Best Kit Ever?
What is the best pro team kit ever? I’m talking team kit only, not a leader’s jersey, national team jersey or the national champion jersey. Not the worst either, for those are legion and worthy of a much longer article than this. @wiscot and I exchanged emails about Urs Freuler and the fantastic Atala kit which led to quick discussion of best kits. He threw out Skil Shimano and La Vie Clair as kits to consider. It’s hard to disassociate the kit from the rider. Maybe the Orange Molteni kit would be rubbish if Lord Merckx didn’t own it for years. It’s also hard to come up with a great modern kit: too many sponsors, too much sublimation. Were wool kits nicer? Maybe they were in their simplicity, maybe more iconic. Sky’s kit was a excellent change for it’s uncluttered design and in years to come we may look back on it with as much admiration as we do a Molteni kit. But since that reedy weed Froome killed my VSP hopes recently, that jersey is dead to me, forever.
Here are a few nice ones. I’m sure I’ve left many nicer ones out. Let the arguing begin.
- Atala-I know my love of the Atala prisoner jersey is bolstered by Urs Freuler’s ‘stach and a young Gianni Bugno in the stripes. The design was a nod to the early Atala frames made in an Italian prison by real Italian prisoners. It’s a damn good looking, especially when it made the transition to lycra.
- Molteni-I can’t separate the jersey from Merckx. It’s a weird color and a nice design but without Eddie’s head sticking out of the top I’m not sure it would go far.
- TI Raleigh-So much ass was kicked by riders in this jersey it was like a black leather jacket. If three guys in this jersey ride up next to you, it’s sweatin’ time. The design didn’t change season to season. Red, yellow and black: a very distinctive kit but the best kit?
- Skil Shimano – If Sean Kelly didn’t wear this kit it wouldn’t be in the running. But Sean Kelly killing it in the red, white and blue Skil kit, he makes it look awesome.
- Brooklyn Chewing Gum – This kit may have stood on it’s own. It’s original and beautiful. If Roger de Vlaeminck hadn’t rocked that jersey in various Paris-Roubaix wins it may have stood on its own but it would not have stood so tall.
- La Vie Claire – Hinault never looked quite menacing enough in this Mondrian inspired jersey. He looked mean all the time but this jersey made him look too sophisticated, someone who actually cared about design instead of just ripping legs off.
- Bianchi – Like Atala, the bike manufacturer as sponsor keeps the kit simple. Bianchi’s beautiful color and simple design really do it for me. When Bianchi again sponsored a team and big Jan was the captain, everyone won.
[dmalbum path=”/velominati.com/content/Photo Galleries/[email protected]/Best Kit Ever/”/]
As I keep banging on – I’ve still got my 1987 PDM kit and it still looks fantastic
Let the debates begin!
Got to give a shout out to a few of my favorites: the Del Tongo as worn by Saronni et al, the Renault jersey of the early 80s as worn by Hinault, the RMO jersey as worn by Mottet, Fagor as worn by Roche, Sky, Z as worn by Pensec and LeMan. All these had originality and good aesthetics. Sponsors were there but the design was the stronger element.
Sucky jerseys: most USPS iterations, Discovery Channel, most jerseys worn by Cippolini, Phonak.
wow, i finally got on board for a ride with you guys…I hate work since it keeps me away from things that matter…like all things cycling
Heres one to merge with your offering Gianni
Mercatone-Uno donned by the beloved Pantani…forever embodied as the fighter, RIP il Pirata
Chateau d’Ax Fignon
finally, i have made it on board for an electronical ride with you guys. I hate work since it draws me away from these things that really matter and all things cycling
Here’s one to merge with your offering Gianni
Mercatone-Uno, donned by my beloved Pantani..RIP il Pirata! Truly embodies the spirit of a fighter, love him or hate him, he fought like a junk yard dog
fuck my tits, this thing says my comments didn’t fly, then i repost, then it flies…twice
Of all time?, That’s a toughy…I’m going to have to go with La Vie Claire – Its simply iconic, both in the design of the kit in its own right, as well as on the backs of the riders that wore it. As far as other more recent kits that I really like, but wouldn’t dare put up for the best of all time moniker – United Healthcare’s kit, and the Rapha Focus CX kit with the candy stripes from last season.
I also always had a soft spot in my heart for the first Columbia High Road kit/guys, silently stylish…and clean
And the Renault-Elf kit by Fignon was classic
For me it has to be Carrera. I know others have objected to the faux denim look, but I love it. Early 1990s Carrera was the first pro-kit I owned so it’ll always be close to my heart.
Ok, back again after some thought:
The Peugeot kit of Millar and Thevenet. Just iconic.
The green Sanson kit of Moser. Simple and stylish.
The Flandria kit of Maertens and the Red Guard. Take no prisoners.
I can’t believe the Denim Shit Kit was nominated. To each his own I suppose.
Nice one, Gianni!! This is a perfect thread to a) get the weekend kicked off b) get us ready for the one week countdown to the World Championships!
Very hard to choose, as there are numerous awesome kits. I do think the Castorama kit does double duty for me – both the best and the worst.
Since there are lots of old photos, has me thinking. Was watching La Course en Tete and many of the lads have simple, slick gloves on. White leather palms, white backs with cut-outs. Merckx and Roger also have them on in the classic photo of them talking pre-race, where Merckx seems to be saying, as he makes an example with is hand, “This is where the course kicks up.” Anyone know of such gloves in current production? Just simple, plain, classic leather palmed mitts. (and don’t point me to rapha – I don’t care how nice they might be, I’m not paying that much for gloves.)
La Vie Claire kit is very nice and I do like the Bianchi stuff too but the Brooklyn stuff just looks like a fake Captain America and the Atala boys look like they should be back on the Chain Gang (and no not the won you ride on weekends….the type that Cool Hand Luke found so interesting that he wanted to get away!). For me, it has to be….and will probably always remain the Once yellow strip…I have it, it comes out very rarely when I am feeling nostalgic and I hope it will last forever!
Ha, Der Kaiser’s sleeves are loose in photo 11!
Though I don’t normally like the color combination, the Ti Raleigh kit sure is nice. As well as the Bianchi, of course.
Photo #3 – those are the gloves I’m talking about. A wee snap, simple, white, classy looking. Would love a similar pair!
For me it has to be the Peugeot/BP jerseys of the Simpson Era……
@Adrian Yes, the Simpson Peugeot/BP jerseys were nipple lube!
La Vie Claire was the first kit that came to mind for me. Also love the black/white SCIC kits from the Cannibal era.
@Ron
Castorama: Have you got yourself a set of that kit yet?
Gloves: Giro makes some, complete with perforated backs and a cut out. Think they are called LX now. I’ve got a pair and love them. So supple and you can get a nice retro tan spot on the back of your hand. The palms are black and the backs come in white, tan or black. No problem with the black palms on white fizik tape. Picked mine up at an end of season sale last year for a really nice price.
SCIC:
Chateau d’Ax Moser
@Souleur
Fignon! For a guy that hated the wet and cold, some of his best was in the wet and the cold! That is the V personified.
In all the pics so far, I haven’t seen anything I wouldn’t be proud to wear. Funny, I wouldn’t be caught dead in the Retirement Shack kit…
Here is a nice twist on an old army saying on honourable employment, “Please sir, don’t tell my mom I ride for Radio Shack. She thinks I play piano in a whore house in Regina.”
@unversio
That’s some pretty sexy looking stuff behind that jersey mister! Show us more!
@Dan_R
This was taken at one of the Kelloggs Criteriums in Glasgow I think. Millar didn’t ride many of them but did ride in Glasgow. I’m sure he was nicely paid to do so. Somewhere, I have/had a pic of Kelly taking a pish at the side of the street on the course.
@Dan_R
Big Phil celebrating the win and the fact that he is wearing a sweet-looking jersey.
I’ll probably get excommunicated for this but modern kit that a really like is the rapha condor kit
It’s nice and simple not many colours not to overt on the sponsors everywhere. All time kits I like the 1993 Banesto kit as worn by Big Mig.
Hi Nate!
Thanks for the gloves suggestion! I’ll check ’em out. Oh wait, I’ve seen those! They’re awesome looking. Would be even better with a snap instead of Velcro closure. How have they held up? I have some very similar ones made by Gore and they’ve worn out pretty fast.
Casto kit, no not yet. Been trying to be quite frugal in the cycling department of late & have not been able to justify that purchase. Buying only “needs” and not “wants” lately, which actually feels quite good. Less shopping and more buying only what I need, and riding more, perusing less. But, one day sometime soon. And, be assured I’ll share a photo here documenting my first ride. And, in the meantime I finally am sportin’ a V-jersey; I’d say that was a better option than Fun Friday’s Denim Shit Kit!
@Adrian
@wiscot
The Peugeot kit was near perfect in design. Yep…I should have posted that.
Here is a good look at Moltenti and Flandria. The sleeves on the Molteni jersey rock.
@wiscot I am sure that a tree of woe now grows on the spot that Kelly blessed with his pee!
@torvid
Second the RCS nod. Along with SKY, I think they’re the only kits that are anywhere in the classiness ballpark as the classic kits listed in the article.
@wiscot
The Kellogs Criteriums were great – that’d be something worth reviving – they even raced Dundee back in the day.
I know this will lead to ex-communication, but for a modern kit, I love the 2008 LPR kit worn by the infamous Danilo Diluca.
I couldn’t get the pic in the post box. I actually own the kit and I love riding in it.
@torvid
No, you are safe in liking that Rapha Condor kit. It is classic and beautiful. I’m very interested in what Rapha will do with the Sky kit next year. I believe it will rock.
@VeloVita
“Rapha Focus CX kit with the candy stripes from last season.” Yes, Rapha really has some good design people. It’s hard to work pink into a kit and they did.
@Gianni
Though they then screwed the pooch with Power’s US Champ rendition. I really expected them to do something sweet with it, but it ended up being awful. I know kit designers are at the mercy of the federations to an extent when it comes to that kind of thing, but still…
New to the site. Thought I’d trow my helmet into the ring.
http://www.google.ca/imgres?q=team+7-11&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&rlz=1I7ADFA_en&biw=1382&bih=713&tbm=isch&tbnid=4Mc4g8R9Km03VM:&imgrefurl=http://cyclingart.blogspot.com/2011/12/bauer-7-elevens.html&docid=OJOtwpSeDLEMfM&imgurl=http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AWkj1bR0CBg/Tt1Irc_MFEI/AAAAAAAAGz8/hY_TweRTUrw/s1600/7-11_3.jpg&w=432&h=576&ei=2WhTUNTFA-j50gG284H4Aw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=841&vpy=117&dur=3594&hovh=259&hovw=194&tx=78&ty=285&sig=110833123005790222386&page=1&tbnh=166&tbnw=123&start=0&ndsp=17&ved=1t:429,r:14,s:0,i:117
Also, I may be a bit biased, but Team Spidertech sure does look good this year…….
I’m partial to the Brooklyn kit myself… I found a jersey last year but alas I had to return it because it was too big for me, and they didn’t have any smaller available.
Wow! Great thread! I agree with whomever said early 80’s Renault Elf. Classic. Also, Bugno in Chateux D’Ax was soooo classic to me. But, if driven to choose just one, it would have to be La Vie Claire, hands down.
Great kits in my opinion:
— Credit Agricole for its clean colors. It stood out without being garish.
— 7-eleven for similar reasons, but for the life of me and I can’t understand why they sponsored a team when they didn’t have international stores.
— ONCE in yellow, but their pink at the tour was an eye sore
@Dallas
@ wiscot: money on the Flandria kit, i loved that one too!
Sorry, any answer other than Mapei is wrong.
I have been very reluctant to join up with a local team/club I sometimes ride with because their kit is so awful. Busy and ugly. They requested redesigns, I based it on a Banesto jersey I have (not pictured above) and they said it was too plain, looked like too many others. Yeah, well, I know it looked like another one! And, plain is classy!
Oh well, I’ll have to be content to bomb around in the V-jersey!
i can’t believe I didn’t think of 7 eleven sooner
@Ron
Yeah, I think the problem partially stems from “design by committee”, where if you try and make everyone happy, it winds up being just crappy all-around.
Pro teams have pro designers, which helps a lot. And look at Frank & co., they work with KRX10 and get professional-quality work for the V-Kit items. I’m sure many small amateur teams suffer from letting the “guy who knows photoshop” on the team do the design. I’ve seen a few good ones around here recently, though.
@EricW
I like the Rapha Sharp kits as well, pink is always a good accent color.
Plus with Rapha doing the next round of SKY kits, hopefully we’ll see some new design inspiration injected into the pro peloton.