There Ought to be a Rule…

We all know where I stand in the cycling sock department, white and not too tall, any color sock as long as it’s white. If you have diminished calves and need to somehow hide that by wearing too tall socks, that is sad but not a crime. I always thought I was less flexible on color than height. Today I’ve changed my mind.

I was in the car when I saw a cyclist in a long sleeve, all white Rock Racing kit. Rock Racing, interesting choice, not a team I would want make believe I rode for but it was tidy. This was matched with a white helmet and white shoes and for an elitist snob like myself it was all fine. It would have been all fine barring the white knee length compression stockings! I don’t even know what compression stockings are or what they supposedly do but for his sake they had better not be just white knee length cycling socks. He had better have a severe medical condition to justify that look.

Doctor: You have a condition known as “Catholic School Girl”. If you don’t wear white knee socks your legs will fall off or you will become wildly promiscuous, but in your case most likely the first.

How can one misstep so quickly change everything? I’ve seen other cyclist in high compression socks but matching them to an all white kit is somehow saying, yes, I still have it going on here, I look Pro. FFS, I now regret not turning the car around so I could have pulled along side and asked what he thought he was doing. Or at least taken a photo for this article. Or issued a V-ticket for visual effrontery. Or nudged him off the road into a ditch.

There ought to be a Rule! Rule #28 needs an addendum with this compression thing out there. Eddy had no idea this was coming. If the Velominati are to keep ahead of these trends we better get on this now, before it is too late.

104 Replies to “There Ought to be a Rule…”

ChrisO says:

Mar 18 2015 at 7:46 am

@Chris

@ChrisO

@markb

BTW, how’s the recovery going?

Well enough that I can tell @Chris the -1 badge is at the top of Box Hill and if he thinks he can get to it faster than me, I’m ready. I’ll even strap my walking stick to the frame for extra weight.

So, yeah, doing OK thanks. Been putting in some turbo time, but will be doing a real ride in the hills this weekend so that will be a big test. TBH I’m more worried about the descents than the climbs and how my head will be.

Physio seems pretty happy. My strength in the main muscle groups is OK and I’m not too uneven. The main weakness is balance – the smaller muscles you use to correct and shift your weight, so e.g. I can do a leg press or a curl but am very wobbly if I try to stand on my right leg. I think sorting that out will be the final 10-15% I’m probably lacking at the moment.

Shame this wasn’t developed into tyres last year…

Indeed – not so sure about the rolling resistance but worth a try.
Chris says:

Mar 18 2015 at 8:50 am

@ChrisO

@Chris

@ChrisO

@markb

BTW, how’s the recovery going?

Well enough that I can tell @Chris the -1 badge is at the top of Box Hill and if he thinks he can get to it faster than me, I’m ready. I’ll even strap my walking stick to the frame for extra weight.

So, yeah, doing OK thanks. Been putting in some turbo time, but will be doing a real ride in the hills this weekend so that will be a big test. TBH I’m more worried about the descents than the climbs and how my head will be.

Physio seems pretty happy. My strength in the main muscle groups is OK and I’m not too uneven. The main weakness is balance – the smaller muscles you use to correct and shift your weight, so e.g. I can do a leg press or a curl but am very wobbly if I try to stand on my right leg. I think sorting that out will be the final 10-15% I’m probably lacking at the moment.

Shame this wasn’t developed into tyres last year…

Indeed – not so sure about the rolling resistance but worth a try.

You can’t have everything. If you want a hardware free hip there are going to be some performance trade offs.
therealpeel says:

Mar 20 2015 at 11:12 am

@RobSandy

@Teocalli

Here’s my take on the helmet debate – leaving aside whether or not it would/could/might save my life in a crash…

My wife wouldn’t let me go out riding with out one, in the same way I wouldn’t get away with going climbing without my climbing lid. So wearing a helmet enables me to ride/climb as I wish. End of debate.

I don’t notice I’m wearing one now.

You sit and read Velominati in your helmet? There serious dedication.
wiscot says:

Mar 20 2015 at 12:03 pm

I’m sure it’s just the angle of the photo, but something tells me Tommy V doesn’t need flippers when he goes snorkeling. Either that or he’s related to Sideshow Bob.