How to wear a cycling cap + video

How do you wear a cycling cap? Peak up? Peak down? Peak backwards? You’d think wearing a cycling cap (or casquette if you want to be French) would be straightforward, right?

Things in cycling are never that simple. The Giant-Alpecin team, including Luka Mezgec, John Degenkolb and Warren Barguil, share their favoured ways of wearing a cycling cap in this video, and illustrate some of the many ways of wearing a cycling cap.

The humble cycling cap, made from cotton with a short peak, has never really gone out of fashion. Once the predominant headwear of choice in the years before helmets were mandatory, they’re much less common these days, but they’re still occasionally used in early season events that call for a bit of insulation or protection from the elements.

These days they have become nothing more than a cycling souvenir to many, with many fans choosing to collect them, and most brands still making them for their sponsored teams.

The casquette is unique to cycling. It’s not shared with any other sport, it’s specifically designed for cycling, and is often used as a symbol of the sport.

There are no rules about how to wear a cycling cap, though some people will insist there’s a correct way. Of course, Velominati has a rule about it. Rule #22 states that "Cycling caps are for cycling," and here is the rule:

Cycling caps can be worn under helmets, but never when not riding, no matter how hip you think you look. This will render one a douche, and should result in public berating or beating. The only time it is acceptable to wear a cycling cap is while directly engaged in cycling activities and while clad in cycling kit. This includes activities taking place prior to and immediately after the ride such as machine tuning and tire pumping.  Also included are cafe appearances for pre-ride espressi and post-ride pub appearances for body-refueling ales (provided said pub has sunny, outdoor patio – do not stray inside a pub wearing kit or risk being ceremoniously beaten by leather-clad biker chicks).   Under these conditions, having your cap skull-side tipped jauntily at a rakish angle is, one might say, de rigueur. All good things must be taken in measure, however, and as such it is critical that we let sanity and good taste prevail: as long as the first sip of the relevant caffeine or hop-based beverage is taken whilst beads of sweat, snow, or rain are still evident on one’s brow then it is legitimate for the cap to be worn.

Do you wear a cycling cap? How do you wear yours?