Commuting - punk in spandex

This week I finially decided to wear just my spandex shorts on a nice day back from school. I go to Appalachian State University so obviously there would be some heckling (I change in the locker rooms at the top of the student union). But I realized something, I used to have 5 piercings to be "different" when all it did was make me the same as the other punks who were "different". I took all of my piercings out because it just seemed like it didn't mean anything now. Then it hit me. Why the hell should I be nervous of looking different wearing my spandex, if that was my goal all along? So I wore the spandex home and people seemed to treat me better on the road, maybe I looked more professional. Just a thought I had. Anyone else overcome their spandex anxiety?

"People are silly"

obviously.

maybe I looked more professional

I rarely encounter rude motorists whether I am in my spandex on a road ride or in my blue jeans riding to work.

But I am a 40ish, white male with a neat haircut and I wear clean clothes. Maybe it's a class thing. If you are a psych student you could be on your way to a term paper with this.

"I rarely encounter rude motorists whether I am in my spandex on a road ride or in my blue jeans riding to work. "

Funny, Whenever i read these "road rage" and "someone threw a so-and-so at me today" type stories in hear, I think 'Where the heck do these people live?" 40 years of cycling under my belt, and never once had an object thrown at me while riding. And I live in the 'unfriendly' northeast.

There are some bizarro regions in this great country, i guess.

I have had most of my bad experiences wearing spandex but don't ride in my work clothes that often. There seem to be towns around here that are better than others. I find rich kids driving dad's car are the worst, so if I am around one of those neighborhoods the incidents usually increase. Usually a university around helps as that means the people in the vicinity are used to seeing cyclists I find.

Most of the bad encounters I recall are near high schools. Or else you could see in the car and the passengers looked liked punk kids. Not always however.. I would be surprised if high school kids are any different anywhere in the whole country?
Funny...We live near a Marine Corp base.. In the past we used to be able to ride through that base...I recall being hassled once while riding through the base.Nothing was thrown, but the tone was really extreme.
And the Marine Corp emphasis on fitness? And while traveling through the base, lots of Marines seem to have bikes. There is even a Marine Corp cycling team and club. And, They wear a lycra uniform....
Ah, people come in all forms and psychiological makeups.
California is supposed to be more tolerant? Everyone I have encountered have been hassled one time or another. But I am sure it is worse elsewhere.

I always thought a punk in spandex was just a new wave kid.

It depends where I am. Wearing lycra in redneck Queensland with it's "Good old boys" is basically an act of provokation -- especially if it happens to be red. Mind you, with my legendary arrogance, I'm hardly going to care what people like that think.

On the other hand, in some of the more civilised parts of the country (such as Victoria and Tasmania), you can quite happily wear it in public and nobody will bother you. I remember having lunch at a very nice pasta restaurant in Launceston wearing said red lycra and nobody treated me any differently -- nor did anybody seem to mind when I went shopping later that evening.

I always thought a punk in spandex was just a new wave kid.

Ha ha ha. Yeah, I guess since I'm into hardcore punk it should be an easy transition from the tight girl's blue jeans and tight jean jackets to spandex.

Who cares what the guys think...Often the women are driven nuts by guys in Lycra..If you are trying to impress the other sex,the guys will just have to endure your flaunting your appeal to the women. Now for an important response...I can recall women hassling the guys with cat calls and innuendos. What a burden male cyclists have to shoulder.

California is supposed to be more tolerant? Everyone I have encountered have been hassled one time or another. But I am sure it is worse elsewhere.

IIRC, Fallbrook isn't one of the most tolerant places in CA.

IIRC, Fallbrook isn't one of the most tolerant places in CA.
Shecky....We have not had a cross burning in about a dozen years. That is progress.

I guess I'm lucky, I have not been harassed once in the last 6 months. I have to laugh though, in a local small mountain town I walked into the grocery the other day decked in spandex to buy a bottle of gatorade, I think I walked by 6 women in the 5 minutes I was in the store and all 6 looked me from head to toe, felt like a chunk of meat...how degrading... :D

our strangest spandex incident was crossing the outback/desert of Nevada...35 of us...Stopped in one of the few oasis posts with prospector types at the bar...All said we looked like we were from San Francisco...
One of the joksters played along and said we were. He was Gonna buy out some of Nevada's houses of prostitution and change the offerings... That got a pause.
Wonder how spandex would go over in Nevada's Houses of fun.?
Awful to be degraded.Guess the employees would demand a change of clothing.

This week I finially decided to wear just my spandex shorts on a nice day back from school. I go to Appalachian State University so obviously there would be some heckling (I change in the locker rooms at the top of the student union). But I realized something, I used to have 5 piercings to be "different" when all it did was make me the same as the other punks who were "different". I took all of my piercings out because it just seemed like it didn't mean anything now. Then it hit me. Why the hell should I be nervous of looking different wearing my spandex, if that was my goal all along? So I wore the spandex home and people seemed to treat me better on the road, maybe I looked more professional. Just a thought I had. Anyone else overcome their spandex anxiety?
You are a true individual.

When I was a teenager, it was looking cool with long hair and blue jeans. But everyone looked like that, so it wasn't really being an individual at all...

Now I ride to work...who else does that (except you guys?)

You are a true individual.

When I was a teenager, it was looking cool with long hair and blue jeans. But everyone looked like that, so it wasn't really being an individual at all...

Now I ride to work...who else does that (except you guys?)

When I first started commuting 2 yrs ago, I'd be lucky to see another bike 1X a week. Now I see some 30 each day! Enjoy your individuality while you can.

I have to tack this recent event on here:

One of my girlfriends IM's me and is like "I think I saw you on University today on your bike..." and I reply saying yes, I was out on a ride there today so it could have been.

She then says "black shorts?", and yes, I was rockin the black Lycra. I'm like "yeah I was on a bright blue bike" and she's like "I wasn't looking at the bike. Spandex is definately a good look for you ;-)"

So the moral of the story is, she's a punk, I'm a punk in a sense, chicks dig punks in spandex.

When I first started commuting 2 yrs ago, I'd be lucky to see another bike 1X a week. Now I see some 30 each day! Enjoy your individuality while you can.

Personally I don't value individuality any more that I value fads. Frankly, if either motivates you to be something you wouldn't otherwise be, they are both a complete waste of space.

So the moral of the story is, she's a punk, I'm a punk in a sense, chicks dig punks in spandex.

I've ridden through Boone and I didn't get any chicks following me or calling. I must not be punk enough.

Dave

Most of the bad encounters I recall are near high schools. Or else you could see in the car and the passengers looked liked punk kids. Not always however.. I would be surprised if high school kids are any different anywhere in the whole country?
Funny...We live near a Marine Corp base.. In the past we used to be able to ride through that base...I recall being hassled once while riding through the base.Nothing was thrown, but the tone was really extreme.
And the Marine Corp emphasis on fitness? And while traveling through the base, lots of Marines seem to have bikes. There is even a Marine Corp cycling team and club. And, They wear a lycra uniform....
Ah, people come in all forms and psychiological makeups.
California is supposed to be more tolerant? Everyone I have encountered have been hassled one time or another. But I am sure it is worse elsewhere.


you should see the shorts the marine run it! it would be great if they were girls.. but.. i didn't see any :(

Maybe lyrcra = automatic chutzpah boost?

My 13yr old son gets panicky if I'm in spandex and a friend of his is coming over. Some day he'll see the light.

I was over at the dorms just chilling out and I went up to my friend genivieve's room to change. Her roommate was there to, and once i was in my spandex it was pretty funny. Gen's roommate Adriene made it her point to treat me like she was buying a new car. It was pretty funny, every girl I'd walk by in the dorm or over at the union would look strait at my crotch. When is someone going to make the shorts with the super small print above the crotch that says "If your this close why don't you just blow me." Or maybe "I'm up here" with an arrow. I'm a dork. Peace.