superdex

To me, "style" is best applied when viewing someone as they're riding. How they fit on the bike, how it moves underneath them, whether they're wrestling or dancing. The 20mph, 75rpm lazy cruise. In that sense, a and s can be pretty closely related.

As long as the kit is coordinated, that's good for me. I tend to view "poser" these days as 'wearing a UCI team's kit*.'

Then again, anyone I see out on their bike while I'm in my car gets props. They're out there; I'm not. Good on them

And to appropriate Fernando, I've always said, "You have to look good while you're looking good...."






*unless, of course, you're on the team, natch.

Broctoon

Yes, this. ^

I have to catch myself sometimes. I'm in my car and see someone riding. I might start to think, "He has a janky looking setup. What's up with that handlebar?" Or maybe "Totally wrong kind of bike for where he's going," something like that. Then I stop and remember, anyone who's on a bike has more biking cred (at that moment) than everyone driving a car. The most amateur, outdated, low-end bike on the road* is more legit than a brand new $15k race bike hanging up in a garage.


* I'll qualify this with one exception. When it's an adult on a BMX, riding on the wrong side of the road, he gets no props. That doesn't really count as cycling in my book.

burnthesheep

The team kit thing depends on locale also. When I went to France for work I stayed in Paris to do touristy things and watch the last day of Le Tour. Fandom of cycling in Europe is more like American football in the US if you had to compare and contrast it with fandom of cycling in the US. There are average joes who don't ride bikes hardly even for pleasure at all in Europe who are HUGE fans of bike race teams. In the US, it's largely among those it is already a hobby. Just a different world.

I've a photo I can't find now from that trip of a 20+ strong Bora fan club all in team kit that rode into Paris the day before the Tour arrived to ride the Champs and then eat lunch together at a cafe along the route. Average rider size probably well over 100 kilos. But good for them. They were living a dream of theirs having a big ole time.

The pro bike circuit is so tight on money compared to things like top tier futbol, American football, Formula 1.........that any cash influx from fans buying stuff (even to annoy people to wear while on rides) means the show gets a little more jingle in the pocket to carry on. League minimum in the NFL is $660000. The league minimum on world tour teams is 36000 euros. So, in that light........I give it a pass if it means I can enjoy watching them race.

delbiker1 

My thoughts of style on a bicycle are such that riders that have high level skills usually look stylish when riding. The comfortable confidence, smooth stroke and handling, exude style.

genejockey 

I'm a big fan of "Never Pay Retail". My Sunday ride kit is Castelli - bought for cheap when Performance folded up their bricks-and-mortar stores. And Sidi shoes - bought from Sierra, the outdoor gear arm of the TJ Maxx/Marshalls empire of inventory clearance. Often on my Ritchey Road Logic - purchased with 8 speed Dura Ace in 1997, right after 9 speed Dura Ace came out, for 2/3 list price.

Expensive stuff is often good stuff, and it doesn't become bad stuff when it goes on sale.

pgjackson

Style is subjective. A road cycling enthusiast's sense of cool style is way different than a MTB cyclist (or the general population). The only people who find anything about road cycling to be remotely "stylish" are other road cycling enthusiasts. I prefer to wear a loose performance shirt and shorts over my bibs (especially if I think I might get off the bike and walk around at some point. I'll take the cool-points hit on that.

guachi

It's really hot in Augusta, GA in the summer (and if it's not hot it's raining). I saw an older guy today on a cheap, loaded down bike. Neither his outfit nor his bike were anything special. To me, anyone riding a bike because they have to has way more style than someone who is riding a bike because they want to.

PeteHski

This plays out in a very similar way with skiing. Years ago (like a good few decades ago!) we used to joke around observing guys in the lift line and trying to figure out their skill level based on their gear. If we saw a guy wearing a rainbow coloured onesie we would assume he must be totally awesome to pull it off!

tempocyclist

I'd disagree with you, but... It's possible I'm a bit of a poser... 🤣 I always coordinate and LOVE a bit of retro team kit!

superdex

US Posties kit, on a Posties Trek, in Australia?

That's style for days


of course, I will bust out my phonak winter jersey sometimes, just to be ironic for the maybe 3 people I might pass who'd get it....

LarrySellerz

I dont get the whole "poser" thing. Like who cares if someone has expensive gear and a nice bike but are a weak cyclist, maybe they are rich

Andy Somnifac 

I have no style and mediocre skill.

I couldn't care less what someone looks like, they can't look worse than me. It's all about how strong and safe they are on a bike.

PeteHski

I agree. If you were rich, why would you want to ride a cheap bike in cheap clothing just because you lacked skills/fitness?

Having said that, even though I could afford any bike I like (I mean I'm not super rich by any means, but this isn't off-shore power boat racing!), I am conscious of not trying to look too much "all-the-gear-but-no idea". I passed a guy on a steep climb recently during a Sportive, fully dressed in race kit, pushing a brand new S-Works Tarmac, head down in shame. It was not a good look. I'm sure at that moment he would have wished for a temporary kit "downgrade". I know I would!

GhostRider62

Because you are a sleeper who crushes the hearts of elitist snob posers. And you don't even know it.

pgjackson

I don't care what you look like (or what you think I look like), but I have to admit that I do kind of chuckle when I see people decked out in full race kit casually riding a hybrid at about 10mph. I see that quite frequently. Usually it's someone a bit older, so I guess props to them for getting out there and staying active. But the whole race kit on a hybrid at a casual pace deal cracks me up.

Andy Somnifac 

All that matters is that they're enjoying themselves. They could be wearing a Big Bird costume or a full race kit, as long as they're not endangering anyone else, their enjoyment is the proverbial "it."

pgjackson

That is true. Still makes me laugh a bit. Who cares what I think?

seypat

Rdmonster69

I'm gonna ride in my sleeveless Pearl Izumi jersey after work .... and my helmet is technically a MTB helmet but I snapped the visor off and it looks better now !!

Andy Somnifac 

I leave the house looking like this:



I have literally zero room to say anything to anyone about how they look.

EDIT: In my defense, it was a wet/rainy/humid morning. That certainly didn't do my beard any favors.

SoSmellyAir

After carefully reviewing this thread, I urge all of you to put aside your differences regarding bikes, group sets, kits, fitness, style, skills, etc., and join those of us focused on condemning those riding e-bikes dangerously.

Andy Somnifac 

How does one condemn something dangerously? Sounds like my kind of danger.

Rdmonster69

I condemn everyone on an e-bike .... usually under my breath tho ....dangerous to mouth off to people that aint breathing hard !!

caloso

I love it.

Broctoon

Hear, hear!

Those are not real cyclists. Kudos to them for at least getting outside. They could be sitting on their couch getting fat, but they go out and at least try. I don't care what they or their bikes look like any more than I care what someone is doing on his motor scooter. I respect what's done by anyone on a bike propelled exclusively by muscles!