FasterNearGirls

I need newer, better fitting, jerseys and/or kits. I've run accross some good deals online for PRO Team Jersey.

Are there any guidelines that would prevent me to want to wear any given PRO Jersey considering I hardly know the teams and their riders? Can I just pick whichever one I think looks nicer without the risk of infringing some unwritten rule?

Please don't start fireing all kinds of stuff at me.. I'm exactly asking because I am new to the sport yet have been riding really hard and suspect that I may be onto something, thus the questioning.

Thanks.

Doohickie

If they're being sold on the open market, why wouldn't you buy and wear them?

Now, if you're going to be racing, there are restrictions as far as what you can wear, but if you're just talking about just going out and riding, go for it.

Blackdays

Wear whatever you want.

Except when you're racing.

Homebrew01

Join a club and wear their clothing.

mpath

After my Sunday ride at the local coffee hangout, spotted a pos.....er, oops, roadie wearing a full Lampre kit. But my bike was the only Wilier out there. Just sayin'...

VT Biker

Look,
you are free to wear what you want. But be prepared for the fact that many, many cyclists consider it in violation of the unwritten rules to wear a team kit that at the very least you do not ride for, and even more so with Pro-Team jersey's, you would never be able to ride for as we all suck in comparison.

kj5423

i wore some cheap pro jerseys last year before i joined a racing team

why? because they have pockets on the back. they look cool. and they were cheap.

much better than wearing t-shirts. or even one of those single color generic jerseys. those are made for guys who ride with their wives while pulling a baby in a trailer behind them.

pro jerseys are cool.

AndyK 

I can see buying a pro jersey only, if you like the team, etc. Buying the entire kit would be silly.

Ultraslide

If you really cared what other people thought, you wouldn't be running around with shaved legs in bright spandex. Wear what you want. Just not in a race.

badhat

most racers will think youre a dork

its up to you whether you care or not

most people who pass racers on the road in thier cars think racers look like dorks

no matter what youre gonna do, someone is probably gonna think its dorky so basicalyl you just have to decide whos estimation/opinion matters to you, if anyones.

kj5423

agreed. i did not get the full outfit. pro jersey with plain black shorts. the whole kit together looks ridiculous.

Rocket-Sauce 

Here we go again.

Wear whatever you want on a ride (you can't wear another team's kit in a race). Support your favorite team by wearing a team jersey/bib/gloves etc. No different than wearing a replica cap, jersey, etc of your favorite MLB/NBA/NFL/NHL/MLS/etc team or player.

People who have a problem with showing their enthusiasm/fandom by wearing pro kit need to get over themselves.

All the pros I have talked to about this are flattered that someone would wear replicas of their work clothes.

Now someone post a picture of the fat guy in the lampre gear with socks, sandals....

abstractform20

youre an adult asking other adults what clothes are cool to wear. you have failed.

ps-denim shorts with sandals are the way to go. shirts are the man, maaan.

VT Biker

Kind of related...
I was at the Boulder Velodrome recently, and saw a guy in full Team Sky kit in the lobby. My first thought was that the guy was a complete tool for wearing the entire kit. I wanted to ask him in jest how his season was going in Europe.

About 30 seconds later, I saw a Pinnarello Dogma with SRM and O-Symmetric rings on the bike...oh and it had the name Greg Henderson on the top tube. He was in town for some R&R over Easter and some altitude training.

I ended up getting to ride with Greg Henderson on the track that day, even chased his wheel some sprint drills and vice-versa. Needless to say, before you are too quick to pass judgment, especially in Colorado, make sure it is not an actual pro.

VT Biker

Grown men should refrain from wearing jerseys with another person's name on it. However, I get the feeling most men wear oversized NFL/MLB or NHL jersey's to cover up their bulging stomachs.

badhat

see to me thats sorta the reason its dorky. we pretty reguarly have pros or guys from development programs roll up for our group rides or races here in team kit so my default assumption is that if youre flying the flag, youre on the team.

obviously a fat 50 year old in a euskatel kit isnt hurting anybody but when dudes show up for rides in garmin kit, and theres garmin guys or jamis or jelly belly or fly V guys there, it strikes me as sorta tacky, so i'd just err on the side of not inviting that sort of confusion.

again, youre all grownups, but thats what pro kits say to a lot of folks when we see them in our rides. its up to you whether or not you care.

ravenmore

Pffft. I have an old CSC jersey that I wear at the local crit series sometimes because it's been crashed a couple of times already and I don't care what happens to it. I'm independent this year - if anyone has a problem with it they can pick a cheek and kiss my ass.

Rocket-Sauce 

Why do so many old fat guys love Mapei stuff?

roadiejorge 

Wear what you want. Whether you're a poser or not is determined by what you do on your bike than what you wear.

badhat

man there are many many many things that are sold on the open market that should not be bought nor worn in public.

FasterNearGirls

Thanks everyone for giving me all sides of this.

This partly confirms some of what I was thinking in terms of judgement in group rides etc. On the other hand, I agree that I should buy the cheap/ nice quality and good looking Jersey but for all means refrain from wearing the full kit.

FasterNearGirls

https://www.probikekit.com/us/2011-pr...-clothing.html

I like the HTC

caloso

Same sort of unwritten rule applies here too. You're probably safe with a jersey that's retro or for a disbanded team, say ONCE or Mercatone Uno or Motorola. 7-11 or Brooklyn is always cool. USPS is probably on the line, though.

Whatever you do, don't show up in a maillot jaune, maglia rosa, or rainbow stripes unless you've actually won them.

VT Biker

I will say that overall, at least along the front range, I do not see nearly as many people around here wearing Pro kits as you might expect. It makes me wonder who buys all of these kits sold at Colorado Cyclist or Excel Sports?

FasterNearGirls

Hmmm.. I have a USPS