Originally Posted by
flatlander_48
Well, no. Flapping clothes create drag and slow you down or take unnecessary energy and limit how far you can go.
Good moisture management allows your body to keep itself cooler and allows you to ride longer.
Compression on your legs works to reduce fatigue, which allows you to ride longer. It also speeds recovery during breaks or after a ride.
ALL of these things have a bearing on recumbent riders as well as triangle frame riders. What you are saying is that physics and physiology have no meaning for you, but this is how the science works. And NONE of this has anything to do with how you look. But, you keep talking about elitism, spending money, etc. which totally meaningless.
I ride because I enjoy it and for the health benefits. If a particular piece of clothing allows me to ride 30 or 45 minutes longer and not feel any worse or recover just as quickly, that's a good deal. No amount of posturing about wearing clothes that most people would cut the grass in is going to change that.
Oh please.
Just because it isn't skin tight doesn't mean that it's flapping in the wind...and even if it is, unless you are racing, who the f cares? If that little flap causes you to loose energy and bonk, you got bigger problems than your clothes, bud. Same goes for a lack of compression. Tell me, how have people managed to survive and do cross-country, multi-day loaded tours for all these years without the miracles of technology? Dang, maybe I could have been a contender back in the day if only I would have had spandex!
Also, just because it isn't skin tight doesn't mean that it isn't a decent moisture-wicking material - but you knew that.
The fact that you made me chime in to somewhat agree with the likes of a rydabent really ticks me off...you should be ashamed of yourself! Now I am going to have to go kick a cat or something.
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