What about the kit??

[TxDoc]

Is the kit supposed to match the bike?

Nope. Some people like everything to match (yes, yes, alright, I'm one of them) and some others don't. Wear what you like - your pink sunglasses included - and don't worry about it. You are the one that has to like the bike and the kit - not the LBS fashion guy...

[Zen]

I take pride in having nothing match.
I may start wearing one Adidas and one Sidi.

[tzvia]

I've always felt that one risks looking like a poseur with a 'kit' that matches. I see them when I ride at the beach, nice bike, not a speck of dirt, perfectly matching clothing, down to the socks. Never actually riding, mind you. Just standing around some waterhole. Most people I see actually RIDING aren't quite as fashion consious.

I ride whatever isn't in the wash. My mother was the accounts administrator for HiTorque (MTB Action, Road Bike Action..) magazines and she brought home a lot of shirts and shorts over the years and nothing matches and I don't care. Free is good. I've got stuff with logos of teams and companies that don't exist any more and I don't care. I look like a circus on wheels sometimes. As long as I'm riding and not posing I don't care. I'm having fun.

To me, the 'kit' that matters is what is in the saddlebag or Camelbak (and yea I ride with a Camelbak so I guess I'm a Fred). Kit is what I use when something happens and I have to fix my bent wheel and patch a tube so I can make it home.

[TxDoc]

I've always felt that one risks looking like a poseur with a 'kit' that matches. I see them when I ride at the beach, nice bike, not a speck of dirt, perfectly matching clothing, down to the socks. Never actually riding, mind you. Just standing around some waterhole. Most people I see actually RIDING aren't quite as fashion consious.

That's ok, just remember that appearences can sometimes be defying... there are people out there that ride 60miles per day and just clean their bikes (or ask their mechanics to do that). And they like to look nice and have matching team clothes, helmets, socks, gloves, etc - especially if there's the chance of someone around taking pictures.
You cannot infer just from their looks that all of them are poseurs that never actually ride. In fact, I know quite a few good racers that are fashion divas as well, more than a couple of them gone pro...

[Bluetree]

The guys on my team are notorious posers...and that's not considered a bad word because style points at the coffee shop count! In fact, many of the race reports end with "...and we looked great, too!"

But they indulge in their divaness because it's a fun diversion from the intensity of racing. Dont believe for a second that they don't razz each other if someone wore the wrong socks or if someone else forgot to shave their legs the night before! But its all in fun and part of the team-bonding rituals. If they're hangng out at a local waterhole, they usually have no intention of real riding that day, or else it might be a post-ride break. (Keep in mind that a lot of racers ride every day, so some days are "easy" days.)

Wear what you want. Have fun riding your bike. If anyone has an issue with what you're wearing, it's their problem... not yours!

[Lifesgreat]

You mean you're supposed to match?
I suppose my shorts and saddle match. . .

[lph]

Oh, sheesh. Sometimes I nurture these sweet dreams of finding a stunning red vest, a gorgeous red helmet and, of course, red shoes, and looking terrific on my brilliant red road bike and metallic red mtb. But I end riding 90 % of the time on my turquoise green with red fork FrankenKonacommuterbike wearing whatever fell out of the closet, and the remaining 10% in the hideous club kit some guy dreamed up mid-70s. (5 primary colours, I kid you not.) By sheer chance my helmet and shoes match each other, though.