That Took Some Nerve

finlayson99

As a previously committed MTBr dedicated to wearing baggy, I decided that tonight was the night to don the new lycra bib shorts. So after much will-I-won't-I and checking with the kids as to whether they would disown their MAMIL Dad if he went out in lycra and after much listening to my lovely wife saying shut up and just go, that is exactly what I did. Just put them on and went.
The first mile I had to keep checking that I was actually wearing some keks as it really felt like I'd forgotten to put anything on :shock:
After that, basically, they just felt right.

Did I get heckled by car drivers and pedestrians-NO

Was my average speed higher despite apparently no more effort-YES

Did they feel bob on as a piece or riding clothing-YES

Will I wear them again-YOU BET

I did wear my Santa Cruz freeride baggy top tonight so the next challenge is a lycra top too :shock:

I think I am morphing into a roadie and loving every minute of it.

Does my venture into lycra mean that I am now a member of the club?

Hope so.............loving it 8)

thescouselander

Yeah, you can't beat spandex pants - once you've tried them there's no going back.

TheEnglishman

Pics or it never happened :P

The Ors

Commando?

essjaydee

One of my greatest pleasure is actually not when I'm wearing it on the bike, but scaring my family by walking around the house with my CRAFT S/S string vest like base layer and bib tights on :twisted: To this they call me Borat and generally run a mile

I also like to leave my bib tights inside out hanging on the outside of the wardrobe door :twisted: My better half hates to see, what she calls, the 'mangina' (shape of the pad)

Due to censorship and common decency, pictures are a definite no no :shock:

essjaydee

Oh...and welcome to the club

finlayson99

TheEnglishman wrote:

Pics or it never happened :P

Not THAT brave mate

The Ors wrote:

Commando?

You bet I was......oh yea 8)

essjaydee wrote:

Oh...and welcome to the club

Thank you, I do indeed feel welcome.

g00se

Welcome to the club? Only when you start shaving your legs!

finlayson99

g00se wrote:

Welcome to the club? Only when you start shaving your legs!

OMG that will deffo get the wife slagging me off, she already thinks I am weird........maybe when she's not looking :evil:

DonutDad

I took the plunge just about a week ago - at the same time removing the bum bag full of tools that I'd had strapped tightly to my waist since 1992 on my mountain bike, and the tied waistband of Ron Hills over the top of my shorts.
On the road bike I was getting cut in half, especially once I progressed to 30-40 mile rides, so I went along and tried some out of curiosity.

Felt a bike like I was sneaking into the mature ladies underwear department in John Lewis and trying on their 'control wear' that I've (ahem) heard about...

Liberating is a good word. Totally liberating and I won't be going back to non bibs not ever.

NITR8s

Part way into the club, next step is to eat some tarmac and get some road rash if you had'nt already.

finlayson99

Yeh baby full Lycra this evening

That must be me in the club

Liberating it certainly is

alex1rob

Good work mate welcome! You'll no doubt notice that you get more respect from passing riders now

essjaydee

alex1rob wrote:

You'll no doubt notice that you get more respect from passing riders now

That reassuring nod to acknowledge a fellow lycra lover It's nothing to do with being a cyclist you know. That's just an excuse to wear lycra

So full club membership =
1. Lycra wearer
2. Have tasted the delight of tarmac, or equivalent mettalled surface
3. Shaved your legs

I qualify under 1 & 2, but having shaved me balls long time ago, and still knowing what that felt like (itchy itchy itchy!), no way am I shaving any other part of my anatomy :!:

I'm happy to be a 66.6% member.

edenchristopher

essjaydee wrote:

alex1rob wrote:

You'll no doubt notice that you get more respect from passing riders now

That reassuring nod to acknowledge a fellow lycra lover It's nothing to do with being a cyclist you know. That's just an excuse to wear lycra

So full club membership =
1. Lycra wearer
2. Have tasted the delight of tarmac, or equivalent mettalled surface
3. Shaved your legs

I qualify under 1 & 2, but having shaved me balls long time ago, and still knowing what that felt like (itchy itchy itchy!), no way am I shaving any other part of my anatomy :!:

I'm happy to be a 66.6% member.

Far too much information, but thanks for sharing.

mr_dobbo

I've not taken the plunge, I've been contemplating it for a while, need to find the right pair of bibs to buy then pluck up the courage. Well done I feel more inspired now.

Gizmo_

I'm not going for bibs. Shorts are fine.

buzzwold

Used to pretend that not having the right gear was clearly a sign that I was a professional who didn't need to dress up and that others could tell from my lithe and athletic physique (no mirrors on the bike or out on the road to conflict with the ego) that I was a TdF rider in dress down mode. How wrong I was.

Took the plunge earlier this year when weather was cold and went for bib tights. My daughter calls them my condoms and she got into the habit of asking me if I was going to be wearing my condom rather than enquiring if I was going cycling. Having survived that indignity and with the warmer weather had to go for the bib shorts.

Now with the mitts, shorts, matching top (free with a Cycling Plus subscription), shoes I can look in the mirror and feel good. I probably look like a complete tool but who cares. I'm now part of the gang and loving it. However a word of warning. All this dressing up can only lead to a bad case of KAS (Kit Acquisition Syndrome). I've already stated to the wife that I need another pair of shorts and a top to match.

Mikey23

Of course you must have one of those all in one triathlon suits! Absolute nightmare when you want to go to the toilet, but it's fashion and they are sooo cool with waxed legs ...

finlayson99

buzzwold wrote:

I probably look like a complete tool but who cares. I'm now part of the gang and loving it.

Spot on

Gizmo_

It's like a parallel universe.

Off the bike: normal clothes, normal. Lycra: tool.
On the road bike: normal clothes, tool. Lycra, normal.

alidaf

I was led to believe that nobody was a true roadie until they've cut the chain guard off the rear sprocket. I've got mine still but as soon as a I told a mate that was the true definition of a cyclist, the very next day, his was missing! There are probably loads of mythical entry requirements to 'the club' but for me the only requirement is to enjoy it and use the 'slightly imperceptible nod' to other roadies when you pass them coming the other way. Soooo many grumpy gits obviously in the 'super serious elite' club won't let on but I love it when I get the nod back.

alwaystoohot

This reads like some kind of swingers thread. Shame on you all. Wear wool.

alex1rob

alidaf wrote:

I was led to believe that nobody was a true roadie until they've cut the chain guard off the rear sprocket. I've got mine still but as soon as a I told a mate that was the true definition of a cyclist, the very next day, his was missing! There are probably loads of mythical entry requirements to 'the club' but for me the only requirement is to enjoy it and use the 'slightly imperceptible nod' to other roadies when you pass them coming the other way. Soooo many grumpy gits obviously in the 'super serious elite' club won't let on but I love it when I get the nod back.

What is the point of those rear sprocket guards... The plastic rings? My bike didn't come with one so does that make me automatically pro?

t.m.h.n.e.t

Some of us spend hours per day in lycra and/or assorted skin tight attire.

adm1

The Lycra quickly becomes favoured attire....it is after all sooooo feckin comfortable. I end up sitting around in my bibs hours after coming back from a ride. I take the jersey and shoulder straps off and sling a t-shirt on and that's it until somebody reminds me to take the shorts off.

The first time was a bit of a trial though.

A good pair of bibs is a real investment though. The Assos ones cost a fortune, but they are bloody brilliant. I've had dhb (their high end ones), Altura and Specialized.....but the Assos are in a different class. So much so that I am saving my pennies to buy another pair.

Love the "mangina" comment. You've just given my wife a new word - as mine tend to hang inside out on the clothes rail.

Kendal Black Drop

This thread has reminded me of my first time wearing lycra shorts.

I'd bought my road bike a month or so before and been using my MTB padded shorts until I took the plunge and bought some proper roadie lycra shorts. I was feeling rather self conscious but nobody was around to see me going out and I'd soon be on the back roads after I got out of town. I climbed the hill up to the railway station but as I rounded the corner onto the bridge over the railway I saw a pair of womens shoes in the road and a handbag on the pavement. I looked up to see a young women perched on the very narrow wall with her legs dangling over the drop. I stopped and went over to talk to her. She was obviously rather drunk. I tried to persuade her to get down, but she wasn't co-operating. She pulled a mobile out of her pocket, dialled a number and passed me the phone and said "Tell my boyfriend." There was no way I was going to be the intermediary between the two of them with her threatening suicide so I cancelled the call and told her to get down and to talk to him herself.

In the meantime a car had passed and I later learned they'd stopped at the station to report what they had seen and call the police. One of the occupants had come back and started backing me up by trying to keep her talking as had another lad who was walking past. Between the three of us we kept her talking but I was still worried that she was going jump. She was also swaying backward and forward rather a lot in her inebriated state. I nearly tried to grab her a couple of times but thought I'd better keep my distance. Then she swayed forwards, overcompensated trying to balance and fell over backwards dropping five feet onto the pavement. We tried to calm her down but she started trying to get back up. I physically restrained her until the police arrived and took her away. I told the police what had happened before carrying on with my ride satisfied that I had made a difference.

Did anyone care that I was wearing lycra shorts? No.