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Black Socks

By Joe Hall • 7th July 2009 12:00pm • Posted in Misc

Tacky finish line gestures from British sprint sensations aside, the most alarming aspect of Le Tour so far has to be the man in black socks getting 10th place in the opening TT in Monaco. He's certainly in the reckoning and today's team TT might even get him the maillot jaune. But why black socks? Here at Rapha the general consensus is that black is for training and white is for racing. It's a controversial subject that won't go away, not until the wintertime anyway.

Talking of black socks, if you would like to read a view from the Tour by our very own Guy Andrews (editor of Rouleur) go here. Mr. Andrews despises black socks, and isn't Mellow Johnny's biggest fan either.

And if you aren't lucky enough to have Eurosport at work you should be able to catch streaming of the Tour here.

Comments

Alex Murray

7th July 2009 04:22pm

According to William Fotheringham's book, Coppi wore black socks until he was able to afford white ones.

James S Jenkins

7th July 2009 04:30pm

Tradition…all that is missing is the white adhesive tape at the top of the black socks, to hold them up. Check the old sepia tone photos of tour racers. Lance is a blue collar Texan and enjoys thumbing his nose at anyone who thinks it matters, and ironically carries on the black sock tradition. He is also easiier to spot in the peleton. Helmets and sunglasses make everyone look the same.

Chris Tree

7th July 2009 04:38pm

Unless you are wearing trousers (when of course your socks should match the fabric) I thought black shoes black socks, white shoes white socks. Black shoes white socks, eeewwww.

Rance Shields

7th July 2009 04:43pm

Yup, the black shoes black socks is a pretty compelling argument. I tend to feel a bit icky when I go black shoes white socks. Clearly, time to do some laundry in that case.

Michael Robertson

7th July 2009 04:48pm

You have to wear black socks with black shoes. I like the look.

David Joyce

7th July 2009 04:49pm

Ah, but black socks, white shoes - that's something else entirely; rather funky and, coincidently, how I roll;-)

Andrew Steinhouse

7th July 2009 04:56pm

those are LiveStrong socks…

sometimes leading the fight against cancer is more important than fashion…

love your stuff!

Daniel Carter

7th July 2009 06:37pm

Never heard the white socks for racing/black for training argument, but I can roll with that, since I always wear black socks, and I'm always training, never racing (not officially, anyway).

Simon Lamb

7th July 2009 07:21pm

You should never wear Black socks when doing sport. Although he is getting old so we have to forgive him he probably wears sock with sandals as well. That picture makes him look like someones dad out on a training ride with his son. He simply refuses to buy new socks as these black ones will do perfectly well thank you very much. And I'm not wearing one of those silly astana hats you all have on ive got my own one right here.

Ian Melvin

7th July 2009 08:56pm

Being a dad, indeed granddad, sometimes out on training rides, glad to know I can wear black socks without sartorial concern. My only concern now, as i have white/black shoes, which to wear, black or white or do I need pied?

Andy Parker

7th July 2009 09:09pm

White socks are for chavs!!!!!!!

Ben Brown

7th July 2009 09:16pm

If you have made the mistake of buying black shoes, you will have to marry them with black socks. Two wrongs still don't make a right however.

Ross Mitchell

7th July 2009 09:31pm

About five years back Lance said at a TOF press conference that the question he expected to be asked was why did he wear black socks that day.

Puzzled expressions, so he said that they were the first pair to come out of the drawer.

Great product placement - my excuse too.

Any chance of discount on Rapha black socks, as they're only for training?

Phil McHoul

7th July 2009 10:12pm

I'm a black socks man myself. White is the worst sort of eighties naff for those who still have a mullet. And anyone wearing them with sandals should be put in the stocks.

Kyle Franco

7th July 2009 10:37pm

Just wear one of each. I see no problem with that.
On the other hand, everyone knows that fashion adds speed…
I'm in a quandry.

michael brammall

8th July 2009 12:15am

White socks are the only way to go if your a teddy boy or maybe a pre-pubescnt girl, tho' i did see The Fonz and Chachie wearig some last week.

Jurgen Augusteyns

8th July 2009 07:40am

Yeah, well, the black socks thing to me is the same as riding a Trek bike. Well, maybe not exactly, i wear black for training, white for racing too, but I would never touch a Trek bike. they're plain ugly and have no class whatsoever.

Hamish Cronan

8th July 2009 08:54am

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v236/Santigato/michael_jackson_socks.jpg[/IMG]

Douglas Fielding-Smith

8th July 2009 12:31pm

I bought a pair of Blue and White (I'm a Birmingham City fan for my sins) Northwave shoes. I thought I'd look like a Fancy Dan but after a few months they are showing up grime and dirt like you wouldn't believe and I've given up on cleaning them. The same with white socks, a few washes and they go grey. It's functional black all the way, just like my undercrackers, they don't show up the shit.

Charles Pearch

11th July 2009 04:49pm

Guy Andrews is right, black just ain't right, however dear beloved Rapha, the most comfortable and proper fitting socks that you have ever made happen to be your black winter socks, life just ain't fair.

Angelo Dracoulis

12th July 2009 12:51pm

Black socks for rainy days. White for fair weather?

Cycling Shoes Online

29th July 2009 01:44am

Armstrong even tries to generate appreciation for black socks on his twitter. During the last week of the Tour he posted, "one of the coolest things about [Bradley] Wiggins, black socks."

No!! Wiggins, you're a Brit, you should know better!

Joe Hall

29th July 2009 12:54pm

Wiggins and Millar in Black Socks Shocker!
Tom Southam of Rapha Condor suggests black socks are acceptable with light-coloured kit… The plot thickens.

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