to support this??

Mycroft H

TiBoy wrote: »

No socks have their place especially when compared to the evils of any dark sock and even especially more so if said dark socks are higher than 3 inches above ones ankle bone.

Yes no socks or white socks (max 3 inches above ankle bone) should be mandatory....surely there is internet based research to support this??

I'd look a bit of a gimp with white socks and electric blue shoes. Keep colours with colours.

TiBoy

BX 19 wrote: »

I'd look a bit of a gimp with white socks and electric blue shoes. Keep colours with colours.

You'd look perfect, like a god...

Mycroft H

TiBoy wrote: »

You'd look perfect, like a god...

I wish :pac:

Raam

Is now the right time to post a picture of my cycling sock collection?

Mycroft H

Do you iron them too? :P

RobFowl

Raam wrote: »

Is now the right time to post a picture of my cycling sock collection?

There will never be a better time,,,,

RockWerchter

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

See! daragh_ has proved the point, winners wear cycling socks!

In fairness to the guy who came fifth, he only had a gilet on, which wasn't even his own clubs, and no numbers! I think only wearing a gilet is a bigger breach of the rules than wrong socks.

studiorat

Further "research" reveals that, using correct cyclist nomenclature a water bottle is referred to as a bidon, you carry your sandwiches in a musette, a sleeveless jacket is a gilet and pro-cyclist wears "les stockings" pour le cyclisime. oui,oui!

Super Freak

Raam wrote: »

Is now the right time to post a picture of my cycling sock collection?

No. That's for Friday a preview would be nice though.

Darkglasses

I wear two pairs of the thickest woolly socks I can find. You can keep your carbon-merino nanofibres.

kumate_champ07

I wear whatever is 50-75% off at CRC

letape

killalanerr wrote: »

lads after my flat in Navan yesterday i rolled in with the a4 guys omg What assortment of knee socks and hairy legs can some of you not bring some pier pressure to bare in a bid to sort this is a sock outrage

The lack of appropriate socks is socking!

Roger Hassenforder

killalanerr wrote: »

lads after my flat in Navan yesterday i rolled in with the a4 guys omg What assortment of knee socks and hairy legs can some of you not bring some pier pressure to bare in a bid to sort this is a sock outrage

was one of your domestiques not to hand, to give you his bike to spare you this humiliation? :eek:

TiBoy

Raam wrote: »

Is now the right time to post a picture of my cycling sock collection?

Bump!