I am a geezer? When did mid calf cycling socks became popular?
12-09-12, 02:21 PM
#26
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+1, It's becoming popular in running too, at least in long distance events.
We used to have some guys that painted their ankles white to get around the sock rule. The black shorts rule actually made sense back in the days of leather saddles. Sweat combining with a recent saddle oiling could leave some nasty look dark spots on your backside, if the short fabric was a light color.
I used to have a friend who constantly ignored the shorts rule despite my advise. Well, he eventually got turned away from the start bacause of his navy blue shorts. I was in another race, so we ducked behind the nearest building to swap shorts. We had just finished when a police officer walked around the corner, so we narrowly missed a very (em)barass(ing) situation. My friend just made it back in time for the the start but was back in his non-regulation shorts at the next race.
I used to have a friend who constantly ignored the shorts rule despite my advise. Well, he eventually got turned away from the start bacause of his navy blue shorts. I was in another race, so we ducked behind the nearest building to swap shorts. We had just finished when a police officer walked around the corner, so we narrowly missed a very (em)barass(ing) situation. My friend just made it back in time for the the start but was back in his non-regulation shorts at the next race.
12-10-12, 05:46 AM
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Story goes that a Euro pro bucked the trend of wearing anklets and had some calf high socks made. Sponsor eventually made some and it snowballed from there. For the most part the trend settled at 13 cm. The UCI has instituted a rule limiting the height to shorter than halfway between knee and ankle. This eliminated the advantage of compression wear and questionable tan lines in one fell swoop.
12-10-12, 10:07 AM
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Story goes that a Euro pro bucked the trend of wearing anklets and had some calf high socks made. Sponsor eventually made some and it snowballed from there. For the most part the trend settled at 13 cm. The UCI has instituted a rule limiting the height to shorter than halfway between knee and ankle. This eliminated the advantage of compression wear and questionable tan lines in one fell swoop.
12-10-12, 10:10 AM
#29
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It's time for tights in my neck of the woods.
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12-10-12, 10:11 AM
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Higher socks = more advertising space for the pros. You want to be like the pros, don't you?
12-10-12, 10:39 AM
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I'm really suprised that the marketing types haven't clued in to henna/temporary tatoos for maximizing advertising on pro athletes. Most, if not all sports have rules restricting the size and location of advertising (on clothing) but tatoos would appear to be a loophole, at least for one year, until the governing bodies rewrite the regulations.
12-10-12, 11:25 AM
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Never mind mid calf, but when did black socks become so kewhl???
Back in the days,......only the "Uncle Fester" types wore black socks with any kind of shorts during the summer....
Back in the days,......only the "Uncle Fester" types wore black socks with any kind of shorts during the summer....
Last edited by Chombi; 12-10-12 at 12:53 PM.
12-10-12, 11:43 AM
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Very soon after I took up ATB riding, I went to black socks, for practical reasons. After a really good ATB ride, white socks will never be as white as they originally were. Yes, you can bleach them but they lose their elasticity and softness.
12-10-12, 02:18 PM
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I saw in a movie or read in a book, someone remembered riding with Eddy Merckx when he was still an amateur. "You could tell he was an amateur because of his black socks. The black ones didn't get dirty as quickly and the amateurs couldn't afford to replace their white ones often." -or something like that. 
-Andy
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12-10-12, 05:41 PM
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12-10-12, 09:04 PM
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12-11-12, 09:14 AM
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I was just pricing new tights. I may actually go with wool knickers and tall socks this year. That, or XC ski tights, which do the same job but are about 30% cheaper.
12-11-12, 11:16 AM
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tall socks are sexier than those ankle socks.
and black is better than white.
and only euros can pull off white socks / black shoes without looking like a senior citizen
and black is better than white.
and only euros can pull off white socks / black shoes without looking like a senior citizen
12-11-12, 12:37 PM
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Cyclo fashion had never really recovered after the late 80's and the 90's when people started wearing the most ugly, lurid looking jerseys and shorts with pinks, pastels, paisleys, "batik" melange and splashes of colors that made riders look like fruit popsicles on wheels. Black socks are just the cherry on all that ugliness IMO. Why did it all just all go to hell after that short and wonderful period where we saw such beautiful riding gear from Renault/Gitane, 7-eleven, La Vie Claire, Peugeot, Austro Daimler..........Call me a geezer, but I think people had very good taste back then......
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Last edited by Chombi; 12-11-12 at 04:31 PM.
12-11-12, 01:07 PM
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In everyday life, everyone knows dark dress socks with short pants is a fashion faux pas. Why would I do it on a bike?
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12-11-12, 05:52 PM
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Mid-calf, dark/black socks look like dress socks to me.
(Source: https://bikechimp.wordpress.com/2010/...ed-the-podium/)
My short white socks don't get that dirty on a road bike unless I'm out in the rain.
To each his own.
(Source: https://bikechimp.wordpress.com/2010/...ed-the-podium/)
My short white socks don't get that dirty on a road bike unless I'm out in the rain.
To each his own.
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12-11-12, 06:10 PM
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12-12-12, 12:23 AM
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Hey, hey, I know this is C&V where PICS! PICS! PICS! is the mantra, but for this thread, I'm not so sure 
12-12-12, 12:38 AM
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white socks = grandpa
black socks = keeping it real
you never see local racers in white socks, anymore. just grandpas on the MUP & euro pros on the tv.
and wearing *any* sock with shorts outside of sports is bad fashion, to be honest. better off with boat shoes, mocs, sandals, flipflops etc ATMO
black socks = keeping it real
you never see local racers in white socks, anymore. just grandpas on the MUP & euro pros on the tv.
and wearing *any* sock with shorts outside of sports is bad fashion, to be honest. better off with boat shoes, mocs, sandals, flipflops etc ATMO
12-12-12, 12:57 AM
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12-12-12, 07:48 AM
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12-12-12, 02:12 PM
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I think this is what he means (Lance "Keeping It Real" Armstrong):
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