There are plenty of cyclists that don't wear the spandex and are perfectly ok with it.

Personally, I like the spandex. It IS functional for me. I absolutely HATE wearing shorts that are riding up my inner thighs and eventually pushing into my crotch. I also don't like wearing clothes that are baggy that feel 1) like I'm wearing diapers or 2) like they're falling down. Not to say that baggy clothes are falling down, but I don't like the feeling of having it so loose on me when I'm riding. I'm constantly having to feel like I have to slow down and hitch up my shorts, even though they aren't falling. It's uncomfortable for me, so I don't bother. I don't like skirts (or skorts, or whatever the heck else they're called). They just don't look natural on a roadie, and I think dudes are too lecherous in general to leave a chick be if she's riding around in a short skirt on a road bike (not all, but enough to irritate me).

The spandex works for me. I wouldn't wear them for anything else. I started out riding with regular clothes, but migrated into cycling clothes once I figured out what works for me.

This comes from being a tourist, recreational rider, roadie, etc...

Koffee