Let's settle this once and for all; Wearing pro-team jerseys :)

[pace-line]

Originally posted by crystal_tears_
I usually wear my club jersey with non team bib shorts and plain gloves when out riding. I choose to wear my short sleeve Mapei jersey when it's too warm because i haven't gotten around to buying a short sleeve club one yet.

As for people wearing team jerseys and shorts then fine as long as they don't go the whole hog and ride team bikes while wearing matching cap, overshoes, jacket, helmet and drink from a colour coded water bottle. i think it's a tad overstated for my liking. Just my two farthings worth

 

[alicem]

Originally posted by Grunt
LOL!

I ride a Trek, not an Airborne, but I was Airborne (Infantry)!

Hence you even mentioning the above really does meant you are a Grunt.

 

[alicem]

Originally posted by alicem
Hence you even mentioning the above really does meant you are a Grunt.

-t (meant)

 

[pinarello_32]

I recently bought a retro Pepsi jersey off ebay, nothing spectacular but I prefer it to my cheap no brand jersey because it's generally better made and is warmer than the other one. It's also less "boring"; there's more variation in the design than the no brand. So I just think you should buy for comfort over looks, and consider the cool design an advantage!

 

[mrowkoob]

Originally posted by pinarello_32
I recently bought a retro Pepsi jersey off ebay, nothing spectacular but I prefer it to my cheap no brand jersey because it's generally better made and is warmer than the other one. It's also less "boring"; there's more variation in the design than the no brand. So I just think you should buy for comfort over looks, and consider the cool design an advantage!

I have several pro team jerseys and bibs from probikekit.com .
It´s not really the team colours I´m after. The sale at probikekit has enabled me to try out different brands at a much lower price than what you can get non team kit at. For example I have assos with csc-tiscali logos, cannondale/saeco and fassa/ pearl izumi and so on all of which never have cost me more than 40 USD for the bibs compare that to the 120 USD that a pair of assos bibs usually costs....For me it turned out to be a cheap way to find out that I prefer Pearl Izumi as opposed to Assos and nowadays I just buy plain pearl.

You get a bit of banter sometimes for wearing team kit. Since I sometimes ride with former and current CSC riders you´ll have to put up with it, which I gladly do

 

[pinarello_32]

The team shirt I got is Fanini and it dates, would you believe it, from 1987.
It's a year younger than me! Yet it looks fairly new.

 

[rek]

CONFESSIONAL.. I've always been one to never even consider wearing a rainbow jersey/maillot jaune/etc. for reasons of respect to those who have earnt them. (Pro team jerseys are OK by me as long as its not along with the matching knicks/waterbottle/bike/etc. I only have plain black knicks and arm/leg warmers.)

I find Cannondale jerseys really comfortable. Much nicer than Nalini, Netti or SMS. And I've found someone who has eight of them in my size, and willing to sell them to me for a good price. I'd be an idiot not to buy the lot. But.. two of them are Volvo/Cannondale MTB world champion jerseys. To make matters worse, both my bikes happen to be team replica coloured Cannondales for purely pragmatic reasons (one I bought secondhand, the other was all my LBS had in stock of in a closeout deal.)

Do I listen to the fashion police, or just buy the lot simply because they're so damn comfy? Decisions, decisions

Hmm, the white jersey and bright rainbow would make for a nice and safe high-visibility commuting top .. oh the sacrilege! What am I saying!

 

[graf zeppelin]

Personally I think its silly to be concerned about wearing a pro jersey or full pro kit (since wearing something that matches generally looks better, be it pro or not). I look at it as supporting your favorite team and cheering them in the best way you can, since its unlikely you'll be joining them anyway. In this regard its not at all unlike wearing an NFL jersey of your favorite player to pitch the ball around or wearing a Kobe jersey on the basketball court.

People who let wearing this sort of attire go to their heads and believe then they are a better rider than others less attired I could see having a problem with, but never met anyone like that. If you're a purist, ride only your club colors, or ride only generic biking wear, I respect that, provided you dont look down on those who enjoy supporting their favorite pro team and feel proud or happy wearing that.

As a point of honor though, I'd never wear a Worlds jersey or any of the points winning jerseys -- you must earn those, in my opinion. We dont have any business wearing them unless we earn them. As a point of courtesy though, you'll also never see me look down on anyone who opted to wear one, even though I disagreed on the point.

Its really too bad this is even an issue and a topic. Kind of makes me stay away from clubs since I'm certain I'll find some riders like this there. For myself, I'm a climber, pretty much ride alone and have been riding Euskaltel for a couple seasons now. Happy though to ride with anyone who doesnt wish to make this an issue. Life has too many as it is.

 

[pace-line]

Originally posted by graf zeppelin
Personally I think its silly to be concerned about wearing a pro jersey or full pro kit (since wearing something that matches generally looks better, be it pro or not). I look at it as supporting your favorite team and cheering them in the best way you can, since its unlikely you'll be joining them anyway. In this regard its not at all unlike wearing an NFL jersey of your favorite player to pitch the ball around or wearing a Kobe jersey on the basketball court.

People who let wearing this sort of attire go to their heads and believe then they are a better rider than others less attired I could see having a problem with, but never met anyone like that. If you're a purist, ride only your club colors, or ride only generic biking wear, I respect that, provided you dont look down on those who enjoy supporting their favorite pro team and feel proud or happy wearing that.

As a point of honor though, I'd never wear a Worlds jersey or any of the points winning jerseys -- you must earn those, in my opinion. We dont have any business wearing them unless we earn them. As a point of courtesy though, you'll also never see me look down on anyone who opted to wear one, even though I disagreed on the point.

Its really too bad this is even an issue and a topic. Kind of makes me stay away from clubs since I'm certain I'll find some riders like this there. For myself, I'm a climber, pretty much ride alone and have been riding Euskaltel for a couple seasons now. Happy though to ride with anyone who doesnt wish to make this an issue. Life has too many as it is.

Well stated GZ. To me, anyone willing to give more than a glance to another cyclists attire, clearly lacks focus and perhaps ability. A sad reality, to be riding, and the best statement one can make is to embroil oneself in arguement over "fashion" opinions, yes?

 

[60cycle]

i feel that you should wear whatever you please while you ride, whether it's a USPS team kit or Molteni with wool shorts. But i have to admit that i draw the line at yellow jersey knock-offs...

spin on...

 

[team bianchi]

i have a team bianchi top and gloves . but nobody should wear a leaders jersey or world champions jersey if you want wear them do it the hard way.

and what to you people think about wearing the same pro team on your jersey,shorts,gloves and caps should you wear that or can you wear like different pro teams on things

 

[hwttdz]

There's a wicked crit course near my house, 6 or 7 nice corners and a 300 meter climb that's almost as high, long curvy descent on the other side. I'll go out there and do a bunch of laps and they're more fun if you go faster, of course it's a neighborhood so people see me go by, then again a few minutes later. I'm just thinking they cheer for me sometimes, I never wear team jerseys but I've heard them say "go Lance Armstrong guy." This is well and good because I like Lance, but what if I didn't, what if I was a hardcore Jan Ulrich fan. If I didn't wear a jersey how would they know, and possibly this could offend me, being called lance armstrong guy. Second say I was a dutiful little Jan Ullrich/T-mobile fan and wore my flamboyant hot pink, what if he still called me Lance Armstrong not knowing that hot pink is T-mobile and hot orange is Euskatel.

Just a thought.

 

[TrekDedicated]

I wear my USPS outfit with pride. I also have a simple red and white jersey with black shorts. I don't care what people think b/c I know for the most part, I can show them up.

Who cares? People can think what they want. But if non-cyclists make 'fun of you', tell them to look at themselves. Those people are probably wearing 'Yankee' hats backwards with a HUGE Alan Iverson jersey covering all the way down to their knees.

For fellow cyclists, why should you be able to comment on what someone else wears? if it makes the person feel good to ride his/her bike, good for them. (Providing they look 'good' in spandex. lol) You could call that person a 'fred' or a 'poseur', but that is just being a jerk. UNLESS,OF COURSE, the person is a complete moron and has no skills. If it's purely fashion, then no mercy. And I think most of us can tell if a person has some skill or not.

LA and the USPS team or any other team have done wonders for the sport in America/World (I know cycling is a HUGE deal in the rest of the world). So if people who are dedicated to riding want to wear that spandex, let them.

I like spandex and it likes me. I'll wear what I want and if someone wants to call me out on it, they better be able to support their accusations or they may just get my cycling cleat across their face.

If it bothers you sooo much, just pedal on past them.

 

[caligurl]

*rolls eyes* at this whole discussion...

i'll solve the dilema.. RIDE NEKKID!

sheesh....

 

[Daremo]

Actually .......... LA and the Posties have done nothing more than make people more AWARE of cycling ..........

The actual numbers of people that have gone out and purchased road bikes since he started winning is in-line with the rest of the industry predictions for growth. In other words ... there is no correlation between his exposure and results with the increase in road bike sales ............ There was just an article on cnn.com about that.

My take as an amateur road racer for years who is just getting back into the sport (and previous bike shop employee for five years), team clothes are for members OF the team ......... no one else should have any business riding with them, especially the one's who go out completely decked out from head to toe in the regalia!! "Fred" is too kind of a word for those dweebs ...... It is ok to buy a jersey and have it for a back-roads ride by yourself, but team regalia is an absolute no-no to any real racer.

And it doesn't matter if you think you can smoke anyone who criticizes you, because you know what? That old fart with the old wool jersey and the knee high socks will probably be the one that can destroy you in all situations. Don't be so high on your abilities, YOU aren't racing in the TDF ...........

 

[graf zeppelin]

My take as an amateur road racer for years who is just getting back into the sport (and previous bike shop employee for five years), team clothes are for members OF the team ......... no one else should have any business riding with them, especially the one's who go out completely decked out from head to toe in the regalia!! "Fred" is too kind of a word for those dweebs ...... It is ok to buy a jersey and have it for a back-roads ride by yourself, but team regalia is an absolute no-no to any real racer.

Hmm. Call me "Fred" then, or do your worst. I ride Euskaltel and have been a couple years now. I dont belong to a club. While that might be nice, the attitude is sometimes... I dont see any problem at all riding your favorite team colors. You're promoting their sponsers, their riders, their team in a country (I'm speaking US here -- its a different story overseas) that knows little about the sport outside of Lance and USPS. You dont have to look far to find team branding of almost every other sport on most every other fan in the US. Doesnt belittle them or their favorite sport any.

I love this sport, ride hard, and respect and wave to anyone else I see on the road. I like to think we all do. I frown on the concept of wearing any worlds or leaders jersey unless you earned it -- because those things are the true privelege of accomplishment. But pro kits? I'm not going to give a total stranger I meet on the road a hard time about attire. Just ride people...

 

[Daremo]

I don't give them a hard time, but i also won't give them the time of day ..........

 

[Aztec]

Contrary to popular belief, there are indeed moral rights and wrongs. Read carefully the rights and wrongs of jersey-wearing...

If you are riding alone, wear whatever you want. Observers, should they care, are on their own to interpret the meaning of your gear.

If you are riding in a race, you must wear your team's gear, or if you are unattached, wear something that is not associated with any team, period. You must also not wear anything that implies anything about any other race that you did not earn (in other words, go ahead and wear the commemorative "1998 Little Smokies Hill Challenge" jersey you earned, but do not wear the National Champion, MJ, or Pink Giro, etc., jersey unless you earned that, too).

On a group ride, you must use your discretion. By wearing a team kit, you are inflicting a cost upon those around you (by forcing them to be associated with someone who may be viewed poorly by observers). Of course, if your riding partners are OK with that, then you are free to wear what you want.

Observe these rules.

 

[Aztec]

And think about this...

My wife, who knows a teensy bit about cycling, came home the other day and said "Hey, I saw a couple of Postal riders today."

She felt betrayed when I explained that chances were very good she was seeing something other than legit Posties. Now she points out pro kitted riders from time to time and says "Look, it's another rider from Fassa!"

 

[mmamster]

Sorry for posting another thread on this but seriously, you really are that judgmental about what clothes someone else wears that you won't ride with them? You sound like school kids in the playground bagging some poor kid for wearing the wrong sneakers. Wear what you want, when you want to, and don't let anyone tell you different!

Cheers