In our continuing guest article series, @eightzero weighs in on the modern cycling jersey. It’s made of some unholy material which has a half-life of fifty years and unless you crash in it, it’s still in your kit drawer.
Yours in Cycling, Gianni
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As the song goes, “we need dirty laundry” so goes the pile of road gear. While the preferred kit is the Sacred Garments of the Velominati, it is also true that said SGs need periodic washing. Nothing is worse (and potentially dangerous to one’s health) than pulling on yesterday’s bibs and jersey. I know the commandment to heed Rule #5 at all times, but staph infections are taking it to the extreme. I suspect even The Keepers would not endorse throwing one’s self to the pavement intentionally to acquire road rash just so we can look like Jens. Since giving the Machine a quick rub down after the ride is a priority, getting the SGs through the laundry often requires a delay.
Thus, most Velominati have a store of various bibs, base layers, gloves, and jerseys. And the latter is what gives me pause. Oh, what to do with those jerseys acquired with stars in my eyes – when those same jerseys and logos were adorned by the True Giants of the Road I so wished to emulate? A certain Texan made buying postage stamps cool, and then I had to have shark week on my TV. My sister-in-law was afflicted by MS, so it was natural that I show my support for the Tyler Hamilton Foundation, and his teeth grinding rides with CSC. And then, I had to look like Floyd. Had to. He was the Guy That Got Screwed. The guy that stood up to the alphabet soup groups. The guy that was going to make a difference and provide the hardmen with fairness.
Yeah, that turned out well.
I do my level best not to think that I have more invested in cycling clothing than I do in Machines. This clothing stuff is expensive. And, even though I now know that USPS was likely defrauded, that THF spent donations on Ty’s legal defense, that I can’t afford cable TV anymore (much less a science-y channel on the premium lineup) that CSC… well… hell, I don’t even know what CSC makes. And of course, Floyd has moved on to something called NASCAR, something I don’t even think of as sport. (I know I am going to catch hell for that, but really, driving in circles isn’t even exercise. What will be next? Olympic bus riding?) But I still have all these perfectly functional cycling kits and jerseys. They will function just fine, but somehow they always seem to find their way to the bottom of the stack, far, far below the SGs. I seek the path of the Velominati, and it is oh so hard to feel the guiding hand of Merckx upon me when resplendent in the wardrobe of… douchebags.
I guess I can be a little philosophical – I did resist the urge to buy Rock Racing’s kit – the most expensive of them all. Sure it looked pretty jazzy – I even met Michael Ball once – but $280 for a jersey? No wonder the dude has more money than, well, the United States. And I just never did get around to a Bahati Foundation jersey. I think my internet connection was down the day Floyd was on that team. My dad does like his Phonak hearing aid I got for him though. So I got that going for me.
So, off I go to eBay again looking for bargains. I see BMC kit prices are way, way up. For now. Sigh. Guess I’ll have to have one. La vie Velominatus.
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View Comments
@ChrisO
I used to wear a defunct Dutch National Champ jersey using this same reasoning. The jersey looks like our flag and I was announcing my allegiances. But its a champ jersey, and its been retired.
@mouse
Gold!
@frank
I'd never get a Motorola kit (not that I don't respect most of that team). And really, I don't think I'd really fly other team colors. If I'm not wearing my own team kit, I keep it simple: black shorts, solid color Castelli jersey.
@scaler911
Or the V-Kit?
I've read through all the posts and think the ten year rule is the way to go. I don't wear pro team kit (the mean streak in me considers it overpriced and I'd rather spend the money on the machine than the man) but the one I've been most tempted with is La Vie Clair. It has everything; classic riders (need I mention Lemond & the Badger), classic battles (ditto), artistic palmares (Piet Mondrian) and even a page in Wikipedia! Above all, it looks stylish, perhpas even more so today than at the time. Scary thing is, while writing this I've found (a) that they are available and (b) they aren't that expensive. Am I on the slippery slope to a rule infraction?
@paolo
What marko said.
@frank
Damn, Cipo was da man, thanks for the memories.
Yes I am a sinner. I was just out in my inherited Motorola jersey today, channeling our boy Sean Yates and yes I own the full Zebra kit in honor of Cipo. Two large friends and myself went all-in on the Zebra kits, we all looked bad in it and basically were afraid to be seen in public in them.
@Colbagger
Do it man, La Vie Clair has some modern gravitas. The ten year rule has some merit.
@RedRanger
No, I'd rock the V-kit if (as I hang my head a bit) if I wasn't on the hook for team kit every season. We use Castelli top end stuff too. Gets spendy when you have couple bibs, couple SS, 1 LS, 1 vest and one jacket (not to mention I haven't brought up the Speed Suit to the comptroller yet). But yes, there is one in my future. 'Sides, I kinda consider myself part of the VM team now anyway.
So talking about kit, merino/sportwool is a good all-weather base layer, more or less?
Nice article, tall guy. I agree with most of the comments, including NASCAR and flavored badgers. I would just add that I also tend to steer clear of kit that wears its giant logo on its sleeve, as it were. I don't ride for Brand X any more than I ride for Nissan Leper Shack. Give me a tasteful cog or scorpion any day.
@xyxax
Or pay for the right to advertise for them.
@DerHoggz
I had a similar but different question. As far as baselayer, we did yesterday over 4 hours in 0-4 C weather with some climbing n sprinting and stopping. Had a thicker smartwool baselayer on (under a normal cycling polypro jersey and gore windstopper light jacket). At the end, no clamminess, a little bit of hypothermia, and some exhaustion. Used it and a thinner version this past cross season, which was a bit warmer and drier than last year. Always wicked like a champ, short/long rides, aerobic/anaerobic times. So I will be asking VMH for more of those base layers (and they don't pill much at all). AND NO POLYPRO FUNK!
So my question is, those old school wool jerseys- do they perform like smartwool, or do they get soggy and funky?