The Punter
They say you can measure the quality of a man’s character by his ability to admit when he’s wrong. That in itself seems wrong, since it would obviously be better to be right in the first place, but I’m probably missing the point because I’m Dutch and everyone knows Dutch people are 97% more righter 84% of the time than the rest of the world.
I must confess to a certain hubris when it comes to kitting up for a ride; I’ve been doing this for a long time, and I’ve gotten accustomed to making good decisions about what to wear and how to wear it. But today I strayed from the path: my socks were carefully and deliberately pulled out over the tops of my overshoes. Not only is it the most concrete evidence that my socks are too long, it looked like I had two orange gaskets stuck to my ankles. Not to mention that this resulted in only a tiny amount of my shins being exposed between my knee warmers and socks.
Sometimes we must stray from the Path in order to understand where it lies; today I have wandered far indeed but have found my way back. Do not lose faith and always seek to return to the Path.
VLVV.
@RobSandy
Forget the dream of dry shoes; never gonna happen.
Instead, pop down to the local store and pick up some shoe dryers. They have the shoes 99% dry overnight, and keep the funky smell out as well.
@Mike C
You want to make sure you let the magnums breathe for maximum V deployment.
http://www.velominati.com/look-pro/look-pro-flandrian-best/
@tessar
Ugh. That sounds like doubling down on a losing hand.
@frank
This from 1986? It looks to me that Bauer’s got this one right. If you can bare your knees, why would you pamper your toes? It’s not like you even need toes.
Also on Dutchie rightitude: tulip-based economy and building a fucking country below sea-level.
And orange: what the holy fuck??
@Steampunk
On another note, check out Kelly’s guns. Who has muscles like that in their shins? Fucking hell.
@RobSandy
The booties only obscure some of that magnificence.
Here’s a Graham Watson pic from a couple of seconds earlier. Smaller, but in colour:
@Steampunk
You’ve got to be pretty fucking right to pull that shit off, son.
@Steampunk
@frank
At least you’re not wearing slippers over your shoes in this pic. Although: burnt orange burns my retinas.
Too: Big Bird’s got bigger guns than that!
It sounds like I’m in the minority here, but having my feet covered keeps me far warmer than having my legs covered. Arm warmers, a gilet, and booties have been sufficient in my experience. My knees and shins are probably the last thing to get cold.
I was originally unsure, but I think booties look fine sans knee warmers. Never without arm warmers though.
@frank
How long were you able to hold that track stand for?
Have any of your questioning oversocks or knee warmers every actually said to yourself, “Damn, my shins are cold?” My shins are essentially skinny bones with a light veneer of pale pink covered, not much to freeze. Until it goes below zero, I go for Kneekers over full leg warmers when road riding.
Frank – who exactly has confirmed that you’ve gotten accustomed to making good decisions?
Am I the only one who says a Daily Winter Prayer that my oversocks won’t get caught on my cleat, nor on my shoe buckle as I try to pull them on and get out the door?
@osbk67
The socks( or “Belgian Booties”) over the shoes is the very reason I chose this picture. This article is about @frank‘s inability to keep his overly long orange socks contained under his own pair of “outer socks”( again..”Belgian Booties”). Now…he may have called them overshoes, but as his photographic evidence points out..they are merely a fancy pair of socks over his shoes( but not his overly long orange socks). So I see the supplied Sean Kelly pic as being a perfect endorsement of such behavior!
Damn, dropping Chavanel there. Could he be one of the best current riders with the thinnest palmares? Guy can ride well in just about any race, but only a few big wins. Yet, he’s always there in thick of things.
Two things:
– even if I wash the bike right after a 9 ride, my gumwalls stay dirty. Any tricks beyond having a proper bike that has all black tires for those rides?
– seeing the legs perched on TT photo has me thinking about a recent recabling. Any Rules on cable routing at the headtube, or just what works/looks the best based on the bike, shifters, routing?
@Harminator
Very well put!
@Steampunk
They’re probably all riding with Ebro in lieu of knee warmers which weren’t invented yet, so this is a flawed premise.
@RobSandy
Seriously!
@Steampunk
Different year; Kelly is not wearing overshoes, and Bauer does not have a cop over his hairnet, and Vanderaerden is without cap in first but with in second.
That is a staggeringly similar composition, though.
@frank
Well…it’s not even Vanderaerden in the first pic….
@Haldy
Wasn’t sure about that, but thought it was worth the punt!
@Matt
My feet get cold pretty easily too. So I’m apt to wear shoe covers/booties in temps where my riding companions wouldn’t (or where they’d be fine with toe warmers, which I don’t have because they just don’t work for me). With or without knee warmers depends on how cold/windy. Definitely never without arm warmers or long-sleeve jersey. Wind vest/gilet if it’s windy.
My booties are 20 year old Pearl Izumis that are decidedly low tech by today’s standards. Basically a neoprene-like material with a fleece lining. Not windproof at all. And, to be honest, not terribly warm once the temp drops into the low 40s. My wife (who works for an LBS) is bringing home a new pair of Pearl Izumi Pro Barrier WXB shoe covers for me today. I know it may offend some sensibilities, but I opted for the screaming yellow (instead of basic black) version. Just wanted something with higher viz.
@Haldy & @frank:
After all that, I failed to notice the absence of booties in the second shot! I figured that Bauer’s helmet was just washed out in the B&W pic. I was also impressed that Kelly had reeled in Bauer so quickly. Nevertheless, titans, both.
1986 RVV is another one of Bauer’s near misses. He was the first on the Koppenberg and soloed away from Kelly thereafter, only to lose his legs in the finishing stretch and finish fourth. The first pic above is from 1987, I assume. Bauer finished fourth again.
@Mike C
@Ron
Completely agree, I’ve never complained about cold shins (or cold knees for that matter). Cold toes on the other hand… So I cycle until quite cold in shorts and then just switch to long cycling pants, but long before that I put shoe covers on. They keep my toes (a tiny bit) warm, my feet (a tiny bit) longer dry and best of all, they keep my shoes clean.
However, my socks never stick out…
Anybody a suggestion on how to keep toes warm? They just plain hurt sometimes…
@bea
1. My socks are all taller than my booties so they stick out. Like I said before, I’m a Philistine.
2. Try toe or foot warmers. Can be found in “outdoor” stores, ski shops, or even in drug stores. They don’t really “warm up” to where you can feel actual “heat,” but they seem to help keep your toes/feet at near body temperature. I’ve even put hand warmers in my gloves. They work pretty well for me for the few times I want to venture out when the temps fall into the 30s.
@bea Tin foil in the shoes. I basically make my own toe things like the Castelli ones but inside the shoe.
I applaud you for the decision to ride and kit be danged. The person and the bike are the important parts. The rest is just gravy. Granted gravy is nice but still just gravy.
@Haldy
In the first pic I think the Panasonic rider is Johan Van de Velde. Francis Castaing is the Peugeot rider on the stones and Guido Bontempi of Carerra is giving him the “thanks a lot, ya wee French fucker. How the fuck am I supposed to get going now?” glare.
@bea
I recently used these foot warmers and they really helped to keep my feet/toes warm. You just stick them on the bottom of your socks. Surprisingly thin so they don’t add any real bulk so my feet didn’t feel like they were jammed in my shoes. You can also get ones that are just for your toes if you don’t want a full foot warmers. Not much price difference between them though.
Oversocks are great. I have a bunch of shoe covers of every kind from lycra to fleece-lined neoprene. However, if sleeves are short = no oversocks. If shorts are worn = no oversocks. With knee warmers? Yes. With leg warmers? Yes. Kelly rarely wore overshoes. Most of the time it was just another pair of socks pulled over the shoes. That pic of him with the blue overshoes is just . . . weird. Maybe another Brancale helmet-type deal.
Pretty sure it’s Van Der Velde in the B&W pic. He finished 19th. It’s not Vanderaerden (10th). It’s not Lubberding (28th) or Lammertink or Plankaert (35th and 36th).
@Matt
I’m actually with you on this one Matt. My legs are the last thing to get cold. I’m a real pussy when it comes to cold toes though.
@Mike C
This.
@wiscot
I just ordered another pair of overshoes specifically for commuting in regular shoes/sneakers. That’ll be four. It’s becoming a fucking joke how many multiples of ALL cycling things I have. Helmets, bikes, shades, shoes, on and on. I keep telling the VMH, “Okay, I need ______ and then I won’t need any more cycling stuff. Period.” I truly believe it when I say it. But, the fact is that since I ride 7 days a week, in one form or another, I’m always encountering some situation that could use the more perfecter bit of kit.
Yes, I’m going insane. Now I just need to save up to build a proper bike house in our backyard. We have the space, just have some other house works needs taking precedence. 2016 will be the year I get it though, one way or another. I can dream…
@Mike C
Having spent many years racing cross country skis in Minnesota, I am basically immune to cold feet.
One important note: riding with bare knees is actually quite dangerous, so I highly recommend covering them below 6 or 7 degrees. This is where knee warmers really come in handy as full leggings will likely be too warm.
I have taken to riding in full leggings lately on easy rides even when the weather does not call for it, because I’m trying to get back to some amount of form and am doing low intensity work at the moment. I find it virtually impossible to ride hard with my legs covered.
Belgian booties can be worn any time, but it is best if at least arm warmers are also deployed. Neoprene demands more intense cold and long sleeve jerseys and at least knee warmers.
Chuck – I bought a pair of PI gloves for $40 when I was just a Pedalwan. I couldn’t believe I was paying that much for gloves that didn’t even have fingers! They’re still going strong and I probably purchased them in 2006. Bonkers.
@Ron
I was wondering why my one of my bigger cycling drawers wasn’t didn’t have room for my long sleeve jerseys anymore.
Apparently this is why.
@frank
Dangerous, physiologically? I’ve never considered that but I will now. Fortunately I do not have to cope with temperatures below about 7*, and even then it’s only for the first hour of a ride.
@Matt
It also depends on the humidity – here in Seattle the lower limit is closer to 10C.
@Mike C
Pants should be worn inside your trousers (or shorts) unless you are Superman.
Well, that makes me feel less bad about my stockpiling. Thanks, Frank!
I was just gifted a new drawer by the VMH. Hot damn, more space! And hopefully I’m not the only one…but I have trouble tossing kit, even when it is definitely shot. When the hell am I going to go for the threadbare bibs that the VMH told me I can absolutely not wear? Since I don’t ride rollers anymore, the answer is never. But I’ll be damned if I’m tossing ’em.
@frank
If some of those are new, I’ll take them off your hands to make room for the jerseys. On the other hand, I doubt my fat ass could fit into them. Your definition of “fat” and mine are undoubtedly incompatible.
@Ron
Congrats! A whole drawer more? How many does that give you? I’ve a five drawer chest that holds, in descending order: shorts and socks, short sleeved jerseys, long sleeved jerseys, under shirts and finally, miscellaneous tights, knicks, shorts. The back of the door to the room has multiple jackets, gilets etc. The bikes and shoes, tools and other ephemera are downstairs in the garage.
As for shedding old gear, I’ve gotten as far as putting them in the goodwill pile. After 10 years, lycra and elastic tends to get . . . nasty. Mind you, I still hold onto a 25 year old skinsuit. Too many memories there!
@frank
Ah, a bib bezoar, those have been known to clog my dresser too from time to time
@frank
are those V leg warmers? or did you get some XXXL arm warmers on your legs?
@Mike C
Could not agree less with this. Knee warmers are my go to through Autumn and Winter. I can’t abide tights, love the look of the EVH’s and it keeps me shaving the guns all year round.
@RedRanger
They are; they are part of the VMR (Velominati Racing Team) kit but as soon as I get around to setting up the product page I’ll chuck them up on the site. Having some prototype knee warmers made right now as well. V from head to toe baby!
Some shitty photos the bottom one you can spy them at the bottom of the shot.
@frank
Very cool!
@frank
Since I cycle in those temperatures with bare knees quite often, you got me interested. Why is it dangerous?
@Oreos, @chuckp, Thanks for the advice!
@bea
Basically, tendons don’t get blood flow so have no good way to keep themselves warm. Since the tendons in the knees are carrying most of the power, the risk increases for tendon injuries.
Possibly reliable source I just googled:
http://www.wholeathlete.com/assets/documents/winter_knees_01-09.pdf
Look at this pro’s setup from a training camp ride today