Avoiding Lycra...

king_jeffers

Getting my first road bike but want to avoid the lycra.... is it a faux pa in the road bike community to wear baggies?

gaz545

It is.
But you need to wear what you feel comfortable in.

mountaincookie

Good man, I'm avoiding lycra my self. Having a road bike doesn't mean you have to expose yourself! Yes, it may be more comfortable etc etc but it's not for everyone

iPete

I wear lycra but never openly in public, unless its a race then anything goes.

Baggies are not great, i.e. something like Humvees. They tend to rub and catch in the wind.

Look at Surface Liquistretch and Rapha Touring shorts.

Bordersroadie

A good compromise is to wear (in cold weather at least) loose fitting tights like Altura rather than tight fitting lycra tights. The Altura type are close fitting so don't flap around but are not, erm, b0llock-hugging, in other words they're rather like old-fashioned Ronhill tracksters.

You can get them in light weight or heavier fleece for sub zero. I use both and they have proved good quality/value.

In all cases though, padded lycra shorts (worn under the above mentioned tights) are an absolute must if you prefer a non-chafing life on your bike.

rolf_f

This is like the hybrid to road bike thing. You may as well save yourself the bother and just succumb to the lycra sooner than later - get it over with.

Or do like I did and 'protect' yourself with uncomfortable baggies (the Humvees iPete mentions above) for six months to a year before finally seeing sense and just wearing the lycra. It's more comfortable and non cyclists think you are wierd whatever you wear anyway. It's not as though anything is actually being exposed under the padding anyway.

styxd

I cant see the reason why you wouldnt wear lycra whilst out on the road bike. Its comfy, light weight and looks pro. As Rolf says, get on and wear it. You'll wonder why you ever wore baggy shorts.

bails87

styxd wrote:

I cant see the reason why you wouldnt wear lycra whilst out on the road bike. Its comfy, light weight and looks pro. As Rolf says, get on and wear it. You'll wonder why you ever wore baggy shorts.

I've got no problem wearing it on the bike, it's walking through the office in it that concerns me!

styxd

rolf_f

bails87 wrote:

styxd wrote:

I cant see the reason why you wouldnt wear lycra whilst out on the road bike. Its comfy, light weight and looks pro. As Rolf says, get on and wear it. You'll wonder why you ever wore baggy shorts.

I've got no problem wearing it on the bike, it's walking through the office in it that concerns me!

I know what you mean but it is scary only the once! You can always initially aim for an early arrival and late departure to gradually introduce the spectacle to the office

ToeKnee

bails87 wrote:

styxd wrote:

I cant see the reason why you wouldnt wear lycra whilst out on the road bike. Its comfy, light weight and looks pro. As Rolf says, get on and wear it. You'll wonder why you ever wore baggy shorts.

I've got no problem wearing it on the bike, it's walking through the office in it that concerns me!

I cycle and I wear comfortable/appropriate clothing which happens to be lycra - it's often my old club kit. I happily use the lifts twice (26 floors in total) to navigate to my desk/showeres/desk. WTP?

Perhaps a pair of socks down the shorts would help you feel less embarassed? ;-)

drawblood

I used to try and avoid lycra but found that bending down on the drops made baggy shorts uncomfortable around the waist and crotch (not good on a 20 mile commute with a fair bit of time on the drops)...In the end, I just gave up and started to wear bib shorts in summer and bib 3/4s in winter - more functional than decorative and a lot more comfortable.

iPete

Don't people miss having pockets? I'm always in my Surface/Rapha shorts and hate not having pockets! Its also good to cover inevitable after work trips to the pub etc.

No discomfort over my 20 mile commute either.

The Rookie

I have some Fila very lightweight cotton shorts I commute in, much less bulky than MTB type shorts, so no discomfort, they aren't even designed for cycling and were a team wear for an F1 team, got them from a charity shop for £4/pair!

Simon

rolf_f

iPete wrote:

Don't people miss having pockets? I'm always in my Surface/Rapha shorts and hate not having pockets! Its also good to cover inevitable after work trips to the pub etc.

I wouldn't wear cycling kit baggy or lycra to the pub anyway (I have my work gear for that) and stuff in shorts pockets I find irritating when riding. I have back pockets in my jerseys but for commuting I have a rucksack when riding anyway.

TBH, road cyclists are never going to miss shorts pockets because they never have them!

king_jeffers

styxd wrote:

I cant see the reason why you wouldnt wear lycra whilst out on the road bike. Its comfy, light weight and looks pro.

Not at 11 mph in a head wind

stuartturbo

Rolf F wrote:

This is like the hybrid to road bike thing. You may as well save yourself the bother and just succumb to the lycra sooner than later - get it over with.

Or do like I did and 'protect' yourself with uncomfortable baggies (the Humvees iPete mentions above) for six months to a year before finally seeing sense and just wearing the lycra. It's more comfortable and non cyclists think you are wierd whatever you wear anyway. It's not as though anything is actually being exposed under the padding anyway.

Snap tried the long lycra this week the kids told me i looked stupid but once out not an issue

pst88

Having recently converted to riding to work in lycra tights/shorts the only thing I miss is the pockets. Phone/keys in my bag now which is slightly inconvenient to get to but the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Feels a bit weird at first but you'll grow to love it plus I don't think anyone really cares what you wear, at my workplace at least. Had a few comments on the first day but that was it.

roger_merriman

I'm a MTBer firstly so if on a ride I use baggies, if for nothing else for pockets smart phones in waterproof case is handy way to carry maps for that age old question of where am I any one who rides in Swinley will know that!

on the commute I normally just use well chosen normal clothes. ie no flared jeans.

iPete

On a side note reducing the perception that you need to be a lycra clad road warrior to get to work might get a few more people on the roads, especially in London. Avoid away..!

Stevo_666

Wear what you want - especially on the commute where the aerodynamic benefits of lycra don't matter that much. I only wear anything lycra under baggies when I need to keep my legs warm.

t4tomo

Stevo 666 wrote:

Wear what you want - especially on the commute where the aerodynamic benefits of lycra don't matter that much. I only wear anything lycra under baggies when I need to keep my legs warm.

+1 I wear some baggy shorts so i have pockets for phone /wallet /train pass etc.

In winter I wear ron hills for warmth but still wear the shorts over as:

a) I still need the pockets
b) magnificant though they are, I don't see the need to inflict the outline of my genitals on the rest of the office.

If out for a spin on the road bike or mtb at the weekend then Lycra is fair enough

Topaxci

I commute in regular clothes on road bike. It's only 4.5 miles so not worth putting special gear on for. Plus I only have a couple of kits of lycra so the washing cycle would be a nightmare. I get strange enough looks at work just wearing a helmet let alone anything else.
I save the lycra for longer rides on the weekends where the extra padding and comfort are the most benefit.

wyadvd

dont give a sh£t what anyone thinks, two tinkers cusses how many funny looks I get, I wear Lycra, especially in the winter, because it keeps you warmer for less bulk and it just feels so much more comfortable. Plus I'm secretly a bit of a fetishist about the stuff ...... there I said it!

That said I got some swrve Jeans for christmas and they come a close second.

I like the look of this wax cycling jacket too:

http://swrve.co.uk/wax%20jacket.html

rolf_f

t4tomo wrote:

b) magnificant though they are, I don't see the need to inflict the outline of my genitals on the rest of the office.

Modern lycra shorts have padding at the front. You can't see any such outlines.......

wyadvd

Rolf F wrote:

t4tomo wrote:

b) magnificant though they are, I don't see the need to inflict the outline of my genitals on the rest of the office.

Modern lycra shorts have padding at the front. You can't see any such outlines.......

I am a45 yr old man with very prominent quads, arriving to work every day in a workplace full of 25 yr old females. Have had several favourable comments, which is a great ego boost. I think I look damn good in Lycra.

Philip Whiteman

Personally I could not give a damn what people think about me wearing lycra. I wear it because is the most suitable form of clothing for cycling - even on my 15 mile commute.

When arriving at work, I have certainly never received any daft comments about my attire. Any questions are usually foccused upon being 'sporty' or cycle racing. Curiously, the comments generated are, "I used to race when I was younger". In all cases, comments are positive curiousity about cycling rather than barbed comments about lycra.

As for my other cycling activities, I would not consider anything else.

leodis75

wyadvd wrote:

Rolf F wrote:

t4tomo wrote:

b) magnificant though they are, I don't see the need to inflict the outline of my genitals on the rest of the office.

Modern lycra shorts have padding at the front. You can't see any such outlines.......

I am a45 yr old man with very prominent quads, arriving to work every day in a workplace full of 25 yr old females. Have had several favourable comments, which is a great ego boost. I think I look damn good in Lycra.

There is something sooo wrong with that last statement

MarksMintness

leodis75 wrote:

wyadvd wrote:

Rolf F wrote:

t4tomo wrote:

b) magnificant though they are, I don't see the need to inflict the outline of my genitals on the rest of the office.

Modern lycra shorts have padding at the front. You can't see any such outlines.......

I am a45 yr old man with very prominent quads, arriving to work every day in a workplace full of 25 yr old females. Have had several favourable comments, which is a great ego boost. I think I look damn good in Lycra.

There is something sooo wrong with that last statement

+1

wyadvd

I also am compelled to caste my eyes at some length at the full length mirror I have in the changing room at work whilst fresh from the ride. ( I get caught doing it sometimes) go on be honest with youself and tell me you don't do the same LOL! :oops:

What I am saying is that for many of us, Lycra is all about exhibitionism and narcisism, however 'wrong' they are. Question is, do you admit it to yourself??????

Initialised

With limited change/wash facilities at work I tend to wear what I ride in for the whole day. So Lycra would be OTT and padded shorts feel like nappies when you're not in the saddle. So baggies and a technical tee shirt in summer, trousers and a cycling jacket in the winter. I've been looking for the perfect trousers and I think it's the SWRVE jeans mentioned earlier in the thread.

The down side to regular clothing if that I can get sores on my arse where it rubs and the crotches don't last.

For me it's not so much avoiding Lycra as a combination of not yet having the body or bike for it and not wanting to make extra time to get changed in the morning.