Look Pro: Flandrian Best

Hushovd shows his Flandrian Flair, even over the actual Flandrian, Boonen. Photo: Kris Claeyé

To Look Pro is to strive to Look Fantastic and to be at our ease on a bicycle. It is to walk the line between form and function and is based entirely on the premise that the professional peloton is far more experienced in this endeavour than we shall ever be. Their lessons speak through their actions on the bike, serving as a beacon to provide us the opportunity to learn from their mistakes and triumphs. But this is a dangerous game; being a Pro does not mean one Looks Fantastic. Because of the Commutative Property of Looking Pro, Looking Fantastic does not mean you Look Pro. The Pros are our inspiration, but care must be taken to choose your muse wisely.

Looking Pro in good weather is an simple matter; bibs, jersey, (white) socks, shoes, and helmet. Tan your guns, match your kit properly, and get on with it. But when the chill sets in and layers are added, the matter becomes quite complicated quite quickly. Rule #21 and Good Taste dictate that we dress in our Flandrian Best; we don knickers or knee warmers, gillets, arm warmers, Belgian Booties or shoe covers, slip caps beneath our helmets, and hope to encounter some good old-fashioned gritty roads.

The preference for knee warmers over tights distills down to one elemental fact: no matter how one might try to disguise them, tights are simply not an attractive garment. Not on cyclists. Not on skiers. Not on overweight women at the market. Not on fit women at the Yoga studio. Not on runners, not on swimmers. Not in a box, not on a fox.

As is customary, I will leverage the powers of photography to illustrate my point. A casual glance at this particular photo shows a collection of proper hardmen rattling over the muddy cobbles of Omloop Het Nieuwsblad. It is plainly obvious that perennial hardman Tomeke Boonen was suffering from some kind of mental trauma, as he chose to don full tights rather than his usual knee warmers. These actions are not without their consequence, and you can plainly see he is ill at ease and destined to perform below his best for the remainder of the season. Eddy Boasson Hagen, in the blurry distance, suffered a similar fate and it took him until July to recover from his mistake. Boonen wasn’t so lucky, presumably because such an offense holds greater punishment for actual Flandrians as opposed to étrangers.

Then we have the others. Thor Hushovd, Lars Boom, and Philipe Gilbert all have two things in common: they all Look Fantastic, and they’re all dressed in their Flandrian Best. Hushovd has obviously already taken the safety off the howitzers, while Gilbert, if I’m not mistaken, is smirking – apparently at Boonen’s choice. Boom’s face can’t be read, but his posture is that of a Dutchman with intense Belgian aspirations.

When making decisions about how to dress for the cold and wet, keep the following points in mind.

  • Layering offers maximum versatility; forgo jackets and tights for the flexibility of arm and knee warmers which can be pulled up or down, and gillets which can be unzipped or doffed and tucked under your pockets. It is also to be noted that your Flandrian Best should always be close-fitting. Belgian Booties and shoe covers are to fit tightly over the shoe; gloves are to be tight and sleek. (Sorry, Lobster claws, despite your utility, there is no place for you in a rider’s Flandrian Best.)
  • Knee warmers are employed to keep the knees warm and protected from the cold, while at the same time allowing the shins to breathe like a fine bottle of wine after uncorking the magnums.
  • Maintain order; if it’s cold enough for knee warmers, it’s cold enough for arm warmers. First come arm warmers, then knee warmers.
  • While cycling caps may be worn in a variety of conditions for a variety of reasons, cotton cycling caps are to be worn under helmets any time the rain falls or knee warmers are deployed for use. In extreme cold conditions, a winter cycling cap may be considered. Skull caps, due in large part to their condom-like appearance, are to be avoided at all costs.
  • Tights are to be avoided whenever possible. If, due to some kind of genetic shortcoming, you find that you simply must wear full-length tights, ensure that they are are straight-ankled and not stirrups. (We’re Cyclists, not dancers.)

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298 Replies to “Look Pro: Flandrian Best”

  1. Those pics are indeed, badass. While I think it would be cool to finish our rides looking like that, finishing the rides without a Museeuw Knee or Cadel Clavicle always creeps into my psyche. Screw you guys, I’m going hard…

  2. @Nate

    @Nate
    These wheels are the absolute tits. They ride beautifully over any surface. The 25 mm tires effectively give the bike a tiny bit more trail and suddenly the steering is not just good, it’s approaching perfection. The sew ups make me feel like I am stuck to the ground. But most of all, at any moment of doubt, I can look down at the wheels and find myself suddenly inspired with The V.
    @frank, get yours built up.

    Needless to say I am sooooooooooooooooooooooooo jealous!

  3. @Nate

    @Marko
    I’m with Marko. Het Volk or Het VVhatever. “Neiuwsblad” has no ring to it.

    I’m with the both of ya’s. Het news lot just Sucks as a name. It’ll always be Volk to me.

  4. @Buck Rogers

    @Nate

    @Marko
    I’m with Marko. Het Volk or Het VVhatever. “Neiuwsblad” has no ring to it.

    I’m with the both of ya’s. Het news lot just Sucks as a name. It’ll always be Volk to me.

    Frick’en autocorrect feature on the iPad just kills me!!!

  5. @Buck Rogers

    @Nate

    @Nate
    These wheels are the absolute tits. They ride beautifully over any surface. The 25 mm tires effectively give the bike a tiny bit more trail and suddenly the steering is not just good, it’s approaching perfection. The sew ups make me feel like I am stuck to the ground. But most of all, at any moment of doubt, I can look down at the wheels and find myself suddenly inspired with The V.
    @frank, get yours built up.

    Needless to say I am sooooooooooooooooooooooooo jealous!

    Get some!!

  6. “Etranger” is a French word. True Flandriens speak a dialect of German.

  7. @Le Becanicien

    “Etranger” is a French word. True Flandriens speak a dialect of German.

    Talk about blasphemy. Germany invaded and occupied these lands. Flandrians speak a dialect of Dutch. Call one of them or a Dutchman a German again. I dare you.

  8. A Dutch geologist was explaining the radical difference between the Dutch and German languages to me. I can’t remember what word she was using as an example, but it was pronounced the same way and meant the same thing in both languages, but the Dutch spelled it with two a’s instead of one. Then she told me the joke of how the Dutch invented copper wiring…

  9. I did not suffer at all on my last group ride because I could only think of this article for the 4 hour duration. Legs truly do look horrible in long tights. I knew that many of the group would be wearing them, so I went Gillet, armwarmers and regular length bibshorts to play wanna be hardman.

  10. I like going to the Big City – I picked me up some Craft gloves and an awesome winter cap.

    I know, I know…

    (Sorry, Lobster claws, despite your utility, there is no place for you in a rider’s Flandrian Best.)

    …but they definitely have their place in the sub freezing temps that I often ride in in southeast Idaho.

  11. What ever you want to say about him, you cant deny that he is dedicated. and he is not wearing knee warmers from what I can tell.

  12. But his guns still look magnificent, much better than mine would look with or without tights.

    @Cyclops
    How do you like that hat? Does it fit under a helmet well?

  13. @Blah

    Ha. Yes… I usually stop by my parents’ home for a quick hug and a fill of the bidon. Mom is a bit of an archivist, so I get pictures in my inbox before I even get home.

  14. @Calmante
    gotta be tights over socks. Think we have a rule on this. if not, there should be one. Then again, Rule #9 probably means i shouldn’t even own tights in Australia.

    And despite the color co-ordination there should certainly be some rule against combining Lion of Flanders socks with ONCE gear!

  15. @Marcus

    But dude, then no one would see the lion! I don’t know what those things are called, but they’re not really tights. They’re leg warmers and can be taken off while riding…

  16. @brett
    Tommeke begs to differ above. Socks must always hit skin first as they go on first. Then leg warmers, then booties.

  17. @brett

    @Marcus
    @Calmante
    Pretty sure it’s socks over tights, then booties over both.

    Booties over socks? That’d explain the chuckles directed at me.

  18. For the love of god they’re bib-knicks not knickers.* A grown velominatus should never be seen out riding their bike in a pair of knickers.**

    * Unless you’re that hairy tri freak of couse

    ** And if you so choose to do that on your rollers in the front room, then keep it to yourself, mkay. And pictures!

  19. @Matt

    What the *^&*(

    That’s supposed to say No! pictures.

    People might think I’m some depraved knicker loving cyclo-freak.

  20. @Matt
    A quick goolge search would suggest that they’re knicks in downunder.au but knickers pretty much every where else. Either way, it’s always the uncorrected version that says the most about the author.

  21. @Matt
    In New Zealand we call them “bib-shorts”, which makes better sense and pretty much avoids any odd connotations.

  22. \\ Italy Made !! Wanted to promote an Italian maker that is proud to promote themselves as “Italy Made” (image). KASK has been a great online experience too. Three business days to deliver their helmet to my desk.


    I already love my helmet — Black with some white and red. Perfecto!

  23. @frank Endura kit is the business. They manufacture our club kit for us at Stirling Bike Club in central Scotland. Even the light weight waterproof will keep out the cold on a miserable Scottish morning with just a single layer underneath. The other bonus is that the club kit at least is made in Scotland.

  24. @brett

    Ah, I dunno, I never wear tights or leg warmers. Socks, shoes, booties.

    Cripes is that all?  Isn’t that taking Rule #5 a bit far?

  25. This may be the best photo deconstruction I have ever read. Living in Arizona, the best time of year to get on a bike (October-May) is almost upon us!

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