Retro-cool SANS Cool

Many people consider Rapha to be a Retro-cool cycling brand. I found an old stack of photos at my parents' house in Auckland this week. The photos (below) are retro, but they're certainly not cool.  I am probably compromising myself by uploading these pictures, but most of us looked this silly back in 1989. God Bless Oakley Factory Pilots!

Training for my first race. Winter 1989.

Winter 1989. Note: upgrade to a proper cycling jersey.

New Zealand Duathlon Champs with Stephen Lee (in red shorts). Winter 1989. Note: intimidating my competition with the Oakley Factory Pilots.

Summer 1989/90. Note: new Avanti bicycle, racing kit sponsored by The Helicopter Line, and aerodynamic behind-the-saddle bottle cages. 

Duathlon race at Thames, NZ. Winter 1990. Note: new Aubrey bicycle.

Murawai Mindbender Triathlon. November 1990. 

The final few kilometers of the Murawai Triathlon were along the black sand beach.

New Zealand Triathlon Championships. Wellington. January 1991. Note: upgrade to new Oakley Razors.

Auckland Half Ironman. February 1991. 

Finishing the 90km cycling segment of the Auckland Half-Ironman. I finished 4th in my field (Under-20 years) in 5 hours 17 minutes. I ran the 21km half-marathon in 1 hour and 32 minutes.