There’s little material out there documenting anything from the history to the tipping point of 5-panels. Some might trace it to the popularity of cycling caps amongst gay clubbers in Berlin and London, or indeed amongst bicycle couriers themselves who have slyly contributed a lot contemporary fashion and are generally overlooked in terms of influence, even though single-speed bikes, knee-length cut off shorts, and low, flat trainers are now part of urban style globally. For some, the 5-panels reign is an 80s and 90s throwback to when peaks on caps faced skyward, even though through the early 00s they became increasingly horizontal. For others it’s to do with adopting a skating cap with a peak that offers more visibility while you’re snotting yourself falling off a rail.