Anatomy of a Photo: Sock & Shoe Game
I know as well as any of you that I’ve been checked out lately, kind of like Luke Skywalker hiding away on Ahch-To. But unlike Luke – who cut himself off from The Force – I haven’t cut myself off from The V, so I find myself compelled to take a moment out to celebrate Billions and Billions’s sock and shoe game.
Massive love happening here.
They are yellow, obviously.
The guns maketh the sock.
(hello, old friend!)
Of course—and I know this is really what you’re after: those socks would even nicer if they were white.
Holy fuck! Let me be the first to say that it’s good to hear from you.
I’m not sold on the neon socks and shoes, but I’m very conservative in that department. I feel they clash with the rainbow bands.
Incidentally: the summer’s footwear will appear thusly. It helps with my left and right.
Holy shit Frank, welcome back.
Sagan can do what the fuck he likes. The end.
A-Merckx I had to check the date there twice.
Just waiting for Summer……..
Praised be Merckx! So good to see a new post from you Frank that I decided to finally register after years of silent sidelines-watching the site.
Thought that Velominati has gone the way of the dodo!
Regarding Sagan: He’s a rockstar, can do whatever the fuck he want, but he’s wearing the rainbow bands, FFS! Black shoes and white socks (with no rainbow bands, mind you) should be mandatory for world champions.
Happy to see the site and @frank alive and well again.
@RobSandy
A-Merckx to that.
And welcome back Frank.
Well, well, well. Nice to see you back!
Me? Pure white Shimano R9s are just waiting for their maiden outdoor ride. (I live in WI, so it might be a while.) And, as always, socks will be white, or maybe, just maybe, black, but no colors FFS. This is not the 80s and we are not riding mountain bikes.
Speaking of shoes, I’ve a sweet pair of blue and white Sidis looking for a new home at a keen price. Size 44.
Hey @Frank – how’s the shoulder?
Holy shit @Frank’s alive!
Awesome. Now let’s get this site back on track, sort your mates out, I’ve no doubt they earned it and let’s say the last 7 months were just a dream.
Socks black or white. None of those fashion statement things please.
@JohnB
A-Merckx todo that!
Well, this is a pleasant surprise. I assume it was because of all the nostalgic music posts this week that inspired getting the band back together.
I will be wearing white, traditional length socks for this weekend’s rides. I’m no Sagan, after all. On a good day I might be able to out sprint his grandmother.
@MangoDave
I will be wearing white, traditional length socks for this weekend’s rides.
Merckx bless you sir, bless you.For you are clearly a righteous man.
@Tomás Leal Elgueda
dildo more likely than dodo
I cannot wait to see the end of the ridicoulsy tall socks fad. What was considered standard sock length five or six years ago right now is seen as unacceptably short. Since slightly taller socks started being considered cool, the self-proclaimed cool kids wore them slightly longer, and right now we are in a situation were each season the socks are 1 or 2 cm longer on average than the year before. Some are even approaching the UCI maximum sock height limit, the middle point between knee and ankle (thanks UCI for this rule that everyone laughed at, you got it right for once).
It only seams reasonable that the right sock height remains at the narrowest point of the leg, a few cm above the ankle. There, the shape of the leg keeps the sock in place without any need for tight elastic bands at the end. Also, they are long enough to be clearly visible, but still let the legs themselves be the main focus of attention, as they should.
And in case there was any doubt, just google pictures of Mercx. Yes, it was a long time ago, but those guys got it right.
What a pleasant surprise. Just happened to check in, half expecting to see the broom wagon. There’s a place on the internets for this place. What’s next? Cameo appearance from Lance?
Frank. Sagan. Socks.
Life’s good.
White sox and black shoes are soooooo uncool… really ? Cheers all
@RobSandy
I agree Sagan could wear socks with tassels on the back, who the F are we to say. Although I think neon wear can only be worn if you can lay enough smack down to where your friends are unable to heckle you from the throw up in their mouths…
Yo Frank! Rule #28! Going to get me some fluoro now!
@frank Well at least we know you have internet access… how about using it to email us.
Good to see you back Frank. Kind of like old boys weekend here. Where’s the keg?
@xyxax
Come now: we are not animals.
@blau
You nailed it my friend; you got your physics and physicals synched.
@Teocalli: I also thought this was another rerun of some old articles and seeing “2018” for the first time on this site made me blink several times (OK, is also early Monday morning in the office).
@Steampunk: Presume you have 2 pairs of these shoes, right?
@Steampunk
Fixed your post
@Steampunk
You’re right. Animals would not increase their sock height as the varicose veins head north.
@MangoDave
Always having one greasy shoe and one clean tells me which foot they belong to. Is that only me?
@xyxax
Seems like you’re doing something wrong! Never had that problem.
@MangoDave @KogaLover
I’m with @xyxax on this one. If I could interchange the shoes, I’d lose track of everything. One pink. One yellow. Any more than that would be excessive. And extra weight.
@xyxax
I learned when I were nowt but a kid that my left shoe and right shoe were different shapes. I guess that’s wa edukashun duz fur yer.
@Teocalli
Now, see? I got learnt when I was but knee-high to a grasshopper that there were dextrorotatory and laevorotatory optical isomers of a thing called a “shoe”.
So I went barefoot.
oh, and I forgot: NOSE MAGNETS
@xyxax
Me nose is big enough as it is already, thank you very much
I know that I am in the minority, however, I still wish the tall sock thing would just die and go away.
It is like a perpetual bad penny from the supreme twat waffle…
@Robert Sobon
I’m proud to join you in that minority. I even find socks covered in logos offensive. Plain white, or maybe black is the way to go.
@wiscot
To me, the best cuff length is that of Assos. The Spring/Fall sock is what I am thinking of specifically. And, as a benefit to you, little in the way of logo…
@Frank Great to have you back and to see some new content! Keep it coming and make it something more substantial than an AOP! And sort things out with your fellow keepers if its not too late.
Socks: White in the summer and dark charcoal woolie boolies in the winter. Not short but certainly not too long. Winter height should be appropriate to your shoe covers.
Whilst I’m not a massive fan of dayglo socks at all, Angus is and I’m reluctant to intervene; he’s young and needs to express himself. It also stops him stealing my socks. Especially my V-socks. Especially for ‘cross. I’m also failing miserably at preventing him from riding in non-cycling socks.
His usual retort is that we’ll have the sock conversation when I can keep up with him.
Non-cycling sock abuse:
Dayglo monstrosities
V-Sock Theft
@chris
Remind him who used to wear Nike socks………?
@Teocalli
I think he’s trying to look Euro. It’s a Thing.
Our juniors go on about it all the time. One of them rode the last club hill climb in a long sleeve baselayer with bib tights over the top, full finger gloves. It was Euro.
@RobSandy
Bib tights over the top of what? Not his LS base layer? That sounds fucking hideous.
I hadn’t realised Euro was a thing with the young people. Angus has never mentioned it but he’s a Youth rather than a Junior. Maybe that is still to come. Perhaps they’re referring to this.
Euro brings to mind Italian teams with arm and leg warmers that match the main colour of their jerseys and a billion sponsor logos. And absolute overkill when it comes to scarves, buffs and snoods. Fortunately, Angus has recently ditched his red legwarmers.
@chris
Yes, and yes. It was baffling.
Yep, that’s the thing. And lots of fluoro.
@RobSandy
Usually, I’d have suggested that it was because he was Welsh and it may have had something to do with sheep but you would have thought the Welsh cycling youth of today would know better given the sterling efforts of Geraint Thomas as a role model.
@chris
That kid has the eye of the Tiger about him! Looking mighty pro for one so young. Good on him!
@xyxax
Are we moving on from nipple lube. This doesn’t sound as comfortable.
@chris
I’d have taken the piss out of him more but even at 15 he can rip my legs off any day of the week so I doubt he’d have cared.
@RobSandy
I’ve got the same problem with Angus he is about to turn 15 and will happily rip my legs off.
It’s eight weeks until RVV. We’re riding with a few other A Group riders from the club. I haven’t been on the bike for a month due to a kidney stone and it feels like all the good work I’d put in before Christmas has ebbed away. I’m hoping to get the all clear to train early next week but it’s going to be hard to achieve the sort of form I’m going to need to keep up.
@wiscot
Thanks. He’s at that age where he’s beginning to care more about how he looks on and off the bike. He’s also getting quite good at turning himself inside out racing and training. He was in bits after last nights FTP test.
@chris
The Force is strong with this one.
Is his FTP higher than yours now? Must be a sobering moment when that first happens.
It’s certainly higher than my last test and things will have only got worse since then. He also has the advantage of being considerably lighter than me – if I’m going to ride up hills with him, matching his FTP won’t be sufficient, I’ll need to be 20% up on him.
A 20% increase on where he is now is doable but he’s only just started ramping up his training. Who knows where he’s going to be by August when we’ll be on holiday near the Pyrenees.
I don’t need any sobering thoughts, the kidney stone thing has been sobering enough.
@Frank Welcome back!! And the shoes shall be white…unless it rains!