I think you are required to wear socks in bike racing, at least that's what I've heard. Not sure why
they wear tall socks.

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Find out what it is in life that you don't do well, then don't
do that thing.

Another spot on the body to hang a sponsors logo

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The secret of a long life is you try not to shorten it.
-Nobody

Most cyclists wear gloves as well for the same reason. Comfort I think. It is easy as they do not get off the bike anyway.
Anything extra that will cost time has to be worth it. If no socks is not that bad in triathlon and saves time, then no socks.
If cyclists had to put on the gloves and socks after the gun, they would ride without as well.

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Swim with swimmers, bike with cyclists, run with runners. Train with those who are hard to keep up with. Soon you will be hard to keep up with.

It helps to make their goofy tan lines even goofier.

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"Honestly, triathlon is a pussified version of duathlon on that final run."- Desert Dude

No. Most cyclists wear gloves because we don't our skin to be the first contact point in a crash.

John

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Top notch coaching: Francois and Accelerate3 | Follow on Twitter: LifetimeAthlete |

Rule #27
// Shorts and socks should be like Goldilocks[/url].
Not too long[/url] and not too short[/url]. (Disclaimer: despite Sean Yates’ horrible choice in shorts length, he is a quintessential hard man of cycling and is deeply admired by the Velominati. Whereas Armstrong’s short and sock lengths are just plain wrong.) No socks is a no-no, as are those ankle-length ones that should only be worn by female tennis players.

I don't think triathletes want their skin to be the first contact point in a crash either. Still no gloves.
Are triathletes crazy daredevils? Or perhaps cyclists crash more often?

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Swim with swimmers, bike with cyclists, run with runners. Train with those who are hard to keep up with. Soon you will be hard to keep up with.

Very few pro triathletes wear socks on the run. And cyclists would tell you that ankle socks look silly.

Gloves have three purposes:
1) They wipe sweat away far better than a bare hand.
2) When (notice I did not say if) you crash, your hands instinctively go out to protect you and skidding along on gloves is far superior to skidding along on your palms.
3) When riding on drop bars and hoods, your hands take far more weight and are thus subjected to more pressure points than when they just dangle out front and so padded gloves (especially on Le Pave) really help.
4) I know, I said 3 but in a TT, using skin tight gloves apparently offers some aero benefit.

Having said that, if I'm out for a training ride on either bike, I wear gloves. If I'm in a Tri I don't bother with them.

For socks, they aid in cooling (and warmth in the mountains) as well as sweat absorption and I suppose some blister prevention. In my case, if I don't wear socks in my Tri shoes, the footbed sticks to my foot and comes out when I take the shoes off necessitating I then pull the footbed off my foot and stuff it back in the shoe. I have no idea why the socks go very high although I like to have mine above the ankle so that I can put my sock over my timing chip - keeps it in place.

And, black socks have always been wrong!

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BC Don
Pain is temporary, not giving it your all lasts all Winter.

OK so far only one person offered a valid reason for wearing socks. My question is then why don't pro triathletes wear it for an ironman? If socks are all about cooling/anti-blisters then why don't pro triathletes spare the 15 seconds to put them on in T1 and leave them on for the run. Presumably, wearing socks for the marathon is better than no socks...obviously none of this is worth the bother for anything shorter than an ironman.
And why do pro cyclists think that ankle socks look silly?

As a percentage, cyclists ride many more hours than triathletes. So yes, cyclists crash more often.

Ever tried to put anything on while your skin is wet? Most triathletes don't want to waste the time struggling with gloves in T1. And if you're training without gloves you're just stupid.

John

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Top notch coaching: Francois and Accelerate3 | Follow on Twitter: LifetimeAthlete |

Pro cyclists wear socks because Jens Mutha FN Voigt wears socks.

Have socks, will attack.

Later!

Brian

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Swim. Bike. Run. Repeat as necessary.
Welcome to the Church of Briantriology!

uhuh I thought so....so many people out there training without gloves, but it explains it, they must be stupid. Stay safe.

@ironlady, I think pro's don't wear socks because they don't need them, they go fine without.
Perhaps the time it takes to put them on plays a role as well, and if they do put them on but only after the bike and before the run, it could be because they want fresh socks or only need them for the run.
I think feet move more or different in the shoe while running compared to cycling, a sock could make it more comfortable or avoid blisters.

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Swim with swimmers, bike with cyclists, run with runners. Train with those who are hard to keep up with. Soon you will be hard to keep up with.

There are a lot of people that train without lights at night, or sans helmet as well. I'll race without gloves, but I won't train without them. They've saved skin on more than one occasion.

Just because the herd does it, doesn't mean it's automatically correct.

John

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Top notch coaching: Francois and Accelerate3 | Follow on Twitter: LifetimeAthlete |

From my observation, many triathletes use socks while training (yes, I realize not all...). I do as well, both running and cycling. Less rubbing on my feet, less blisters, feet stay more dry.

I think a big reason why many triathletes don't wear socks in a race is because they dont want to take the time to put them on in transition. I'm like that as well for the shorter races. For a 70.3 or full, I'll take the 10 second penalty in T2 and put socks on before heading out on the run!
As for why pro cyclists socks tend to be higher now, its just the latest fashion, and yes, maybe more room for sponsors.

Wearing socks significantly cuts down on the stink factor when wearing cycling shoes. If it wasn't a time penalty to put them on, I think more triathletes would wear them while racing.

I'll wear them for the run, but not the bike. Even with socks, I can do socks and shoes in under 15 seconds easy.

John

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Top notch coaching: Francois and Accelerate3 | Follow on Twitter: LifetimeAthlete |

I do the same. Haven't been able to find a pair of shoes that I can go more than about 3mi in without getting blisters, and socks are much easier to put on in T2 than they would be in T1.

I also wear socks training and racing. Gloves I'll wear in an Olympic or longer (not a sprint), and have found ways of putting them on without adding time.

It seems like it's just a triathlon thing to not wear them. I have gone sockless in one swim-run biathlon and had chopped up feet from blisters for a week. Not worth it for the 20 seconds it saves.

So why wear socks:
- blister protection.
- cooling, heating.
- sponsor logos.
- comfort.
- hygiene (keeps shoes cleaner).

Gloves:
- wipe sweat.
- better grip on bars.
- protection in crash.
- protect hands if you have to fix a chain or cogs.

Sox, like many things in cycling is driven by history. They wear sox, because they have always worn sox. (never try to understand roadies. It's easier to figure out women :-)

When compression sox came out, the UCI came out with a ruling that sox worn by cyclists couldn't be more than half way up the lower leg. LOL Sooooo what do you see now? Sox worn to exactly half way up the leg.

Clearly, cyclists understand that the ITU has a reason for not wearing sox higher than the rule allows. That must mean that wearing knee sox makes you faster. If you can't wear knee sox, as least wear the longest ones you're allowed.

It reminds me that when a newbie joins the peleton, invariably he will be told that he has to shave his balls to A) avoid saddle sores of B) go faster. Sure enough, at the next race some newbie is scratching his itchy balls all race.

Like I said, never try to figure out roadies. They can't swim worth shit! :-)

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TriDork

"Happiness is a myth. All you can hope for is to get laid once in a while, drunk once in a while and to eat chocolate every day"

it may be that they help absorb the sweat since salt damages footwear.

Personally I can not wear socks while running, I have tried many different types and they all cause significant pain after 6 or 7 miles. So since I can't wear them on the run I don't wear them on the tri bike. When I take my roadie out I wear socks without even thinking about it.

So wearing gloves is as important as wearing a helmet and riding with lights now? Because it is "correct"?
I think most people agree on wearing the helmet, most injuries in a crash are to the head or face. Some countries even have laws to enforce it.
Lights at night are also obligatory in some countries, any traffic on the roads at night require lights.

Gloves are not one of those, no matter how many people use them or don't use them. They are for comfort, sweat wiping, chain fixing and extra protection in case of a crash.
They are not absolutely necessary and you can ride fine without. They are not "correct" and not having them does not make you incorrect or stupid.
But they are definitely good to have if you want that extra protection, comfort and other extra uses. Like visors on the run. Great but you are not stupid if you don't have one.

But yea, in regards to this thread, I think socks are preference. Some people like them, some don't. It is not always about the function, could be preference and comfort.
Especially in endurance sports it is important to be comfortable with the gear as athletes will wear it for a long race, if this means socks, then socks it is.
If it means no socks, then no socks. #itsyourpartyyoucanwearsocksifyouwantto In Tdf, those guys are trendsetters, soon we will all be wearing those socks lol.

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Swim with swimmers, bike with cyclists, run with runners. Train with those who are hard to keep up with. Soon you will be hard to keep up with.

Triathletes pretend to be emburdened by the rules of their single-sport brethren and refuse to accept a culture of their own. Most have the philosophy that if I'm running, I must act exactly the same as 'real' runners. When cycling, I must follow the rules of the cycling cult. Same in the pool. If you don't know how to behave amongst the realies, then you risk the mock and shame.

It makes sense, initially, since very few athletes started their careers as triathletes. They/ we, for the most part, all came from a single sport focus and are acclimated to the customs of that sport. Luckily, some of the pro triathletes get that triathlon is a different sport and set themselves up accordingly.

Now, me personally, I only wear socks on the bike when it's cool outside to keep my feet warm. If it's warm enough, no socks. I've also found it mentally easier to pee on the ride if I'm not wearing socks. I will wear my tri-shorts when going out for a run. I pretty much only do freestyle in the pool. I will not, however, wear my compression socks when out and about. I have to draw the dork-line somewhere.

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Take a short break from ST and read my blog:
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