A Communiqué from the Fashion Police

[Je ne sais quoi]

A Communiqué from the Fashion Police

Ok, it's getting warm out there, and thoughts of dressing to impress blew off the back end, 300 vertical meters ago.

But come on. Your team has a €10M budget. If you're going to ride around with your jersey flailing in the breeze, is it too much ask them to spend a few shekels for an undershirt with the team logo printed on it, rather than something from a Monty Python lumberjack skit?


Now that we've achieved world peace, these are important considerations.

 

[red_flanders]

I'm hoping the end of the Armstrong era sees the end to black socks. Looks like a bunch of 78 year-olds riding bikes.

 

[online-rider]

I'm hoping the end of the Armstrong era sees the end to black socks. Looks like a bunch of 78 year-olds riding bikes.

Does beige do anything for ya?

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

I'm hoping the end of the Armstrong era sees the end to black socks. Looks like a bunch of 78 year-olds riding bikes.

Well, RadioShack aren't much younger than that, you know.

 

[Damiano Machiavelli]

I'm hoping the end of the Armstrong era sees the end to black socks. Looks like a bunch of 78 year-olds riding bikes.

Black socks are a lot more practical than white ones. The problem with Armstrong was the super long shorts and socks that went half way up his lower leg.

 

[Je ne sais quoi]

I'm hoping the end of the Armstrong era sees the end to black socks. Looks like a bunch of 78 year-olds riding bikes.

"I believe our official position on the black socks is that they were worn throughout his career to honor fallen teammates." - Mark Fabiani


No smiley in the interests of deadpan delivery. Quote is fictitious. Offer void where prohibited by law.

 

[gilbertador]

I wear black socks, i have black shoes it would look bludy wierd if i had white socks, black also doesnt show dirt im strongly in favour of them

 

[Greyhound Velo]

I wear black socks, i have black shoes it would look bludy wierd if i had white socks, black also doesnt show dirt im strongly in favour of them

I beg to differ, evidence below that white socks and black shoes are as classically stylish as cycling wear can get.

As far as Lance is concerned, anyone who would take fashion tips from a dork who (ever) dressed like this...

 

[CobbleStoner]

really?!? try training more and mirror fantasizing less.
wear what you have/want

 

[ManInFull]

I'm hoping the end of the Armstrong era sees the end to black socks. Looks like a bunch of 78 year-olds riding bikes.

Come on. Nothing wrong with a nice pair of black socks, especially if there is another color or two in a pattern.

 

[Mambo95]

On the subject of black socks:

http://twitter.com/#!/Cathwiggins1981/status/79910101149941762

 

[Je ne sais quoi]

I think as cyclists we have to accept the possibility of, or tendency towards black as we approach the event horizon of our ride. Whatever colour they started out, socks will increasingly approach black by the middle of the third week. I believe this is the second law of entropy. At that point they also reach maturity and achieve what might be translated as an impudent bouquet.

 

[Angliru]

I'm hoping the end of the Armstrong era sees the end to black socks. Looks like a bunch of 78 year-olds riding bikes.

My shoes are all silver and black so for me black socks are appropriate. Plus just because Armstrong wore them doesn't mean he was the first.

 

[Angliru]

I wear black socks, i have black shoes it would look bludy wierd if i had white socks, black also doesnt show dirt im strongly in favour of them

Agreed. For me it would be comparable to wearing white sweat socks with a pair of black dress shoes. I'm not trying to channel Michael Jackson (RIP).

 

[Master50]

It is within easy memory when the rule was "if socks are worn they must be white" So to see old photos of Eddy they only wore white socks or no socks like track riders.
The rule was originally for two reasons. The most obvious was for ascetics and a number of rules are there to preserve the image of the sports riders.
The other reason was related to the dye in socks and the less than stiff leather shoes of yore. riders would get blisters on their feet especially when caught in the rain. The dye from the socks caused infections hence a rule designed to protect the riders. Imagine?

 

[euanli]

rules were black shoes, white socks and black shorts.

 

[Mambo95]

It is within easy memory when the rule was "if socks are worn they must be white" So to see old photos of Eddy they only wore white socks or no socks like track riders.
The rule was originally for two reasons. The most obvious was for ascetics and a number of rules are there to preserve the image of the sports riders.
The other reason was related to the dye in socks and the less than stiff leather shoes of yore. riders would get blisters on their feet especially when caught in the rain. The dye from the socks caused infections hence a rule designed to protect the riders. Imagine?

White socks really only seem to have come into fashion in the 30s. The really old guys (Binda, Chrisophe, Garin, Petit-Breton etc) all seem to have opted for black.

 

[Angliru]

Come on. Nothing wrong with a nice pair of black socks, especially if there is another color or two in a pattern.

It is if you're a member of the self-appointed fashion police that monitors that all the unwritten rules of style and tradition are being honored.

 

[briannamur5681]

There is really only one kind of bike sock, short and white. But since the beginning of mountain biking, bike socks have changed color and even riders like Lance Armstrong, has been spotted wearing black bike socks. This would have caused a scandal in the old fashioned world of road cycling.