How does groomed cycling work?
'SO, that looks groomed!' or 'That's really very un-groomed!' Statements often used by the fashion police in the cycling peloton. There is no accounting for taste, and judgements are often made based solely on aesthetic criteria. So we are not going to tell you what to wear. Everyone can define their own style and any style can look sophisticated.
Anyone can ride in a fashionable way. You just need to take the time and pay attention to your clothes and equipment.
To help you with this five simple tips:
1. Clean gear!
A clean bike is also a fast bike and always good for morale, so always leave with a clean bike. Clean your bike immediately after training. This is good for your equipment and prevents you from grabbing your bike out of the shed to start training and your bike turns out to be dirty. But also no dirty saddle bag on your bike or the frame plate from the classic race you rode last weekend.
Make sure your bike is always clean when you go cycling!
2. Replace or repair broken or worn gear.
A torn handlebar tape, a split brake cable or overshoe with a broken zip. Being economical with your equipment is obviously important to avoid breakdowns and it also shows that you pay attention to how you look on the bike.
3. Wear clothes that suit the weather and your activity.
Spending an hour riding loose in a speed suit or riding on the track with thick winter gloves? That's just weird and nonsensical. Buy good clothing too. Invest in a windproof cycling jacket, for example. Then you don't need to put on five layers on top of each other but have enough with a sweat shirt and a windproof cycling jacket. Again, this looks nice and sleek!
4. The right size.
This tip, like the others, seems obvious, but you still see flapping shirts, sagging leg warmers or clothes that are too small, making you look like a Michelin man on your bike.
5. Make sure your outfit matches.
We don't mean a complete outfit and matching bike, of course. A different colour of socks can be really cool, but try to make it a whole. Clothes from three different clubs and then a neon fluorescent helmet. That's not classy!
So it's not just about what you wear, but mainly how you wear it. We are curious to see if these tips are of any use to you and maybe you have some tips for us.
Share your tips and photos of best outfit with us on Instagram with #sockeloen!
