General Cycling Discussion - Cycling Caps

Today I was wearing my blue Shimano cycling ha while reading on my front porch and a friend stopped by (he lives next door) and asked me why cycling caps are so "weird" looking. He was curious why the brim was so short/small and how a baseball type cap would help with the sun more.

After that I became curious too.

So it got me thinking...Exactly how did cycling caps come to be? Why the short brim? Why do some people flip up the brim of the hat? Why is it exclusive to cycling?

Put on a baseball cap and go for a ride on a road bike. Use the bottom part of the handlebar.

Cycling hats look like welders caps except they seem to like flowers/weird patterns for some reason.The short brim to fit under your hood.My cycling cap that I've worn for 30 years is from Hawaii and says Hobie.They're not just cycling hats.

With a big brim hat,you either can't see or it catches the wind.Riding into the sun on the horizon,I can pull the cap way down so the tip covers the sun but I can still see around the brim.

Just for the record,the only time I turn my brim up is when I'm doing impressions of Gomer Pile.

Why is it exclusive to cycling?
Only people who would wear them also think they look normal walking about in public in Spandex shorts with visible built in diapers, and skintight jerseys with gaudy advertising slogans

Only people who would wear them also think they look normal walking about in public in Spandex shorts with visible built in diapers, and skintight jerseys with gaudy advertising slogans

Normal:

http://i256.photobucket.com/albums/hh187/10wheels/crew2.jpg

It's not exclusive, there are hipsters wearing them too..

When I was riding my Worksman cruiser, I bought a helmet with a visor on it, and found that really handy in the sun. Then I bought my Raleigh Sojourn, and on it, I lean over more, and that visor got in the way, so I pretty much quit using it. I assume it's a similar issue with caps.

I have found that in the rain, a regular baseball cap worn under the helmet really helps keep the rain off my glasses.

The one cycling cap I have is also very thin (fits under a helmet better) and light (for the weight-conscious and for coolness, I suppose.)

obligatory... http://sheldonbrown.org/hats.html

Put on a baseball cap and go for a ride on a road bike. Use the bottom part of the handlebar.

+1. /thread.