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Pro team‘s jerseys, bibshorts and socks get longer all the time (I don‘t like that at all)

I have been watching pro cycling since 1997. I remember, from 1997 to ca. 2010/2012, jerseys‘ arms covered half of the upper arm. Bibshorts ended ca. 10-20 cm above the knee. Socks/overshoes ended 10-15 cm above the shoes.

Nowadays, 2021, jerseys‘ arms cover the full upper arm, until the elbow. Bibshorts end in the back of the knee, covering the full thigh. Socks/overshoes cover more than half of the calves.

I actually like the longer socks and overshoes, but I absolutely dislike these long jerseys (arms) and these long bibshorts.

I would really prefer to be able to see the riders‘ triceps and the quadriceps. With these strange (disturbing) long arms of the jerseys and bibshorts, you don‘t see any muscles any more.

If it goes on like this, pro riders in 2030 will ride in full body skinsuits, and the only skin you see is their face.

What is your opinion?
 
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It’s so they don’t scare young children who see how skinny they are and think they are skeletons from some bad dream.

Yes, that‘s possible, with regard to the rather skinny arms of most pros. Their legs, however, are rather a pleasure to watch - which is not possible any more with regard to the bibshorts‘ length.

I still remember, seeing Kanstantin Sioutsuo for the first time in a race (the day he became juniors or U23 world champion in the road race); it was live on Eurosport. This guy looked just amazingly beautiful on his bike: the position, deeply tanned, and with beautiful muscle structure in his arms and in his legs. He looked fantastic - muscles as if he would have spent 15 years already as a pro in the peloton. If he would have worn 2021‘s jerseys and bibshorts, he would have just looked boring…

I believe someone like MVDP would look even more impressive with shorter sleeves and shorter bibshorts…
 
I hope it will stop at some point and a shorter be the trend again.

I'm more concerned with my failure to appreciate increasing overall ugliness of the peloton colour schemes. DSM is the blandest among the darks, make me realize that Giant wasn't pretty either back then but it wasn't a problem because there weren't so many white teams with black sleeves. Astana and Movistar need to be more different again, EF can do much better with their colours, FDJ needs to look distinct again since jersey is too often their only hope to be seen, and when a look as average as Lotto's is among the ones I'm most okay with I have problem.
I know it's off topic. But then maybe biceps show will help.
 
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Ha! I had this conversation the other day with someone who said the long socks were a good introduction to the kits. No way.
There is something to be said about a well sculpted leg. They are beautiful and I want to see most of it! There is nothing sexual about it, but there is an aesthetic beauty to the legs of cyclists.
No disrespect to runners, but their legs are like rocks.
 
With the amount of time riders spend in the sun day after day, year after year I wouldn't be surprised if riders prefer the longer bibs and sleeves. I know I'd rather not have skin cancer than cater to everyone's aesthetic preferences.

With how thin the fabrics are, I don't think long or short sleeves are gonna make that much of a difference in that regard. Doesn't seem unheard of that riders get sunburned through their jerseys.
 
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I have been watching pro cycling since 1997. I remember, from 1997 to ca. 2010/2012, jerseys‘ arms covered half of the upper arm. Bibshorts ended ca. 10-20 cm above the knee. Socks/overshoes ended 10-15 cm above the shoes.

Nowadays, 2021, jerseys‘ arms cover the full upper arm, until the elbow. Bibshorts end in the back of the knee, covering the full thigh. Socks/overshoes cover more than half of the calves.

I actually like the longer socks and overshoes, but I absolutely dislike these long jerseys (arms) and these long bibshorts.

I would really prefer to be able to see the riders‘ triceps and the quadriceps. With these strange (disturbing) long arms of the jerseys and bibshorts, you don‘t see any muscles any more.

If it goes on like this, pro riders in 2030 will ride in full body skinsuits, and the only skin you see is their face.

What is your opinion?

Yes, that‘s possible, with regard to the rather skinny arms of most pros. Their legs, however, are rather a pleasure to watch - which is not possible any more with regard to the bibshorts‘ length.

I still remember, seeing Kanstantin Sioutsuo for the first time in a race (the day he became juniors or U23 world champion in the road race); it was live on Eurosport. This guy looked just amazingly beautiful on his bike: the position, deeply tanned, and with beautiful muscle structure in his arms and in his legs. He looked fantastic - muscles as if he would have spent 15 years already as a pro in the peloton. If he would have worn 2021‘s jerseys and bibshorts, he would have just looked boring…

I believe someone like MVDP would look even more impressive with shorter sleeves and shorter bibshorts…

Cycling wear is totally pragmatic and nothing else. In my opinion it's extremely plain and whether long or short doesn't matter. Nobody looks really beautiful huddled on a bike in sausage skin somethings with padded bottoms, oversized glasses and a cycling helmet. Someone like Ganna comes close due to his style of movement and power, but he wouldn't look better if his bibs were shorter.
I often comment on riders appearances, but seeing more skin does not enhance my cycling viewing experience - and even if it did I would never ask of them to show it to me just for my personal pleasure, that's a bit of a weird image to me. I mean I would never ask that of a female athlete, so how could I ask a male one?
One thing though, the socks could really be shorter, they always remind me of socks in sandals. :p
 
I completely agree, especially so with regards to the bib shorts.

With the amount of time riders spend in the sun day after day, year after year I wouldn't be surprised if riders prefer the longer bibs and sleeves. I know I'd rather not have skin cancer than cater to everyone's aesthetic preferences.

I do agree with your design views though.
I would think that the impact the length of bib shorts have on your risk of getting skin cancer has a magnitude of a mere rounding error compared to the effect of sun lotion.
 
Cycling wear is totally pragmatic and nothing else. In my opinion it's extremely plain and whether long or short doesn't matter. Nobody looks really beautiful huddled on a bike in sausage skin somethings with padded bottoms, oversized glasses and a cycling helmet. Someone like Ganna comes close due to his style of movement and power, but he wouldn't look better if his bibs were shorter.
I often comment on riders appearances, but seeing more skin does not enhance my cycling viewing experience - and even if it did I would never ask of them to show it to me just for my personal pleasure, that's a bit of a weird image to me. I mean I would never ask that of a female athlete, so how could I ask a male one?
One thing though, the socks could really be shorter, they always remind me of socks in sandals. :p

You can't even recognise riders if they're wearing (regular) glasses!
 
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For old people,real old people some will remember the movie Flashdance..and others that had some component of Jazzesize or aerobics..all the sudden everything was lycra body suits and leggings..very very depressing time..and men's basketball shorts were way to small..and now NBA and other basketball players have on compression clothing,in extreme examples their entire body is covered..
Now cycling is following w racers starting to look like they are going to a ballet practice..and the tradition of zipping up your jersey has given way to revealing bodies that look like Dallas Buyers club or after photos from a super model who's family called for an intervention..
Lots of photos of Juan Antonio Flecha after he got beefed by a car and got splayed open w barbed wire..there are still many beautiful bodies in the bunch but this new intentionally shrinking of the upper body is spooky looking in my opinion..UCI has limits still in place for bicycle weight..maybe a call that if you are 2meters tall and tip the scales at 50ki!os..no!!
And those EF Education socks should get them DQd at the starting line..
 
Lots of photos of Juan Antonio Flecha after he got beefed by a car and got splayed open w barbed wire..

The barbed wire bit was Hoogerland.

maybe a call that if you are 2meters tall and tip the scales at 50ki!os..no!!

I think if you're 2 M tall, and weigh 50 KG, then you need serious help! The one I could find who came closest is Arroyave, at - according to PCS - 52 KG and 1.78M.
 
Cycling wear is totally pragmatic and nothing else. In my opinion it's extremely plain and whether long or short doesn't matter. Nobody looks really beautiful huddled on a bike in sausage skin somethings with padded bottoms, oversized glasses and a cycling helmet. Someone like Ganna comes close due to his style of movement and power, but he wouldn't look better if his bibs were shorter.
I often comment on riders appearances, but seeing more skin does not enhance my cycling viewing experience - and even if it did I would never ask of them to show it to me just for my personal pleasure, that's a bit of a weird image to me. I mean I would never ask that of a female athlete, so how could I ask a male one?
One thing though, the socks could really be shorter, they always remind me of socks in sandals. :p

Oh I think in some cases the glasses makes them prettier! And it's a fun contrast to some on the bike versus in interviews, as some are shy dorks with tiny voices, while on bikes they looks utterly cool :smirkcat:
 
With how thin the fabrics are, I don't think long or short sleeves are gonna make that much of a difference in that regard. Doesn't seem unheard of that riders get sunburned through their jerseys.
It's really only the über thin, mesh like jerseys that are an issue and they seem to have been dialled back a bit for this reason.

Coming from Australia, where we have the highest rate of skin cancer, and usually the highest UV levels in the world it's enough to make some difference.
 

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