oboeguy

Inspired by this thread... WTF is up with Americans having issues with people wearing Lycra? Maybe because I grew-up watching pro cycling on TV in the summers and am basically half a European it's completely natural to me. Go make fun of baseball players' pants, why not? (for the record I am a rabid Yankees fan) You'd think Lance's dominance in the Tour would have raised awareness for Lycra-wearers... or something.

And why do people insist on calling "spandex"? Helloooo? it's not the 80s anymore people, we call it Lycra now (Dupont brand name, IIRC).

LordOpie

roar!

forum*rider

I don't know. And why do (some) people call us **** when they see us riding in lycra? Because I personally have never seen a gay person wearing spandex. Or maybe they were gay and I just didn't know?

Great, now im confused.

LordOpie

haha! go to South Beach (Miami, FL)

oboeguy

<---- takes a bow

Gus Riley

So what's wrong with "wearing spandex"?

No reason I can think of...

Hitchy

G'day,

I don't think most 'roadie' gear is even made of Lycra anymore.....it's all sorts of other new fangled materials that weren't even heard of 20 years ago!

hitchy

Underhill

In my opinion .... I think tight "lycra" doesn't look gay when a person is in shape. Now if I am out of shape and wearing lycra - It may fit differently than other looser clothes... but I would look like a wanna-be or a man in my mid-life crisis. Lance Armstrong is neither of those ... I think.

Crunkologist

In my opinion, recreational riders in Lycra look like pretentious, fashion-victim yuppie *******s. I do realize that this is a bigoted opinion, and that it comes from a "post-rave baggie pants loser." I still chuckle when I see a junior executive in Lycra, though.

If you're training for a race or something, then I might notice that by the fact that you're hauling ass, and I wouldn't laugh. Or maybe I still would. I dunno.

bpohl

Heh. The funny thing is that lately my road bike has been on the trainer, so I'm commuting on my hybrid. On that, I just wear regular shorts and a t-shirt and my shimano mountain bike SPD shoes, seeing as how it's only a few miles. I don't know why, but I feel like such a damn dork riding in baggy stuff. I secretly find myself hoping that I don't see any of my friends while I'm riding a flat-bar rig with panniers.

collegeskier

I think it is still the reaction from the 80s and early 90s when people wore them as fashion and generally wore 5 sixes too small and a person 10 sizes to large to be wearing it. Oh and remember your sweater and leg warmers. But yeah I dont know what the big deal is. I now have a lot strecth fitting technical clothing and there is a reason that they make it that way and that is why I own it and wear it and dont care. It is easier to move and the technical properties work better when actually in contact with the skin.

Oh and if wearing tight close makes me a cycle poser, what does an overpriced unneeded cars make the rest of the world. "I drive an Excursion in NYC cause it snows here." Yeah that makes sense cause I am sure you go out when it is snowing. Also everyone wearing 300 dollar winter coats from Marmot and The North Face that never do anything outside annoys me, mostly cause I want that stuff.

Crunkologist

Its not really that it makes you a poser. Its more like it makes you a fashion victim. For alot of people, Lycra is overkill just as much as that Excursion for the NY snow. We don't like those people. Lycra on the otherhand... its more like a silliness thing. Huh huh huh, he's in lycra.

Although I admit to wearing Under Armour. And not just on the bike. I'm a sweaty mother ****er.

Gustaf

Living on campus last year I got some interesting looks from the other kids when I could head out for my daily ride in my spandex. But I think the people who saw me often just got used to the fact that I wear it because I am a cyclist. I think it’s more of an issue with males than females. Guys probably think “wow that guy is gay”. Girls probably just think “ok, nice ass”

bpohl

Heh, yeah, I'm always on campus in lycra (except for the last few days) and it doesn't bother me at all. WHen you live in a lard-infested city like Indianapolis, you know you look good in the stuff. And girls always look and smile. It almost makes getting girls too easy, when you can show off what you've got amongst a sea of other guys clad in Realtree and Colts jerseys.

my58vw

I really do not casre if you wear lycra of not. When I do I always my hardest to ride my best etc. I can not ride though in bagy stuff, I have to ride in atleast tighter longer shorts. My shorts if baggy tend to get caught on the saddle... hmmm

I think it looks strange when people ride a 2500 dollar road bike in baggy clothing anyway...

kandnhome

Well, as a newbie myself, riding a $150 used eBay bike, I find a pair of cargo shorts, my road shoes, and a white T-shirt adequate for my 17-18 mph average speeds. Comfy, not binding, and probably not slowing me down any more than my extra 30lbs. Does begin to flap if i have reason to get up to 25mph or so, but that's not too often, and not for too long. I just can't justify spending more on wardrobe than i spent on my bike.

Raiyn

Spandex is a privilege - not a right.

iovnow

Cereal Killer

Raiyn

<nods> Very good.

capsicum

My shorts and shirt are not Lycra laden, they are teaming with 8-10% generic spandex however.
the aero advantage for my speeds is negligable, but boy howdy streatchy, close fitting, wicking, non flapping duds are way more comfortable to ride in. And of course they get the glances from the opposing sex, I think especially so because few guys show off there bod like cyclists do compaired to the high percentage of fit women who reveal their shapes.

I like spandex!

Crunkologist

And here we come at another part of it: Vanity. Not many of us care for muscled up guys in tank tops, either.

royalflash

I think you get more respect from the car drivers when you have the right Lycra gear on- they think that you might be an important professional sportsman (maybe even Jan Ulrich) out on a pre-competition training ride rather than just some annoying overgrown kid on a stupid toy holding them up on purpose.

flyingscotsman

No thanks.

Crunkologist

I think that you get more respect for if you have on Lycra that does not look like it was designed by an autistic monkey on crack cocaine. Seriously... the colors. What the hell is up with the colors?

Black lycra can look okay. Like this guy: https://www.evilcycling.com/evil_racing.htm

cyclezealot

When on a century or more, or on the bike for more than 3 hours, cycling shorts is the only practical way to go..Nothing else meets the functional needs of a cyclist..Maybe, so many cyclists are about in certain parts of the country..In these areas , I do not even think cycling clothes is an issue anymore.
Baggies- They get in the way of the saddle's horn..Baggies to a real rider might cause a safety hazard.
IT is supposed to be a free country..No one should judge others. WHile on the bike freedom reigns...When, off feel a need for modesty, just put on a pair of nylon shorts.
As to bike shorts being effeminate..Critics need go on a coed bike tour..The opposite sex loves the opposite sex in spandex....Of the bike tour I went on...That is how the women met their new husbands.The oggling got to be annoying.