Best US Champ's Kit

[fourflys]

in a LONG time!

http://www.rapha.cc/content/uploads/starsstripes.jpg

[fourflys]

good stuff right here down toward the bottom...

http://www.rapha.cc/defining-pro

[christian]

Defining Pro. That's so stupid....

I'll tell you what pro is. It's making a living at it. Getting the bills paid by doing it. As someone who did that in motorsports, I'll tell you it was pretty easy to tell when I was a pro. I was forever in an airplane, dealing with Quickbooks, accounting and taxes, sheafing through 1099s, transferring money to my personal checking account to pay the mortgage, and generally forgetting that racing cars used to be fun.

It didn't have f*ck-all to do with the length of my socks.

This is the nonsense that makes Rapha so fit for ridicule.

[fourflys]

Defining Pro. That's so stupid....

I'll tell you what pro is. It's making a living at it. Getting the bills paid by doing it. As someone who did that in motorsports, I'll tell you it was pretty easy to tell when I was a pro. I was forever in an airplane, dealing with Quickbooks, accounting and taxes, sheafing through 1099s, transferring money to my personal checking account to pay the mortgage, and generally forgetting that racing cars used to be fun.

It didn't have f*ck-all to do with the length of my socks.

This is the nonsense that makes Rapha so fit for ridicule.

did you actually read the part at the bottom from the ex-pro? one of the best parts was when he said amateurs can't wait to wear a pro kit and pros can't wait until the day they can wear whatever they want... that is the part of the page I was referring to... as far as socks, I could care less (and it was about color, not length)... the article about shorts was pretty right on though, if you actually read it...

BTW- I'm NOT a Rapha fanboy... I don't own one piece of Rapha anything... but I am a fan of J-Pow...

[binxnyrwarrsoul]

Rapha, a marketing company that sells cycling clothes. Yawn.

[fiamme red]

Don’t get me wrong, I still wanted the pride that came with people recognising that I was a paid, card-carrying athlete. I wanted the recognisable team jersey, the matching arm warmers and all the cool stuff your average punter couldn’t buy; there was nothing cooler than having all the kit but making those small adjustments to my uniform to let the world know it was me in there became hugely important. I also wanted to write on my kit in Tipp-Ex, like Bob Roll did, and I wanted to cut my skinsuit sleeves to a different length, or make my bib tights into shorts.He should have just gotten a Maori tattoo like Klinger. :eek:

[fourflys]

To me, looking pro is the same as looking cool – it’s about exuding that aura. It is about getting as close as you can to what you aspire to be. When I was a kid this meant buying the pro team kit of my idols’ teams. Now that I’m older and on the other side of a pro career, it is about sticking to the values that I have defined as important after years of refining them.

Ultimately, it doesn’t matter one bit what you wear, or how you wear it. There are so many variations, multiple do’s and don’ts. Looking pro, I think, is about attitude and more than anything, confidence.

don't we all want to look/feel cool? If not then why not ride in jean shorts and a t-shirt or forgo the latest carbon or steel must-have and find that 1990 Cannondale on Craig's List?

if you tell me you don't think about how a piece of clothing or item is going to make you look, at least a little bit... you seriously have a truthfulness issue...

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . will go TEN pages! :eek:

Just sayin' . . . :cool:

BBD

[shorelocal]

. . . will go TEN pages! :eek:

Just sayin' . . . :cool:

BBD

In before the break .....

[christian]

did you actually read the part at the bottom from the ex-pro?I read it. It's ~1300 words on looking "pro." I have a fundamental problem with the thesis, whether there's a clever counterpoint from an ex-pro or not.

I'm a J-Pow fan as well. I'm definitely going to the Grand Fundo. BTW, I bet he could drop me on a Free Sprit three-speed wearing Crocs. But he won't, because that weekend, he isn't getting paid to do that.

And yeah, the kit rocks. No doubt about that. So does most of the Rapha stuff, I'm sure.

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . this one.

BBD

[fiamme red]

The old-style jerseys, with no logos or sponsors' names, were the best. Here's Eric Heiden.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v223/botto/heiden.jpg

[fourflys]

I read it. It's ~1300 words on looking "pro." I have a fundamental problem with the thesis, whether there's a clever counterpoint from an ex-pro or not.

I'm a J-Pow fan as well. I'm definitely going to the Grand Fundo. BTW, I bet he could drop me on a Free Sprit three-speed wearing Crocs. But he won't, because that weekend, he isn't getting paid to do that.

And yeah, the kit rocks. No doubt about that. So does most of the Rapha stuff, I'm sure.

totally understand and agree... I'd love to do the Fundo, I'm just on the wrong coast... ;)

[Jaq]

Hm. 13 pages in normal display mode.

[fourflys]

The old-style jerseys, with no logos or sponsors' names, were the best. Here's Eric Heiden.


agree... I just think J-Pow's kit is the best I've seen in a few years...

[EDS]

in a LONG time!

http://www.rapha.cc/content/uploads/starsstripes.jpg

That kit sucks.

[Pearsom]

all this s#*+ makes me chuckle...

that said, the tights are kinda goofy

http://www.velominati.com/look-pro/look-pro-flandrian-best/

[sandmonstersand]

I preferred hincapie's bmc kit

[fourflys]

I preferred hincapie's bmc kit

that was a nice one as well.. forgot about it...

[firerescuefin]

Chris, I think Rapha trumps guns when it comes to vitriolic reaction LoL.

Better start wearing body armor brother. :no:

[fourflys]

Chris, I think Rapha trumps guns when it comes to vitriolic reaction LoL.

Better start wearing body armor brother. :no:

:D yeah, I should have known better...

oh well, gotta have fun and I do love the helpful comments like above... :banana:

[mistermo]

.
Can we agree this was the worst one?
.

[earlfoss]

Heiden's is the best. No questioning what national champ jersey that is. The others... you kind of have to guess if it's a national champ jersey.

Armstrong's champ jersey from the Motorola days was pretty awesome too.

[mistermo]

Heiden's is the best. No questioning what national champ jersey that is. The others... you kind of have to guess if it's a national champ jersey.

Agreed. In my highly biased view, the national champions jersey shouldn't be left open to "artistic interpretation". It should be recognizable, and traditional. You know right away when you see the Belgian, Swiss, French, Dutch jerseys, but for some reason, the US jersey seems to morph around. I like the traditional look. Pick one and stick with it....

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . was pretty lame, too. Same as Bahati's?

What is so difficult about designing one of these jerseys? Red, white, and blue. Stars and stripes. Seems like every year now whoever is doing it is challenged to make it different, and there's only so many ways you can go with RWB stars and stripes with that before it gets cruel.

BBD

[wallymann]

. . . this one.

BBD

dude. that's not a national-champ jersey!

Agreed. In my highly biased view, the national champions jersey shouldn't be left open to "artistic interpretation". It should be recognizable, and traditional...
http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=93925&stc=1&d=1334983964


dude...alexi's wearing a us-team jersey...that's the '84 olympic RR final.


fwiw my favorite was the "captain america" themed us-pro jersey. several have been shown, here's lances:

https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQxkTewT-ExrAqVZyj-HJwf-ZNxfGvh5voR9fsfq1ysY7A4_NHohttp://i786.photobucket.com/albums/yy148/ar-bike/DSC_9965.jpg

. . . this one.

BBD

[oldpotatoe]

Rapha, a marketing company that sells cycling clothes. Yawn.

"I introduce you to my five-pocket style (as in traditional denim) jeans made with a proprietary linen and cotton fabric. It’s sturdy in look and feel, and can be worn in both contradictory and unplanned events in your day (a must).

Bull fight in Toledo. Cherry Blossom Festival in D.C. Roaming badlands of South Dakota with rucksack and compass. Check. Personally tested. Performance was flawless."

'Nother..J Peterman...so iconic they had it on Seinfeld...

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . I know that. It was a joke. :)

BBD

dude. that's not a national-champ jersey!



dude...alexi's wearing a us-team jersey...that's the '84 olympic RR final.


fwiw my favorite was the "captain america" themed us-pro jersey. several have been shown, here's lances:

https://encrypted-tbn1.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQxkTewT-ExrAqVZyj-HJwf-ZNxfGvh5voR9fsfq1ysY7A4_NHohttp://i786.photobucket.com/albums/yy148/ar-bike/DSC_9965.jpg

[jr59]

Maybe it's just me, but having BBDave comment on kit style is a bit strange.

From the guy who wears stripes and another one in pink and ears! :eek: :p

[tiretrax]

I preferred hincapie's bmc kit

Beat me to it. Congratulations on your first post.

[Ti Designs]

Defining Pro. That's so stupid...

What he said.

I happen to have two stars & stripes jerseys hanging on my wall. I learned what it means to be pro in the junior national team selection process, I'd rather be called Fred.