"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Your team kit

Do those of you on teams wear your kit whenever you're on the bike, just on team rides/races, or just whenever you feel like it?

Do those of you on teams wear your kit whenever you're on the bike, just on team rides/races, or just whenever you feel like it?

I wear my team kit whenever I'm on the bike outdoors. I don't when I'm on the trainer. I have 5 sets plus two ls jerseys so it's not big issue.

I wear it whenever I ride outdoors. Makes the sponsors happy.

Always on team rides/races. I rotate the kit in with my other cycling clothes other wise.

When I found out how little our team's main sponsors had to pay to get their names on the jersey I could not believe it! I seriously considered just getting a few guys together to pony up the money so we wouldn't have to expend so much effort on sponsorship and order new kits every single year. I'm not the treasurer but I'll bet our club brings in more money during its popular Metric Century rides than it does from sponsors.

To answer your question, since I'm new to the team and our 2007 kits are not in yet (it took so long to get sponsorship squared away that we didn't order kits until February--I mean for CRYING OUT LOUD), I only have two of last year's kits that I was able to scrounge up. I wear them each once a week--and always on group rides or races.

--Steve

Not to be contrary (to bdcheung's post), but....
I'll bet if you polled the sponsors of local clubs, 98% of them wouldn't give two whits about whether or not you wore your team kits.

Very few are standing along the road watching races, let alone training rides.

The ones who truly care are the ones who ride on the team themselves. And I can't even say that 100% of them really care.
We had a physician on our team as a rider and sponsor, and she didn't have a strong opinion about it either way.

Not to be contrary (to bdcheung's post), but....
I'll bet if you polled the sponsors of local clubs, 98% of them wouldn't give two whits about whether or not you wore your team kits.

Very few are standing along the road watching races, let alone training rides.

The ones who truly care are the ones who ride on the team themselves. And I can't even say that 100% of them really care.
We had a physician on our team as a rider and sponsor, and she didn't have a strong opinion about it either way.

We are sponsored primarily by a local bike shop, he likes it when we wear his kit.

Not to be contrary (to bdcheung's post), but....
I'll bet if you polled the sponsors of local clubs, 98% of them wouldn't give two whits about whether or not you wore your team kits.

Very few are standing along the road watching races, let alone training rides.

The ones who truly care are the ones who ride on the team themselves. And I can't even say that 100% of them really care.
We had a physician on our team as a rider and sponsor, and she didn't have a strong opinion about it either way.

I was being sarcastic, but I guess that didn't get through the internet :o

I would tend to agree with EventServices. Unless your race is covered on national TV I don't think the sponors care or get to much(locally nothing) out of it. Look how many post riding pictures on here, can you make out any of the sponsors, maybe the club/team name.

I wear mine in races and on large local group prides. Our sponsors do care, as many of them are local businesses.

Well considering how many of our sponsors are local small businesses, and how much positive attention our kit gets (seriously I have people compliment me on my kit all the time) I think it's nothing but a positive for me to wear it. Besides I get a lot from my main sponsor and it's not like it's an inconvenience for me to wear it. Our kits are made by Squadra Castelli with the Ypro3 chamios, so it's good kit as well as good looking kit.

I think my club's kit looks freaking cool (see avatar) :) So I wear it a lot.

We changed kits this year, and I'm not totally in love with it, but I ordered a set to race in.

I wear mine any time I'm on the bike outdoors. Our situation is very similar to EDR's. People like the kit, most sponsors are local businesses, and they're good quality (Squadra Castelli). Our bike shop sponsor takes VERY good care of us so I will always wear the kit and use his water bottles.

I have two different kits now since we just got new sponsors, so I now wear the old kit whenever outdoors when the weather allows and my new kit during races only.

Well considering how many of our sponsors are local small businesses, and how much positive attention our kit gets (seriously I have people compliment me on my kit all the time) I think it's nothing but a positive for me to wear it. Besides I get a lot from my main sponsor and it's not like it's an inconvenience for me to wear it. Our kits are made by Squadra Castelli with the Ypro3 chamios, so it's good kit as well as good looking kit.

Someone yelling "Nice shorts" and then whistling from thier pick up truck is not a compliment on your kit.:)

Someone yelling "Nice shorts" and then whistling from thier pick up truck is not a compliment on your kit.:)

A boy can dream...It is funny how many soccer moms comment on our kit when we stop a the Wallgreens after the unofficial town line sprint finish.

We just had a major overhaul of kits last year, so I tend to wear the older ones more now. I generally wear the new ones at all races, and will sometimes rotate them in on my training rides if needed.

Well considering how many of our sponsors are local small businesses, and how much positive attention our kit gets (seriously I have people compliment me on my kit all the time) I think it's nothing but a positive for me to wear it. Besides I get a lot from my main sponsor and it's not like it's an inconvenience for me to wear it. Our kits are made by Squadra Castelli with the Ypro3 chamios, so it's good kit as well as good looking kit.

Do you ride with team Brain and Spine? I noticed their kit changed this year and it does look great...a different blue/black that stands out.

We are sponsored primarily by a local bike shop, he likes it when we wear his kit.

Same here. They're a title sponsor. I'll also usually take the time to help stranded riders, fix flats, etc. because it reflects well on them. The shop owner is a great guy and really supports us, so it's the least I can do.

I usually wear the kit whenever I ride as well.

I wear team kit on group and weekend rides. During the daily commute I wear non-team jerseys a couple of days a week and "vintage" team kit 1-2 times per week depending on the number commute days. (I usually commute 2-4 times a week)

I've always wondered if some clubs require it --sort of ambassador-ish (like DrPete mentions). 'Round here, guys are wearing kits all the time. (I'm unattached, and so far, a non-racer. But I'd wear my club's kit proudly)

Usually ride with my club members twice a week. An official club rides, I would not dream of being the only member not to look like a club member . One benefit of wearing club colors, they are the areas' regional colors. Red/ yellow. Gets a good reaction from local merchants. Still, after two club rides per week, I am ready to show off my various jersey's from my various organized rides. Snuffle's kit looks really snazzy, colorful, -patriotic. Can guest riders in Fayettenam buy that gear?

I wear the kit whenever I can, except on rides where I might be going embarrassingly slow. :o

I do a lot of commuting so I wear different stuff.

But normally I wear the kit. I'll have a new one very soon so I'll be wearing them more often.

Do you ride with team Brain and Spine? I noticed their kit changed this year and it does look great...a different blue/black that stands out.

No I ride for 360 Cycleworks, B&S has picked up AT&T as their title sponsor this year and that is what prompted the change in kit. Their elite team has really changed as well, with Robbie Robinette, Sol Frost and Eric Benz and few others they are the team to beat this year. Unfortunately Robbie and Sol had a bad crash at Fayetteville, Robbie got a shattered collar bone and Sol's got a broken wrist.

I wear my team kit most of the time. And I beg to differ about sponsorship. Instead of using the one to many model of advertising, sponsoring a cycling team is a labor of many to many. It's cheap and can make the riders and the people in their networks loyal customers. Because the cost is so low your per customer acquisition cost is also low. The thing that I see happening is utter and complete apathy on the rider's part. When a sponsor puts their name on your back, you should get involved too. Talk it up to your friends. Stop by the place and say hello. We're all in this together and being above selling is going to hold this sport in the dark ages.

I pretty much only wear team kit stuff for one main reason - cost.
My team stuff is as nice or nicer with regards to cut and quality than anything plain that I've tried and is substantially cheaper with some being free. That and I have years and years of similar kits so it'd be almost impossible to run out of clean stuff.
So cheap and comfy win out every time for me.

Until I'm getting paid to wear the clothing, i wear whatever is clean that day...collegiate kit, club kit, old disco shorts, livestrong stuff, plain jerseys.

i never understood how guys wore the same stuff EVERY day...if they rode nearly as much as they look to be riding, then either a) they smell like **** b) they've invested alot of cash in duplicate kits

Until I'm getting paid to wear the clothing, i wear whatever is clean that day...collegiate kit, club kit, old disco shorts, livestrong stuff, plain jerseys.

i never understood how guys wore the same stuff EVERY day...if they rode nearly as much as they look to be riding, then either a) they smell like **** b) they've invested alot of cash in duplicate kits

i'll let you into a secret: many of them have 2 pairs of bibs and jerseys.

i'll let you into a secret: many of them have 2 pairs of bibs and jerseys.

Exactly.

Group training rides - looks "professional" when there's 12-15 riders out all decked in their jersey doing interval work or long base rides. Our team makes an effort to wear our jerseys on training rides.

I passed a another club yesterday in a solo ride (while I was wearing generic jersey) and they had their TT bikes out and decked out in their kits. It looked pretty cool like watching a TTT.

Reading "Inside the Postal Bus." Almost sounded like team members got one set of kit. Can you imagine riding each and every day. Those riders must have a whole closet full of team kit, I would think. Seems like two pairs would be just a starter.

Until I'm getting paid to wear the clothing, i wear whatever is clean that day...collegiate kit, club kit, old disco shorts, livestrong stuff, plain jerseys.

i never understood how guys wore the same stuff EVERY day...if they rode nearly as much as they look to be riding, then either a) they smell like **** b) they've invested alot of cash in duplicate kits
If you don't have a load to laundry to throw it in:

Fill sink with cool water
Add small detergent
Add kit
Wash
Rinse
Squeeze Dry
Lay Towel Flat
Lay Jersey on Towel
Roll Towel Up and squeeze
Repeat with Bib
Hang to Dry

5 Mins and Ready to wear the next day.

If you don't have a load to laundry to throw it in:
Fill sink with cool water
5 Mins and Ready to wear the next day.
At work, riding in midnight shift( 12.5 hours) ever try washing your gear for the ride home. I'd wash them out in the shower. ( Took a bucket into the shower with me.) More than once I went home with a wet crotch. Without spin cycle it can take more than 13 hours for bike gear to dry.

Let me rephrase:
5 mins of laundry and hang dry for several hours (then ready to wear the next day). Sorry for the confusion.

Ohh - wet crotch riding is no fun.

Considering how much I had to pay for the kits I try to wear them every chance I can. Might as well get my money's worth out of 'em.

Saddle bags. some would say you need not wear bike gear into work. Just cut offs. My commute was 26 miles. Don't like to get into work with a sore *s*. Sometimes I like to not wear my favorite posieur kit. That being the Bonjour team gear. Yes, that is likely poseurism? I see the fabric weakening about the arse area. It's for a couple Sunday's a month, when not wearing my Club gear.

After someone called into our university to complain, we were told 'not to wear club kit if we're doing something stupid.'

Our primary sponsor, a major global investment banking and accountancy firm, sponsors most major sporting clubs here - I don't think they'd notice or care. But they do take us out for lunch now and then after we gently escort some of their employees around on very mellow group rides (and try to hire us all as investment bankers).

i'll let you into a secret: many of them have 2 pairs of bibs and jerseys.

Or more, I have 5 pair.

Do those of you on teams wear your kit whenever you're on the bike, just on team rides/races, or just whenever you feel like it?

I'd wear it more if often.......if I liked it.

I try to wear my new team kit whenever I ride outdoors as well, for me it is badge of honor to wear it! I currently only have one kit so if I wear it, it is washed immediatley and is ready to go the next day.

Our main sponsor is a lawfirm (BSK)/LBS the founder of the team is the 'S' so i figure he would appreciate us wearing the kit whenever we can, if I ever have to go to court this may pay off! I am also sure my LBS appreciates me wearing the kit, just my way of paying them back for all the discounts/work they do for me. As for the other sponsers I could really care less, I guess if they paid to have their name on the jersey then I should try to advertise as much as possible for them.

I try to wear my new team kit whenever I ride outdoors as well, for me it is badge of honor to wear it! I currently only have one kit so if I wear it, it is washed immediatley and is ready to go the next day.

Our main sponsor is a lawfirm (BSK)/LBS the founder of the team is the 'S' so i figure he would appreciate us wearing the kit whenever we can, if I ever have to go to court this may pay off! I am also sure my LBS appreciates me wearing the kit, just my way of paying them back for all the discounts/work they do for me. As for the other sponsers I could really care less, I guess if they paid to have their name on the jersey then I should try to advertise as much as possible for them.

Hey Mike are you doing Belterra?

Yes I am, I have been training out in Vanderpool for the last month or so and I am looking to do realyl well in the Cat 5 field, we will see though. All my fellow Cat 5's on the team just Cat'ed up so I will be all by myself, I need to find a quick way to get 8 more mass starts in so I can make to jump to a 4 as well.

Yes I am, I have been training out in Vanderpool for the last month or so and I am looking to do realyl well in the Cat 5 field, we will see though. All my fellow Cat 5's on the team just Cat'ed up so I will be all by myself, I need to find a quick way to get 8 more mass starts in so I can make to jump to a 4 as well.

Well you'll get one at Belterra and two more at Ft Davis. There's also the Thursday night crits here in Austin.

I wear mine on every ride in hopes of one day meeting R600DA on the road.

I wear mine on every ride in hopes of one day meeting R600DA on the road.
You will not be racing.
All you will see is a faint blur,
The whisper of a shadow.
And he will be gone.
And you will not know.

Or more, I have 5 pair.

get some that fit.

I always wear team kit/team gear. It's about all I own now with exception of very cold weather gear. Wearing a team kit separates you from the freds so that other racers you see on the road know you're worthy of waving or nodding to, and the freds know that you're too cool to wave back when they get their arms flailing.:rolleyes:

I wear mine on every ride in hopes of one day meeting R600DA on the road.

http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/5605/600drpiq5.jpg

get some that fit.

Believe me I did, last season we ordered the kit in Nov of '05, I was 165#, by April I was 145. This year small jersey, med bibs, fits perfectly.