Sucked in

Jay dubbleU

In spite of swearing that I would never do it when I got back on the bike two years ago I have succumed to to lure of the sportive and now bought myself a set of bib shorts and a racing top from Prendas - tried them on last night and felt slightly silly. Does anyone else suffer from this or is it just slightly overweight middle aged men ?

Jay dubbleU

Just me then

WesternWay

Jay dubbleU wrote:

Just me then

No, I feel like that when I put my tights on just for the commute into work.

But then I am a middle aged man

Kieran_Burns

Yup - ditto. I feel ridiculous (and God help me LOOK ridiculous) but it's comfy

UndercoverElephant

I lasted eight months before going skin-tight. Yes I feel ridiculous, but I look awesome. 8)

No, honestly, I do. 8)

wgwarburton

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Yup - ditto. I feel ridiculous (and God help me LOOK ridiculous) but it's comfy

One of the liberating realisations on reaching my 40s was that any aspirations I ever had to look cool or even just not-a-berk were now behind me. Being officially middle-aged rules out looking hip, trendy, cool or whatever the current jargon is (see how out-of-touch I am?)...
I now don't worry about stuff like wearing trousers that have zip-off legs, bodywarmers or hats...

Having said that... I don't wear lycra (for cycling or anything else... :shock: ). It's a bit like the definition of a gentleman being a man who can play the violin, but doesn't... I think it kinder not to inflict the sight on those around me....

Cheers,
W.

biondino

I wish I had known you, Buns, when you WERE trying to look cool.

As for lycra, my ego knows that I look pretty damn hot in it. Whether everyone else agrees with my ego is a different matter.

derosa

Stick with black alpacca and you'll be fine.

Jay dubbleU

Gentlemen it is a great comfort to know I am not alone - still look cool though - 2004 italia Olympic shorts

derosa

Jay dubbleU wrote:

Gentlemen it is a great comfort to know I am not alone - still look cool though - 2004 italia Olympic shorts

Not the bright blue ones :shock:

AndyManc

On of the advantages of getting older .... you don't care what anyone else thinks.

Grow old disgracefully ...... lycra is a good way to start :P


.

Agent57

Being 3 stone overweight, I also look ridiculous in lycra.

Luckily, my Northwave Skeleton top is mostly black, and that hides the bulges quite well.

http://images.ukcs.net/15804/bay-dash-2010.png

Oh yeah, and speaking of "Sucked in" - that's just what I do when stopped at the lights.

* edit: image hidden behind clicky due to chance of corrupting impressionable minds.

Kieran_Burns

Agent57

At least it wasn't t**girl or g**tse.

Kieran_Burns

Just for the record: my post was massively ironic.


Trust me on this. :?

Agent57

Fixed!

Jay dubbleU

derosa wrote:

Jay dubbleU wrote:

Gentlemen it is a great comfort to know I am not alone - still look cool though - 2004 italia Olympic shorts

Not the bright blue ones :shock:

Oh yes - tart for tart's sake

NGale

Personally I do wear the lycra shorts/bib shorts, but with a polo shirt to assist in covering the wide expanse that is my backside

ince

Its a great day when you can finally wear what you want and not give a stuff what anyone thinks.

When I first started to cycle on a regular basis my wife made a comment about me getting some bib shorts to which I said no way never. Oh well looks like she was right about another thing :?

NGale

ince wrote:

Its a great day when you can finally wear what you want and not give a stuff what anyone thinks.

When I first started to cycle on a regular basis my wife made a comment about me getting some bib shorts to which I said no way never. Oh well looks like she was right about another thing :?

when will you boys learn that us girls are always right

Flasheart

Out on Road Bike ...always Lycra. It's the best clothing for the job.
Stick to Black bib shorts, for modesty and not a skin tight cycling jersey and a lot of sins are hidden
And I'm 44 and still 1 1/2 stone overweight.

Harry182

I'm more underweight than overweight but still can't get my head around commuting in lycra shorts without baggies over them.

On the bike would be fine but off the bike and walking into the office - I'd feel like I was walking in wearing only my underwear.

rally200

I look like a Greek God in lycra,

well a sort of short, skinny one, on my own, well in my head,

of a weekend, yes.

to work, never (I get little enough respect as it is).

rjsterry

Lycra only looks silly when not in the accompanied by a road bike.

EDIT: I've been wearing lycra to work for a few years (the commute that is, not all day) and it seems to have become generally accepted now.

FeynmanC

I got a few comments when I started, then I told them i'd ridden 25 miles and the sniggers turned to amazed and then quiet respect. And that's from a bunch of hairy arsed truckers.

I do look like Max Wall though with my work shirt on over my bib tights when i'm walking to the changing room sometimes.

Stuey01

I'm lycra'd up when I'm cycling for cycling's sake. On the commute I have baggies over the top. I am not prepared to walk thorugh my office in full lycra.

wgwarburton

biondino wrote:

I wish I had known you, Buns, when you WERE trying to look cool.
.....

I really don't know how to take this...!

Cheers,
W.

-barefoot-

Hello

Memories have come flooding back of the days I used to commute in full lycra (team jersey and everything). It was quite nice getting the female attention (I even got a comment about my "sexy legs" :oops: ), but I felt like a right prat parading my bits around in front of the men.

I just stick to t-shirt/baggies when commuting now.

asprilla

Lycra is about attiude.

I stride triumphantly into my office each morning safe in the knowledge that because I ride to work I'm better than everyone else there. Any negativity is defected by the sheer awsomeness of my ego.

holybinch

Lycra here. And cycling jersey.
Had a few comments from the guys initially, but now they're used to it
And the girls still dig it.

What, I'm sure they do!

Kieran_Burns

Stuey01 wrote:

I'm lycra'd up when I'm cycling for cycling's sake. On the commute I have baggies over the top. I am not prepared to walk thorugh my office in full lycra.

but it's so liberating! I just ignore the sounds of quiet vomiting.....