jyl

I imagine there are some here whose closets contain Too Many Jerseys.

What do you do with the Unwearable Jersey? Do you buy it? Display it? Sell it? Wear it in your bedroom, shades drawn, door locked, alone with your wicked shame?

I'm not talking about the jersey that no longer fits over your ahem plentiful core muscles.

I'm taking about the jersey that honor and decency forbid any grown man to wear in public, except the few who won them in battle.

The yellow jersey, the maglia rosa, polka dots, world champion stripes, etc.

Here is an example. A friend visited me from France, and brought me one of the replica polka dot jerseys sold by the TdF, and my son the replica green jersey. Now, I think my boy can get away with wearing his green jersey, at 14 y/o he's allowed to act out fantasies, go to school in costume, etc. But what am I going to do with my polka dot number?

Lets be clear that, while able to climb the steepest speed bump with ease, I'm not a climber and don't look like a climber, unless climbers weigh 190 lb. Maybe on Mars I could be a climber.

Wall art? (Wife differs.) Bedroom wear (a bit restrictive, and again, wife differs.) Wear it hidden under a rain layer?

cyclotoine

haha... wow, I don't know. I have jerseys that sit in the closet and wish for a friend who I could give them too who would really love it. That is no easy task. So I say offer it to a buddy who you think might actually wear it.

jyl

I don't have such friends and if I did they would already have their own yellow, pink and polka dotted jerseys!

Harlan

My little brother gets all the hand-me-downs.

Chombi

That's why I don't have many "flocked" jerseys in my closet...only two. An AD team jersey (no sponsors, just AD letterings and logoes) from the early 80's and a company team jersey (which frankly looks very kewhl...)I won in a raffle three years ago....... And even those two I hardly wear riding at all. Even the Descent Jersey I have that I got in the 80's just have the 7-11 colors (red, white and green) in the right places but no flocking.....
I never really got into holloween growing up. Maybe that's why I never felt like playing bike superhero on the roads.

eschlwc

and what about that house dress, the flimsy little baby blue cotton number, that's so comfortable you want to wear it outside the home? i've been thinking of wearing mine out, donning a fake moustache so i won't be recognized.

rando_couche

You and me both. My athletic ability is such that I climb like Cipollini and sprint like Pantani. But I still take on the hills around here (several stretches of 15-20% on my 40-miler last Saturday), if only to "get my gravity's worth" on the back side.

Scott P
OC, OR

wrk101

Gift from a friend = keep

Sentimental piece = display

Anything else either trade or sell and get something you will wear.

pamaguahiker 

About 2 or so years ago, i raided my own closet. I said, enough is enough. Any jersey that would not fit on my 215 pound body was sold, traded, or given away. I figured, at most i would approach 195. Now, here i am 2 years later and 175 pounds...with only a few jerseys that fit because i gave them away. Ugh! But i have a couple that are sentimental, such as given to me from my dad. I keep them and put them on my barrister book shelf with other memorabilia.

Wear them til they are thread bare!

16Victor

Defer to wife.

Bedroom wear? Um...ok. See above. I guess 14 y.o. fantasies and grownup fantasies differ. I don't want to know any more.

Don't even put it on your skin.

Maybe French eBay? Unless your friend visits again and expects to see it.

repechage

Any woman who dropped that much mass would never hesitate to buy new smaller properly fitting attire.

Time to sell off the big ones and buy ones that fit.

My problem is that I am having a devil of a time finding riding shorts that don't make me feel as it I have a diaper or maxipad on... these new technical fabric padded "chamois" are just too different. And they all seem to come almost to the knee....

Italuminium

I only ride this one when I want to strike fear into the heart of my enemies.


Untitled by ctjr, on Flickr

Zieleman

Oh my, Ital! I don't know if I want you on my side or against me when war is at hands...

I must confess I recently got myself a certain jersey that I haven't yet dared to wear. It represents a beer brand that contains no or just a little alcohol. In the early nineties they sponsored a big Dutch cycling team (riding Colnago Masters). At the same time, a national clown/comedian shared with the nation his views on alcoholic-free beer, making everyone drinking it look like a fool and feel like an idiot. He invented a word/insult for people consuming this brand of beer, which was a national hit in contrary to the beer. The brand was withdrawn from the Dutch market and till this day the insult exists.

So when/if I go outside wearing my jersey, we all know what'll happen. I'm a 'Buckler-lul' (google translate).

Italuminium

haha we'd make a great team with those jerseys! That buckler one is a classic

daf1009

I have a lot of different jerseys...collected them from various shops as I travel...and love wearing them all...but...no yellow, polka dot, green or rainbow...and no pro team jerseys...I think you have a good plan...agree with the wife...and don't wear the polka dots!

Also...to pamaguahiker...great job on losing the weight! Reward yourself!

lotek 

I have a Zieleman jersey that feels like it's rubberized fabric, guaranteed to make you sweat in 5 minutes while still off the bike, I can't wear it so
it hangs in my 'bike room'.
I have a nice white Flocked Zieleman Jersey, wool that I wear on vintage ride days

ThermionicScott 

I thought this was going to be for disgraced teams and corporations, like Festina or Enron.

due ruote 

I found a USPS jersey at a church rummage sale for a buck. I bought it thinking I can't possibly wear this thing, but it turns out it's a super comfortable, breathable (Nike dri-fit) fabric. So whatever, I wear it anyway. There are bigger issues than someone judging me for my bike jersey.

Zieleman

You're right! And fantasizing on the bike is not just for kids you know

Wearing a vintage team shirt is not only supercool, it connects people as well, wether it's because it was worn by someone you admire or detest (I'm not dropping any names here, I've had enough disputes today ).

WNG

I say wear it and live a little. Life's too short to be concerned about how a jersey will be perceived.

People ask, tell them it was a gift from a friend from France.

Chombi

I did have some jerseys from the early 80's that I didn't wear too much, not because they had too much flocking on them, but because they are made of 100% acrylic = zero wicking and guaranteed ultra stinky after every ride......They feel really clammy against the skin too after you build up enough sweat in them...Lack of wicking/cooling also made one overheat in them sometimes.
Thank god they came up with better wicking/more breathable fabrics for jerseys in the mid 80's!

Notgrownup

I almost bought a jersy the other day... I have none yet... opted to buy shorts instead...i wear the Hi viz t-shirts from Reebok...May be i will break loose one day...

jiangshi

This

lsberrios1 

I wear my KOM and Leader's jerseys only when doing recovery rides. (not kidding).

gaucho777 

This jersey was a Christmas present from my mother a few years ago (notice the tags are still on it). She thinks it is so cool & hilarious. I think it's too cheesy to wear.