You look ridiculous.

[matticus]

It's 2020 - not 1820. There was a time when women were frowned on for showing their ankles in public. We've moved on from that, haven't we?

Now we can go to Macdonalds or a decent Italian restaurant wearing 3-piece suit, sports-wear, a ball-gown, dungarees, a boob-tube, wotever - it's all OK. Sure, I may not like an outfit that someone chooses to wear, but it has to be pretty extreme to actually offend me - man or woman.

I know that if I stop mid-ride in lycra at certain places, the odd person will give me a look. And yeah, drunken blokes still sometimes make "sharp" comments, and in heaven I would have a butler following me with a change of clothes for such moments; but it won't kill me to walk round a pub or wotever in the "wrong" outfit. The vast majority of spectators won't give a fig these days - someone more absurd-looking will no doubt be along shortly.

p.s. but no sleeveless tops on the bike, please - we're not bloody tri-athletes ...

 

[swee'pea99]

Do you also get sarcastic comments from members of your family when you are dressed as a cyclist?

I don't have to dress as a cyclist.

 

[si_c]

Mrs C says I am really hot looking when clad in tight lycra, her husband is not happy about her saying such things though.

Damn straight I'm not. However true it may be.

 

[Accy cyclist]

What about builders bum then? That is absolutely disgusting, far worse than lycra IMO.

Agreed! I like to think those who call us lycra wearers are the ones who don't mind showing us their hairy,spotty arses!

 

[Accy cyclist]

Why is it called lycra anyway? I look at the labels on my cycling jerseys and shorts and it says that they're made out of polyester.Football jerseys are made out of the same stuff,why aren't they classed as lycra?

 

[matticus]

Why is it called lycra anyway? I look at the labels on my cycling jerseys and shorts and it says that they're made out of polyester.Football jerseys are made out of the same stuff,why aren't they classed as lycra?

Because "Spandex" sounded ridiculous.

 

[sheddy]

Scotsmen in lycra have the advantage of quickly covering up with a kilt before they look silly.

Englishmen could do the same, but would have to attempt a cod Scottish accent.

 

[CanucksTraveller]

Why is it called lycra anyway? I look at the labels on my cycling jerseys and shorts and it says that they're made out of polyester.Football jerseys are made out of the same stuff,why aren't they classed as lycra?

Lycra is just one (trademarked) word for the elastic fibres that are woven into a garment made of other fibres like polyester or nylon. Garments aren't really "lycra" but they can contain various amounts of it.

In cycle shorts the percentage of elastane / lycra is relatively high (about 20 percent) which gives that distinctive look and feel, in a football shirt it'll be lower (between 1 and 5 percent), just to give a bit of stretch.

It's now become a kind of shortcut to refer to anything that looks like it has a distinctly high amount of elastic fibres as "Lycra".

 

[12boy]

I favor Rivendell shorts and pants made from thin nylon with regular pockets and a gusset so there is no seam to sit upon. The pants are loose enough to wear merino longjohns in the winter, but usually cotton drawers are fine. When it is very warm they are omitted. These shorts and pants dry quickly and are good for hiking, kayaking and other activities. Some of them are 15 years old and refuse to die. Amortized over 15 years the $60-100 price isn't much. In my opinion, skin tight stretchy stuff is best left to those without muffin tops and rolls of blubber. On the other hand, if that's what's needed to get out and on a bike, go for it. I would wonder if synthetics don't retain bacteria and stink more than organics that can be bleached if needed.
I am a little conflicted on the appearance thing, because while I think revealing clothing can make other people uncomfortable , I feel the obsessive need to conform to some model- like appearance is very sad.

 

[Dave7]

I am sure most people can find a dislike in others style of dress, sad really. Cycling was designed for lycra, embrace it and stand proud.

If I stood proud I couldn't get my shorts on

 

[screenman]

If I stood proud I couldn't get my shorts on

I knew when I posted that I was gifting someone a smart reply

 

[Deleted member 1258]

If I stood proud I couldn't get my shorts on

And you couldn't roll out of bed either.

 

[Kryton521]

And you couldn't roll out of bed either.

Hence the warm cocoa and a viagra?