Ditching the lycra!

pamuzu

Hi all,

As following on from being 'egged' when riding i'm taking a break from the full cycling monty on my daily commute (20miles). I dont need to wear the full onty and think at times it draws the attention of numpties.

Therefore a less overstated denim shorts and fleece will be worn. Not that this is a fashion show, but what do other people prefer when just popping out or commuting?

anto164

I commute in lycra, but it's 16mi each way.. All bar a mile at the end are through country lanes.

pamuzu

Will do, but because I ride a road bike and belong to that fraternity!

I'm not an off roader i'm a speed junkie!

BMX guys dont generally wear lycra? Not in Manchester anyway?...

Anonymous

Hi,

Have a look here -

http://www.endura.co.uk/

I have a few shorts and jackets from Endura and they're really nicely made, technical (work whilst cycling, really nicely cut, no seams round the bum) and look pretty casual so as not to draw attention from nob 'eds.

White Line

I accidentally dress like a bike messenger. :oops: Just seems to be the most practical option. Rolled up jeans, t-shirt, cap, and messenger bag if I need to carry anything besides a lock.

The hipsterness is offset by the road pedals/shoes and gears.

However, I sometimes stick a jersey on if I'm pushed for time and then stick a t-shirt on at my destination. I do this at uni quite a bit. Means I can get to uni in rush and have a dry top when I get there. And on the odd occasion when I'm working in a store at the other end of the city I'll wear a jersey, and rolled up jeans on top of my shorts. I'd get eaten alive if I arrived at work dressed in lycra.

antikythera

I have the same issue, too much lycra attracts the wrong attention. I'd particularly found that car drivers are more aggressive near lycra :shock:

However my commute is too long to forgo the benefits of chamois etc. So I go for more casual looking mountain biking gear, Endura Hummvee 3/4 shorts and baggy (cycling) shirts and the like (wont give up my Sidi's though).

So I don't offend the delicate egos of the messenger crowd (I ride a fixy - because I like it) and I don't incite motorist by being swathed in lycra

psiturbo

My stinky ass prefers lycra with extra padding on longer commutes, 20 miles each way.

No way I will go on jeans or bmx shorts.


Thats the thing, you have to get over it and let people get used to you, fuck em.

I get comments every now and then, but then again I was a teenager as well and cannot say I was no altar boy. Did many things which now looking back I was an asshole as well.

I have had friends tell me the cycling shorts look gay, but hey they are no different from american football sport shorts which are tight as well. The only difference is they have more padding, and do more steroids than the whole TDF peloton.

Bobbinogs

The last edition ("Summer 2010") of C+ had a section on normal/cycling clothes called, funnily enough, "Commuter kit" with loads of ideas so it might be worth looking out for a copy of that. I have to say, I thought all of it was 'orrible stuff but that's just my opinion

Ben6899

Have you had a look at the urban riding section on www.alwaysriding.co.uk?

re-cycles

I hate lycra, and I do tend to have a little chuckle when I see commuters dressed in their replica team outfits.

psiturbo wrote:

I have had friends tell me the cycling shorts look gay, but hey they are no different from american football sport shorts which are tight as well. The only difference is they have more padding, and do more steroids than the whole TDF peloton.

But non-american footballers don't wear the american football outfits! Thats the big thing with lycra, its trying too hard to be something you're not. Wouldn't you have a laugh if a Ferrari driver pulled upto you in full race suit and crash helmet?

Weejie54

Lycra shorts serve a purpose - for cycling. American football outfits when not playing football would be a tad silly. If you are cycling then why not wear gear for cycling? Obviously, there is no need to have team sponsorship logos emblazoned over everything but the gear is designed for the job. Each to their own.

bompington

re-cycles wrote:

I hate lycra, and I do tend to have a little chuckle when I see commuters dressed in their replica team outfits... Thats the big thing with lycra, its trying too hard to be something you're not.

What, you mean a cyclist?
Take me, for example. It's unlikely that anyone would take me for a pro cyclist, but I wear lycra because it's the most practical thing to do - sweating, getting rained or snowed on, whatever: and tight clothing is certainly not aesthetically pleasing on my physique, but that's not why I wear it, it's just that I don't like having stuff flapping about in the stiff winds you get round here, or the 40-50 mph descents that are a feature of my commute. Your Ferrari driver analogy is simply wrong, because when I don the lycra I am doing exactly the same as the pros - I am riding my bike as fast as I can go from A to B; slower than the pros for sure, but that's irrelevant. It wouldn't be so laughable for a Ferrari driver to turn up at a track day in a racing suit.
I simply don't care how I look, and I don't see why you should either - maybe there is a bit of the "tour wannabe" in a lot of us, but then where does that leave someone who looks down on people just because they're commuting in the wrong clothes?

pilot_pete

Very well said that man!

And, just to give it another perspective.......a group of us (not a CC) went out for 40 miles last night, with a usual pub stop for refreshment. The landlady was VERY impressed with all the lycra and hopes that we will call again!!!!! Now, we range from early thirties up to one sixty plus, so no real Adonis figures there, but we do seem to get this from landladies!

So, the moral of the story is.......wear the correct gear for what you are doing......but pick your target audience carefully!

PP

clanton

re-cycles wrote:

I hate lycra, and I do tend to have a little chuckle when I see commuters dressed in their replica team outfits.

psiturbo wrote:

I have had friends tell me the cycling shorts look gay, but hey they are no different from american football sport shorts which are tight as well. The only difference is they have more padding, and do more steroids than the whole TDF peloton.

But non-american footballers don't wear the american football outfits! Thats the big thing with lycra, its trying too hard to be something you're not. Wouldn't you have a laugh if a Ferrari driver pulled upto you in full race suit and crash helmet?

This is just daft. As already stated - lycra is there because it is the best kit for the job. You could go swimming in a pair of jeans but you would find it damn hard to do - which is why people wear speedos.

rolf_f

re-cycles wrote:

But non-american footballers don't wear the american football outfits! Thats the big thing with lycra, its trying too hard to be something you're not. Wouldn't you have a laugh if a Ferrari driver pulled upto you in full race suit and crash helmet?

That's very, very silly!

Of course lycra is the best material for the job. If you don't like the look, where baggies over the top but it doesn't alter the fact that you are cutting off your nose to spite your face if you bin lycra.

As for the comedy Ferrari analogy. The reason race drivers wear race suits and crash helmets is because they drive on the limit. That means that crashing and burning is likely and that is what that kit is for. If you saw someone on the road who wore race kit you'd either assume he was an idiot showing off or actually needed the kit due to how he was driving - in which case he shouldn't be on the road in the first place.

Wulz

I used to think that lycra was way over the top. i purchased a trek 1.5 bike totally convinced that id be happy with no padding and no lycra. two days into ownership and my bum was very unhappy. with this in mind i admitted defeat and got some padded lycra action. I my opinion whats the point in getting your bike all set up nicely just to stop short with one of the most important confort aids you can get? padded lycra......its the future.

msw

I wore these under jeans when my commute was long enought to need it (for comfort): worked pretty well.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Altur ... 9488/#2,20

clanton

Moving slightly off topic - occasionally you see guys training or in sportives (on road bikes) wearing mtb baggies. What's that about? Are they so concerned that lycra makes them gay they need to deliberately make themselves slower and less comfortable? Must mean they have BIG questions about their own sexuality.

mudslinger

Moving slightly off topic - occasionally you see guys training or in sportives (on road bikes) wearing mtb baggies. What's that about? Are they so concerned that lycra makes them gay they need to deliberately make themselves slower and less comfortable? Must mean they have BIG questions about their own sexuality.

Ha ha. As a MTBer now spending more time on the road bike I have found it difficult wearing lycra shorts. Lycra tops are fine but I do find it a bit embarrassing wearing lycra shorts. I'm almost over this but am still finding it difficult being in a public place feeling naked. Always wear the baggies for commuting whether I'm on the MTB or the road bike.

I'm married with kids & have no issue with sexuality

msw

clanton wrote:

Moving slightly off topic - occasionally you see guys training or in sportives (on road bikes) wearing mtb baggies. What's that about? Are they so concerned that lycra makes them gay they need to deliberately make themselves slower and less comfortable? Must mean they have BIG questions about their own sexuality.

I think it's just that you need to take a certain mental step when you start buying cycling-specific clothing as opposed to general "exercise" wear - after all you can do most other things (circuits, running, football, weights, etc etc) in a pretty basic kit of shorts, T-shirt & trainers. If you're still a bit "take it or leave it" about cycling it's understandable that you might need to suffer a bit of crotchal unpleasantness before you finally succumb to the lycra ;-)

clanton

msw wrote:

clanton wrote:

Moving slightly off topic - occasionally you see guys training or in sportives (on road bikes) wearing mtb baggies. What's that about? Are they so concerned that lycra makes them gay they need to deliberately make themselves slower and less comfortable? Must mean they have BIG questions about their own sexuality.

I think it's just that you need to take a certain mental step when you start buying cycling-specific clothing as opposed to general "exercise" wear - after all you can do most other things (circuits, running, football, weights, etc etc) in a pretty basic kit of shorts, T-shirt & trainers. If you're still a bit "take it or leave it" about cycling it's understandable that you might need to suffer a bit of crotchal unpleasantness before you finally succumb to the lycra ;-)

Agreed - but these were on a 190k ride! (Dragon) Maybe, to be fair to them, they're fit mtb-ers on their first sportive?

bobtbuilder

bompington wrote:

re-cycles wrote:

I hate lycra, and I do tend to have a little chuckle when I see commuters dressed in their replica team outfits... Thats the big thing with lycra, its trying too hard to be something you're not.

What, you mean a cyclist?
Take me, for example. It's unlikely that anyone would take me for a pro cyclist, but I wear lycra because it's the most practical thing to do - sweating, getting rained or snowed on, whatever: and tight clothing is certainly not aesthetically pleasing on my physique, but that's not why I wear it, it's just that I don't like having stuff flapping about in the stiff winds you get round here, or the 40-50 mph descents that are a feature of my commute. Your Ferrari driver analogy is simply wrong, because when I don the lycra I am doing exactly the same as the pros - I am riding my bike as fast as I can go from A to B; slower than the pros for sure, but that's irrelevant. It wouldn't be so laughable for a Ferrari driver to turn up at a track day in a racing suit.
I simply don't care how I look, and I don't see why you should either - maybe there is a bit of the "tour wannabe" in a lot of us, but then where does that leave someone who looks down on people just because they're commuting in the wrong clothes?

+1. Couldn't have put it better myself.

I wear full lycra for my commute.

shmo

Doubt that the knuckle-draggers specifically target people wearing lycra anyway. When those sort of people go out on a jolly anyone who gets in their way will receive the same treatment - cyclists, pedestrians, other drivers. Whenever I hear the unmistakable sound of a rover 25 with a chavved up exhaust I instinctively start looking for a layby or side road to turn into.

hells

I wear lycra top and mtb baggy shorts with flat pedals and trainers for commuting. it's only 6 miles each way plus london is all stop start and I sometimes find it hard to reclip into my look pedals. Also don't want to offend anyone at work by being virtually naked or walk around a supermarket in full lycra either. Under 20 miles dosnt really need lycra shorts

Bunneh

I have a few pairs of lycra shorts and a couple of bibs. The bibs are quite uncomfortable, even though they're XL in size. I find that my nuts are pushed way to much around and it actually becomes unpleasant. The shorts aren't as bad but I find they ride down after a while. I was never 100% comfortable in lycra so have decided to save up get myself a few pairs of good, semi baggy shorts, with padded liners.

To me it's now all about comfort and I do not find lycra comfortable. Clingy just feels blargh to me.

cedargreen

Arriving at work in lycra in the certain knowledge that I will offend the more narrow minded colleagues is one of the highlights of my commute.

Monty Dog

2 comments:
Baggies are hopeless - particularly the padded ones as virtually all are constructed using form-fitting inner with a baggy nylon outer - they get clammy very quickly and are always catching on the nose of the saddle. They might be fine for MTB riders who rarely get off their backsides from their full-sussers, but are not suitable for the road IME.

I have a pair of Humvee 3/4s which I use in winter, but junk the crappy liner and use a decent one like Montane

Don't judge all lycra shorts by the cheapo kit that people typically start out with. Decent shorts typically have a double layer of material or 'modesty' pad that covers the front region - The only comments I get in the office are about my 'scary' legs that are completely ripped from 25 years of riding and racing...

StillGoing

I struggle to see the hang ups with lycra. I used to waz around race tracks on a Yamaha R1 wearing the exact same spec of kit you'll find MGP riders in. It serves a purpose just as lycra serves a purpose for road cycling. Do I want to wear clothes that will still be wet and yukky when I finish work or lycra that is designed to dry quickly? Hmm let me see.... Yes it's a bit laughable to be wearing team replica kits when you can barely move on the flat with the wind behind you slip-streaming a milkfloat, but even with a modicum of speed a slow rider can get away with it. Besides which team kits tend to be bright and I'm all for anything that makes myopic car drivers take notice. BUt, there's plenty of lycra kit out there that isn't garish for anyone who wants to blend in with the surroundings.

jgsi

Forgive my ignorance, but what is a lycra 'top'?
People are not riding with Nike pro compression tops are they?

My shorts have a 80/20 or 75/25 nylon/elastane mix - hence lycra
My tops eg Santini.... 100% polyester
My Spesh undervests ( best kit for summer riding ever) .. 90/10 polyester.spandex,but I wouldnt be riding with just me vest, trust me.

Anonymous

mudslinger wrote:

Moving slightly off topic - occasionally you see guys training or in sportives (on road bikes) wearing mtb baggies. What's that about? Are they so concerned that lycra makes them gay they need to deliberately make themselves slower and less comfortable? Must mean they have BIG questions about their own sexuality.

Ha ha. As a MTBer now spending more time on the road bike I have found it difficult wearing lycra shorts. Lycra tops are fine but I do find it a bit embarrassing wearing lycra shorts. I'm almost over this but am still finding it difficult being in a public place feeling naked. Always wear the baggies for commuting whether I'm on the MTB or the road bike.

I'm married with kids & have no issue with sexuality

Yep me too, I did a ride last Friday and did actually pluck up the courage to ride just in Lycra. But, (I'm sure people will laugh at this) only when in the county side, when I got to the outskirts of Reading I put shorts back over the top. Progress though. :oops:

Flasheart

Bunneh wrote:

Clingy just looks blargh on me.

Fixed that for you mate