The Office of the CFO has recently been approached by several ER members in a state of confusion around sock height.
The following memorandum should help ease concern:
First of all, as a member of ER, as a cyclist and potentially as a human being (*) you must wear socks. Naked feet in cycling shoes is potentially worse than 6 year old white knicks worn in the rain. The CFO recognises that those strange people who engage in “triathlon” tend to neglect to wear socks, but do you really want to be seen to be a triathlete?
Secondly, and importantly, socks draw attention to your feet and your calves. If you have great legs (Finchy, Rob, Jason), you have the right, if not the obligation, to wear amazing tall length socks. If you have cankles or hairy legs please be discreet.
As per the Rules, ideal sock height is quoted as being “Not too long and not too short”. How exactly does this translate?
- If the socks are so low they cannot be seen, please refer to the above.
- Ankle or “anklet” socks are the property of your 12 year old daughter. Please give them back.
- Short socks, made popular by the MTB brethren many years ago, are slowly been weeded out of clubs and races everywhere. Take this as your warning.
- Business socks will be allowed, as length is generally in line with regulation (as long as they meet the criteria below)
- Those STUPID calf guard / compression things that go up to your knee ARE WRONG.
- Aim for mid calf. As discussed below, the better the rider and the better the legs, the higher you can go (to a point known as “cutoff”).
What about the socks themselves?
- They must be EQUAL in height
- They must MATCH
- No holes in your knicks, no holes in your socks.
- They must retain elasticity and not slide down
- Tight socks are one of lifes pleasures. Go on. Buy some.
- Merino socks are fine. Fluffy wooly socks are not, unless your name is Russell Coight and you are driving a 4wd in the desert.
My feet are cold, what do I do?
- Please invest in merino socks. The sock can remain thin while warm is maintained.
- Booties rock. As long as careful consideration into length, brand and colour is taken.
- Oversocks are also totally cool, but must remain “fresh” and clean at all times.
- Toe covers, as long as they are subtle and barely noticeable, are allowed.
Please enlighten me as to colours?
- The rules will allow any colour, however;
- As a general rule for the cyclist new to sock selection and outfit coordination, black shoes/black socks and white shoes/white socks is a safe bet.
- If you are a man or woman of style, socks can be used to compliment or provide juxtaposition to an outfit.
- Fluro socks are in. Be wary, the same fluro socks on one man can be brilliant, on another horrendous.
- The better rider you are, the more you can get away with.
* It is yet to be determined which alien race Chippo forms part of. Normally wearing Jesus sandals while riding would be considered a CFO breach, however we are considerate to all cultures and religions, even those from outer space.
Yours in good looking feet,