Done the ride, got the T shirt

[Dai P]

Is there any protocol in Audax on wearing the jersey before completing the ride?  I think in running it is looked down on if you wear the Jersey if you have not completed the ride.  I know when I did PBP in 07 I stopped 5k from the finish to have a wash, beer and put the jersey on, having carried it around for four days.  Today I think I saw someone with 2017 LEL Jersey..... I don't really have an opinion but don't want to wear one if it is deemed not cool.  What is the best approach.

[jzhowie]

I think it's bad form, but each to their own.

I didn't wear my PBP jersey until I'd completed the ride. To be honest it's not the most comfortable anyway. I'm about to finally get around to sticking it in a frame and hanging it on my wall (bought the frame today)

I did however wear the reflective gillet for the night sections.

[Planet X Paul]

Yes, I agree in that it is bad form.  I wouldn't wear the jersey until I've completed it, or at least on the final day of LEL.  Would anyone wear a London Marathon T-Shirt if they hadn't done it.  I certainly wouldn't.

[Kim]

Yes, I agree in that it is bad form.  I wouldn't wear the jersey until I've completed it, or at least on the final day of LEL.  Would anyone wear a London Marathon T-Shirt if they hadn't done it.  I certainly wouldn't.

Doesn't seem unreasonable to wear one while actually doing it, thobut.  But I'm somewhat oblivious to the tradition surrounding such things.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

I tend not to wear the shirt unless I've done the ride. Wearing the event shirt during the ride makes it more difficult to identify which club/country you come from, when it is an international event.

[De Sisti]

I still have two Marmotte jerseys from 2009 and 2011 that I still haven't worn.

[Banjo]

If I wore a PBP or LEL shirt knowing I have never ridden  either I would feel like a fraud.

Fair enough to wear it while doing the ride IMHO

[Veloman]

Each to their own.

In some countries it is very common to wear the kit of the pro-team your support rather like a football club. Does not mean to say they ride on he team.  You might wear the jersey if you have taken part in an event and not finished. Some will say 'bad form' while others will say 'so what'.

First World problem.

Real question is Shimano or Campag?

[jsabine]

Today I think I saw someone with 2017 LEL Jersey.....

Specifically on the LEL 2017 jersey, the only people I'm aware of who've currently got the jerseys to wear are members of the core organising team (PhilW had one on last year's Wild Atlantic Way, for instance), and I figure they've got a free pass.

As for other events, once you've got the jersey I think you can do what you like as long as you've got a story to tell. I'm happy to wear my LEL2013 and WAWA2016 jerseys despite finishing hors delai: I flogged on a Mille Cymru 2014 jersey because I packed after a third of the distance.

I swapped a Mile Failte 2014 jersey with another rider after PBP and am happy to wear his national audax jersey despite never having been to his country: if the situation had been reversed, I'd happily wear a jersey from an event that I'd obviously not ridden, because I could give an account of where it was from.

That said, I'm also happy to wear shorts that proclaim 'Olympic Development Team,' where the only account I can give is that they were cheap on ebay, so I'm comfortable with the idea that others may have a different view of things.

[Tull924]

Real question is Shimano or Campag?

SRAM, obviously

[IanDG]

I've got an LEL 2013 jersey and wear it some times - I didn't ride the event but spent 4 days volunteering at Brampton. This year there is a range of volunteer kit.

 

[Tomsk]

Today I think I saw someone with 2017 LEL Jersey....

If on Brazier's Run yesterday, it was a member of the LEL Team, and a very important one. He needs to perfect the 'Catwalk Mince' while modelling the kit, though. 

[mattc]

I think it's bad form, but each to their own.

I didn't wear my PBP jersey until I'd completed the ride. To be honest it's not the most comfortable anyway. I'm about to finally get around to sticking it in a frame and hanging it on my wall (bought the frame today)

I did however wear the reflective gillet for the night sections.

How do you justify that? 

I take the view that if you've paid for the thing, you can wear it whenever you want. Someone on the internet telling me it's "Bad form old chap" isn't going to change that.

[T42]

I'd wear an event shirt during the ride.  Afterwards I'd wear it only on rides of similar standing, or on winter under a jacket.  Wearing a PBP shirt on a Sunday club ride is crass, ditto leaving the frame number on the bike for weeks after.

I do wear my Diagonaliste shirt on local rides with chums, because it shows membership of a club in the same way as a Cent Cols shirt. Ditto my UAF shirt, or at least I would if the zip wasn't kaput.  Cent Cols members seem to wear theirs by preference.

I carry the PBP gilet because it fits and protects quite well, and it can't be read at a glance.

[3peaker]

I think wearing the Jersey is a means of self-Expression; some might say pride or boasting. The Event Jerseys I have bring back memories of the event, even if not worn or if you are DNF. Purchasing the Jersey was a decision to have a memoire of the event/ride; it would/could be a talking point. Many Sportifs include a Jersey with the Entry fee and ‘expect’ you to wear it on the event. Many tourist sites sell ‘achievement memorabilia’ and I proudly bought Jerseys for Passo Stelvio to celebrate a Bormio Audax The 103km 3.25AAA Ibex - Route 3 in 2013.

So, when you wear a specific Jersey, or even a T-Shirt, make sure you have the Tale to accompany it.

[JamieD]

I want to get the Mille Pennines jersey to wear during the ride.

If I complete that's great and I'll wear it. If I almost complete, hmm maybe. If I abandon too early... well I ain't wearing that in public.

[Pete Mas]

Personally, I wouldn't normally wear a ride jersey /T-shirt etc for an event I hadn't completed - especially if I were meeting other cyclists socially and that ride might come up in conversation. It's always nicer discussing events where I had a good time rather than an event where things didn't go so well!

[mattc]

I want to get the Mille Pennines jersey to wear during the ride.

If I complete that's great and I'll wear it. If I almost complete, hmm maybe. If I abandon too early... well I ain't wearing that in public.

Maybe you move in different circles to me Jamie: but how many people do you know that have even attempted a similar thing?

[JamieD]

I want to get the Mille Pennines jersey to wear during the ride.

If I complete that's great and I'll wear it. If I almost complete, hmm maybe. If I abandon too early... well I ain't wearing that in public.

Maybe you move in different circles to me Jamie: but how many people do you know that have even attempted a similar thing?

I know very few people who do distance cycling, most people in my club think 200K is silly but I'm starting to meet more people interested in endurance challenges.

My thinking  is that if I was on a ride (audax, commuting etc.) and someone asked me about it and I said "well, I got 300K into it and DNFd" unless it was for a crash I'd just feel like I hadn't earned it. It's not so much about what other people would say, but more about me feeling I was misrepresenting myself.

As for other people wearing jerseys, they can do what they want. I'm not interested in judging them. I'll do me and you do you seems a pretty good way of enjoying life.

[lahoski]

So, when you wear a specific Jersey, or even a T-Shirt, make sure you have the Tale to accompany it.

Is the story of how I bought a jersey sufficient?

[vorsprung]

i might get a jersey printed up with "THE WORLDS MOST ARDUOUS AND DIFFICULT BIKE RIDE 2017" on it.  A picture of a cog, a mountain and some logos from energy drink makers on the sleeve.  A reflective strip and a 3/4 length zip.

[citoyen]

Specifically on the LEL 2017 jersey, the only people I'm aware of who've currently got the jerseys to wear are members of the core organising team (PhilW had one on last year's Wild Atlantic Way, for instance), and I figure they've got a free pass.

I think that counts as a useful promotional exercise. PhilW was showing the jersey off on the Poor Student back in January, which gave those of us planning to ride a chance to see it close up before making a purchase.

[citoyen]

i might get a jersey printed up with "THE WORLDS MOST ARDUOUS AND DIFFICULT BIKE RIDE 2017" on it.  A picture of a cog, a mountain and some logos from energy drink makers on the sleeve.  A reflective strip and a 3/4 length zip.

 

I saw a chap at parkrun on Saturday wearing the T-shirt from some 100-mile marathon he'd done (I'm assuming he had actually done it). Yeah, very impressive, but wearing it in that context has a slight whiff of smugness about it.

[Jabba]

IMO I only get the jersey as a reminder of the event and not something to use during the ride. In fact having bailed 80 miles before the end of PBP in 15 I've put the jersey away and not even worn it, sad I know but......

[Blade]

Real question is Shimano or Campag?

The correct usage of equipment should always be:

Road bikes-Campag
Mountain bikes-SRam
Fishing-Shimano