Acasquette (from French 'cap') is a peakedcotton cap traditionally worn byroad cyclists.[1]
With the introduction of compulsorycycle helmets for massed-start racing, casquettes have become less common, but most professional race outfits still have them produced in team colours for wearing on the winners'podium, for wearing under a helmet in heavy rain or for sale to thetifosi. They have also become popular as fashion items in some European, American and Australian cities, often with non-cycling-related designs.
The casquette shields the head from strong sun and the peak can also make riding in therain more comfortable, since drops do not fall directly into the eyes. They are sometimes worn with the peak backwards, not for reasons of fashion but because the peak then protects the neck from sunburn. Some varieties also incorporate asweatband to help prevent sweat from dripping into the eyes.
The name was also used byRoyal Enfield motorcycles in the 1950s,[2][3][4] to describe their version of the headlampnacelle onTriumph motorcycles.[5]
The casquette is still used on the 2009Royal Enfield Bullet model.[citation needed]
Media related toCycling caps at Wikimedia Commons