7:00 PM, 32 degrees.
I had just returned from a long ride.
I put my bike away and went back outside to get something.
My neighbour was walking by, and he thought I was heading out for the night.
‘Going out for dinner?’ he asked.
If he only knew the ride I had just returned from.
But I know why he asked.
I was wearing a patterned button-down polo, buttoned to the top, red shorts, black belt, black crew-length socks, and a pair of all-black Nike Ishod’s.
I was definitely not wearing ‘The Kit.’
I was wearing something finer.
Hang on, here it comes.
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO WEAR ‘THE KIT’ ON YOUR RIDES.
Cycling stands out more than any other sport for its stringent, aka militant, dress code.
It must be this fabric, it must be this fit, it must be this combination, it must be this colour, it must be this length, and it must be this stitch.
It doesn’t.
Uncomfortable, shorts ride up, sleeves flapping, sleeves not staying in place, loose-fitting, constricting, no flex, performance, this brand, breathable, UV protection, no movement, poor wicking – these are just a few of the words and issues to describe the consequences of not wearing ‘The Kit’ when you ride.
It is 2024.
Things have changed.
It is time to look at this again.
…And I have been doing just that.
More than looking.
I am living it.
I am wearing it.
I am wearing a sport that transfers beautifully to cycling.
GOLF.
Nobody has picked up on it.
The designers are not even aware of it.
The styles are endless and evolving.
The designs are off the charts.
The designers are niche.
The clothes fit.
The clothes perform.
I have it down, and so does GOLF.
GOLF
Ya, GOLF.
I am going to introduce you to designers and styles from around the world.
‘I walk the walk and talk the talk.’
Better still, ‘I ride the ride and talk the talk.’
I have been wearing Golf on my rides for years.
I wear it like I am on Tour.
I follow Golf style like a hawk.
Golf has all the attributes of cycling.
Fit, durable, breathable, moisture-wicking, four-way stretch, lightweight, ergonomic, UV protection, performance, and functional.
Who is doing it?
The biggies, right down to a niche designer based in LA.
Styles that are impossible to ‘swipe’ by.
It makes the options in the Cycling World an afterthought.
Designed to do the same thing as ‘The Kit’, but on a different level.
Why be confined to a design on a Jersey?
I do not go out of my way to be different, or to stand out.
If riding in a beautiful Polo that fits and performs, matched with a great pair of shorts happens to make me stand out, well, it is happening.
Ride along with me, and I will show you some amazing ‘stuff.’
‘Teeing Up’
Insert driver club emoji here.
‘Wear it OUT’