Should You Wear Team Kits?

[elizabeth]

Of the latter I saw a Saxo Luxembourg champions jersey out in the hills last week-end and had to cringe. Team kit I can stand, champions kit should be earned.

Agreed on that. I was actually surprised the first time I saw that these were even available.

 

[Anonymous]

I wear an old USPS jersey once in awhile...then again, I am a mailman...so I figure I can get away with that.

 

[outrage9]

I couldn't wear a full kit, nor want to pay for one even at last year's prices. I have bought a few jerseys including a Tour de Georgia climbers jersey (instead of polka dots it was peaches) and I bought a Jittery Joes special jersey they wore only on the Brasstown Bald mountain stage that was blaze orange camo. I'm in Ga so partly to support the team and partly because it was a cool jersey. However, I haven't had the nerve to wear either out on the road.

Special mountains jersey from Jittery Joes

Peacha dot jersey on Jason McCartney

Oops, forgot I do have an old Brioches la Boulangere jersey that I have actually worn riding and a Discovery jersey that Johan and Jason McCartney signed so won't wear it. Also a Motorola jersey, used to work for them, and a 96 US Olympics road jersey, never worn either of them.

I agree with the football jersey comparison. I'd wear one to the sports bar to watch a game or the stadium even, but I wouldn't go play a game wearing it. Cycling I'd wear a long defunct cool team jersey but I don't think I'd wear any current, or last years jersey even to ride, I'd definitely be waiting for the hammer to be dropped. I do have a plain jane yellow jersey with no markings or logos on it whatsoever so it could never be confused with any race yellow jersey, strictly visibility.

 

[TopCarbon]

that Jittery Joes Mountain's jersey is gay. Would not want to see that on the road.

 

[SlantParallelogram]

Cycling I'd wear a long defunct cool team jersey

Vintage jerseys are always cool!

 

[Archibald]

Cycling I'd wear a long defunct cool team jersey

Vintage jerseys are always cool!

I'll ask again - just what number of years do folks believe a jersey must be aged/defunct before it is deemed "vintage" or old enough to wear?

As a side note, saw a guy in full Sky kit on his commute this morning - courier style shoulder bag on, riding an Orange (brand) mtb with thin road slicks on, complete with baby seat on the back. Brave man, but he was riding and obeying the road rules, so full credit to him for being out and about.

 

[GreggGermer]

Back in the day I was one of the "no to pro team kit" as I was a junior and saw them as something earned to be worn when you were a pro ...

Now later in life I think people should wear team kit to support the clubs/teams they like, just as they do in soccer (football). If cycling had the same level of team fans buying 50 quid jerseys every year the pro teams would have much better budgets to work with and even the smaller clubs would be able to be better funded, but sadly we are our own worst enemy here, perpetuating the idea that it is wrong to wear team kit.

It's the "Pro-sers" the keep this sport alive and fuel the industry, so I say let them buy team issue this, special release that cause it keeps the figurative and literal wheels of the cycling world turning.

And really cool team kit will sell. I've seen so many people here wearing Rock Racing kit (in Belgium no less), just because they found it really cool. Say what you may about the team, but the kit was(is) really cool. Even my good friend who started cycling for fun went and bought water bottles, gloves and the hat of the team because he liked the look of it (he would have bought the jersey and shorts if it wasn't so expensive).

So I say, where it and don't make fun of those who do (unless they actually pretend to be one of the pros on the team, then by all means, shame them into their place).

 

[SlantParallelogram]

I'll ask again - just what number of years do folks believe a jersey must be aged/defunct before it is deemed "vintage" or old enough to wear?

Anything before 1990 is old enough for me to consider it vintage. Get out your old Team Slurpy and La Vie Claire jerseys.

 

[outrage9]

I'll ask again - just what number of years do folks believe a jersey must be aged/defunct before it is deemed "vintage" or old enough to wear?

Defunct as in they don't exist (ie Postal, Phonak, TMob, Fassa, Credit Ag, Motorola, 7-11.) The only current team I would even consider wearing would be a previous jersey that looks nothing like this years or maybe after a title sponsor change (ie CSC, ONCE, Davitamon Lotto)

Wear what you want though but be able to back up a challenge or be called a fred, one or both WILL happen.

For part 2 of the football jersey comparison, I wouldn't wear ANY cycling jersey no matter how big of a fanboy out to a sports bar to watch anything. Thats why they make Tshirts. I would also only wear an out of date jersey to a race and stand on the road side and thats only if I rode my bike there. But I also believe you don't wear the the shirt of the band you're going to see either...

 

[sherer]

who is this Fred bloke, i'd like to go for a ride with him

 

[SlantParallelogram]

Defunct as in they don't exist (ie Postal, Phonak, TMob, Fassa, Credit Ag, Motorola, 7-11.) The only current team I would even consider wearing would be a previous jersey that looks nothing like this years or maybe after a title sponsor change (ie CSC, ONCE, Davitamon Lotto)

Except for 7-11 I would say those teams are all too recent to be worn. At least that is my opinion. Motorola is getting close, but I still say too recent.

 

[SlantParallelogram]

who is this Fred bloke, i'd like to go for a ride with him

Yeah he does sound cool. In the past, I always traditionally though of a "Fred" as a guy riding his bike wearing running shorts and tube socks.

These days I think of a "Fred" as a 40 or 50 year old guy with way too much money, and a $5k dollar bike that he rides to the coffee shop. He wears a complete pro tour uniform everywhere he rides. Anybody who puts on a set of cleated shoes and lycra shorts to ride to the coffee shop is an idiot.

I miss the old Fred, he wasn't a bad dude. He was just kind of a newbie.

The new school Fred is a total poser, and that is way worse.

 

[craig1985]

I don't see much of an issue if you ride a BMC and then buy a BMC jersey and shorts to go with it (perhaps a different colour), but I think buying one of these might be a bit fanboyish. They don't say how much it is, but the old story is that if you have to ask, then you can't afford it.

 

[Hangdog98]

A cunning plan

I sometimes wear a jersey that looks like a team sponsored by LuckyStrike cigarettes. I don't have the figure anymore to fit into the pro kit but the funny thing is that when I train on the road in the LuckyStrike kit, the hillbilly car drivers who would normally give me a hard time, toot and wave.

 

[Hmmmmm]

I have never worn team kit, and probably never would. But, I have no problem if other people do. More important to get out and ride than focus on clothing. But, whatever you think is cool clothing can give you a psychological kick in terms of wanting to get out and pedal.

 

[steelrx]

I don't have a problem with people wearing team kits as I do it myself. I don't wear them when not riding for several reasons including but not limited to the coolness of spandex is inversely proportional to the distance from your bike and in Oklahoma most people are clueless and wouldn't know who the teams are anyway.

I don't think anyone is going to mistake me (and I am not overweight), my 10yr old aluminum giant, or my skills for anything above a guy who tries ride as much as possible for fitness and thinks the kits are a cool novelty. The same goes for the TDF jerseys. My friends and I have discussed getting a sprinters jersey or a polka dot jersey because it would be funny due the fact we are neither. If that means somebody will drop me on a climb because of it... OK, they were probably going to anyway, jersey or not, and I will still be friendly as they go by.

I fall squarely into the wear the team kit because why not and let the rest think and do what they feel necessary. I just like riding. Seeing various jerseys and kits adds to the fun of riding.

 

[Izzy eviel]

Surely a cool kit is a cool kit? Whether it's a pro-tour or some other kit if it looks cool to you, why not? If it makes you feel happier in the saddle then surely it's worth the extra £'s?

 

[superleicht]

Wearing a team kit is okay - if you're on a team! But hey, I started riding when jerseys were wool and the rules prohibited logos on shorts. Maybe my ideas are old fashioned.

That said, perhaps kit sizing should be limited to no more than XL!

 

[53 x 11]

Nice little article Be Nice to Hubbards

 

[sherer]

one thing I thik this thread reveals is the different in attitudes betweek the US and the UK and Europe. Most of the people who say you can't wear team kit and riding people off their wheel if they see someone wearing it are all from the US.

Over in the UK people just seem to be glad to see another roadie and are very friendly to each other.

 

[nowhereman]

one thing I thik this thread reveals is the different in attitudes betweek the US and the UK and Europe. Most of the people who say you can't wear team kit and riding people off their wheel if they see someone wearing it are all from the US.

Over in the UK people just seem to be glad to see another roadie and are very friendly to each other.

A+ Says a lot., Live and let live.

 

[Feldy82]

wear a yellow jersey you are a tuul

I think it's funny when someone shows up in a yellow jersey. Only thing better is the complete yellow kit.

 

[Night Rider]

That said, perhaps kit sizing should be limited to no more than XL!

That's actually quite a good idea lol

 

[Hangdog98]

Originally Posted by superleicht
That said, perhaps kit sizing should be limited to no more than XL!

That's actually quite a good idea lol

American XL or Japanese XL? I wear L which is Japanese XXXL. Maybe I shouldn't ride in Japan

All jokes aside, it does get a little divisive when we start having a swipe at team kit. Should we restrict the purchase of road bikes under 15lbs only to those with a VO2 max above 60? or perhaps require riders to bring a printout of their UCI ranking before deciding if they can buy Dura Ace or tell them they only qualify for 105. Should Colnago's only be sold to people who already own a Ferrari and a full set of hair plugs and a 23 year old Ukranian internet bride? Where does it end? Oh the humanity.

 

[Boeing]

I would wear the Sean Kelly An Post kit no problem