Best & Worst Pro cycling kits

[Bruce_Willis_97]

The sight of the new Astana kit has prompted me to step back and take a look at some of the best and worst jerseys in the pro peloton over the past few years. As a graphic designer and athlete, I pay attention to team uniforms, logos, car graphics etc.

Cycling being one of the few sports that the teams can change their look season to season, I feel like the riders are a test canvas for some of the best and worst graphic layouts in sports.

Here's some of my favorites over the years in no particular order...

CSC 07
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/images/descente-team-csc-jersey-07.jpg
lots of shapes but a very controlled design

Disco 06
http://leesbikes.com/images/library/site/nike_06wmndiscjers280_06_p.jpg
simple, good color combo

f de jeux
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/images/nalini-francais-zoom.jpg
another simple one. they stick with what works

rock racing london
http://www.cyclesuk.com/images/Content/HARRODSKITS1.jpg
the rock racing london rocks kit. lots of detail very well done, and who doesn't like skulls!

cervelo test team
http://www.all4cycling.com/shop/images/cervelo_kit_aero_white_09.jpg
the black is cool too but im partial to the white

zoccoronese U23 07
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000G01VF2/ref=cm_pdp_rev_itm_img_1
i like this one because i have it and it looks great on me

and some of the worst...

mapei
http://www.pelotonpeddler.com/images/products/large/11.jpg
huge mistake. who approved this!?

ISD 09
http://www.all4cycling.com/shop/images/isd_kitmc_09.jpg
http://www.all4cycling.com/shop/images/isdcipo_kit_09.jpg
yeah they both suck. and the second on was their premiere for the giro?

columbia HTC
http://img.artscyclery.com/product/HR9CHSJ.JPG
some kind of motocross look? kind of a rip of the 07 csc jerseys

ag2r 09
http://www.all4cycling.com/shop/images/ag2r_kit_tour09.jpg
this must actually hurt to put on


how bout it...some of your best and worst?

 

[Rbudman]

I dont know why there are so many haters on the Columbia jersey, I like it. The AG2R jerseys and shorts are truly hideous.

Euskaltel has always managed to make orange look really good. I personally am usually a fan of the simpler jerseys and do not like something too busy.

The Aqua Scappone (sp?) Zebra jerseys and bibs were perhaps the worst kits ever. When not even Mario Cipollini can make it look good, it is awful.

Of the modern jerseys, Cervelo gets my vote. Though, Liquigas is cool and Garmin gets points for the argyle.

Milram is awful with its whole spilled milk thing, Cofidis is too red and Astana and rabobank need to do something about their colors before they look good.

 

[ak-zaaf]

Not going to far back...

Best:

Worst:

I think the Peugeot 'finish flag' jersey is the best looking kit ever.

 

[bubblegum]

i must agree with the csc 07 jersey being totaly awsom, it was actually the first pro jersey i bought after stuey won paris-roubaix wearing it. come on guys the columbia-HTC jersey isnt that bad! tho the first all yellow version is no-where near as good

 

[allezallez]

ag2r clearly the worst

Without doubt the 09' ag2r kit is the worst. We all have ancient knicks we use for ergos only, you know the ones; usually crappy old black ones you've had for years, faded, worn chami, streched leg elastic. Thats exaclty what these knicks look like. It was a running joke in our household over this years Tour, eg 'look out, here comes poor Efimkin in his ergo knicks, poor ******* must have mega saddle sores in those' etc, etc.

Dont get me started on the jersey..............

Hands down the best kit ever is the Menikini Selle Italia 2007 kit (yes this is a womens pro team; Im female so this is allowed!).

 

[xnobrakesx]

I love the second half 09 AG2R kits, as well as the 09 Xacobeo-Galicia kit. Very original and classy, but I am alone.

2009 - Pro Tour
Ag2r-La Mondiale (early 2009 kit) bad
Astana bad
Bbox Bouygues Telecom bad
Caisse d'Epargne classy
Cofidis horrible
Euskaltel-Euskadi horrible
Française des Jeux classy
Fuji-Servetto Just weird
Garmin-Slipstream Slipstream Needs less orange
Lampre-NGC bad
Liquigas-Doimo bad
Quick Step Nothing special
Rabobank Yawn
Silence-Lotto bad
Team Columbia-HTC The worst when paired with the white shorts
Team Katusha I actually like these a lot
Team Milram I'd rather not comment
Team Saxo Bank Classy

The pro tour does not have the best kits.

 

[cyclingrookie]

Francaise de Jeux is clearly the winner, but the old milram kit was a good nr 2.
http://www.cyclingfans.com/2008_vuelta_valenciana_alessandro_petacchi_wins_final_stage.jpg

 

[Michele]

Personally I liked a lot this one, something very unique.

 

[Steel4Ever]

Personally I liked a lot this one, something very unique.

I'll say it's 'unique'!
Blood doping right out in the open street -- with witnesses!
Kind of hard to say who is doping whom, though.
From the bandage on Oscar's other hand, I would say he has been down the "blood brother" road before.
And we all know where Tyler is at...I wonder if he ever did find his twin?
Maybe he could us the new Coke Face Profiler to find his 'one-armed man' and finally clear his name.

Just sayin'...

p.s. -- yeah, the Fassa kit was semi-classic, especially when worn by Bartoli.

 

[Michele]

I prefer the most recent Fassa kit posted by ak-zaaf, althought Bartoli would make any kit look good.

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

Speaking of Bartoli, the Asics kit was my favorite during his career even if the team was very short lived.

 

[Steel4Ever]

Speaking of Bartoli, the Asics kit was my favorite during his career even if the team was very short lived.

Agreed.
Somethin' about those blue booties just brought everything together.

(Even more so (albeit in an MG kit) when he was kicking the sh!t outta them yellow ONCE boys!)

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

How about Mapei? You either loved it or hated it, there was no in-between on those. I didn't mind it, very recognizable.

 

[Steel4Ever]

Again, agreed.

Love or hate. Kind of a weird meshing of Italians trying to style up Belgians!

Memorable fo sho.

 

[SierraRider]

Not going to far back...

Best:

Worst:

I think the Peugeot 'finish flag' jersey is the best looking kit ever.

I have to agree, My aunt brought me a Peugeot Michelin wool jersey back from France in the early to mid 80's with teh Shell logo on the shoulders, still one of my all time favorite kits

 

[Steel4Ever]

Peugeot Excellence.

 

[Anonymous]

Always thought the old USPS kit looked good...now I like Sean Kelly's team jersey...some of the continental jerseys have a nice old school touch...yet, I still wear my old PDM winter jacket...so who am I to say?

 

[wdiaz_pr]

For me, tops of the current Pro Tour teams would be the Caisse kit. However, for reasons difficult to fathom, my all time favorite would be the old Renault-Elf-Gitane kit from the early 80's.

WD

 

[cyclegeek]

Hate: Astana
Colombia
Garmin

Like: Casse
Francoise de jeux(sp.?)
USPS