One of the challenges we "top" riders face is the Peanut Gallery. Those riders who are, always, looking for something to knock you off your game. The group who never take a turn at the front. The ones who sit on your wheel and suck like there is no tomorrow. And that day was no exception, when, from the peanut gallery, I hear exclaimed with a bit of a giggle, much joy, and mostly desperation: "Hey! Sully! Nice socks! Are those Tri socks?!?!"
The Peanut Gallery (I’m debating even giving them the dignity of using capital letters) clearly was desperate. Desperate to lay a distraction upon our champion. They, the peanut gallery, were already far behind in green jersey points and on that day, the day of the “Tri Socks” chant many sprints lay before us, perhaps they sensed an opportunity on that warm, some would soon say hot, early summer day. The gallery, destined to sit, spin, and get it handed to them once again by your hero on yet another Saturday club ride. But, was it really so that our friend would be distracted just enough to allow a rider from the peanut Gallery to sneak past, to just inch a wheel in front of our champion, and finally capture just one sprint? Or was there more at play?
In the short time since those words were tossed over our lionheart like a bucket of cold water, the last 4 or 5 months or so, I have let this weigh upon my mind in the manner my beer gut weighs upon my power to weight ratio: heavenly, ahhh, heavily.
The socks. The “Tri Socks”. What is wrong with those socks? Was it really just a distraction for that day, to take our champion's mind away from the job at hand, the exercise to continue crushing the peanuts from the gallery and putting those points in the Green Jersey standings into his own pocket? Is there more at play here? Have I, for all these miles, worn the wrong sock? What if? WHAT IF?? (can you feel the tension?)
With the time passing since that day like the many miles passing beneath my wheels we have reached the point that we must dig right to the sole of this quandary. Just what is the right sock for the elite cyclist like us? What follows is a review I do with the spirit of service in my heart, so the next time each of us rolls up to the ride with our champion’s heart pounding, the Peanut Gallery will be unable to use the Tri Sock chant upon you, upon me, and you, my friend, and me, myself, will make those socks look good!
As we begin I want you to know that what you are about to see is graphic. I've worked hard to make the images, well, never mind. You've been warned.
As we begin I want you to know that what you are about to see is graphic. I've worked hard to make the images, well, never mind. You've been warned.
The Tri/Ankle Sock
Ok. Maybe that chant was, after all, well deserved. Let’s move on.
The “Pro” Sock
It’s not getting any better is it?
The Taller Sock
It begins to make you understand why the cyclist shaves those legs doesn’t it? Ug.
The Beer!
Oh. Sorry. Not sure how that got in there.
The Wool Cold Foot (prevention)
That rises awful to a whole new level.
The Tall Sock
I think this is my new favorite. Not only does our cyclist make this sock look good, they match the bike and really do a nice job of tying the bike, the cyclist, and the shoe together, don’t you think?
I've mentioned before that Cyclists Have Issues. In that story is was coffee. This time it is socks. More specifically, the appropriate sock for the cyclist. This angst driven feeling driven home that early summer day in 2015. Sock choice. I’ve had many miles to consider this affront since that day. What do we do? I mean really, look at those legs. Isn’t it enough we wear lycra? That we wear colorful jersey’s that show just what great champions we are? Should we have to worry too about our socks?
Have I gotten the sock wrong all these miles? All these years? Through all these championships? I think back to that day the Cyclist Appeared and created the garage sale panic. Could THAT incident have been prevented with the right sock choice?
And now I have the winter to ponder the sock. I’m curious for your thoughts. What IS the right sock?
Next time we’ll talk about the length of the bike short and how it ties into the sock choice. Sorry.
