Road Cycling - Style points

Another thread brought this playful idea to mind...

A recent newbie rider in the group I ride with sometimes has brought this to mind as well.
How many style points are your bikes/ accessories/ goodies/ kit/ etc. worth?

Here's some thoughts to start...

Clothes:
USPS jersey 20 style points (30 if it's yellow)
Any other team colors 15 style points
Any other style jersey 0 style points
Plain t-shirt -10 style points

Bike/Components:
RX-100 is worth 0 style points
105 is worth 2 style points
Ultegra is worth 20 style points
DA is worth 80 style points
Campy Chorus is worth 100 style points

Any of these components (except rx100) are worth 1.5X style points of they are attached to a CF or TI frame (2.0x if it's made by Trek with a model number higher than 5000)

However...
If your bike falls over at a stop light you must square your bike style points and subtract this from your total.

Any thoughts?

Sweet, I have 0 style points, which is better than a few weeks ago when I was running at a rather uncomfortable -10. :rolleyes:

Wool Jersey - 50 points :)

25 style points = Your entire outfit (helmet to shoes) is color coordinated

50 style points = Your entire outfit is color coordinated with your bike! :D

Originally posted by ChipRGW
Another thread brought this playful idea to mind...



However...
If your bike falls over at a stop light you must square your bike style points and subtract this from your total.

Any thoughts? I'm in a hole with no hope of ever seeeing daylight and have the scars, and bike rash to prove it.

Riding nekkid at a Critical Mass event = Priceless!

Okay if we are talking color coordination with the bike, I got that down. Black, yellow and blue to go with the Torelli frame. I could use some purple, but I don't really want to wear purple.

No logos other than the one on the bike.

Originally posted by ChipRGW
Any other style jersey 0 style points

I like it! some additions:
BikeForums Jersey 150 style points

campy record 125 style points (CF cranks add 50 pts)

Road bike with MTB mini pump -25 style points

Italian Frame with Japanese components -100 style points

Thats it for now

Wait a minute. I think you got it backward.

Looking at the original list, one gets more style points for spending more money.

But, folks, spending money is easy, provided you have it. If you don't have the dough, then you have no access to style according to this list. That's not very democratic, now is it.

So, I propose that style be rated rather on things and combinations of things that achieve coolness without necessarily spending a lot of money. One exception: Vintage confers mega-style provided it is still being ridden.

Besides, I think we'll all agree:

--1975 Campy Record confers way more style than Record 2002;
--Italian Steel confers way more style than Carbon Fiber or Titanium (of any manufacturer);
--The combination of those two is unbeatable;

Now for full-disclosure: I would with my 1983 Trek 760, Suntour Superbe Pro components gather quite a few style points. In fact, I do get way more complements on this bike than anyone I know. My riding buddy's 2002 Pinarello Prince just pulls up the envy.

Cheers,
Jamie

Heres more...

25 style points for every second you sit at the top of a long climb waiting for the rest of your group to catch up...

25 for every minute you wait at the bottom of the descent...

An extra 50 bonus if you waited in both places.

How about:

+100 points if the only points you add up are your own and no one else's?

-100 points if you tell anyone how many you have.

bah, telling a new rider that dura ace is good because it will be in style? and anyhow you left out what frame type they are riding... steel, al, ti and carbon :p

My input from the mountain biking side of the fence. lol

Snob points ;)

Chris King: +55
XTR: +50
XT: +30
LX: +0
Purple anodized aluminum skewers, collars, etc: -50
People who can't ride that have bikes that cost more than my car: -100

Just plain dumb points :eek:

Ballcaps (concussion, anyone?): -150
Denim shorts (I'll have a rash with that concussion, please): -50

A rigid ti hardtail w/ NS geometry & tubeless setup: +200

But honestly, I don't care what people dress like or what they ride. Anyone who enjoys biking can share the trails with me anyday.

Let's see

Campy Record 100 points (no definition for Record only chorus :( )
FSA carbon Cranks 25 points
Carbon Frame 1.5x

175 Points.... I think I should get 25 points for matching. Everything on my road bike is black or carbon

Cranks FSA Team Issue Carbon, Rear De-raileur partialy carbon, Seat Post Carbon, Handlebar/stem (cinelli Ram) all carbon. carbon fork. Black carbon bottle cages, black bag to carry spare tube etc, black water bottle. Needless to say I don't ride this bike at night :)


So figure I should be at 200 points :) No points for clothing though.

Originally posted by palooka
Ballcaps (concussion, anyone?): -150
Denim shorts (I'll have a rash with that concussion, please): -50


:D :p :)

USPS jersey stylish? You'd be laughed out of a crit for wearing that. It might be fun, but stylish it ain't. If you're not on a team yourself, stick to Castelli or Assos.

The whole concept of style points is incredibly moronic.

Sorry for the length here, but...

Funny, how some understood the tongue in cheek nature of this thread, others didn't. Goes to show the nature of this beast, the prevalence of those that think that what they wear or ride makes them the great rider they envision themselves to be.
For example,
I ride an old road bike w/RX-100...
I just got clipless pedals, I had toeclip pedals without straps...
I wear a Fox MTB jersey... that doesn't match my bike
When I push (or pull now) on the pedals, the bike goes...
When I flip the lever on the downtube, the gears change, smoothly even...
it is WAY faster that my last bike...
But it's no Trek 5xxx.
Someday, when my skills are better, and I can afford it, I will upgrade to a better bike with better components, but for now it would be a waste for me.
Another guy I have ridden with, rides a Raleigh "comfort" bike. He rides with the advanced club rides every Sat and Sun. Knocks off 40-50 miles each day at 18-20 mph. I test rode a newer version of his bike and it was a barge compared even to my early 90's road bike. I am in awe of this guy.
Him and I together probably total 2 or 3 style points.
Another guy I've ridden with (not voluntarily) has a sweet Trek CF bike. All high end components (not sure which) All the Kit.Sidi shoes, USPS jersey, fancy everything. Problem with him is he's a newbie, which is OK, I am too, but he doesnt listen to directions, wobbles all over the place, insists on riding near the front, doesn't get the whole clipless thing, has fallen over several times, practically wrecks every time we try to leave from a stop. He is dangerous. The capper is, he's a velosnob. Tells me that I need to upgrade my bike. Chased off a really nice couple that wanted to ride with us cause he was bad mouthing thier 10 year old Schwinn cruisers. Last time him and another guy took off for a short sprint, I was happy to take off with them and when me and the other guy dropped this a/h after a quarter mile or so, the rest of the group thanked us for taking him down a peg. But he still didn't get it.

I'm not suggesting that new riders shouldn't buy top end bikes. Buy what you can afford. I wouldn't but that is a personal preference. But when you DO buy a multi-thousand dollar bike, remember, that until your motor can keep up with your chassis, it's still just a plain old bike, no better than mine.

Just my thoughts.
ChipR

PS: Oops on the Campy thing, I just listed the first one that came to mind, showing my gear ignorance...

On re-reading my last post, I realized that it is entirely possible to misunderstand what I posted.

I do NOT mean to insinuate that those of you that participated in the "style" discussion fit into the group of riders I am discussing.

I am specifically referring to those type of lousy riders that think they are great BECAUSE of thier gear as opposed to those that are great DESPITE thier gear or those that are great and the gear makes them that much better.

I hope no-one took offense.

ChipR

Originally posted by ChipRGW


Funny, how some understood the tongue in cheek nature of this thread, others didn't.

Does this mean I have to give my points back?

Originally posted by ChipRGW
Funny, how some understood the tongue in cheek nature of this thread, others didn't.

You are a newbie, Chip. You will learn that being a member of the Fred Police is a thankless and dirty job. They can NEVER afford to let anything even remotely Fredly slide lest someone think they are condoning it and therefore possibly a Fred themselves. Do you have any idea how much butt they have to kick on club rides to regain their dignity after doing something like that? No, the only way to deal with Freds is to humiliate them immediately and mercilessly, preferably in front of others, which earns extra style points among the other FPs.

Glasses-mounted mirror (like I wear): -50

Originally posted by Puckloki
USPS jersey stylish? You'd be laughed out of a crit for wearing that. It might be fun, but stylish it ain't. If you're not on a team yourself, stick to Castelli or Assos.

Don't take this thing so seriously.


Originally posted by FELONIOUS MONK
The whole concept of style points is incredibly moronic.

Originally posted by brent_dube


Don't take this thing so seriously.

I'd hold this "thing" in higher regard if I took it seriously.