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Should You Wear Team Kits?

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Feb 16, 2011
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Don't fetishise some colourful material. Where do you stop? Pro kits have to be 'earned' to, don't they? That kind of taboo thinking is cultish and anti-social.

What makes me cringe is the small-mindedness of people who are 'offended' when some 'noob' has the audacity to wear some jersey of distinction, and their consequent need to prove they're better somehow. Who cares? So they're not pros!

Rainbow stripes=BFD. Pretty colours is all. Be happy people are riding. When I see anyone on a bike of any kind, I really do feel something positive.

If you sneer at other riders because of what they wear, you probably don't really like cycling. It's just playing a role in your life that's proxy for something else.
 
May 20, 2010
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conflicted

Stingray34 said:
Don't fetishise some colourful material. Where do you stop? Pro kits have to be 'earned' to, don't they? That kind of taboo thinking is cultish and anti-social.

What makes me cringe is the small-mindedness of people who are 'offended' when some 'noob' has the audacity to wear some jersey of distinction, and their consequent need to prove they're better somehow. Who cares? So they're not pros!

Rainbow stripes=BFD. Pretty colours is all. Be happy people are riding. When I see anyone on a bike of any kind, I really do feel something positive.

If you sneer at other riders because of what they wear, you probably don't really like cycling. It's just playing a role in your life that's proxy for something else.

Objectively, I agree.

However...
I feel both a buzz and pretentious when I don either my TdF: Polka Dot or Maillot J.:eek:

Given I have the ability of a very slow Masters.
 
May 27, 2010
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Stingray34 said:
Don't fetishise some colourful material. Where do you stop? Pro kits have to be 'earned' to, don't they? That kind of taboo thinking is cultish and anti-social.

What makes me cringe is the small-mindedness of people who are 'offended' when some 'noob' has the audacity to wear some jersey of distinction, and their consequent need to prove they're better somehow. Who cares? So they're not pros!

Rainbow stripes=BFD. Pretty colours is all. Be happy people are riding. When I see anyone on a bike of any kind, I really do feel something positive.

If you sneer at other riders because of what they wear, you probably don't really like cycling. It's just playing a role in your life that's proxy for something else.

I'm happy when anyone is riding. Not wearing champions jerseys is more of a personal thing I guess, i'll never wear one until I earn one because for me they are something special, a reward for hard work and sacrifice. If other people want to wear them then thats up to them, but I won't wear one unless I win it
 
May 21, 2010
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One of the best bits of cyccling is the inclusiveness and camaradary,one of the worst is when you come across the snobbery.Each to thier own,just get out there have fun and feel the wind (rain) in your face n feel alive.
 
May 6, 2009
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TeamSkyFans said:
See team kits are one thing, but world champions jerseys? Nah, they should not even be available to the public.

Archibald said:
must applaude Hincapie sportswear for not selling the BMC rainbow jersey of Cadel's.
I'm sure you can get the garmin one somewhere already...

Danny Clark gave some kid a right royal spray for wearing a Lampre WC kit at a race. It was quite funny TBH.

I think that when I eventually do the RVV ride, I'll either wear the kit of my LBS, or the kit of my club. I think I would go the former as I like the kit better and it's the place I go to drink beer on a Thursday afternoon.
 
Mar 10, 2009
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I don't like it when people ride wearing basic and plain kits from any clothing company when the said wearer doesn't even work or own the company.
:D
 
I'm not opposed to team kits per se but i don't see why people don't join their local cycling club and wear their jersey. Cycling clubs Promote the sociability of the sport/activity and help put on events for people to ride the more people in clubs the better. Just don't join one with a rubbish jersey :D

Agree that the world/national champions jersey should be worn by those who have won them.
 
Apr 15, 2010
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@user guide, good point.

i think the snobbishness amongst some cycling circles is the most off-putting aspect of the sport.

personally, seeing people out on their bikes makes me happy, regardless of their strength, outfit or quality of equipment.
 
uphillstruggle said:
I'm not opposed to team kits per se but i don't see why people don't join their local cycling club and wear their jersey. Cycling clubs Promote the sociability of the sport/activity and help put on events for people to ride the more people in clubs the better. Just don't join one with a rubbish jersey :D

i think this is why folks wear team kits - they don't belong to a club, don't race (may do events with mates instead) and therefore don't have a club kit of any sort, yet still wish to feel like the belong to the wider fraternity of cycling in general...

lancaster said:
i think the snobbishness amongst some cycling circles is the most off-putting aspect of the sport.

funny story - with a group at Roubaix this year. Chatting with a bunch of us around the bar the night before doing the "Challenge" and this guy is all good. Riding the next day, I'm next to him at one point so begin chatting, he blanks me. Then back at the bar that night he's all friendly again...
 
Mar 8, 2010
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skippythepinhead said:
Wear what you want. But don't expect me not chuckle to myself when I pass you on your road bike while I'm on the MTB and you're rocking the US Postal shwag.

I feel a sudden disturbance in the Force…as if a tiny voice shouted out and then went silent.
If you are such a killer, then I will just choose my Ducati and wear my Domina Vacance Zebra kit in combination with 80s sunglasses. :cool:
 
I don't wear team kits but I like it when kit snobbishness backfires.

Yesterday I raced at my local crits (Balmoral Club in Brisbane) and Jonathon Cantwell showed up to race A grade.

Lower graded guys started turning up to sign on during the race and there were three or four people who turned to their mates and asked "Who is that w@nker racing in the national champions kit?" There were a few red faces when they realised it was the national crit champ :D
 
42x16ss said:
I don't wear team kits but I like it when kit snobbishness backfires.

Yesterday I raced at my local crits (Balmoral Club in Brisbane) and Jonathon Cantwell showed up to race A grade.

Lower graded guys started turning up to sign on during the race and there were three or four people who turned to their mates and asked "Who is that w@nker racing in the national champions kit?" There were a few red faces when they realised it was the national crit champ :D

:laugh: !!
 
Feb 16, 2011
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42x16ss said:
I don't wear team kits but I like it when kit snobbishness backfires.

Yesterday I raced at my local crits (Balmoral Club in Brisbane) and Jonathon Cantwell showed up to race A grade.

Lower graded guys started turning up to sign on during the race and there were three or four people who turned to their mates and asked "Who is that w@nker racing in the national champions kit?" There were a few red faces when they realised it was the national crit champ :D

129013910937670588.jpg
 
You guys sure take cycling clothes seriously.

I used to wear a 1995 Lampre-Panaria jersey, although sometimes I felt silly because I looked too serious, considering the speed and distance I was going. That jersey doesn't fit now, I'm not sure where it is. Anyway, then I wore normal T-shirts for years, but now that I can ride all year round I decided I needed more adequate clothes, and since I was going to buy a cycling jersey I thought it'd be cool to go retro and pander to my childhood memories by getting a 1994 Lotto jersey. I'm sorry if I've disappointed any of you.
 
May 24, 2010
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hrotha said:
You guys sure take cycling clothes seriously.

I used to wear a 1995 Lampre-Panaria jersey, although sometimes I felt silly because I looked too serious, considering the speed and distance I was going. That jersey doesn't fit now, I'm not sure where it is. Anyway, then I wore normal T-shirts for years, but now that I can ride all year round I decided I needed more adequate clothes, and since I was going to buy a cycling jersey I thought it'd be cool to go retro and pander to my childhood memories by getting a 1994 Lotto jersey. I'm sorry if I've disappointed any of you.

You sound Soooo sincere in your innocence and apology. The point I've been trying to make across the vastness of this severely overcooked thread has been, it doesn't really matter what you wear, as long as you're not hurting anybody. And in the end it ain't really anybody's business what motivates someone to wear their underwear to go out for a ride, or world championship kit to go for a 20 kph ride. But hey, we gotta stir this worn out old drink, even if it's just melted ice now.:cool:
 
Feb 16, 2011
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nowhereman said:
You sound Soooo sincere in your innocence and apology. The point I've been trying to make across the vastness of this severely overcooked thread has been, it doesn't really matter what you wear, as long as you're not hurting anybody. And in the end it ain't really anybody's business what motivates someone to wear their underwear to go out for a ride, or world championship kit to go for a 20 kph ride. But hey, we gotta stir this worn out old drink, even if it's just melted ice now.:cool:

Yeah, if you're a pro or competed at a high level (or perhaps aspired to; these guys are usually the worst offenders), I can understand if you get uppity when someone just buys a champ kit or whatever.

But not everyone has that view about the importance of a bunch of colours. Not everyone has the same aspirations and values. That story about Danny Clark a few posts back wasn't pretty. Way to make someone hate cycling. I never realised winning the arc en ciel was also a licence to be a dick.

Just imagine if the kid had the temerity to sport a handlebar moustache as well. Anyone who found that a funny spectacle is complicit. Serious roadies are a bit of a sub-culture and happy to start goose-stepping; a bit much for the likes of this Fred sometimes.

I have a rainbow jersey and an ADR jersey signed by Lemond. My wife and I have a joke about me never being worthy to even look at them. :p She's like, "Oh stop! You're not thinking of putting that on and going outside are you? You know what'll happen..."

And then there's all the crap about how to wear sunglasses and socks...
 

Yeahright

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Jan 29, 2011
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hrotha said:
You guys sure take cycling clothes seriously.

I used to wear a 1995 Lampre-Panaria jersey, although sometimes I felt silly because I looked too serious, considering the speed and distance I was going. That jersey doesn't fit now, I'm not sure where it is. Anyway, then I wore normal T-shirts for years, but now that I can ride all year round I decided I needed more adequate clothes, and since I was going to buy a cycling jersey I thought it'd be cool to go retro and pander to my childhood memories by getting a 1994 Lotto jersey. I'm sorry if I've disappointed any of you.

I agree, guys all over the world wander around in their favourite football team jersey or basketball team singlet but it seems that certain people seem to take offense to cyclists wearing team kit. Here in NZ most guy wear some sort of team kit. Why? not because they are trying to look pro, but generally because they like the kit. The far bigger tossers in my book are guys who mock people for it.

Buy and wear what you like I say. Guys who ridicule others for wearing team kit need to get a life.
 
Yeahright said:
I agree, guys all over the world wander around in their favourite football team jersey or basketball team singlet but it seems that certain people seem to take offense to cyclists wearing team kit. Here in NZ most guy wear some sort of team kit. Why? not because they are trying to look pro, but generally because they like the kit. The far bigger tossers in my book are guys who mock people for it.

Buy and wear what you like I say. Guys who ridicule others for wearing team kit need to get a life.

+1. As long as you don't turn up to race in champion's or current team kit (and you aren't on the team or the champion in question) why should anyone care if someone is wearing team kit?