The shame of being married to a MAMIL, a Middle Aged Man In Lycra | Daily Mail Online

Too funny.

Edit: dude needs beard stubble and spend more time riding, less time buying gear.

Not nearly as sad as this

She needs to find a man who wears wool and rides steel!

Wait, what?! Guy is a "fanatic" because he buys on average one bike a year? What sort of insidious media brainwashing is this? Outraged I am, outraged!

She may have to try the Smithsonian.

I found the article very well written, accurate (most likely) yet funny and with lots of excellent photos. What's not to like?

Regarding MAMIL's in general, I've found them very helpful. For example, I was lost in Ventura (about half way into a double century) and a friendly group of MAMILs I happened to see gave me good directions to find my way to Ojai.

I think it's all good fun!

Rick / OCRR

+1

Clearly a very good writer, with a humorous tongue-in-cheek style. I enjoyed the article very much.

Kudos to the husband for being such a good sport about it, and for finding something to do other than wither away as MS takes its toll.

I find myself strangely unmoved by her alleged predicament. In fact, I don't understand what her problem even is!

I think so too. Obviously written tongue in cheek. British humor misunderstood? Naaaaah.

The only thing I find unbelievable is that he owns ONLY three bikes. C'mon man ... get with it!

Did you all notice he was diagnosed with MS a decade ago?

Once after a ride I stopped in the local deli for a Snapple and ran into one of my wife's friends. Later when she came home she ran into that friend and said she say me in my spandex. My wife told she didn't want her friend's seeing my dressed like that.

I said it was better than he fat friends wearing legging and their "rolls" and "back" fat showing.

Come on, I don't look bad, do i?

He needs to get her a bike or two.

Easy fix, just marry a woman who is twice as fit as you are and loves bikes more.

My wife is ahead of me on every climb, but at least I have a nice view.

Great article, I enjoyed the humor a lot, nice to see a piece in a paper that puts things in a good light, with some humor, about our sport.

I just want to know when they interviewed my wife and why they substituted those people's pictures for one of us

Bill

Meanwhile, she's standing around in a hooker red mini-dress and Joan Crawford come-eff-me pumps.

Who's having the midlife crisis?

Please. As the saying goes, when you point one finger, you have three pointing back at you.

Yeah. Her dress isn't nearly short enough.

Actually he's dressed fairly modestly. But then i'm from NYC where you can't mistake a hooker from a MILF.

I like the term MAMIL. From my own antidotal and local observations... I've convinced myself that the over 50 crowd is a sizable portion of modern cyclists. Having a searchable term (like MAMIL) reinforces the idea of middle-aged men having an influence on cycling.

Umm, I'm not so sure about his fanaticism. He doesn't ride off-road, and no serious fractures yet. Also, he doesn't train on a fixed gear. No touring or randonneuring bike. Finally, no mention at all of assembling or overhauling his own bikes, building wheels, or leather saddle care.

My impression is that he has yet to moisten his toes in the deep end of cycling...

Dude needs to shave his legs.

Seriously though, as others have said, it was a very god article that was well written.

i used to be that guy. Now I am an OFIL (old fart in lycra).

Yep. And you know what else? From my anecdotal experience, technical people (scientists, engineers, etc.) are over represented in the cycling demographic. Even the ones that aren't formally schooled in science seem to have a love/fascination for it.

Oh, and I think his wife is hot. If you've got it, flaunt it, baby.

Yeah.... for her age.... she's a babe (hope that doesn't sound sexist).

I think most involved in recreational sports are most generally from the sedentary professions. At least in the over 50 group. I had a brief conversation with a tree trimmer (my same age) about cycling. He reported he barely had energy enough for a couple beers and dinner before bedtime after a hard days work.

I think some of us see age and fatigue as a fitness issue. Where some with a more "active" work life see fatigue as an age issue only. But I could be wrong. Many old guys I see on the MUPs are retired and looking to stay active.

I am 52 and have worked in a meat shop since high school. Some days it is crazy to fit a ride in after work because I am exhausted. I use riding as a way to reduce stress and clear my mind. I don't have any illusions of being fast, just active. And cycling is something I hope to enjoy well into retirement.