The lure of lycra and drop handlebars

[fossyant]

I bought a blue l/sleeve top in Aldi today - not because I needed it, but because it matched my bike colours perfectly.

You are forgiven. I have two Pearl Izumi tops, one in red, the other blue to match the bikes, oh and two helmets, one blue, one red. I am very sad. Don't talk about colour co-ordinated socks as well

 

[thnurg]

Go for it.

I had an accident on my road bike in 1995 and wrote it off. I replaced it with a hybrid since most of my riding was to be for commuting. I rode the hybrid for 12 years then replaced it with a beat up mountain bike.
Last year I turned 40 and decided that I would take advantage of my employer's use of cyclescheme. I got a lovely drop handlebar road bike and went the whole hog with clip in shoes (which I had never used before). My wife just got me a lovely HTC Highroad jersey for my birthday so I'm now the full lycra roadie beast AND I LOVE IT.
Since getting the road bike I am much more likely to cycle to work rather than use bus or car. My record time for the ride is 16 minutes (with a typical ride taking about 20), which is not much slower than the car and quicker than the bus (door to door). I even used it to do the Trossachs Ton (one of Action Medical Research's Ride 100 series). At 40 years old I did my longest day in the saddle ever (100 miles, with my previous one being 70 miles when I was 27).

So my advice is to just do it. Forget how others might perceive you and do it because you enjoy it and it's good for you.

 

[Hip Priest]

I bought a blue l/sleeve top in Aldi today - not because I needed it, but because it matched my bike colours perfectly.

Haha! I've got a Virt too. My cycling clothing also matches my bike, and I even got a blue & black water bottle.

 

[Paulus]

I am the wrong side of 50, and I still wear lycra( I think I can still get away with it) when out on the bike. It is there for a reason, comfort.

 

[sabian92]

I wear lycra bibshorts but under a t-shirt and swimming shorts. I wouldn't be caught dead without proper shorts, and I think when it's stretched you can see my bum through it too. I bought bibshorts to stop my crack showing, I don't want a full bum on show!

 

[LosingFocus]

Haha! I've got a Virt too. My cycling clothing also matches my bike, and I even got a blue & black water bottle.

Nice!

 

[fizzler]

This one is purely function over fashion as far as i am concerned- and lycra wins hands down!

Its fast drying, warm, it doesn't add about 10 stone if you get soaked, & (padded shorts/tights are) much more comfortable. Unless you are WAY out of shape, you won't attract any particlarly unwanted comments. This is more to do with how you think that you look, rather than how you actually look (if that makes sense?)

I liken this one to shaving you hair very short. At first a few folk might crack a couple of light hearted comments or you may even feel self concious for a while due to a change in appearance. However after a while it becomes the norm and nobody cares!

 

[Alexvs]

I got back into cycling after not riding since I went to school and the first accessories I set my sights on was lycra based clothing. When I joined up with my works ride to work scheme my colleagues said as long as I don't start wearing lycra I'll be fine.....the following week I showed up in lycra I couldn't care what others think because I feel so much better in it and even bought a full replica BMC kit and now look the part lol

Do it for you, no one else.

 

[Christopher]

Well, you lot have a much better mental attitude than I do: I am embarassed to wear just lycra, these days nearly always have something over the top. Although the sight of others in just lycra doesn't bother me at all. I hate the catcalls, just want to ride my bike and not be bothered.

 

[gbs]

) anybody else gone back to road bikes after a long lay off and how did you cope with the shame of lycra?

Well, I started with a hybrid 3 years ago after a near 50 year layoff. Within 3 months I had converted to

• drop handle bars (not very reassuring for several weeks - indeed only recently have I trusted myself on the drops going downhill)
• clipless SPDs (immediately comfortable)
• lycra winter cruisers intially then bib shorts under regular shorts before baring all.

I think it helps that there are so many lycra clad cyclists around - we are enroute to Richmond Park. I know the mutton/lamb point but at my age I do not really care what others think - comfort and efficiency are paramount.


Good luck and enjoy.

 

[derrick]

I wear lycra and love it, but i am only 10 stone 9, age well over the hill. lol

 

[peelywally]

I'm a commuter cyclist, I pootle about in civvies on my hybrid. Having recently started a new job I have decided a new bike is in order so I have ordered a norco ceres 10 from evans. However after joining this site I find myself looking enviously at all these bright young things as they zip past me on their road bikes. Its 40 years since I rode a road bike and I couldn't get on with drop handlebars then. Today I was in aldi I saw the stuff and got myself a jacket, trousers and jersey got home and tried them on oh dear! Mutton dressed as a dogs dinner. It fits all right but unfortunately I don't fit it. Hopefully it will look better on a road bike (either a viking or pinnacle) anybody else gone back to road bikes after a long lay off and how did you cope with the shame of lycra?

just remember theres always someone worse dressed for sports than you -


speedos

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I never wore a helmet, lycra or used clipless pedals before I was 50. So I was very cautious about starting to go out and about in Lycra. However, where I was expecting my daughter, who's pretty fashion conscious, to grimace and to discourage me from wheeling the granddaughter around the park in cycling shorts, she never batted an eyelid. Nor to my knowledge has anyone else. The only responses seem to have been that I'm looking very tanned, or more sporty - no snide comments at all. No one I know has blanked me in the street whereas lots of people I know have simply not seen me wearing hi-viz.

So, as far as I can tell, I worried more about other people's reactions than I actually worried other people. Of course, I don't have to look at myself when I'm riding, but I reckon that with a helmet to hide the grey hair, I probably look younger than my years from a following driver's viewpoint. That's not my problem though

 

[4F]

I wear lycra because it is comfortable and I dont give a toss what anyone thinks i look like.

 

[chewy]

I was the same as the OP ....then I bought some cheap lycra leggings!

Now its the full 'clip in' shoes and bibbed shorts, would wear it all the time if more socially acceptable! Soooo comfy!