Denigration of the Assos woman is just wrong. I think you looked better on the cover of Playboy.

+1 Hermes!

Norway this Summer

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=216327
From my vacation. The bike is the Series 6 Madone my son rented for me.

Nice picture! :thumb: I used to have a red & white Trek (of course, it wasn't a Madone!)

You're going to get chafed from wearing your bibs backwards, Chip.

Be a MAMIL
 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-10965608

There's a reason to wear lycra, especially if you have a long ride. Nobody cares what you look like on the bike. It's only when you get off that people look at you funny.

I ride in a town that doesn't have a lot of cyclist, even though we're near the KATY trail in MO. I wear bright yellow and green, and am definitely an embarrassment to anyone that knows me if I go into a store or into work.

But there is absolutely no way that any policeman will ever believe a motorist that says, "But officer, I didn't see him."

I got into this sport at 61 and was a bit concerned about the garb. Numerous people told me "spend $100 and get a good pair of shorts" so I took their advice. I'm glad I did. I originally had generic one color jerseys, but when I joined a club I got a club jersey. Now I feel out of place unless I have a proper kit. My wife was the same way at first. Now she wears bike shorts and jerseys, and needs to fit in and look good too.

I think of it this way. This sport is over 100 yrs old. Things are they way they are by and large because they work the best that way. If you look at road bikes from 100 yrs ago and today, yes, they are different, but not that much. Same for the garb. And it's not all "tradition." True, there a not too many virgin wool jerseys any more, but that because modern fabric is cheaper and at least as good. But the basic design of the jersey is unchanged.

There are thousands of "wanna be's" MAMILs (or in my case OMIL) out on the roads of So Fla every weekend. I don't think I could do anything to look "out of place" unless I DID NOT wear lycra/spandex.

When you get ready to order your riding apparel, this is a good lesson on how to order clothing over the phone:

After 50 I don't care how I look other than to be clean and neat. I'm trim, in shape and ride. I ride in bike shorts and jersey's because they are comfortable. I get passed by the highly trained 20-30's and don't care and pass a lot of younger folk on racing bikes and don't care. I wear the gear to be comfortable and enjoy the ride, challenging myself. That's all anyone at any age should care about.

If you fear "regular" riding apparel, you must be terrified of a skin suit. I wear skin suits all the time for road time trials and at the track although they are hotter due to the type of material. I raced in LA at the velodrome on Saturday and wore one in 3 races. Here is area a couple of pics of me doing the flying 200 meters at the rail 38 feet above the floor on the 45 degree banking at 35 mph.

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u...AFlying200.jpg

http://i170.photobucket.com/albums/u...astrade200.jpg

Looking great Hermes!
A some of my teammates (G.S. Adams Ave Bicycles)were there also. Todd won the 3/4 Omnium. Our club's proudest moment was at the recent Jr Worlds Track Championship in Moscow, Jenn Valente won the Jr Women's Scratch race and was third in the keirin.
We're having the San Diego Cup on Sept 3, it's a club competition basically Adams Ave vs. Swamis with SDBC. I'll be living in my skinsuit all day, hope it's not as hot as last year we wear black.........

According to the beeb, middle age ends at 44. Hrrmmmph.

Congrats to Todd. I did not compete in the Omnium. Good luck Sept, 3.

When I run around dressed like that, chaffing is the least of my worries...danged lynch mobs are of more concern. :twitchy:

I've gotten tired of having my sleeves flapping in the breeze and the rest of my runners jersey blllowing out like a mainsail when I'm going faster than 20 mph. It's time to buy some proper jerseys that won't flap in the breeze when I'm on the flats. Not only does it slow me down but it's also distracting as hell.

Running gear works fine for runners and for anybody who doesn't like to go fast. I use the same gear for xc-skiing. Cycling jerseys are even better for that.

As for skinsuits, Hermes are they any worse for getting on or off than a wet suit ? As far as I'm concerned wet suits something else again.

I used to body surf when I lived in SD and used a wetsuit. I did not find it to be a problem. The skin suits are pretty easy. However, once you are sweating it is more difficult to get the first arm out.

I'm guessing it kind of a peel it off thing?

Yes, but not a big deal. Since skin suits do not breath very well (fabrics are slippery so the air does not catch in the weave), we put on the skin suit and then tuck in the top around the waist. We put on a regular jersey for warmup and to stay warm. When it is time to race, you take off the jersey and pull on the top of the skin suit.

I've found that wet suits are easy to get off when they're wet. But when you're sweaty from kayaking it makes sense to just jump in the water to get it wet first before attempting to get it off.

I stopped caring about what people think of my garb (or my anything else, for that matter) when I retired. I wear mostly loose soccer type athletic shorts sans underwear on my casual rides..... feels like I'm riding naked.
If you're concerned about what people will think about your choice of riding apparel, wear an eyeglass mirror as I do..... nothing seems to draw more quizzical stares, for some reason.
When you outgrow trying to look/portray 'Cool" & follow your own muse, you actually become Cool.

I wear jersey's and heat gear stuff, no problem. But I am NOT going to wear tights in public. Wear them under my Nike or Heatgear shorts, no problem.
50 something yo men should not wear tights in public. JMOO.

why?

After trying various non-cycling shorts with t-shirts, I went out and bought cycling shorts first, then ended up with a few sets of bibs and jersey's. Before I started riding 5 months ago I rarely wore shorts off the bike. I could care less what everyone else thinks about how I look, to me it is about comfort, and when I ride I want to be as comfortable as possible. If you don't like the way I look in them you can always turn your head and look somewhere else,

it's a whole lot more comfortable to wear proper biking shorts..in a nutshell..