Male cyclists' alter ego

Has anyone noticed a connection with male cyclists... the more drab their daily clothing, the more extreme their cycling kit?

As women, we wear colors all the time so we're pretty much used to matching and mixing. Men, however...

I was looking in my friend's closet the other day and the closest thing that came to color was a pair of olive-toned Dockers. Khaki... grey... brown.... black...more khaki... oh, one faded, navy blue golf shirt. However, when we ride he'll wear an orange-yellow-purple jersey with matching bib tights, bright red arm warmers and matching shoe covers. In warmer weather it's kelly green-yellow with red-white-and-blue club shorts. And, of course, the brightly patterned socks. When asked he happily exclaimed, "I love colors! The brighter the better!"

Since then, I've noticed my other male friends decked out in similarly frightening color palettes. It's as if all the colors they've denied themselves in daily life come to life on a bike... all at once. :p

I've noticed that as well, however if you try to buy them a nice looking colorful dress shirt they just won't wear it?? I don't get it?? :confused:

But wearing bright colors on the bike is PRACTICAL because you need to be seen. Gives them an excuse. At least that how my (somewhat male-patterned) brain works. Though you wouldn't catch me dead in matching bib tights or bright red arm warmers.

During the summer, I'm walking down Kirkwood (the "strip") near campus in Bloomington with DF ("Dear Family";) ).

As we walk by one of the campus hangouts one of the drunk students decides he has a problem with my pink shirt...

So, I walked up to him (we had a wrought iron fence between us) and asked him what his problem was...he said he didn't like my "pink" shirt. I pointed out to him that his drinking had affected his vision because my shirt was actually "dusty rose".

Coming of age in the 80's, bright colors were in. Today, muted rules the day. I've decided that I want my colors to meet the season.

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Originally Posted by Mr. Silver

So, I walked up to him (we had a wrought iron fence between us) and asked him what his problem was...he said he didn't like my "pink" shirt. I pointed out to him that his drinking had affected his vision because my shirt was actually "dusty rose".

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That reminds me of the set of dishes my DH had when he was a bachelor. They were given to him by a friend who got them as a wedding gift, but had more dishes than they knew what to do with. They were a horrible pink, and I commented to the friend how he could have ever had a set of pink dishes. "They're not pink," he'd say. "They're salmon!" Regardless, they went to Salvation Army when we got married!

My DH wears khaki (sp?) pants 99% of the time (blue the other 1%) and some shade of blue, olive, or maroon LLBean polo (he has a large collection of them). His bike duds are invariabley the LBS kit - so the colors are not garish - blue, yellow, pink, whatever - but the design is off the wall. "Shards of metal" daggers that look like flames.

My husband always says "it takes a real man to wear pink". Of course pink suits him really well, so he would say that. It looks terrible on me though.

Oh and he´s the one cycling around in a cow-print jersey and matching socks......

My DH is known for wearing loud colored shirts, so I think what you're seeing is an age-specific thing. all the generation X guys are into the beige/off white thing.
The old boomers like color (not all of them).

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Originally Posted by mimitabby

My DH is known for wearing loud colored shirts, so I think what you're seeing is an age-specific thing. all the generation X guys are into the beige/off white thing.
The old boomers like color (not all of them).

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My dad and brother are both color-blind...if they don't have help choosing clothes they end up looking like clowns. When I was little I just thought my brother wasn't too bright (couldn't learn his colors) so every week in art class I made him a new color chart to practise with. :D

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Originally Posted by Queen

My dad and brother are both color-blind...if they don't have help choosing clothes they end up looking like clowns. When I was little I just thought my brother wasn't too bright (couldn't learn his colors) so every week in art class I made him a new color chart to practise with. :D

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oh, that's funny. I enjoy teasing my stepfather who is color blind:
and what color is THIS? and what color is THAT?

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Originally Posted by Queen

My dad and brother are both color-blind...

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I would honestly die if I were color blind!

I savor color and the subtle differences between one color and another.

I really feel for your father and brother.

I'm not a man, but I think I fit your orignal profile. My everyday wardrobe contains a lot of navy, black, grey....
before I joined a team, since I have to wear team kit now, I loved to wear wildly patterned jerseys - though I have to admit that I there are some colors that I would never wear since they make me look like the living dead.

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Originally Posted by Eden

I'm not a man, but I think I fit your orignal profile. My everyday wardrobe contains a lot of navy, black, grey....
before I joined a team, since I have to wear team kit now, I loved to wear wildly patterned jerseys - though I have to admit that I there are some colors that I would never wear since they make me look like the living dead.

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I'm that way too. & I can't wear yellow or green.

ORANGE!

feel better now.

Or the 60 yo grandpop-lookalike that owns at least 20 pairs of sunglasses in various lens shades and frame colors and keeps all of them in his trunk 'just in case'.

I swear that guy has more frames than I have shoes in my closet, and that's saying something!!

:)

K.

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Originally Posted by SouthernBelle

I'm that way too. & I can't wear yellow or green.

ORANGE!

feel better now.

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I wonder if we have similar skin tones? (me 1/2 Italian, greenish -yellow undertones) I can't wear bright primaries - no red, yellow, kelly green or orange - but dark or muted versions are OK (burgundy, forest etc - but all blues and black and white and tan are good, brown not so much...) The bright ones just make me look like I'm ill...