Originally Posted by
danarnold
Dunno about frame materials, it's beyond my pay grade, but I agree about the 'less "flamboyant" cycling clothing.' Cycling shorts are functional and usually black. Swobo makes a wool cycling jersey in black and available at discount retailers online for only $45. Wabi in Portland, OR makes a great old time 'heirloom quality' wool jersey. These are not flamboyant and are functional.
I've ordered some Dromarti leather cycling shoes. Hardly cheap, but at least they won't 'look' flamboyant. I don't mean to get the helmet thread started and won't respond here even if provoked, but the current helmet fad discourages some potential riders with its implicit 'cycling is dangerous and elitist.'
One upside to the garish or flamboyant colors of modern 'kits' is visibility. I, too, prefer subdued colors, but I've found myself buying wool jerseys in yellow and orange recently...and I ride with a yellow helmet. My anti-lycra ride buddies laugh at me, but I'll take it if it increases my visibility even marginally.
On the other hand, if an irrate driver associates me with a group of roadies who failed to yield or blew a red ...