Decathlon to stock new Santini UCI World Champs collection

National kit has just reminded me of a time that I was working at the MTB World Cup in Madrid, I guess 2009. I was having a ride around the course on the Friday afternoon and came across someone in Team GB kit. They shouldn't really have been wearing it as it was reserved for team riders and they didn't compete MTB anyway, but they do get a let off as they were quite well connected in the cycling world. Cheeky, but acceptable.

Gkam84 wrote:

Cashy Cashy we need your money....That's all that interests the UCI, money, more money and money. The sport isn't in a good state, the races are failing to meet minimum regulations, doping is still happening...etc etc etc.

But here, have some rainbows. It's like wearing a crown and calling yourself king/queen. You just look like a twat.

u ok hun?

Gkam84 wrote:

But here, have some rainbows. It's like wearing a crown and calling yourself king/queen. You just look like a twat.

It's not, though, is it.  No one is actually claiming they are a World Champ.  

Personally, I wouldn't wear them as I'd soon show the world that I'm no champ.  But each to their own.

Team kit is ok if a) old and b) none of it matches. Because the only sane reason to have it is that it was good kit made obsolete by a sponsor change and hence you got it cheap.

The only exception to this is if you're 9 and wear a Spider-Man outfit as normal leisure gear.

mbprouser wrote:

 You hear about riders who turn up in full team kit and are given a hard time. Imagine if you rock on up to the club ride with rainbow stripes. 

It's beyond me why anyone would care, we're going for a ride, wear what you damn well like.

Sometimes you get caught out though, we were riding in the Brecons a couple of years back and saw a guy coming the other way, full Team Sky kit, Pinarello Dogma...I said to Mrs H look at that tosser, fancy doing yourself up like that..."I think that was Luke Rowe, dear" - and it was!

mbprouser wrote:

I think you have to earn the right to wear a World Championships jersey. The same goes for national championships, leaders jerseys. 

True. Go to work. Earn your money. Spend it on what the fuck you like!

So, I've been fortunate enough to be a national champion... Not a real one, but an old man's national champ. Came with a jersey though, which I will say excited me more than I thought it would.
Anyway, whilst champion, one of the local clubs changed their kit design to resemble, as closely as British Cycling would allow, the British masters national champion jersey.
So close was the design that at an early season race, I was asked several times if I'd joined that local club.
Long story short, I never wore that jersey in competition again... The whole thing had been ruined for me.
National / world champ stripes are earned through effort not coin, and whilst I'm all for 'inspired' designs, direct copies do devalue the real thing in my opinion.

Sorry Jimmy but did you want to rock up at local events to tell the World you're a Champion? Did your jersey have an asterik and a disclaimer *I'm not the fastest just a bit older?

Also, why is it ok to ride a bike that the pro rides but not wear a jersey?

It's amazing that you won such an event, if it were me then the jersey would probably be framed/. If the victory is tainted by some people wanting to be as awesome as you then I think you're doing it wrong!

Well, you could argue... I definitely would... That the jerseys denotes that I was the fastest person in my classification in the country on a given date / event. No need for an asterisk, the colours etc denote if I'm a national champ, or a sort of 'special needs' sort of champ.

And absolutely, I'd want to rock up to local and national events and peacock to the world about my achievement... As is my right and privilege.

Good of you to piss all over that for me by the way. By your reckoning the whole point of competition is completely pointless, but hey ho.

To answer your question, the difference is that a title jersey has to be earned with effort, not merely coin. Anyone with a fat wallet can buy a pro bike.

With you on that one - I've seen it argued upthread that the jersey isn't 'the trophy' but it quite clearly denotes something important, and moreover something that's been earned by talent, hard work and maybe a bit of luck on the day. I'd wear kit with the rainbow colours on - the black jersey looks quite nice - but not a straight-up replica.

I do have a Fat Lad at the Back KotM jersey, as pictured, but I reckon that's just about ironic enough to pass muster.