Sucked in

Jay dubbleU
Jay dubbleU Posts: 3,159
edited April 2010 in Commuting chat
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 ?
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Comments

  • Jay dubbleU
    Jay dubbleU Posts: 3,159
    Just me then :wink:
  • WesternWay
    WesternWay Posts: 564
    Jay dubbleU wrote:
    Just me then :wink:


    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
    Kieran_Burns Posts: 9,757
    Yup - ditto. I feel ridiculous (and God help me LOOK ridiculous) but it's comfy
    Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
    2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
    2011 Trek Madone 4.5
    2012 Felt F65X
    Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter
  • UndercoverElephant
    UndercoverElephant Posts: 5,796
    I lasted eight months before going skin-tight. Yes I feel ridiculous, but I look awesome. 8)

    No, honestly, I do. 8)
    Sun - Rain - Snow
  • wgwarburton
    wgwarburton Posts: 1,863
    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
    biondino Posts: 5,990
    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.
    My Focus / My Bob Jackson
    Blog (incl. bikes)
  • derosa
    derosa Posts: 2,819
    Stick with black alpacca and you'll be fine.
    Big H

    May the road rise up to meet you.
    May the wind always be at your back.
  • Jay dubbleU
    Jay dubbleU Posts: 3,159
    Gentlemen it is a great comfort to know I am not alone - still look cool though - 2004 italia Olympic shorts :wink:
  • derosa
    derosa Posts: 2,819
    Jay dubbleU wrote:
    Gentlemen it is a great comfort to know I am not alone - still look cool though - 2004 italia Olympic shorts :wink:

    Not the bright blue ones :shock:
    Big H

    May the road rise up to meet you.
    May the wind always be at your back.
  • AndyManc
    AndyManc Posts: 1,393
    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


    .
    Specialized Hardrock Pro/Trek FX 7.3 Hybrid/Specialized Enduro/Specialized Tri-Cross Sport
    URBAN_MANC.png
  • Agent57
    Agent57 Posts: 2,300
    edited April 2010
    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. :D

    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. ;)
    MTB commuter / 531c commuter / CR1 Team 2009 / RockHopper Pro Disc / 10 mile PB: 25:52 (Jun 2014)
  • Kieran_Burns
    Kieran_Burns Posts: 9,757
    what-has-been-seen-cannot-be-unseen.jpg
    Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
    2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
    2011 Trek Madone 4.5
    2012 Felt F65X
    Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter
  • Agent57
    Agent57 Posts: 2,300
    :(

    At least it wasn't t**girl or g**tse. ;)
    MTB commuter / 531c commuter / CR1 Team 2009 / RockHopper Pro Disc / 10 mile PB: 25:52 (Jun 2014)
  • Kieran_Burns
    Kieran_Burns Posts: 9,757
    Just for the record: my post was massively ironic.


    Trust me on this. :?


    :wink:
    Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
    2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
    2011 Trek Madone 4.5
    2012 Felt F65X
    Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter
  • Agent57
    Agent57 Posts: 2,300
    Fixed! ;)
    MTB commuter / 531c commuter / CR1 Team 2009 / RockHopper Pro Disc / 10 mile PB: 25:52 (Jun 2014)
  • Jay dubbleU
    Jay dubbleU Posts: 3,159
    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 :wink:

    Not the bright blue ones :shock:

    Oh yes - tart for tart's sake
  • NGale
    NGale Posts: 1,866
    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 :lol:
    Officers don't run, it's undignified and panics the men
  • ince
    ince Posts: 289
    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
    NGale Posts: 1,866
    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 :lol:
    Officers don't run, it's undignified and panics the men
  • Flasheart
    Flasheart Posts: 1,278
    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 :wink:
    And I'm 44 and still 1 1/2 stone overweight.
    The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle. ...Stapp’s Ironical Paradox Law
    FCN3
    http://img87.yfrog.com/img87/336/mycubeb.jpg
    http://lonelymiddlesomethingguy.blogspot.com/
  • Harry182
    Harry182 Posts: 1,170
    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
    rally200 Posts: 646
    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
    rjsterry Posts: 30,227
    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.
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • FeynmanC
    FeynmanC Posts: 649
    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.
    us0.png
  • Stuey01
    Stuey01 Posts: 1,273
    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.
    Not climber, not sprinter, not rouleur
  • wgwarburton
    wgwarburton Posts: 1,863
    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-
    -barefoot- Posts: 1
    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: :D ), 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
    asprilla Posts: 8,440
    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.
    Mud - Genesis Vapour CCX
    Race - Fuji Norcom Straight
    Sun - Cervelo R3
    Winter / Commute - Dolan ADX
  • holybinch
    holybinch Posts: 417
    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!
    FCN 4(?) (Commuter - Genesis Croix de Fer)
    FCN 3 (Roadie - Viner Perfecta)

    -- Please sponsor me on my London to Paris ride --
    http://www.diabeteschallenge.org.uk/cha ... n_to_paris
  • Kieran_Burns
    Kieran_Burns Posts: 9,757
    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.....
    Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
    2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
    2011 Trek Madone 4.5
    2012 Felt F65X
    Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter

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