dougphoto

So my brother got a job at United Healthcare, one of his perks is he can get basically anything the bike team uses at an incredibly discounted rate. He'd like to get a kit because a pro quality kit at Nashbar prices is a great deal. Yes it is way Fred to wear a pro kit when you're not actually on the team, he does at least work for the company that sponsors the team, does that remove some Fredness from the Kit? I told him to save up for a Wilier, even at the wicked discount they are still mighty pricy.

Dan333SP

So Fred. He can cancel it out if he wears a Giro Air Attack with visor down.

PepeM

If by pro kit we are talking skinsuit, then not Fred at all. Otherwise a bit Fred, especially because of white bibs. Good recommendation on the Air Attack though.

WhyFi

My (related) question: is it more egregious or less egregious of an offense to wear pro team kit when you're a fattie and you're obviously not pro?

FXjohn

if you're going to be fat in spandex you had better be fast.
If you're skinny you can get by on looks

SpeshulEd 

Oh man, the white bibs!!! Maybe your brother can inform them that they need black bibs.

Still, UHC is a Continental Pro Team ??? Do I have that right? - if he rode a Willier and had a Smith helmet, people would probably think he was part of the team. He could just shout "recovery day" to anyone that passed him.

noodle soup

A company that pays my entrance fees gave me this kit.

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Should I not wear it because I'm not part of the title sponsor team?

2 manufacturers on the kit give me some support,

SpeshulEd 

Just watch the shoulders, Cavendish!

rob214

i say wear what you like, your favorite rider/ team whatever. your choice to wear what you want, why not.

rob

BillyD

Anybody who frets about being a Fred is already a Fred. So he might as well wear it.

Homebrew01

You are confusing "Fred" with "Poseur".
Freds wear sandals, safety flags and orange triangles on their hybrids.

Cyclist0108

It's a lens, damn it!

Heathpack 

Hahahahahaha

That is funny.

monsterkidz

I say wear it. No different than putting on a Jordan jersey to go shoot some ball. Everybody knows you ain't Jordan but it's out of love for the game or in this case sport.

HazeT

I say wear it proudly.. Selling kits is a way of income for the team, so whoever buy the kits is supporting the team. Also sponsors don't give money away, they do so to create a brand recognition. Riding around showing the sponsors names is helping the team and the sport... I would see him just as a fan of the rider, team or sport.
Nevermind, I take it all back, it is fred.

Da Reef

I would never wear an entire kit unless paid or otherwise feel obligated to do so (e.g. Noodle Soup above). I would wear a jersey with black shorts to show I'm a fan or supporter. But this is my rule for myself. People should wear whatever they want.

noodle soup

I have no shoulders to speak of.

kbarch

It's Fred in the best way.
I say always wear the best quality one can reasonably afford, and if one is going to wear a jersey associated with something specific, the closer it is to one personally, the better. So if one works for the team, they make their kit generally available, and it's as good or better quality than what one would otherwise wear, by all means wear it!
The vast majority of road cyclist wear some kind of outlandishly designed jersey, whether it's an old event jersey, kit from ones own club or team, or something generally available with bold, if not clownish colors and patterns. Some of it is recognizably current pro team kit, but pros themselves are not recognized by their kit to begin with; they're recognized as pros by their performance and the events in which they participate. Pro kit does not indicate any authority; no one is likely to mistake a recreational cyclist riding around town for a pro, and even if they did, the error would be harmless. Rainbow stripes and other championship kit, however, is just silly.

bikecrate

It wouldn't be something I'm interested in doing, but I've seen people out in full team kits and it didn't seem like a big deal...of course he'll now have to drop everybody to justify wearing it.

caloso

Correct.

That said, it only matters if he's entering a race purporting to be on a team that he isn't.

chaadster

+1. Wearing team kit on the road is totally fine.

wphamilton

If the company doesn't actually have a team, does that make the company kit more or less poser/fred?

rmfnla

It's got to match the kit or the whole thing is a waste of time...

Brian25

Being a Fred has become a big thing now. There use to be some rules about misrepresenting and who could wear what, but anyone now can ride around and be State, National, or World Champion, or in your brother's case: buy A pro kit.

rmfnla

Being fredly doesn't bother me.

All I care about is my wife doesn't ask me, "Are you going out wearing that?"...