I'm a workin' on it!!

I feel the EXACT same way when I wear my 4" spikes out on a Saturday night!

I took the plunge this morning and went on a ten miler with nothing but the spandex on... No big deal.

To paraphrase Nike;

Just Wear It!!!

You know, I hate to break this to you, but most people are not paying that much attention...

Yes, some compression on your thighs is good. When you ride a lot of blood goes to your legs. The compression helps to get the blood back to the upper part of your body. It also helps recovery after your ride.

One of the great things about being over 60 is that you stop caring what strangers think of you when they see you. I long ago stopped being self-conscious about going into a restaurant on the road in my cycling kit. And yesterday I was coming back from a ride where I had the bike in my car and stopped to do some grocery shopping on the way home.

A little weird, but I do think that some of the women in there were checking me out...

Being self-conscious about spandex is like going into the gym and worrying about the meat head laughing at you for not lifting the same weight as him. It is just one of those things that you shouldn't care what others think because you are doing it for you, not for them.

Im 59 and took a while to get used to the shorts also. After wearing the spandex I liked them and wore them all the time.
I road the C&O into Cumberland on a 95 degree day last summer and went in the train station to sit down and cool off. I saw the sinks thru an open bathroom door and decided soap and water would be great. While washing I noticed a lack of urinals and glancing at some feet in a stall quickly realized I may be in the ladies bathroom. Drying off I look over and saw a woman staring at me. I apologized and told her I had made a mistake. She grinned and said it was quite alright. Whew! I lucked out and now check the signs carefully.
The shorts and the ladies good nature saved a possibly embarrasing moment.

+1. I do go for bibs rather than shorts as my bad case of plumbers butt would scare the neighbors.

I actually get a chuckle out of the "stylin" fully kitted DF riders in spandex. They are lemmings that think they cant turn a wheel without the total kit. At 73 I couldnt care less what other people think about what I wear. As I have stated before I ride a recumbent. I do NOT need spandex and dead goat skins with butt butter. I save a great deal of money by riding in rugby shorts and t-shirts most of which comes from club and rally rides. I ride a comfortable bike and comfortable duds. How ever if the "stylin" types think hugely expensive spandes is necessary to ride a bike more power to them. What ever makes cycling good for them.

I'm just guessing........but I don't think I'm putting in the same miles/effort as you. I do wear rugby shorts and a T shirt when I go duck hunting though...... Camo, warm clothing and waders are for the Freds.

1. Having your clothes flap in the breeze is a bad thing.
2. Having clothes that pass sweat with minimum absorption is a good thing.
3. Some compression on your legs is a good thing. It helps endurance and speeds recovery.
4. Many, Many jerseys and shorts have NO Names on them whatsoever.
5. Horse for courses. If you wear worn jeans with holes to church and play golf in a jacket and tie, then I would probably expect you to ride in rugby shorts and t-shirts. If not, I would expect you to be in appropriate riding clothes.
6. This has nothing to do with what others think and everything to do with what is appropriate for the job.

If modesty is an issue, consider yourself fortunate that you're into cycling and not bodybuilding! :-)

My point is exactly that. On a recumbent rugby shorts and t-shirt are appropriate. People need to get over the snobby eliteism that says you have to be fully kitted in over priced stuff just to cycle. Unless you are a Hollywood star what you look like isnt of any concern to anyone else at all. Get over yourself.

Btw as they say a fool and his money is soon parted.

You people are sweating spandex. Hell, I'm struggling to wear that dorky helmet!

Yes, yes, I know. Safety and all that. But I hate what those things look like.

On my Ducati I'm in all leathers. But on my Raleigh?

But I'll do it. I'll hate it but I'll do it.



-don

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.

flatlander

Oh come on------do you think that wearing tight binding spandex shorts are going to let you ride 30 to 45 minutes longer than I can in my rugby shorts on my recumbent? Methnks you have been brainwashed by elite "proper" attire troops.

You might want to concider the fact that all of my "on board energy" is being fed to my legs. DF riders are using a lot of energy holding up their upper body, and are hindered in getting full oxygen by their humped over position on their bikes. For these two reasons since going to a bent I ride further faster and longer.

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.

Don't think that because I agree that cycling-specific clothing isn't a requirement that now I want to take long showers with you, hammock jockey.

Some years ago I went from gym shorts to cheap riding shorts to good riding shorts. Difference was easily 30+ minutes because every time I upgraded, I could feel it. My comfort is a paramount concern. If you are not thinking about something being uncomfortable, you ride longer. And, the clothes are NOT that tight. Actually, using the terms tight and binding leads me to think that your opinions may not be based on personal experience.

Do many hills?

And quit using the word elite. It makes it seem like your agenda is showing...

Gee, don't you READ what people write? Who said requirement? Basically what I was saying was that it is useful and makes a difference. That does NOT constitute necessary to my understanding of the English language.

Nonsense...

Oh and babes are all about Lycra it if you're hot.

Wear whatever is comfortable to you and the ride will be enjoyable. I wear Mountain Bike shorts and loose-fitting moisture wicking pull over tops because I find them comfortable. The flapping in the wind does not bother me...

Bingo! Would you like a cigar or a cookie?

Useful and makes a difference to YOU....not everyone shares your handicaps and vices.