I was at a high school cross country meet today, and the lady on the lead bike had a full-out team cycling uniform with sponsor logos and everything. What is the need? She wasn't racing, and she wasn't even training. Why do cyclists feel the need to show off their fancy clothes at every opportunity?
I think it's called gratitude for the sponsor.
I think it's called trying to look cool. They think by wearing those tight things they buy themselves some sort of merit, but really it just turns everyone's thoughts from "Oh, there is a guy ridin' his bike to save gas," to, " I hate that arrogant, dick cyclist."
actually... wrote:
I think it's called trying to look cool. They think by wearing those tight things they buy themselves some sort of merit, but really it just turns everyone's thoughts from "Oh, there is a guy ridin' his bike to save gas," to, " I hate that arrogant, dick cyclist."
When you say "everyone"....?
Most riders who are on an official racing team are required by contract to wear their racing uniform anytime they are riding, especially when a lot of people will see them. When I was asked to join a team, this was the case.
All but 1/1000th of one per cent of American cyclists good enough to make any money.
They look like big-time losers with those uniforms - like a 18:50 5K guy wearing "his colors" signifying he is a "pro runner" - what a joke - very embarrassing
B/c most of them are pretty sweet. Sure it's a bit showy, but why knock people for loving what they do. Seriously, why do you care?
If runners feel like they can wear Daisy Dukes out running then cyclist should be able to look gay also.
how many football jerkoffs wear their jersey all day at school? plenty.
how many fan boys wear pro/college sports gear (hats, shorts, tanks, etc.)? plenty more.
I've often wondered about this. I'd personally be embarrassed to do it. One thought is that those get-ups are probably a bit pricey and you may not want to be paying for other gear specifically for training only??? I don't know, but 97% of the cyclists I see ride just this way, so I think it goes beyond trying to look cool. Certainly it has entered the consciousness of more than 3% that they may look funny training with racing gear, so it must be something else.
One other idea is that those funky futuristic helmets they wear just don't jive with anything other than the likewise styled race-wear.
Yes! Someone else is seeing this. Cycling is the most vain sport out there. You are shunned if you show up for a group ride not decked out in pro gear. Ridiculous.
I feel like this thread has been done a number of times...
First, I totally agree, it can be a vain sport. The bikes are expensive, so by that point I figure the cost of clothes are pretty small. Plus, I like to be comfortable on long rides.
However, those clothes have purposes. You'd be mocked for running in basketball shoes too.
Baggy clothes can get caught on things and aren't aerodynamic. It makes riding in a pack a bit more dangerous and makes you less stable in windy conditions. Nobody wants to ride with someone who might be a danger to them, and it's selfish to think otherwise. A crash can happen for the stupidest reasons...
Aside from that, the shorts have padding that make sitting on the seat a lot more comfortable. But they don't have pockets. The kits ("jerseys" or "cycling shirts" or whatever you want to call them) have pockets, so whenever I'm tempted to wear the cycling shorts and a tshirt I realize I need to carry my keys or some cash or some warm clothes just in case, so I decide it's just easier to wear the kit. I've done short rides in a tshirt and shorts (especially if I just went for a run), but it's more important for longer rides, so it eventually becomes habit.
IllinoisMaster wrote:
I think it's called gratitude for the sponsor.
This. Even amateur racing teams have sponsors.
Plus, if you've been racing for a few years, you'll have so many racing kits that it's not worth buying extra logo-free non-team gear just to make some running geeks happy.
It's so that they can carry stuff in the pockets of the shirt! Spare tube, small pump and/or CO2 cartridge, allan key set-- these are all essential on any ride, just in case you get mechanical difficulties (which is VERY common and annoying). And then there's those slightly less imperative but still important items such as cell phone, cash, and car keys if you drove.
The shirts are functional, just like the things running dorks wear. The shorts are obviously about comfort and performance as well, but that's a little more obvious than the shirts.
Bottom line, stop being judgemental asses. Runners do some pretty seemingly ridiculous things too that just require a little understanding from outsiders.
dagewfdsf wrote:
I feel like this thread has been done a number of times...
Only 25 or 30 times.
I won't ride my bike without the shorts so that my ass doesn't hurt for the next 2 days. I will ride without the top but generally I wear a running top. Many times I wear my biking top though so I can carry stuff.
Owl Runer wrote:
Only 25 or 30 times.
Those are numbers :)
I think people are confusing the real issue here. It isn't that they are wearing race day type of gear (spandex shorts with padding, and cycling shirts with the pockets in the back). That is expected to be worn on most legitimate training rides. It's the fact that 90 percent of them are wearing team kits. Just today I saw some guy with a Garmin, Discovery, and Astana team kit on. And I am just about positive these recreational riders aren't in anyway associated with these teams at any level.
They are expensive and they need to get the unit cost down.
No. I hate what runners wear. (Especially what my coach makes us wear) So I'm damned sure gonna hate on those cocky bikers, when I regularly bike 15 miles in baggy shorts and a t-shirt, with no problems. Now that's comfort. And don't try to make an argument that it makes you perform better on TRAINING RIDES, where the idea is to become a stronger athlete, and biking at x:xx per mile to set a new pr isn't relevant. How stupid do you think we are?
Bill the Pill wrote:
It's so that they can carry stuff in the pockets of the shirt! Spare tube, small pump and/or CO2 cartridge, allan key set-- these are all essential on any ride, just in case you get mechanical difficulties (which is VERY common and annoying). And then there's those slightly less imperative but still important items such as cell phone, cash, and car keys if you drove.
The shirts are functional, just like the things running dorks wear. The shorts are obviously about comfort and performance as well, but that's a little more obvious than the shirts.
Bottom line, stop being judgemental asses. Runners do some pretty seemingly ridiculous things too that just require a little understanding from outsiders.