Yellow Jersey VS Yellow Outfit

[mr. tibbs]

Anyone else feel a sense of satisfaction at seeing Chavanel in the yellow jersey but not the yellow bibshorts and gloves and handlebar tape and sunglasses and socks and bike and helmet and arm warmers?

I think it makes the jersey stand out a lot more when it's wearer has on their normal kit plus the maillot juane. I sincerely hope that Contador's taking notes for when he puts it on in July.

Here's a link to Chavanel in the jersey on stage 4: http://www.cyclingnews.com/road/200...09/mar09/parisnice09/parisnice094/PIC10251983

It almost looks weird at this point to have a race leader who's not painted head to toe-covers in yellow...

 

[umfundisii]

Anyone else feel a sense of satisfaction at seeing Chavanel in the yellow jersey but not the yellow bibshorts and gloves and handlebar tape and sunglasses and socks and bike and helmet and arm warmers?

Agreed. It seems so. . . presumptuous to be so prepared with all the yellow. I equate it to ridiculous touchdown dances done by American football players. "Hey, look at me. I'm awesome. I may never attain this level of awesomeness ever again, but I'm awesome right now!"

 

[Flamme Rouge]

Classic gesture by a classic rider!

 

[Bluebeard]

With you on that Mr. Tibbs - I hate the over playing of the yellow, it reduces the value of the Maillot Jaune in the tour in my opinion. Similarly, Alberto lost respect in my eyes when you saw him in Pink and Gold shorts last year. Only Cipolini or Bettini had the character to pull that off in recent years.

As far as I can tell, the first Tour winner to do it was Pantani. Fortunately Armstrong didn't follow Pantani's lead. Landis revived the bad idea in 2006. Another sin, almost as unforgiveable as the one he was convicted of...

 

[Jamsque]

I mostly agree, I have to say. I loved this at the TdF last summer:

Frank and Andy in yellow and white with the black CSC shorts looked stylish as hell.

I think the only real exceptions to this rule are either if your sponsor's colours clash horribly with the jersey you have won, or time trials. I think it's perfectly OK to have a nice custom coloured skin suit for your TT.

e.g Andy Schleck at the '07 Giro:

and Sastre at the '09 TdF:

 

[lookkg386]

Agreed. It seems so. . . presumptuous to be so prepared with all the yellow. I equate it to ridiculous touchdown dances done by American football players. "Hey, look at me. I'm awesome. I may never attain this level of awesomeness ever again, but I'm awesome right now!"

Agree when it seems they almost expected it and had a bike all painted up and all. I remember a couple of years ago Thor got green at the tour and had the all green gear on including bike and next day lost it to Boonen who in turn the very next day had the green bike!, seems to predictable these days, nothing like the theatre that Cipo had...

 

[byledobiec]

guys, it's "only" Paris-Nice don't panic

 

[benpounder]

Given how goofy cycling attire already is, I find a bit of irony in the complaint regarding how the leader of a category chooses to dress.

 

[schism]

Point taken it may look goofy, and only those actually riding the bike look in any way acceptable, off the bike is simply terrible, but to see a race leader covered from head to toe in yellow, pink with a matching, bike, bar tape, helmet and glasses justs looks horrible. Jersey only please!

 

[pmessal]

I don't have a strong feeling about the head to toe color coordination one way or the other, but I'll tell you what I find rediculous...The Olympic gold medal winner sporting gold shoes, or a gold helmet, or gold pinstripes on their bikes etc etc for FOUR years. I know Bettini popularized the practice, but the idea of watching Sanchez cling to glory from ONE race in 2008 until the summer of 2012 seems like overkill!

 

[Power13]

I mostly agree, I have to say. I loved this at the TdF last summer:

Frank and Andy in yellow and white with the black CSC shorts looked stylish as hell.

I think the only real exceptions to this rule are either if your sponsor's colours clash horribly with the jersey you have won, or time trials. I think it's perfectly OK to have a nice custom coloured skin suit for your TT.

e.g Andy Schleck at the '07 Giro:

and Sastre at the '09 TdF:

Skinsuits are now provided to the jersey wearers by the race organization, so they usually end up being a single color, head-to-toe.

To some degree (this is NOT universal obviously), I think the growing trend is that those who know they won't have the jersey long tend to be those who deck out, head-to-toe. Those who feel they have a shot at holding on go a bit more subdued. Again, this is not universal as Evans showed last year (and AC @ the Giro), but it seems to be gaining momentum.

AT least I hope so....

 

[franciep10]

Skinsuits are now provided to the jersey wearers by the race organization, so they usually end up being a single color, head-to-toe.

To some degree (this is NOT universal obviously), I think the growing trend is that those who know they won't have the jersey long tend to be those who deck out, head-to-toe. Those who feel they have a shot at holding on go a bit more subdued. Again, this is not universal as Evans showed last year (and AC @ the Giro), but it seems to be gaining momentum.

AT least I hope so....

I like how the blue and the pink looked at last year's giro

 

[yetanothergreenworld]

God, black shorts just look so classy . . . Some other dark color is okay, as long as your jersey has plenty of white by contrast (cf. Quick-Step, Credit Agricole).

Brightly colored shorts are one thing, but having a specifically white triangle on the crotch, like Garmin did last year . . . who thinks that's a good idea?? Who???

 

[jaylew]

Nah. I don't like it at all when they don't go with the matching shorts. To me it looks tacky - too many different colours. And if the shorts are just black it looks too much like the weekend warrior. The matching look is more professional to me.

Now, I don't need the bar tape, bike, etc...

 

[yetanothergreenworld]

And if the shorts are just black it looks too much like the weekend warrior. The matching look is more professional to me.

Keep in mind that this is all relative: colored shorts look "professional" to you because pros have been wearing them for the past 10-15 years. Back before the mid-90s black shorts (w/ some kind of logo stripe) were the rule among the peloton. So the question is, what look do you prefer, not what look is more "professional." I just think black is a better base color for any color of jersey. Everything looks good with it, even that hot pink old T-Mobile jersey.

That said I agree that if your shorts are already some color that looks bad next to yellow, adding a yellow jersey to them will look a whole lot worse than yellow shorts. I actually like what Landis did on the La Toussuire stage of 2006 --

he got a special pair of black Phonak shorts to go with the mj:

 

[Cosette]

It kind of depends on the kit...
Let's take the pink jersey as an example.

If the leader is from Saxo-Bank it would be fine on their own shorts, they're black, no problem.
But if the leader would be from Rabobank I wouldn't mind an all pink attire, considering the pink would clash horribly with the orange and blue of their own shorts...

But the matching handlebar-tape and bike is a little bit over the top...

 

[Ovidius]

Is this a grumpy old man forum or what???

Out of all the things to complain about, Outfits??

If companies want to spend money making matching kit for their riders, then that is cool. Nothing wrong with a little exuberance. It is not presumptuous either, if you are a favourite, so what?!

As for standing out... Having a bright yellow rider, with a yellow bike, yellow shoes, helmet, bar tape etcetc How is that not standing out?? Surely it shows a certain level of celebration of the idea of the yellow jersey and pride in wearing it.

More importantly, I think it adds something to Cycling - giving it an edge over other sports. Which Cycling has desperately needed in the past few years.

 

[jaylew]

Keep in mind that this is all relative: colored shorts look "professional" to you because pros have been wearing them for the past 10-15 years. Back before the mid-90s black shorts (w/ some kind of logo stripe) were the rule among the peloton. So the question is, what look do you prefer, not what look is more "professional." I just think black is a better base color for any color of jersey. Everything looks good with it, even that hot pink old T-Mobile jersey.

Yeah, I've gotten used to the "new" look. I never liked the T Mobile kits for that reason.

I do like the Cervelo Test Team black shorts. Of course, they match the top.