My question is: why do so many “other riders” pay for white gear?
Where are you seeing all this white kit? I see next to no one with white kit on and I ride with a wide range of folks. And having worked for one of the leading apparel companies at one time I can tell you that the worst selling gear was always the loud pro team kits that we made. A lot of it langusihed on clear-out racks by the end of ths season. #1 selling colour for cycling shorts - black. Nothing else was close.