Lycra - I just can't.

Crawlinguphills

Bustacapp wrote:

Does anyone else shun lycra or is it just me? I just cannot bring myself to get any lycra cladding even though I know it would be far more areo than my usual matalan cloth cargo shorts & t-shirt.

At 120kg I honestly think I'd look an absolute sight anyway. I'm not particularly fat - but things would be....bulging.

Are there any other clothes suitable for cycling that look a little less.............conspicuous?

I am the same size as you and have just got over the lycra thing...sort of. I purchased some bib shorts and started by simply wearing them underneath some lose shorts and then a t-shirt on top. Now I am at the stage of not covering the bottom half with anything other than the shorts, but still havent gone the whole hog and purchased a tight fitting top. I still wear a t-shirt and then a lose wind jacket when its windy/wet

dubcat

At 101kg I wouldn't have been seen dead in lycra. I bought humvee pants (which i love) and used them on my mountain bike a lot. I am now down to 82kg and only now am i comfortable in lycra. I have only now joined the dark side - road riding - and am LOVING it

Looking back, I don't see why you would care what anyone else would think. I have seen some big guys in lycra and guess what, they always have a big smile on their face You should stick on the lycra cos it is SO comfy and get your ass out there riding. You will SHRINK.

rolf_f

I used to commute in Humvees. Eventually I skipped the outer and then got bibs. Much more comfortable without the baggies than with.

Bustacapp

where can one purchase said 'Humvee's' ?

and please don't say Ribble.

are they available on the high street?

bompington

fast as fupp wrote:

bompington wrote:

I am a bit, well, fat is the only word for it.

I wear lycra because it performs better, not because I look good in it. How much do I care about what others think? Probably about the same as most people, i.e. more than we like to admit. But you just need to decide: then you get used to it very quickly.

bompington wrote:

i wouldnt worry about being of stout build, BUT blue gloves with a red top! :roll: RULES!!

Well, that's what they had at Lidl...

amaferanga

It's got to that time of year where many commuters realise it's too cold for just shorts so they wear tights under their baggy shorts. It looks absolutely f@cking ridiculous. It looks way way more ridiculous than even the fattest of men in lycra.

dubcat

You can buy Endura Hummvee shorts at Evans on the high st. Use their price match if you find a cheaper price online. They are pretty competitive though. They are baggy shorts that come with clip in padded liners. You can buy more liners if you want too. Personally I don't think they look stupid with tights, bibtights or legwarmers under them when you are on a mtb but each to his own.

simon_masterson

You don't have to wear lycra. It just happens to be very good for the job. The fabric is cut to suit your posture on the bike and to minimise flapping, it wicks better than cotton, bibshorts take the pressure from the waist and hold the pad in place, and of course there is a pad...

But beyond the flapping, forget about the aerodynamics. The actual difference is minute; important only in time trial terms. It's not like 'lycra = aero = faster'; not all lycra is 'race cut'. If you really care you'll get a skin suit! If you get lycra, wear it for the reasons given above... You could even wear it under your cargo shorts. Otherwise look into clothing designed for MTB or touring.

secretsam

Yes you can - I'm 5'8" and 14 stone so just do it, and f*** what anyone thinks, it's what it's for that's important. You actually look more of a div if you ride a road bike of any quality and DON'T wear the lycra or similar.

Baggy stuff is OK but my former habit of mixing road tops with baggy shorts and MTB shoes looks...flippin' odd, TBH.

Sentral

The first 'lycra' item I bought was some bib shorts, as I needed them for a session at newport velodrome. I also wanted them for the padding; when you start doing decent distances you NEED the padding...

If you're embarrassed about being a lardarse, then simply eat a proper diet, stop going to the pub and get riding. Wearing tight revealing lycra may be the best incentive you have to get fit.

secretsam

Sentral wrote:

If you're embarrassed about being a lardarse, then simply eat a proper diet, stop going to the pub and get riding. Wearing tight revealing lycra may be the best incentive you have to get fit.

And the number of fingers I'm holding up to you is...(only on one hand, the other is holding a massive pie) :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: .

Perhaps the OP should carry a bell and go round yelling 'unclean, unclean' as well, just to make sure? Perhaps he has a metabolic disorder, perhaps we has diabetes, perhaps he's got depression, perhaps it's none of your f'king business how he got to be a bit larger than you consider correct, but there he is now and I'm sure he'll manage it as best he can. Tell me, do you have a special hook at home to hang your halo on when you're not wearing it?

Dear OP, ignore the food and size comments on here, wear what works for you but be aware that you need to be comfy, whether you're fat or thin sore bo77ocks and bot are not funny in the slightest :oops:

simon_masterson

SecretSam wrote:

Yes you can - I'm 5'8" and 14 stone so just do it, and f*** what anyone thinks, it's what it's for that's important. You actually look more of a div if you ride a road bike of any quality and DON'T wear the lycra or similar.

Baggy stuff is OK but my former habit of mixing road tops with baggy shorts and MTB shoes looks...flippin' odd, TBH.

Sorry, but this is far from true. Not all cyclists are wannabe racers. Older cyclists, tourers, audaxers and the like may not necessarily wear lycra, and why should they? And there's definitely nothing wrong with wearing MTB shoes.

secretsam

Simon Masterson wrote:

SecretSam wrote:

Yes you can - I'm 5'8" and 14 stone so just do it, and f*** what anyone thinks, it's what it's for that's important. You actually look more of a div if you ride a road bike of any quality and DON'T wear the lycra or similar.

Baggy stuff is OK but my former habit of mixing road tops with baggy shorts and MTB shoes looks...flippin' odd, TBH.

Sorry, but this is far from true. Not all cyclists are wannabe racers. Older cyclists, tourers, audaxers and the like may not necessarily wear lycra, and why should they? And there's definitely nothing wrong with wearing MTB shoes.

OK, I'll rephrase - I looked odd. And the key point is, the OP needs to be comfy, both physically and emotionally

Bustacapp

Sentral wrote:

If you're embarrassed about being a lardarse, then simply eat a proper diet, stop going to the pub and get riding. Wearing tight revealing lycra may be the best incentive you have to get fit.

I'm not a lardarse mate. As stated previously. I've been going to the gym 4 days a week for the last 20 years.

I just think Lycra looks gay. And as for padding - I honestly have not felt any need for it? I have a huge squatters arse so maybe that's why.

Bustacapp

SecretSam wrote:

And the number of fingers I'm holding up to you is...(only on one hand, the other is holding a massive pie) :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: .

Perhaps the OP should carry a bell and go round yelling 'unclean, unclean' as well, just to make sure? Perhaps he has a metabolic disorder, perhaps we has diabetes, perhaps he's got depression, perhaps it's none of your f'king business how he got to be a bit larger than you consider correct, but there he is now and I'm sure he'll manage it as best he can. Tell me, do you have a special hook at home to hang your halo on when you're not wearing it?

Dear OP, ignore the food and size comments on here, wear what works for you but be aware that you need to be comfy, whether you're fat or thin sore bo77ocks and bot are not funny in the slightest :oops:

Great post!

Anonymous

Bustacapp wrote:

I just think Lycra looks gay.

How old are you?

You'll soon realise that noone gives a flying fuckety fuck what you wear. As someone above said. You should be comfortable both physically and emotionally, and physically. If you want to do longish miles, lycra is the way forward.

mattshrops

So you can get flamed for being "fattist" but not for homophobia? :shock:

Lycra isnt just a pose, it keeps you cool and it keeps you warm. It drys super fast after rain.It protects your tender pink buttocks with its padded carress. Play your cards right and it'll chat to the wife about soft furnishings when you've finished and want to sleep 8)

Talking of fatties in lycra -have you not seen lampre man?? A legend(at the cardio unit)[ok ok you're not fat-honest]

Ec0

Not as gay as you'd look waddling round like John Wayne trying to nurse your sore backside

People don't really care and even if they did its not like it matters. Wearing it to the pub and wearing it for function and wearing it for fashion are two different things.

silverpigeon

I was going to give a serious answer to the OP and then I saw that he didn't wear it because it "looked gay" and I realised that he was just being a dickhead.

Time for the fat guy in Lycra picture? It has been a while

roypsb

How can anyone think lycra looks gay? Wake up folks, it's the 21st century.

Don't tell anyone but I sometimes wear a pink shirt to work! Hopefully nobody calls me Rupert behind my back.

DavidJB

Sorry but I can't agree with the post's about fat guys wearing lycra being fine...its repulsive. It's akin to those massive women that always wear sequin tops at the pub. I only started wearing it when I didn't look like an overstuffed sausage on a bike any more. Now I wouldn't leave home without it (on the bike)

Paul E

Bustacapp wrote:

Sentral wrote:

If you're embarrassed about being a lardarse, then simply eat a proper diet, stop going to the pub and get riding. Wearing tight revealing lycra may be the best incentive you have to get fit.

I'm not a lardarse mate. As stated previously. I've been going to the gym 4 days a week for the last 20 years.

I just think Lycra looks gay. And as for padding - I honestly have not felt any need for it? I have a huge squatters ars* so maybe that's why.

Keep using homophobic language like that and I will report you to the mods on here, gay is not a negative word and shouldn't be used as such.

You really need to grow up, how old are you if you have been a gym bunny for 20 years??????

Mikey23

I agree totally. Offensive and unnecessary...

Bustacapp

Paul E wrote:

Keep using homophobic language like that and I will report you to the mods on here, gay is not a negative word and shouldn't be used as such.

You really need to grow up, how old are you if you have been a gym bunny for 20 years??????

Actually I was using the term 'gay' under it's original meaning (before it was hijacked by homosexuals). You sir have simply perceived a negative connotation due to your own pre-concieved prejudices.

You need to lighten up a bit you great soft pansy!

Bustacapp

Paul E wrote:

You really need to grow up, how old are you if you have been a gym bunny for 20 years??????

Excuse me but I take great offence at being labelled a 'gym bunny'. Take it back at once or I shall report you to the mods.

navrig

Put the handbags away guys. People will thinks this is the MTB forum

jgsi

Bustacapp wrote:

Paul E wrote:

You really need to grow up, how old are you if you have been a gym bunny for 20 years??????

Excuse me but I take great offence at being labelled a 'gym bunny'. Take it back at once or I shall report you to the mods.

Don't need to... what the hell have you done in the gym for 20 years?

oh, wear what you want...

Drumlin

I got used to wearing lycra many years ago. I used to regularly cycle past a canoe slalom course and more than once it struck me that however silly a cyclist looks off a bike a canoeist out of their canoe looks even sillier.

danowat

I don't think lycra looks any "gayer" than trying to cover up your bulk with billowy clothing TBH.....you're not really kidding anyone, no matter how baggy it is.

markos1963

Bustacapp wrote:

Paul E wrote:

Keep using homophobic language like that and I will report you to the mods on here, gay is not a negative word and shouldn't be used as such.

You really need to grow up, how old are you if you have been a gym bunny for 20 years??????

Actually I was using the term 'gay' under it's original meaning (before it was hijacked by homosexuals). You sir have simply perceived a negative connotation due to your own pre-concieved prejudices.

You need to lighten up a bit you great soft pansy!

Sorry but you did mean it in the way people are taking it. Backpeddaling by claiming it's been hijacked is a bit lame now. Wear what you like on a bike and suffer what you like. Lycra is there for a purpose and has nothing to do with looks. Plenty of non tight cycle wear to choose from, have a look on the internet.