# Pro Cycling Team tops do you wear them?



## RabbitFood (11 Mar 2009)

I am curious to know if cyclists wear the top of there teams choice or is it more the actually cyclist that they like to follow?

Is it like football that you follow a particular team or cyclist? Im just curious really as I love my football and have my team’s top that a wear to football for training ect, is it like that with cycling.

Or is it better to have the clithing of the local team you cycle for?

Or is this frowned upon lol?

AS you might know im new and still struggling with the tight shorts and tops that ill be wearing soon.

Rabbit


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## Lazy-Commuter (11 Mar 2009)

Not sure about the etiquette, but I don't wear a top in pro-team colours .. mainly 'cos I'd be the two-wheeled equivalent of one of those big fat geezers in a Man U top.


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## MadoneRider1991 (11 Mar 2009)

i wear the 07 CSC kit and am looking to get the astana kit this year i love them


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## John the Monkey (11 Mar 2009)

> *The Kit.* Your jersey must match your shorts, which must match your arm warmers, which must match your socks. But under no circumstances should a replica pro team kit or a national/world champion kit be worn unless you’ve earned it. The only acceptable team kit is your own club kit. Retro wool kits are sometimes acceptable, but even that is iffy.
> To look cool if you don’t belong to a club or a team, wear a stock Castelli or Assos kit but don’t mix and match. To be Euro-cool, wear the kit of an obscure European amateur team, but only if you have a story about how you spent the winter riding with them in Majorca to go along with it. Please, no century jerseys (I’m going to take some heat on that one), nothing with cartoon characters on it and never, under any circumstances, go jersey-less. Especially if you are wearing bibs.


http://www.cyclingtipsblog.com/2008/11/how-to-look-pro/



> The cardinal violation in trying to be a cool cyclist is when you buy a full professional team kit (jersey, shorts, socks, etc.) of a team you do not ride for. Nothing screams ROOKIE louder than a full Discovery Channel uniform on a non-payroll cyclist. Steer clear of these overpriced kits. The only time these types of jerseys are acceptable is when they are vintage. General rule of thumb is 10 years after a team’s disbanding. For instance, if you hit the road in a vintage Motorola or Coors Light jersey, you get big style points. Just make sure you know a few of the cyclists who rode for those teams so that when approached by other cyclists, you can sound knowledgeable.


http://reviews.roadbikereview.com/blog/10-tips-to-avoid-looking-like-a-cycling-rookie/

See also;

http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=29616


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## snakehips (11 Mar 2009)

I typically wear tops that are on offer at Prendas , that can be worn with a hint of irony , e.g. a Dauphine KOM shirt ( I am cr@p up hills) , a Ukrainian national champions jersey from 2003 (I am not Sergei Honchar or even Ukrainian , and a champion of nowhere) , a Giro d'Italia maglia ciclamino (nuff said). 
The only 'team' jersey that I have is a 1980's style Del Tongo in bright yellow , so again a bit of irony , albeit of the post-modernist variety !











Snakehips Bikes


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## John the Monkey (11 Mar 2009)

More discussion here;

http://www.cyclechat.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=26810


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## oxbob (11 Mar 2009)

Yes, i support rabobank, i rarely wear my shirt on the bike, but if im down the pub watching a race on the tv i wear it (just to remind the numptys this is why we have paris-nice on the tv instead of horse racing)


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## Will1985 (11 Mar 2009)

I've got several Pro tour jerseys, but none from this year. My favourites are Disco's green themed jersey they used in 07 Tour, Gasparotto's 06 Liquigas Italian champ, and most recently a team issue Garmin-Chipotle top (with radio pocket) from last year. 

You can usually get some good deals on last year's pro teams kit which can be a useful addition to your wardrobe if you don't wan't to spend loads on multiple club jerseys or plain branded clothing. It's still good to have some club or plain kit though for TTs and sportives.

That Euro cyclist rubbish was made up by Americans who have probably never been to Europe.


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## tyred (11 Mar 2009)

Not for me. I don't think it would suit for a fat guy on a thirty-something year old bike to try and dress like a pro. I would look stupid(er)....


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## oxbob (11 Mar 2009)

tyred said:


> Not for me. I don't think it would suit for a fat guy on a thirty-something year old bike to try and dress like a pro. I would look stupid(er)....


It never stopped eddie wearing a molteni shirt


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## cheadle hulme (11 Mar 2009)

I did go through a phase of wearing retro cycling tops _off_ the bike....until someone told me I looked like I was going on a night out down Canal St.

I stick to on the bike now.


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## jay clock (11 Mar 2009)

I never would even consider wearing a branded shirt of that type. Plain cycling shirts, or occasionally a triathlon club one....


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## oxbob (11 Mar 2009)

cheadle hulme said:


> I did go through a phase of wearing retro cycling tops _off_ the bike....until someone told me I looked like I was going on a night out down Canal St.
> 
> I stick to on the bike now.


Just your luck to live near there!


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## Steve Austin (11 Mar 2009)

Yes, yes i do.

I commit the most awful clothing sin, i wear Road tops on my MTB. I will burn in hell for this i know. oh well


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## oxbob (11 Mar 2009)

Steve Austin said:


> Yes, yes i do.
> 
> I commit the most awful clothing sin, i wear Road tops on my MTB. I will burn in hell for this i know. oh well


As long as we dont see you in the red romper suit on any bike!


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## iLB (11 Mar 2009)

i honestly can't believe there are so many people saying how bad it is to wear a team top, just seems silly-surely you should just wear what you like or think looks good? if you spent less time worrying about what someone else is wearing when cycling, and more time actually cycling then everyone would be better off, at least they are cycling


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## Radius (11 Mar 2009)

To be perfectly honest, I'd like an Astana team jersey. Wouldn't go with anything, and would be ironic, but I don't think I'd feel bad about it unless I was wearing the full kit (possibly riding a Madone) and trying to look like I wanted to be Lance or Levi...


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## John the Monkey (11 Mar 2009)

Radius said:


> ...but I don't think I'd feel bad about it unless I was wearing the full kit (possibly riding a Madone) and trying to look like I wanted to be Lance or Levi...


I do see a guy on a blue trek in full Discovery kit every now and then.


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## John the Monkey (11 Mar 2009)

Will1985 said:


> That Euro cyclist rubbish was made up by Americans who have probably never been to Europe.


Funny though


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## oxbob (11 Mar 2009)

John the Monkey said:


> I do see a guy on a blue trek in full Discovery kit every now and then.


I see 2 guys in disco kit on disco paint treks and another in giant/pink telekom this does seem taking the fan thing too far


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## John the Monkey (11 Mar 2009)

oxbob said:


> I see 2 guys in disco kit on disco paint treks and another in giant/pink telekom this does seem taking the fan thing too far



No kidding! I've only ever seen this one chap (usually around Nantwich, now I think of it) and figured he was a one off.


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## Mortiroloboy (11 Mar 2009)

snakehips said:


> I typically wear tops that are on offer at Prendas , that can be worn with a hint of irony , e.g. a Dauphine KOM shirt ( I am cr@p up hills) , a Ukrainian national champions jersey from 2003 (I am not Sergei Honchar or even Ukrainian , and a champion of nowhere) , a Giro d'Italia maglia ciclamino (nuff said).
> The only 'team' jersey that I have is a 1980's style Del Tongo in bright yellow , so again a bit of irony , albeit of the post-modernist variety !
> 
> 
> ...




Like your stylee snakeyboy


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## Mortiroloboy (11 Mar 2009)

I've got loads of cycling apparel... a full Ivan Basso Giro winner cheater CSC kit, a team Fakta kit, a retro ONCE jersey, a Euskadi euskaltel jersey, a full Wilier kit, a Bouygues telecom kit, a Mapei jersey, plus my club jersey and an assortment of branded jackets and stuff, way too much really, but I love the bright shiny colours


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## roadiewill (11 Mar 2009)

yeah Ive got the full 09 caisse d'epargne kit and a cofidis jersey too


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## Dave5N (11 Mar 2009)

Trade jerseys are naff. Club kit. Pride.


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## jimboalee (12 Mar 2009)

When I bought my Pug, there was 'team clothing' ( replicas ) in the sales brochure.
I bunged the LBS £15 and bought the jersey to match the bike.

That jersey has shrunk over the years ( weak excuse ) so I shelled out a s**t load of cash on a replacement. Merino wool, BP Patches ( not printed ), jaquard chequers and lettering; and World champ collar and cuffs. Not many of these around ( al la Tommy Simpson ).

That's the only Trade jersey I wear.
I have a 'Jack of all trades' replica from a TdeF visit in 1988, but don't wear it.

I only wear my teams jerseys on special occasions. Solihull on organised Randos, and Western Wheelers on Race spectator days.


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## MadoneRider1991 (12 Mar 2009)

Radius said:


> To be perfectly honest, I'd like an Astana team jersey. Wouldn't go with anything, and would be ironic, but I don't think I'd feel bad about it unless I was wearing the full kit (possibly riding a Madone) and trying to look like I wanted to be Lance or Levi...



i want the astana kit because i cant really wear CSC kit on my madone lol


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## John the Monkey (12 Mar 2009)

jimboalee said:


> That jersey has shrunk over the years ( weak excuse ) so I shelled out a s**t load of cash on a replacement. Merino wool, BP Patches ( not printed ), jaquard chequers and lettering; and World champ collar and cuffs. Not many of these around ( al la Tommy Simpson ).


I've seen one of those, on a fellow leaving the train I was joining at Wilmslow - they look really smart. (Although for me, the Orange Molteni, or Weils Gruene Leeuw jerseys are the lookers in the range).


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## jimboalee (12 Mar 2009)

Was he pushing a 1975 Peugeot Record du Monde 531?

ps, I've never been to Wilmslow.


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## John the Monkey (12 Mar 2009)

jimboalee said:


> Was he pushing a 1975 Peugeot Record du Monde 531?.


One of the few times I've not noted bike before jersey, I'm afraid 

Edit: I hope there a pictures of that Peugeot somewhere in the gallery secton...


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## colcazal (12 Mar 2009)

Wear what you like!! I have a Motorola 90s shirt that I wear in the summer. Tend to wear my Aldi tops in the winter. Did nt even think that people would make a comment either outloud or to themselves. Some people are shallow and obviously have nowt else to worry about!!

Do your own thing.

Col


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