General Cycling Discussion - Bicycle hats?

What is the origin of bicycle hats? Is there a special purpose to their design? I sometimes wear mine under my helmt, but weren't the hats around before helmets?

Do you wear them? Do you turn the brim up or leave it down. Is it true that the real reason the pros sometimes eschew helmets to wear hats is to provide more ad space for their sponsors.

Lou

Originally posted by amerpie
What is the origin of bicycle hats? Is there a special purpose to their design? I sometimes wear mine under my helmt, but weren't the hats around before helmets?

Do you wear them? Do you turn the brim up or leave it down. Is it true that the real reason the pros sometimes eschew helmets to wear hats is to provide more ad space for their sponsors.

Lou

The hats were around before helmets, but I'm guessing the leather "hair net" helmets, being a good bit older, may have influenced the design. The nice thing about cycling caps is that they are small (i.e., aero), and you can go with brim down for riding around in the sun or brim up for maximum visibility.

I doubt that pros really eschew the helmets for advertising, especially when you consider that;
[list=1]
Most helmets are provided by sponsors (helmet makers), and
A lot of the guys riding without helmets don't wear hats either.
[/list=1]
I tend not to wear cycling caps anymore. If I want something under the helmet for warmth, I use a bandana. For sun, my glasses do enough for me, or I can snap on the visor that came in the box with my helmet.

My problem with them is they are designed for small heads. One size fits all,no way . I have several. Only two fits. I wear them under my helmet..
ONce noticed in Bicycling Mag. Pantani had one on-backwards. It was obvious- like an elastic section had been sewn in, to probably make it fit better. I think I might try to get my wife to sew an elastic section in.
Guess, I think I wear it for keeping my head warmer and to hide helmet hair... And it goes with my favorite teams jersey that I sometimes wear..

Originally posted by cyclezealot

ONce noticed in Bicycling Mag. Pantani had one on-backwards I thought Marco wore skull caps:confused: Being a baldman meself I'm glad Pantani may ride this year. I know his best days are over but you never know:D

I wear cycling hat, to keep the perspiration from rolling down my eyes, that is if I don't find my hearband, I wear it under my helmet....

Hillyman.. Was in last couple issues of Bicycling Mag. Have to find it... Did not look like skull cap, I thought. But reversed bike hat.. Had the adjustment snap and looked like inserted cloth to expand size of hat, So I thought.. Seems any pro team member might wear the team bike hat, once in awhile?
The bike style hat is low enough keeps sweat out of eyes.. Brim fits under my helmet's visor, so it is kept rolled down.Probably need them tight to keep them on your head, but most of the one's I bought, rip apart- they are so small.
Anyone buy the bike styled 'bike hat', but of coolmax material. Take a bit of water to this material and it really cools you down.
Nashbar sells them.. They are great..

cycling caps are designed to stay on your head at high speed, provide some protection from sun glare and wick sweat away from your forhead. they are tight-fitting so they don't flap in the breeze, they have a small bill that won't get caught in the slipstream [every ride with a baseball cap?] and that you can snap up when you're down in the drops so it won't impede your vision.

i wear these caps under my helmet in bad weather. the bill is big enough to keep rain out of my face and i find the crown is enough to keep my head warm when it's not super-cold.

I ride with a cap to help against the glare of the sun especially on an evening ride. Also helps keep sweat from getting onto my sunglasses and smearing them up. I don't care if it gets in my eyes, the burn will go away, but sweaty lenses get on my nerves!

Something to think about:

Have you ever noticed that cycling caps resemble welders caps? I wonder if the cycling cap originated with guys who welded their own frames toghether?

I wear cycling caps a) after a ride, b) under my helmet, c) to look cool. Most guys grab a baseball cap, I grab a cycling cap. ;)

Sometimes I have worn a bike cap to work instead of my Adventure Cycling baseball cap. People do not understand bike hats, if you are not on the bike.. They think it has like ' not grown up.'

Originally posted by cyclezealot

Anyone buy the bike styled 'bike hat', but of coolmax material. I always thought it was silly to still use cotton to make cycling caps with all the hightech materials for jerseys and shorts. I saw Nashbar has the coolmax ones but I never got around to buying one yet. I own 3 cotton caps though. 1) A old beat up yellow Campy 2) A getting 'broke in' Park tool 3) A 2001 HillyHundred that seldom gets worn. I use caps for rainy and cold days. I have a couple skull caps that are polys to keep from getting a vent burn on my head:D But both make me overheat on warm days. I think they can ruin a hill climb in any weather.

Originally posted by crucifixion12
Something to think about:

Have you ever noticed that cycling caps resemble welders caps? I wonder if the cycling cap originated with guys who welded their own frames toghether? I have noticed that! AND some of the welders caps have wilder patterns than anyone ever thought of putting on cycling clothes!

Welders need a close fitting cap because they usually wear them backwards under their welding helmets.

I wear caps under my helmet to keep sun, sweat and rain out of my eyes. I cut the top out of one older one for summer because it is so hot and humid here. On my early morning commutes in the dark I wear a very light fleece head band. In the summer it is a great sweatband, and in cooler weather I can pull it over the tops of my ears for warmth.

Guess I have the biggest sized head of the lot. here at BF. No one mentions that the hat does not fit.. If I pull it down far enough that they are snug so wind won't blow them off my head; the seams rip apart. I'd think that would say they are too small for me.. have about 6 of the bike hats and only three fit well.
My favorite Cofidis hat for my Cofidis jersey is like totally torn at the seams.. Pros are small in size, so must be their head size.
I have never seen them say other than one size fits all..

Originally posted by cyclezealot
Guess I have the biggest sized head of the lot. here at BF. No one mentions that the hat does not fit.

I have the same problem. The hats are too small for my punkin head. So, I don't own any of them. "One size fits all" is a lie.

Originally posted by RegularGuy
I have the same problem. The hats are too small for my punkin head. So, I don't own any of them. "One size fits all" is a lie.

One size fits all the heads it will fit (but not mine either).

I have like 6 of them and 2 fit well...The ones that don't mostly I ordered through mail order bike suppliers.. Since they go with my kit jerseys, I force them on my head, ripped seams and all..

I just bought my first hat and found this thread already started. I like to wear it around with the brim up people seem amused by the way that the hat looks. But I like that it definately says hey I ride a lot. And plus when one of those people starts spending a few hours on the bike then they can talk about what I look like. Anyone else have any experiences with their hats or the way that they wear them?

i'd rather have one of them pirate lookin things ya wear on yer head. they just look more sensible for dydling. them hats ya have aren't meant to be worn with a helmet. i've been studyin about cycling at the library and we have many old books here. one was last CHECKED OUT in 1985. many of the books have pics of guy at the tour de france with drilled brake levers and wearing only a hat on their heads.

I just bought my first hat and found this thread already started. I like to wear it around with the brim up people seem amused by the way that the hat looks. But I like that it definately says hey I ride a lot. And plus when one of those people starts spending a few hours on the bike then they can talk about what I look like. Anyone else have any experiences with their hats or the way that they wear them?
This thread died a tragic death back in January of 2003 It was a short and painful life that's why it was several pages back on the unread threads section whenever you signed up. Please have respect for the dead - let them R.I.P
http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/5760/casket.gif
Dead Thread Ted

raceon4,

Great find. I am glad you revived this thread.

I have a Salsa hat that I wear a lot. One of the things I like about it is that I haven't seen anyone else wearing a cycling cap yet.

My girlfriend wont let me wear one. Should I be ashamed that maybe i would like to wear my bicycle hat out to dinner?

Must say, I do not wear my cycling cap other than when biking. fits well under the helmet.. I think it looks cool with the visor up...When under the helmt the visor is always up. I have two bike caps that actually fit..Bought both when on vacation..One from the Big Island of Hawaii and the other the Spanish team Euskatel and both actually fit. So therefore the seams are not ripped as in the other hats I own..
Have the Bonjour hat along with with its kit..Have to shrink my head to wear it.
I would wear them in public. Have taken some flak when I do..Hear comments like, when the hat grows up it will become a 'baseball cap...'

Well if you want to look normal you should put a baseball hat on sideways, wear your pants around your knees and find the ugliest possible gym shoes to wear. I vote for being abnormal and wearing the cycling caps.

MKRG..I just think the modern style gym shoes are redicilious. I will take the looks of the traditional style Addidas any day over these weird designs..
Any cycling shoe has more class than the new style tennis shoe..Some look like Salvador Dali on drugs.