Personnally I wear only jerseys attached to an event I have participated in, club affiliation or something I have earned. I normally wear plain bike specific clothing with no logos etc.. However, it is up to the individual. Making fun is not mature and I would much rather ride with a mature individual with a postie Kit rather that someone that was acting childish. I respect a ride by 1) maturity and 2) riding or fitness capabilities and then 3) accomplishments.

Let me take this one step further.

People who care enough to judge the average cyclist for wearing pro gear are average cyclist's themselves. Anybody truly better than average doesn't care.

55/Rad

I doubt if one percent of all the people I see wearing Duke University t-shirts went there. I KNOW that all those folks wearing Michael Jordan's jersey are not Michael Jordan. None of this has ever bothered me in the least.

Paul
(who usually wears either Armani or Brooks Brothers while riding, but is neither a Brooks nor an Armani)

Now here's a cyclist with some style!

I can think of a few reasons.

1) If I buy the jersey the (real)team gets a portion of
the sale. If it supports them financially good.

B) Because I have some connection with the team. Case in point, I
work for CSC (ok, no smartassed remarks about that) who as
a corporation sponsors a pro team, I have a CSC jersey that I do
wear as both some allegiance to work, and the team.

thirdly) I am a sponsor of a team. No, really. The members of
the Serotta Owners forum all kicked in enough money to
become a sponsor of the Sierra Nevada team.

5) I have a Serotta Jersey, I ride a Serotta bike. Not the same as
a pro team, but it is a rolling billboard.

thats about all I can think of for now.

Marty (confirmed glue sniffer and tubular user)