Why on Earth do some roadies (ok, a minority) wear long white terry socks over the top of their shoes? Rode home yesterday and rode past some saddo wearing tights with the afforementioned socks over the top of shoes and tights. Bear in mind it was warm and sunny, I was in baggies and short sleeved top, looking cool as flip before you ask.

They wear them in summer so it can't be a cheap version of a winter overshoe. It can't seriously be for aerodynamics can it?

They do it to annoy fashion police mountain bikers.

Because they can!

Ha! I'm certainly not fashion police – i just wanna know why!

On long rides I sometimes wear thin overshoes as it means that I reduce the likelihood of getting cd feet and keeps my nice shiny shoes nice and shiny. Obviously in the wet and/or cold it does exactly the same job.

keeps bling shoes bling…. and proves you are more pro than pro.

I did wonder about bling retention but when do they reveal the bling? I've seen 'em wearing them in races too…

You mean like these ?

Oversock

They look cool, keep the chill off, retain shoe bling, keep a little water off, and did i mention they look cool too ?

Keeps the crap off your road shoes basically. Useful at this time of year when it's as likely to rain as be fine.

They look cool

😆

]

That's one hell of a helmet. I'm not talking about those types of overshoe. It's the cheap polyester sports socks I'm talking about.

So, apart from 'the pros' who might wear them for aerodynamic puropses in time trials, do these 'bling-retainers' wear socks over their running trainers and work shoes etc, keep plastic sheets over their car seats and blankets over their new sofas? 😉

DezB – those ones are proper TT aero overshoes .. not the terry socks.

having tried a pair, terry socks do not keep your feet warm (wind goes straight through them) – and they actually make feet colder in the wet. – only purpose is to keep shoes clean, and to make the wearer feel like they are seriously pro 'coz they are wearing some obscure pro gizmo.

Works for mountain biking too, good on warm but wet days to keep the majority of crud out of your shoes.

For TTing it makes you more aero, in the wet it keeps your shoes dry and it keep you £200 sidis white.

They are for keeping you warm mainly, also keep your shiney white shoes clean.
Mountain bikers don't realise the thought and time that goes into roadie fashion. They think that slapping on some ill fitting baggy items is "fashion". Roadies worry about colour co-ordination, keeping stuff shiney and even silly things like sock height etc. It's crazy.

Anyway, the guy had tights on and over shoes because he was out training and not trying hard so he didn't want to get cold. The best roadies will only take their tights off when riding if they're racing. It's very Euro to do so as well, so seen as cool.

When you reach roadie fitness, you'll be able to wear some warmer kit in summer and not raise a sweat.

I ride a road bike.
I wear lycra.
I wear my socks inside my shoes!

If you've ridden 'cross for 7 years, I would have thought you'd be familiar with all this. Is it getting lonely under that bridge?

When you reach roadie fitness, you'll be able to wear some warmer kit in summer and not raise a sweat

LOL! Mustn't rise to the bait….

If you've ridden 'cross for 7 years, I would have thought you'd be familiar with all this. Is it getting lonely under that bridge?

It was a serious question. You can turn it from a question to a personal attack if it makes you feel good. I take it you wear said socks 😉

FWIW I wear overshoes in winter, as they serve a purpose. Just never understood the white terry sock thing. Hence the post.

It's a Belgian thing.

Which, as we all know, is far cooler than anything French or Italian when it comes to cycling.

When you reach roadie fitness, you'll be able to wear some warmer kit in summer and not raise a sweat

LOL! Mustn't rise to the bait….

My thought exactly.

They are not just any old terry sock, they are designed for the job and look way cool:

….if somebody is out there wearing terry socks out of their sock drawer they need to stop !!

Yep defo normal socks. I've had a few good close up encounters with them. In either case, I'd argue against the cool factor! Of course I'd be wrong as I've not yet ridden in Le Tour 😉

Yep defo normal socks

Well in that case its wrong for sure, they need a talking too !!

It's not the socks I'd worry about, but the underpants over their tights is more disconcerting!

Coleman – Member
I ride a road bike.

yes but its not just riding a roadbike its a state of mind

in the MTB state of mind its essential to conform by wearing a camelbak

plenty of examples from other sports for example the runners who insist on running on the road and not the pavement because they are real runners and the surfers with their Vdub vans etc etc

think JP Sartre pretty much covered it "sense of belonging"