Les Maîtres de la Casquette

The last masters of the Cycling cap slipped into the shadows at the close of the 20th century

It doesn’t take a genius to see what’s going on here. Rule #5, Rule #9, Rule #10; every rider in this frame Looks Fantastic (most other Rules). The riders are in short sleeves and shorts while the public apparently has scavenged materials from rubbish bins and the local grain elevator in a very visually unpleasant effort to keep warm. When I visualize the 90’s, this photo pretty much shows what I see. (Why was the weather so crap in France during Big Mig’s reign? Only redeeming quality of his wins.)

What this photo also shows is the highest concentration of Les MaÃ®tres de la Casquette, the masters of the Cycling cap, in recent recorded history. We discussed the art of wearing a Cycling Cap before, probably more often than necessary. Like all art, it begins with some founding principles, and then opens itself to the artist’s vision and expression. And like with art, there are The Masters.

In the art of wearing the revered casquette, we are guided by the Three Point System. From there, we are at liberty to express ourselves. In the days before helmets, the peloton was overflowing with masters of this studied art with an early style peak coinciding directly with the point of bushiest sideburns, but it has since all but died out. The last peak was in 1991, when Big Mig, Chiappucci, Bugno, Luc LeBlanc, and Richard Virenque were all at the height of their powers. Like the Jedi after the rise of the Sith, it is the responsibility of The Velominati to keep this art alive.

It also occurs to me in the state of high fever in which I write this, that the transcended Velominatus is always engaged in a Cycling-related activity which could possibly provide a release-clause for any accusation of a Rule #22 violation.

frank

The founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking. As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen. Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.

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View Comments

unversio says:

Nov 21 2014 at 7:50 am

@ChrisO This was probably designed to wear under a helmet.
unversio says:

Nov 21 2014 at 7:52 am

Rapha one-size-fits-all cap is designed for the anatomical pinhead.
David Hill says:

Nov 21 2014 at 7:58 am

@geoffrey

@brett

I wear a cap under my helmet year round because:

a) I'm bald and it keeps my head warm in winter and unburnt in summer.

b) Helmets are compulsory here.

c) It's fucking badass. Buck (and VeloVita) knows.

1

Yes, bald here as well. I need something to soak up the sweat, and to stop diamond shaped sunburn on my much abused pate. The brim keeps the sun off my much abused nose and the rain off my sunglasses. If you grew up in Australia when pink zinc was the only thing going to ward off sun burn, like me, you will likely spend some time at the doctor getting bits of your outer layer burnt or frozen or chemically peeled. Not fun. So, cycling cap under the helmet is a pretty good idea.

I stand corrected, in spades.

My erroneous view of life comes, I guess, from living in such a weather neutral country......

David
David Hill says:

Nov 21 2014 at 8:02 am

@unversio

@ChrisO This was probably designed to wear under a helmet.

Another gem - coffee needs clearing from my keyboard now!
davidlhill says:

Nov 21 2014 at 8:05 am

@geoffrey

@brett

I wear a cap under my helmet year round because:

a) I'm bald and it keeps my head warm in winter and unburnt in summer.

b) Helmets are compulsory here.

c) It's fucking badass. Buck (and VeloVita) knows.

1

Yes, bald here as well. I need something to soak up the sweat, and to stop diamond shaped sunburn on my much abused pate. The brim keeps the sun off my much abused nose and the rain off my sunglasses. If you grew up in Australia when pink zinc was the only thing going to ward off sun burn, like me, you will likely spend some time at the doctor getting bits of your outer layer burnt or frozen or chemically peeled. Not fun. So, cycling cap under the helmet is a pretty good idea.

I stand corrected.

My only excuse is that my opinions were created in a weather neutral country - the UK.

David
davidlhill says:

Nov 21 2014 at 8:06 am

@unversio

@ChrisO This was probably designed to wear under a helmet.

Priceless - another keyboard "cleaning of coffee" moment there!

David
frank says:

Nov 21 2014 at 10:07 am

@Markp

That said only Pantani could get away with a bandana.

Indeed. Kids, don't try this at home!
Chris says:

Nov 21 2014 at 10:07 am

@frank wtf?

BTW what's happened to the plus sign as in N plus 1?
frank says:

Nov 21 2014 at 10:13 am

@Markp

@frank

How can a dude who can even crush a sweat band still look that bad in a helmet.

Would take the Professor sweat band over Jaja

What Le Prof never understood about helmets and caps is your hair can never stick out from under the front; it always has to be tucked back underneath. No forehead showing.

What Le Prof also missed about the sweatband is that while it still follows the three point system, your hair should always stick out over the top of it (same goes for the rare cycling cap with the top cut out). If you can chuck a pair of shades on top, all the better.

Figgles always had it backwards.
frank says:

Nov 21 2014 at 10:14 am

Most Casually Deliberate wearing of the backwards cap while bunny hopping a grave-sized hole in the Arenberg Forest at race pace.