Have you ever been told to take a good look at yourself? Usually it infers that you need to smarten up your ideas, get your shit together, shape up or ship out. If Viagra eyedrops had an advertising campaign, (or indeed existed), their tagline would be: “Take a long, hard look at yourself.”
Most Cyclists need to take a long hard look at themselves. Ourselves. We could do a lot better in the public relations sphere if we took more care to use our playgrounds, ie the roads, as road users rather than pseudo-racers. And we need to take a long, hard look at ourselves every time we kit up and head out the door for a ride. Because what you see in the mirror is what others see also, and we should present ourselves as smart, tidy and sensible, rather than walking fluoro billboards or wannabe Pros.
The mirror is one of the most overlooked pieces of a Cyclist’s kit, and one that needs to be looked into a whole lot more than I suspect it is, going by the rolling messes I see out on the roads on every ride. Of course I’m not endorsing a Rule #66 violation, no sir. Offensive attire isn’t exclusive to the slovenly who go shopping in their tracky pants and Crocs, or the mostly smartly-dressed professionals who top off their neat-pressed pants or skirts with a fucking sleeping bag. You’re not George Costanza, so don’t bother.
It shouldn’t be necessary to tell you how to dress for the ride; you should know that yourself. That’s why The Rules were forged; to educate, yet sometimes to berate is necessary. If you are too clueless to put a helmet on your head level, to wear clean and matching kit, or to buy a pair of socks that don’t expose your fucking ankles, you’re either a hopelessly sloppy individual or a completely lost cause. These are the type of people who go out to dinner with their partner or take long haul flights while wearing rolled-up denim shorts, boat shoes and a t-shirt. Even if you have such little respect for yourself, you, as a member of society, should at least show some for those who have to encounter you.
Let’s smarten things up people. I know for the main part I’m preaching to the converted here, but it’s our duty to spread the knowledge and help ourselves by helping others within our ranks. It’s easy. Pick and choose kit carefully, pre-plan well in advance so you don’t end up just throwing whatever isn’t dirty on, and make sure it’s all adjusted properly. And if you’re in with a show of winning a Monument, straighten up that goddamn helmet!
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One of them makes this shit look good
@Rom
@unversio
I've got Giro Zeros (black and white, my wife has straight black, no camo so far!) -- also no closure and no padding on the sheepskin palms. Love them.
@andrew
Since riding the stones in Roubaix I have sworn off gloves. My hands, and some other guys' too, were pretty destroyed half way through the ride. It was from gloves that otherwise seemed fine. Boonen doesn't wear them either. With the quality of today's tape they don't seem necessary and it was quite a nice change going without. Haven't worn them in a couple years now.
@Marko
I saw Boonen without, and it's really interesting to hear that experience. I can't stand padding, and have to confess fingerless gloves were just one of things that I got when I started road biking, as it was part of the standard picture. I haven't had any problems -- or ridden more than a couple of km of bad roads at a time -- but I'll give it a shot without.
There is a small, nagging thought of leather-palmed gloves making a hard landing a little bit less damaging, but I guess I'd have other problems at that point, anyway.
@andrew Just being "what you do" is probably part of it. People just associate glovelets with cycling. Bar tape is so much better these days though compared to the old linen stuff. Good thing there's no Rule about it.
@Rom
Ron, stop trying to make sense of all of this! David Byrne and Rab C. Nesbitt - two fine Scots sartorialists gracing the electronic pages of Velominati at last.
@andrew
I don't wear gloves except for cold and racing, but it is important to have a nice snug fit so it doesn't wiggle around. I also prefer no padding, and my long fingered gloves with padding cause me to hold the bars differently.
@andrew
When I wore the Giro (previously available) Lusso (white) gloves, my fingers went to sleep.
Speaking of Boonen, have you seen this.
How can someone have so much style and class on the bike and so little off it.