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Team Kits? Your Views.......

What are your views on wearing a team kit whilst out riding? This topic has been on the bikeradar forums a few times and whilst the UK verdict IIRC was in the balance either way i wondered what the more Aussie and American crowd thought about it?

My views on it are as such:

1. Team kits are fine. Where i live in Australia i see people out in team kits all the time and not just protour kits. I've seen LPR, Cervelo and plenty of older gen kits ie. ONCE, the yellow Saunier Duval kit (i guess also for it's brightness), T-mobile (also the same reason i guess). I just about always wear my Silence Lotto, Astana or CSC kit. I love them.

2. National Champion kits i dont like. I guess it is sort of a 'you should earn it' kit and also the Champion Of Australia kit is shithouse, looks gay and i wouldn't be caught dead in it and i would try to crush them if i saw someone wearing one.

3. Same with world champion kits. I see them as more as a 'earn it type kit' and again i don't think white is a real good colour especially if you have to wash it.

4. Grand Tour Jerseys are a definete no-no. I don't think ive ever seen one of these in a bunch ride either. Also if i saw say a KOM jersey in the bunch it would definetely get the competetiveness going with me not leting up till i probably crushed them with my awesome display of quad power.;)

What are your thoughts???
 
Jun 18, 2009
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El Imbatido said:
What are your views on wearing a team kit whilst out riding? This topic has been on the bikeradar forums a few times and whilst the UK verdict IIRC was in the balance either way i wondered what the more Aussie and American crowd thought about it?

My views on it are as such:

1. Team kits are fine. Where i live in Australia i see people out in team kits all the time and not just protour kits. I've seen LPR, Cervelo and plenty of older gen kits ie. ONCE, the yellow Saunier Duval kit (i guess also for it's brightness), T-mobile (also the same reason i guess). I just about always wear my Silence Lotto, Astana or CSC kit. I love them.

2. National Champion kits i dont like. I guess it is sort of a 'you should earn it' kit and also the Champion Of Australia kit is shithouse, looks gay and i wouldn't be caught dead in it and i would try to crush them if i saw someone wearing one.

3. Same with world champion kits. I see them as more as a 'earn it type kit' and again i don't think white is a real good colour especially if you have to wash it.

4. Grand Tour Jerseys are a definete no-no. I don't think ive ever seen one of these in a bunch ride either. Also if i saw say a KOM jersey in the bunch it would definetely get the competetiveness going with me not leting up till i probably crushed them with my awesome display of quad power.;)

What are your thoughts???

I agree almost completely with this assessment, except I would put Nat'l champion, world champ and grand tour kits all in the same category - definite no-no.

I used to ride with a group in Hobart that included an ex-world age group champ and a guy turned up in a rainbow jersey for a few rides. Everyone was kind of treading on eggshells and I think the guy got the hint that he was probably not welcome. I kind of felt sorry for him, because he probably didn't realise what was going on. Anyway, that is kind of the point.... you might not know the history of everyone in the bunch and thus it is a good idea not to wear anything that you didn't earn.
 
Jul 23, 2009
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I don't own any team kit but there are a few in our group rides. I have no problem with it, but you have to be fit - it's pretty funny when you see fat guys in team kit. I share your opinion on #2 and #3, you have to earn them. #4, well I haven't seen anyone wearing the maillot jaune, but no doubt it would bring out some competitiveness and of course trash talk. Buddy would have to ride like a champion or hear about it forever.
 
Sep 16, 2009
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pedaling squares said:
I have no problem with it, but you have to be fit - it's pretty funny when you see fat guys in team kit.

+1

I don't own a pro kit, either, but the way I look at it wearing one is no different than someone wearing the football or hockey jersey of their favorite player. To me, it's simply one more way of showing your support for your favorite squad and for the sport of professional cycling in general. It seems to me that the pro teams themselves should want you to buy their kit because by wearing it, you advertise for them.

That said, I would also like to agree with the statements concerning World and National champions jerseys. Wearing one is just asking for a tongue lashing, so unless you are fast enough to leave those who would verbally abuse you behind, leave it at home.

Just my two cents...
 
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dont know.. im torn.. years ago when riding if i wasnt wearing club strip i would wear my old pdm one, mainly because back then the quality of the pro team kits was way better than the plain kits available...

now riding recreationally i just have good old plain kit, scott mainly, shimano shoes, wife has polaris shirts and jacket, and some 3/4 legs or other... see people now in pro kit and i think it just looks daft...

couple of guys near us, one in cervelho head to toe, sidi shoes, cervelho bike, just makes me think what an arrogant **** and puts me off ever considering club riding and competing again if how good your bike is and how your kit matches up is the criteria.. we also have several members of the gb squad if kits are to be beleived..

i certainly think national and world champions jerseys and tour jerseys are out.. pro shirts, ok, its only a bit of fun.. but head to toe, including matching bike just makes me think you probably aint that good, just got more money than me..
 
Mar 17, 2009
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dimspace said:
i certainly think national and world champions jerseys and tour jerseys are out.. pro shirts, ok, its only a bit of fun.. but head to toe, including matching bike just makes me think you probably aint that good, just got more money than me..

+1

The whole matching ensemble really looks bad... shoes, socks, water bottles, cap, etc..
 
Team kit is kind of fun ... although i don't have any myself. There is a guy rides around Vancouver in full Ouch ensemble - no idea if he is legit or just a fan...

I agree wearing national team kit or trophy jersey's can be a bit odd. The funniest is people in replica Olympic kit - just a bit weird to me.

And yes that's me (avitar) in a polka dot jersey... it was sort of a joke... I had ridden from Gap to the base of Alpe D'Huez and wore the jersey riding up the fabled hairpins. :)
 
Sep 11, 2009
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What about a world champion jersey when part of a team kit? Do you not have to earn riding for a pro team?

Way I see it, your all being elitist. If some one wants to fork out the money to get a worlds kit then by all means do it. What ever gets you on a bike.
 
Sep 19, 2009
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I had a Gerolsteiner team jersey back where I used to live. I rode it to death because it was the best fitting and overall most confortable I had. Moved to Germany, wore it on one ride and the first cyclist I encountered had some harsh words regarding the team. Rode home, never wore it again, I don't want to worry about being bullied during rides.
 
Mar 12, 2009
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I came upon a guy in full Astana kit coming across the Golden Gate Bridge. I looked at his bike and noticed it was a Giant, not a Trek. Clearly not on the team.

Anybody get the bikes to match their outfit? One of those Liquigas Cannondales would be sweet.

As for wearing team kit, do others do it as fans, or just because they like the look?

I have no team cycling clothes.
 
Andrichuk said:
What about a world champion jersey when part of a team kit? Do you not have to earn riding for a pro team?

Way I see it, your all being elitist. If some one wants to fork out the money to get a worlds kit then by all means do it. What ever gets you on a bike.

I think I agree - it is elitist. I guess don't see that as a bad thing.

If you become the best at your chosen thing - you become one of the elite. Should that be valued and held up as something special? I think it should.

I guess the bit about wearing the kit is probably down to one's personal perspective - for me I would be generally be uncomfortable to wear something I hadn't earned. But each to his own.
 
Jun 16, 2009
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Only team kit I've got is the genuine article - from friends who race pro and the team either changes their design or they have changed teams and they give away or sell their old gear. Even then, it's mostly only stuff that we can't (or can't afford to) buy in shops - things like thermal jackets that also get used for XC skiing in winter.

Only time I've ever worn a full team kit was to give a friendly hassle to a friend who always wears team kits ... and I managed to dump myself on the deck at about 70km/h and ruin what had to be the most comfortable pair of bike shorts I've ever had. There's probably a message for me in that one ... ;)

My partner often wears team kit - she got given some by a couple of women's teams who she massaged for when they visited NZ a few years back. I definitely reckon that's an OK thing to do - because it was their way of saying "thanks" to her.

Overall I'm not a fan of wearing team kit. To my mind, it's something that has been earned by the rider in question rather than something that you should be able to go and buy in a store. I understand wanting to support your favourite team or riders, but maybe there are other ways ...

If there wasn't such a poseur culture in cycling, I would probably feel differently. :)
 
Jul 7, 2009
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I don't pay much mind as to what sort of cycling rags other riders are wearing. When my niece came for a visit from Germany, she brought me a Telekom jersey. I thought the magenta color was kind of cool for visibility. The way I see it, if you're going to spend good money on a jersey, I may as well support the home team, as I'm originally from Germany. I also have a Mapei jersey, just because I thought it was a cool design.
 
Apr 20, 2009
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El Imbatido said:
My views on it are as such:

1. Team kits are fine. Where i live in Australia i see people out in team kits all the time and not just protour kits. I've seen LPR, Cervelo and plenty of older gen kits ie. ONCE, the yellow Saunier Duval kit (i guess also for it's brightness), T-mobile (also the same reason i guess). I just about always wear my Silence Lotto, Astana or CSC kit. I love them.

2. National Champion kits i dont like. I guess it is sort of a 'you should earn it' kit and also the Champion Of Australia kit is shithouse, looks gay and i wouldn't be caught dead in it and i would try to crush them if i saw someone wearing one.

3. Same with world champion kits. I see them as more as a 'earn it type kit' and again i don't think white is a real good colour especially if you have to wash it.

4. Grand Tour Jerseys are a definete no-no. I don't think ive ever seen one of these in a bunch ride either. Also if i saw say a KOM jersey in the bunch it would definetely get the competetiveness going with me not leting up till i probably crushed them with my awesome display of quad power.;)

What are your thoughts???

I pretty much agree and for the same reasons. I would never wear that stuff, including team kits. But what others choose to wear is their business.
 
Mar 18, 2009
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Personally, I only wear my amateur team's kit when I ride, or rarely a reproduction wool jersey from one of the old-school teams (Faema, Bianchi, etc.). I might wear a pro team kit if I were working for that team as a mechanic, but other than wrenching for Fly V Australia at the Tour of California this past spring I haven't been in that position in a few years.

As far as what other cyclists wear, around home there are a number of professional, state, and national champion riders that live and/or train in the area (San Diego, California) so it's not always a good idea to assume someone is a Fred because of the kit he's wearing. Of course there are plenty of obvious poseurs, but I don't mind because it helps me to identify the casual riders and weekend warriors. In my experience the number of pseudo "pro's" and "world champions" increases dramatically the closer you get to the back of the group ride. :p
 
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I buy nice bib shorts and whatever jersey is on the sale rack. I don't think I would ever buy any of the "earned" jerseys or something like a Disco kit, but if another were on the sale rack, I would buy it if it were cheap. I am much more worried about comfort in my stride than I am about looking good.
 
Mar 18, 2009
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I tend to agree with what everyone is saying. No to national champion, world champion and GT jerseys/kits. The KOM jersey would be funny if it was so obviously tongue-in-cheek. I did see a very shapely female rider wearing the world champion kit on Beach Road after Boonen won Paris-Roubaix this year. I didn't mind that too much. :D

As for team kits, each to their own. I have a few old team jerseys (Gerlosteiner, Festina and Liberty-Seguros). I liked the look of the Gerolsteiner jersey, I have no idea why I bought the Festina jersey, and we bought the long-sleeved fleeced Liberty-Seguros jersey on Col du Galibier at the 2005 TdF when the temperatures dropped and we were getting cold. I like buying my bibs separately, so no team bibs.
 
Aug 4, 2009
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Team kits are OK but riders should be encouraged to wear bright onesw not black so as to be visible.

It makes a better target for mororists.
 
I think team kits are cool. Do not have any myself but do not mind others who wear them. Also, do not think I would wear a yellow jersey from the TdF or the world champion jersey. I do have a most courageous rider jersey from last year's ToC. Mainly because it was cheap and I like the 'breakaway from cancer' message.
 
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elapid said:
As for team kits, each to their own. I have a few old team jerseys (Gerlosteiner, Festina and Liberty-Seguros).

hmmm there seems to be a theme going there... if i see a 2007 astana jersey on sale will buy you one to add to your collection.. :D
 
Mar 10, 2009
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dimspace said:
hmmm there seems to be a theme going there... if i see a 2007 astana jersey on sale will buy you one to add to your collection.. :D

I think it would be difficult to discontinue said theme, in case one is interested in team kits... ;)
 
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i do occasioanlly still chuck the old long sleeved pdm one on if its cold (my old kas is far to small, the wife now has it..)

its amazing the attention it gets.. riderss over 30 all give a wave, a thumbs up, or kinda want to shake hands or tell me what a great shirt it is.. wear it to races and i just get mad foreigners coming up, pulling at it and shouting "sean kelly" at me.. (including sean kelly who saw me wearing it and waved madly)
 
Sep 8, 2009
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completely agree with 2, 3, and 4...

as for 1. I guess, really thinking about it...I find it weird to see non-team personnel rocking team kits, it's one thing IMHO to wear a jersey top...but full kit? meh...
 
dimspace said:
i do occasioanlly still chuck the old long sleeved pdm one on if its cold (my old kas is far to small, the wife now has it..)

its amazing the attention it gets.. riderss over 30 all give a wave, a thumbs up, or kinda want to shake hands or tell me what a great shirt it is.. wear it to races and i just get mad foreigners coming up, pulling at it and shouting "sean kelly" at me.. (including sean kelly who saw me wearing it and waved madly)

I have a PDM short sleeve jersey. The inside is sort of a terry cloth, so it is great for cool weather.
 

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