The cycling cap was part of any kit: nearly black shorts, team jersey and cap. It would be matching, it would be cotton. In the day before the required helmet, the cycling cap was it. Unrestrained by helmet or hairnet, the cap was the crown upon the head. It would sit high on the head, not pulled down like a baseball cap. It sat no higher upon the head than upon Giuseppi Beppe Saronni’s fine Italian head.
Beppe wore the cap with an unrivaled sense of italian style. The cap perched up there, as if it just landed, light as a feather. How it stayed there in the breeze, we don’t know. Perhaps the Saronni skull had just the perfect shape to hold a cap. We will leave that for the Phrenological scientists and the pathologist.
Rule #22 states the wearing of a cap may be for a brief interval before and after a ride, otherwise it has to be hidden under your helmet. That is a sad state of affairs. Maybe we need a national day of helmet-free cap riding. What is the worst that could happen? Do we have to ride the old timey Strade Bianche if we long to spend a long time in the saddle wearing a V-cap? If we can only wear it for a brief time or while using toe clips, is it an anachronism? Is it time to take it back: wear it in the bathtub, in the car, gasp, while walking in public? This idea has been discussed before here; the cap is ours, we should own it. When and where would Eddy wear it?
Behold the Beppe.
[dmalbum path=”/velominati.com/content/Photo Galleries/j.andrews3@comcast.net/Beppe/”/]
This video has been posted on the site before too but it deserves a wider audience.
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best cotton cycling caps were made by Apis. They made them for all the teams and made to fit over hairnets. A heavy cotton with brilliant ribbons over the top.
who makes them like that now?
@poppapro Castelli. And no one will be wearing a cap over a hairnet these days.
@unversio
Sounds like it would be perfect for Gianni.
Giordana caps are pretty good, in a functional, last for a couple of years kind of way.
Best one I've bought recently, and I have a fairly regular cap-procurement programme, has been these guys: http://www.chapeaucycling.co.uk/chapeau-clothing/cotton-cycling-caps.html
The cap is like any other to all intensive porpoises but the clever bit is they have put a thin felt band around the inside, so it gives it some good grip at the front and also helps the sweat deflect into the brim. Bit more expensive than others but highly recommended, plus I like the graphics and the juctaposition (conflation, whatever...) of the message and medium.
Badfingers... justapitions, juxtapotion.... gahhh - contrast.
@ChrisO Your renowned inner pedant will be needing a lesson in Rule V right about now....
@sthilzy
That's the ONLY flaw? Really? I suppose if you want to ride around looking like a pinata, don't blame me if passers by try to whack you with sticks. (insert emoticon here)
@mouse
@Mikael Liddy
re: Attaquer and Fiasco kit
The Only question is would Merckx have worn these? Mario def but I doubt, even if he was racing today, Eddie would.
@ChrisO Sorry to be pedantic but I am really particular about my caps and this just lies outside my envelop of comfort. Both, and most importantly, the cut and style of making (brim is a hair to big) and the graphics... Perhaps it is not fair to judge on an image?
@Gianni
He,he, love cranking you up Gianni! And I know that I am a troll for hijacking the post with the list thang but it was done with love cause the Board needs to get on the cap and I was just trying to prove that this could be really big!
Here we have over 26 orders from 13 (CrisO wants V but did not add his name to the list) and that was in only a few hours!
I mean there's a boat load of crazies out there who NEED this!
@Rob
Cipo is coming out here next week. Unfortunately the day that he is doing a private ride with our team (sponsor also sells Cipollini bikes) is also the first day of the Tour of Sharjah. Trying to get the shop to organise something else for us - it seems a shame that their best riders are the ones to miss out.
@Rob Graphics are a matter of taste, granted, but the brim is exactly the same as every other cap I have - my Campagnolo rainbow stripes, Assos 'Italia' cap, various Giordana, Lazzaretti bike shop and I stopped checking after that. No issues there.