Pantani shows how to do it.
Whenever something tries to be something it isn’t, you wind up getting into trouble. Those Cutlass Cruisers in the 70’s and 80’s with vinyl wood panelling weren’t fooling anyone. Neither are those linoleum tiles in my kitchen; not one person in history has ever mistaken them for being marble. And Lycra has never tricked anyone into believing it was a pair of jean shorts. Despite the extra effort to add a fly and pockets to them.
Which brings up an important point. Looking Pro is not the same as Looking Fantastic. They mostly just stumble into looking cool because they’re on their bikes so much that everything becomes natural for them. But Pros frequently look completely crap, often because their sponsors are paying them to wear something no one in their right mind would ever wear. Like denim-printed bib shorts. But sometimes, when you’re baller enough, you can pull off the most horrendous of kit and still Look Fantastic.
Pantani is the only rider on the long list of those who rode for Carrera who ever pulled off this look. Shit, he even pulled off the all-denim-print long sleeve jersey. He might even have special-ordered it, just to prove he could do it.
Don’t try this at home, kids. You are not this cool, and you can not pull off that look. Pencils down, class dismissed.
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@Rick
Time for you to ease up on the Bud Lite. Or make confessions like this in a different thread than "Look Pro".
@MangoDave
Haha, not a confession just an observation. As for me, I have a full Pantani hair style.
@Rick
Hmmmmm . . . having the hair long enough to cover the neck in the case of a mullet is a case of "too much, too late" as the wearer's neck has already been exposed to he sun and is therefore red in hue.
Mullet for cycling? Must be a TVM thing?
Business up front, party at the back!
@wiscot
It is not necessary to have a sunburn to be a redneck. Although I currently live in NYC, I grew up in a part of the US where the mullet was a functional rather than a fashion choice.
Personally, I wear an under helmet bandanna pulled low enough to cover my neck, sort of a faux mullet. I suppose you can take the boy out of the country, but........
Although I am Dutch, like Gert-Jan and Henk, I never liked the mullet, but for these dudes, they are iconic. Only they are able to wear them. Henk nowadays sports a full Pantani haircut fwiw.
The German expression for a mullet is something to remember: vokuhila. Acronym for Vorne Kurz, Hinten Lang (translated: front short, back long).
The Dutch word is "matje" which translates into "small carpet".
@KogaLover
The small carpet translation made me think of Vladimir Karpets, who sported a world class mullet by the way.
Since this thread has been revived, I guess I have to post this. Circa 1995. That's me in the middle with my Hollands and denim shorts.