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

Buck Rogers says:

Nov 20 2014 at 2:56 pm

@frank

"I have '83-'90 and they are all so much fun. That '90 edition is awesome. When did those stop? I'd love to grab some from the early 90's."

Perhaps '91 was the last year? Not sure. I only have two years but love them. I need to fill out the missing years myself.
Beers says:

Nov 20 2014 at 3:04 pm

ChrisO

I wear my cycling cap anytime I please because I've earned it.

And, in turn I do the same, under a helmet. To be blunt I'm a fucking useless hubbard compared to you ChrisO, so please disregard this by all accounts.

For me, sunshade and perspiration accumulation are benefits that the Uvex doesn't provide lest ye be wearing ye helmet of MTBism. Henceforthwitherforto it is upon the consumption of your many reasoned and respected responses vis a vie le casquette and velo sans helmet that personally I respect anyone who rides has decided to wear their headdress with their own reasoned decision. It is not for me to change their mind, nor for them to change mine, though we always reserve the right to change our own opinions. With Velominati as a control sample of the internet, this change can be on a whim.

I see abominations of cap exhibitionism, yet can only lay claim to wearing that most clichÃ© of clichÃ©, the Brooklyn, purchased in starry eyed wonder of De Vlaeminck, only to find it the most maligned of all. But hey, can't afford a new one, and it works, and I don't have to look at myself when I'm riding do I. Ha.

Once wore it to a bar, in a town flooded with cyclists for the largest event of the year, and didn't get served. Lesson learned, but I do wear it about town that weekend.

Would post a pic, but you know, don't have any more self esteem to lose..
frank says:

Nov 20 2014 at 3:44 pm

Mutton chop style pinnacle premium sample

And this picture just rules.
frank says:

Nov 20 2014 at 3:46 pm

[dmalbum: path="/velominati.com/wp-content/uploads/readers/frank/2014.11.20.15.14.43/1//"/]
RedRanger says:

Nov 20 2014 at 4:18 pm

@frank

@brett

@Rob

@Barracuda

@Mikael Liddy

You know the real questions though, where the fuck are the V-caps?

THIS !!!!!!!

It's time to begin a V-Starter for V-caps. This would be a KickStarter to raise the initial lucre to make the minimum order. I imagine it's got to be a fairly large number of caps and therefore I purpose that we canvas the community and do the math so that at each level of donation you would receive more caps.

What, for instance a large donor does with say 200 caps is irrelevant, it is the means to an end and I am betting that In a hundred years they will sell as collectible.

This. It's been long talked about in the Boardroom, and it seems so simple to produce a V-cap, but it's not. Getting the right mix of quality, price and number has been a seemingly insurmountable task. But we're gonna get there... we must.

Teaser

Looks great. How would it look without the V on the bill? either way just take my money already!
Chris says:

Nov 20 2014 at 4:23 pm

On the bike, yes. Off the bike, caps (or any other cycling kit for that matter) are wrong.
Chris says:

Nov 20 2014 at 4:25 pm

@frank

@ChrisO

Some of us carry on l'esprit de casquette.

For example, riding our bikes wearing just a cycling cap.

Try it someday, you might not die.

Until then I refuse to listen to the opinions of anyone who either:

a) doesn't wear a cycling cap when cycling or;

b) wears a cycling cap under their helmet when not obliged to do so e.g. by event or UCI regulation. Worse than the non-cap wearer. They want to suck up the sangfroid of the cap, but are afraid to do it without the helmet. Be one or be the other, not both.

I wear my cycling cap anytime I please because I've earned it.

Oh no, don't start that again!

Oh happy days. Productivity went out of the window that week.
RedRanger says:

Nov 20 2014 at 4:40 pm

I use a cap when Im driving to a mtb ride(or any ride) working on a bike, riding a trainer, watching a race and of course when I ride without a helmet(gasp)

I am very much in favor of taking back the cycling cap!
Ron says:

Nov 20 2014 at 4:41 pm

#5, #9, #10...well, there ya go.

Souleur - awesome. How true!

"Why are you wearing that little cap?"

Do you have any goddamn idea what this "little cap" can do?!

They look awesome (when done right) and they serve a myriad of purposes. Hell yeah, I'm gonna use this tool and put up with fielding questions from you idiots.
Buck Rogers says:

Nov 20 2014 at 4:54 pm

@frank

4 / 7

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Who's the RMO rider? Definitely not Mottet and my small knowlegde has him as about the only RMO guy I can remember.