The cycling cap: A symbol of history, tradition and passion

The history of cycling is littered with extraordinary images, but only one characteristic has remained truly constant: the humble cycling cap. The shape has barely changed; it's simply a great piece of design, both aesthetically and functionally.

Imagine the pioneers of cycling in 1895, riding their "High Weelers" on a London track, sporting lightweight cotton schoolboy caps. Then, in the 1903 Tour de France, the riders adopted cloth caps similar to the Yorkshire flat cap.

In 1955, the cap became a canvas for sponsoring brands, spreading their logos across the globe. That same year, the iconic yellow Tour de France cap was born, a symbol of leadership and prestige.

More than just a garment:

The cycling cap has transcended its practical function. It has become a symbol of identity, a way to express admiration for idols and belonging to a passionate community.

We remember Fausto Coppi victorious in the 1950 Paris-Roubaix, Eddy Merckx with his Faema cap backwards in the 1969 Tour, or Bernard Hinault braving the snowstorm in Liège-Bastogne-Liège in 1980, all of them crowned by their iconic cap.

Anecdotes that forge the legend:

Colin Lewis, a British cyclist from the Mackeson Condor British Team in 1967 and a fan of cycling caps, tells a story about when he had just joined the British Cycling Team. "We were given 10 cotton cycling caps for the races. I prided myself on having a clean cap every day for every race," he recalls. But on the second or third day, we had a long stage, something like 250 kilometers, and we were halfway through the race when Tom Simpson approached me and said:

"Give me your cap." I said, "Excuse me?" He said, "Give me your cap!" I said, "What for?" And he said, "I have to take a shit and I need to wipe my arse with something!" - Not only did I have to give him my freshly washed Great Britain cap so he could wipe his arse at the side of the road, but I also had to carry him back to the race track.

Something similar happened to Greg LeMond on the 1986 tour when he ate a peach and had to use a teammate's La Vie Claire cap to wipe his butt.

A cycling cap is practical and versatile. You can fold it in half and stuff it in a back pocket. The more twisted and wrinkled it is, the more it suggests resilience and self-reliance. The wearer is the kind of person who wouldn't think of packing several changes of clothes, just a few mechanical parts, and enough food for six hours in the back pockets of their jersey.

You might want to read about the cyclist who risked his life to save lives from the Nazi Holocaust.

Beyond the function:

Contemporary cyclist Mark Cavendish reflects on the significance of the cap:

"It's not just a sweat barrier, a wind deflector, or a sunscreen. I wear it to honor the heritage of cycling and those who laid the groundwork for the sport."

The cycling cap, in its apparent simplicity, embodies the best traditions of cycling: endurance, passion, camaraderie, and the spirit of achievement.

Nowadays, this garment is very important because wearing it under a helmet protects us from sweat, preventing it from reaching our forehead or eyes.

Currently, the fashion of cycling caps has been gradually becoming popular due to the growing urban culture of cyclists who use fixed gears, mostly interested in classic cycling elements mainly from the 80s and 90s, as is the case of the fictional character Mars Blackmon who appeared in Air Jordan commercials wearing a cycling cap with the text “BROOKLYN” on the bottom of the visor, which by the way, is one of the most requested caps on Ebay.

Now they come in different colors, with different materials, in ultra-fast drying polyester, UV protection, elastane threads for better elasticity, and much more.

Their beauty lies precisely in their ugliness. They don't match anything, and therefore, they match everything.