Rapha offer personalised Team Sky replica jerseys

I wear europcar shorts because Tommy Voeckler kicked ass the first time i ever watched any pro cycling and got me hooked (before i had a bike), Omega-Pharma gloves...i like Cav and they were £2, and a team sky jersey as i support them. I dont wear them all at once. I just dont get the not wearing team kit. Sorry

Three classic topics in one, here we go...
1) To the people who say you shouldn't ride in team kit, boo to you. Cycling teams SELL them for EXACTLY the same reasons as football, rugby, cricket teams et al do it; to raise revenue and encourage a fan base. If you want to be above such behaviour then fine, just don't buy it yourself, but don't be surprised when you see some chubby Sky boys out on sunday, just as you will see some middle aged Chelsea/ManU players down the local five-a-side (not Ryan Giggs.) I go to work to EARN money to buy stuff and if some of this is bike jerseys so be it, that is how I earn the right to wear it. If the commercial imperative is too disgusting then stop watching procycling, if you hadn't noticed all the teams are sponsored as there is no such thing as a home town for a bike team.
2) Rapha kit costs what it costs. It seems too much to me so I haven't got any, so I can't really comment on its quality. Maybe one day soon I'll get to find out for myself but until then I would rather spend more money on my bike. It is what it is.
3) 'encouraging the wearing of dark clothing,' this should be entirely encouraged. I recently said to a friend that I overtake many 'clones' wearing fluro yellow jackets on the way to work. He accused me of justifying my fashion choice. It is true I do not want to have to wear the same as everyone else, or even the same thing everyday. It makes my skin crawl thinking just how dirty that jacket would become, or should I buy 5 matching fluro jackets? I have been riding happy for 15 years and always worn a variety of (team) colours, but until about 2 years ago no one ever said anything about what I *should* be wearing. It is good that more people are now cycling but the recent idea that you need to be wearing one colour to be safe is fallacious. So wear black and get some lights if it is dark, if a motorist isn't looking he won't see you whatever you are wearing.

road.cc wrote:

Team Sky weren't the first to put riders' names on the jersey - that honour belongs to Highroad Columbia

I'm always hearing this nonsense Actually the honour goes to Mercatone Uno in 1998 who had all the team members names (not just Pantani) across the shoulders on the back like football players... see pic below for evidence.

That's only £1.25 per letter for me, BARGAIN!

It's like name stickers on your bike. Fine if you have a team of mechanics with 20 bikes to sort out but if it's just you then it's personal vanity which - like hair dye and capped teeth - aint fooling anybody.

Named kit is like a national champs jersey. In my club only the actual national champs wear them....

(Seething with rage)...Unless it's made from the same material as the pro jersey, it is NOT a replica. A replica is an exact copy.

"I'm telling you, my name IS Wiggins and that roundall thing was my trademark long before he started riding for Sky!"

Let me see, that is one Dr. plus christian name, middle name, spare name and surname, means I would need atleast an XXL just for the name.

My Rapha Illusion died on a Sportive last Sunday when I was surrounded by "Cuddly" Men decked out in an array of R products. I was horrified as I had fooled myself into thinking I was more akin to the beardy gurn whippets as portrayed on the site. This was until a cruel reflective object caught me within the rotund flock. I was found belonging & unremarkable, a pained pout couldn't save me. Liposuction might. Sob.
Still gonna buy a pair of shorts just not the pro line.

Apparently Rapha are doing a bulk run with 'Fred' on the side and these will be available ex-stock from the shop.

I'm pretty sure i dropped Phil Gil the other day, he was in full WC kit, in Richmond Park. I should, like, so be a pro.

Super Domestique is a tad long for a side panel and for that reason I'm out

Team jerseys are, in my humble opinion, for team riders. Same with National/World champs jerseys. So I fall on the 'it is wrong' side of the fence I'm afraid.

Cant see the problem really. Its not yet a nanny state where we all say and do and wear the same thing so let people wear a top with their name on.

My only problem with it is, sky kit is encouraging people to wear dark clothing on the bike.

Martin

I’ll get the ball trolling.

I love Rapha but this is wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong.

I can see that they are trying to shift these like football shirts but this is not football this is cycling and IMHO unless you are part of the team you don’t get a team jersey, let alone your name on a team jersey. Oh my goodness!!

I’m off to sulk in a corner. Hmpf.

Pulls up chair, settles down with popcorn, awaits the commencement of battle..............