I see these threads worried about shoes, or how gross spandex makes them look, and I'm amazed at how many people feel they are expected to be eye candy for the general population. I mean, get real, If you were meant to enchant the general population, then you would be paid to. I am a large, opinionated woman, and I get my best responses when I live my life to the best of my ability, not when I am obsessing about my apparel or body type or philosophy.

My advice to all, including myself - is to get over yourself, no one is thinking all that hard about you or your clothes - though we all think getting fit is quite commendable. So, carry on, and do what you love!!
Cycle on!!!

Just for the record....it was NOT trying to look all pretty, vogue and flashy that led me to post about the shoes.

Everyone, including my friends makes fun of me when I walk in somewhere with just shoes, gloves, and my helmet. Once I get down in size I will probably go to some type of athletic clothing since riding in regular clothing isn't working out too well on the longer rides.

That's quite a sight! Dude, you should wear some shorts and a shirt too.

Please, buddy, tell me you don't mean what you said!! I'm not overly modest, but I consistantly put on shorts and a jersey or shirt with my shoes, gloves and helmet before I leave home. I don't want to scare the neighborhood kids.

I have cycle shorts - and I love them, in the heat, they are wonderful. I wnat to graduate to real cycle shoes and pedals - but haven't worked myself up to the expense and commitment. So I am talking more to me than the general world in that regard.

I am still wearing tunic type t shirts though - I'm still a bit selfconscious about the whole thing.

So, this is not an attack , but rather a cry for support
TIA

Well....be in good company......I ride in bike shorts, and normal tank top and so far, still regular shoes.

I "did" (because of help from my shoes thread) just order bike shoes, but for the moment, I'll stick with my pedal stirrups.....I'll see how it goes before I upgrade to pedals that work with the shoes.

I mean regular clothes + that stuff.

Oh I thought you were starting your own branch of the World Naked Bike Ride in TN. By the way, the shades in your avatar are the coolest (on you at least) pair on the planet.

Steve
-always wear sunglasses when venturing out in the Colorado sun

Oakley wires with Polarized Fire Iridium Lenses...they're the pimpness. I have a pair with the same color lenses for riding...
https://www.pwrdbytrd.net/gallery/alb...6/DSCF2957.JPG

So you orderd cycling road shoes, but you are not sure you are going to get the clip in pedals that those shoes were made for? ok....

I know that my cycling wear isn't particularly flattering, but I consider that part of the motivation. I want to look good in that stuff for my own benefit. I could give a big fat happy rat's hairy butt what anyone else thinks. It's function over form. Cycling shorts and jerseys are simply the best suited clothing for the job at hand, and my rides are more often than not at least 30 miles.

I did not wish to know that.

Yep I look awful in cycling clothes but they're so functional, who gives a rat's ass anyway?

Besides, if they notice you look awful, they can't say they didn't see you!

I guess what I really mean is that I want to check out the shoes with my stirrups first.....get a feel for them. Then I'll consider the pedals and what may work best. As I understand it, the shoes are more than just functional to click into the pedal....they are stiffer bottoms and such more than a regular shoe which is better for cycling.

Get some clipless pedals! You won't regret it. You will fall on your butt a few times, but there better, safer and more comfortable than toe straps.

I do want to try them with the straps....but I figured I "would" get the pedals. Knowing how I usually am, I'll probably get them very quickly. I'm a sucker for a new toy.

Yeah, they have stiffer soles. They also often aren't really designed to be used with non-clipless pedals, so the rubber compound isn't as grippy as a regular shoe.

Get the clipless pedals. The shoes by themselves probably won't make all that much difference, and you already know how to ride with clips and straps.

Right on!!!

If I worried about what other people thought about the way I look or dressed, I'd never leave the house.

flattering? I don't need to be flattered dammit, I'm a sexy beast.

Wearing lycra is a privlege.

Speaking as someone who rides with bike shoes and platform pedals, I can say they make a huge difference. When I wear street shoes they flex and I get a pain in my right ankle because my foot is twisting outward due to the flex. The pedals I have have lots of sharp teeth on them, and the shoes I have are closer to a MTB shoes and not a slick Sidi or something, and therefore I don't slip. I used to use a clipless system but I'm not a true believer when it comes to clipless, which I've used and don't use anymore. The ability to put your foot down and up as much as you want is too useful to me. I don't consider a system where you fall all the time to be safer.

I agree. I suspect I fall slightly less frequently using clipless pedals though. It's hard to say though. I'm not sure the last time I fell. At least 1000 miles I go I think.

Threads like the one this one if a response to really confuse me. I don't understand why people are so intolerant of those who dress differently than them. So one person prefers low key shoes and one likes them a little flashy, both are entitled to wear whatever they like. But yet people are constantly insulting each other because this guy wears team jerseys or this guy wears spandex or this guy wears baggy shorts etcetera etcetera etcetera.

I wear lycra bibs because it's the most comfortable thing to ride in. I choose to wear plain black one because I think they go well with whatever else I choose to wear.
I wear jerseys because T-shirts make me too hot and when riding around in Florida you need to do whatever you can to stay cool. Plus the pockets in the back are really useful. I choose to wear colors that I like because well, I'm the one wearing them.
I wear cycling shoes because I've tried toe straps and prefer clipless pedals. I wear the ones I like for the same reason stated above.


*I also wear lycra shorts because my wife thinks my but looks good in them.

It's a simple learning curve - I can put my foot down and up as much as I like, too, plus I can make use of the full pedal circle rather than just the downstroke. That's far too useful for me to give up for the riding I do. For your riding, that benefit might not be as appreciable (don't know, just putting it out there).

I can remember the last time I fell because of the clipless pedals. It was the first day I had them.

Fair enough comment about the shoes, which goes to prove that 'your mileage may vary'. I had a pair of skate-shoe style bike shoes a while back. Useless on basic platforms - the rubber compound was way too hard to offer any real grip. May also depend on the type of platform pedals you use - pedals with lots of sharp teeth may be fine, but the basic platforms with clips and straps supplied on new bikes (which I'm guessing is what KingTermite has) aren't quite the same thing.