Reading a previous thread titled '"***" bikes,' (yes, it's offensive, even if you put it in quotes, fyi) I got to thinking about the funny outfits you folks wear. Advertising plastered all over them and 200 different colors and all. Or better yet, dressed exactly like Lance. I love that. It makes you faster! (And you wonder why folks yell "Go Lance!" out their car windows...)
I'm not making fun, really. I'm asking a serious question.
Why? Why do you dress like that? Doesn't it cost more?
This weekend I did 25 miles in corduroy shorts and a tee shirt. On a leather saddle no less. And it was perfectly fine. In fact, I honestly believe that motorists are less likely to screw with a cyclist who is dressed like a normal person. I speak from experience because I used to be a Lycra & Logo guy and always felt like the Ford F-150s were aiming for me. Now that I dress in clothes, it seems motorists are willing to give a bit more.
To each his own. Just wondering....

troll alert!

clothes fit a function.

the shorts are tight to hold your muscles in place, increasing efficiency...they also have smooth inner areas, so not to chafe your thighs, and are designed to be worn without underwear since they also wick moisture form your body.

The shirts are also moisture wicking.

Now, I do not wear the shorts...I think a fat guy in tight spandex should be illegal, myself included...so I just wear some shorts, and a wal-mart dri-star ****. The dri-star is the same material as a cycle shirt, just a lot less money. I paid $12 for mine.

As far as sponsors...I have no clue, guys wearing jerseys of teams they are fans of is cool, but I still find the concept of having 2100 logog plastered all over me a bit much.

I do wear bright color wicking type tops. I like the sweat management and the pockets are very useful. The colors help me be seen. I won't wear sponsor/team logos unless they sponsor me ... unlikely the way I bike I'm not doing their advertising for free! I do like the jerseys with unusual graphics ... I've got a couple of primal wear jerseys I wear on the street and a Performance one. I've paid in the low to mid $20 range for all of them.

Bike shorts are worth the performance benefits. I average 100-150 miles a week on my bike and the right gear makes it safer and more comfortable.

Where should we start? Cycling shorts are designed to not have seams in bad places. The chamois padding is there to keep you from chafing. The tight fabric works like a compression wrap on your muscles, and doesn't flap in the breeze. The jerseys are brightly colored to make you visible, snug to not flap in the wind, and are made of a wicking fabric to keep you relatively sweat-free. Should I continue with gloves, clipless pedals and the importance of wearing a helmet? Maybe we should have a discussion about why Pop Warner football players need to wear the same gear as NFL players do, or even why PeeWee hockey platers need skates. And for the record, even if your troglodyte friends use horrid epithets, there is no reason for you to quote them in the title of your thread.

That sounds reasonable, I don't like the bright jerseys, the lycra itself is very 'attention getting'
If I'm riding in the city i wear cannondale shorts over my bibs, and regular shirt of some sort, usually a muscle shirt. WAAAAY less likely to be stared at, and get the "Nice shorts ******" type remarks, or second glances period. In the country on my usual rides I take the shorts along, and ride with a long shirt and the bibs.

Well personally I have 2 pairs of cycling shorts...one from mtn biking which is lycra under a more substaitial short the other is just lycra "biker" style shorts. I use them because they are padded and if I am going to be inthe sadle for a few hours then I want some pading. I just ordered a cycling jersey but I looked for the most plain thing in a neutral color I could find. Jerseys help wick sweat away and the pockets are nice.

I am not sure I get the total get ups I see a lot of cyclists in, I sure hope they have the legs to back up the clothes.

i dress like that because its more comfortable than cotton

You should trythe wicking T-shirts

I would wear someone's colors if they made them to fit me. 6' 2" 278 Lbs, I wear a 52 Long coat. None of them fit me.












Not entirely true, some Performance jersys fit me, they are just form fitting and I am not going to go there. I wear some REI jersys that are loose, but still wicking. That and my bike shorts. In that I don't care about the fat boy in tights stuff, they are definatly more comfortable, so I wear them.

I wear them, frankly, because I don't give a ***** what anyone else thinks. The shorts are far more comfortable than wearing loose-fitting "straight guy" clothes. As far as wearing team jerseys, why doesn't anyone go out to backyard football games and harrass the guys wearing Michael Vick and Dan Marino jerseys? We're fans of a sport, and when participating in said sport, in the company of others who enjoy said sport, we like to fly our colors. It's just the way things are. If motorists make me a target because of it, I'll gleefully meet them in court.

I'm sorry but this is just plain stupid.

I have to say that when I am driving down the country road out here where I live, and I see a guy/gal in "full dress" sort a speak, it may stick out like a sore thumb, since the clothing is so differant, but also is somewhat inspirational. I'd rather see lots of people out wearing that, than rolling around on their sofa wearing a moo-moo because nothing else fits. Get it?
So, don't be ashamed to wear your "full dress". The clothes definitely have a purpose, and when I see people wearing them, it gives an indication of not only how dedicated they are to the cycling sports, but also much they care about taking care of themselves, thus trying to keep down our monthly health care premiums.
I would rather my insurance company pay for a few road rashes or a few broken bones, than years of claims piled up from diabetes, heart disease, and kidney/liver propblems from all the prescription drugs they are taking due to their obesity.
I mean no insult to overweight people, I have family members who are obese, and is serious issue. But, it is also one of the major causes of health problems in the U.S.
Just think, if there were alot more people riding, then we could all afford to use the extra cash from lower premiums to buy better bikes.

So, in short, wear what you want, be proud of it, and RIDE baby, RIDE!!!

Patriot

I've been riding for a long time, wearing anything but a proper cycling outfit would seem out of place.

But as long as it gets you to ride a bike or do some type of exercise, wear whatever you like.

ps. I wonder if swimmers get this type of question. hehe.

Hey, look, a stupid question.

And I disagree with the fat guy above. I'm overweight, but the proper clothing is too critical for any activity that takes a fair amount of time. If you're more physically comfortable in lycra -and- your fat, wear lycra and cry yourself to sleep for being a fat guy in tight shorts. Works for me.

Pardon me, LordOpie, but it's not a stupid question. It's a completely valid question.

And to clarify, one can wear "proper clothing" for cycling that is not plastered with ads.

One more thing. I agree that riding is better than sitting on the couch, etc... reducing our health premiums and all that... But that has nothing to do with this. I'm not asking about the merits of riding vs. watching tv. I'm asking, while riding, why the wannabe clothing?

That's all. Not a troll. Just a valid question. If it gets your dander up, well, not my prob.

Just imagine how far you could have ridden with cycling shorts.

I was out for a ride about a month or two ago and I met another rider. He had a jersey that looked like a loaf of Wonder Bread. But his shorts were some sort of glow in the dark lime green color. The colors clashed real bad. Had to be the ugliest kit I have ever seen. God bless him he looked kind of frail and he had to be in his 80s. I hope I can still ride when I am in my 80s.

I wear shorts and jerseys for function. I wear bright colors for visibility.

I don't wear anyone's team kit. I don't much care if anyone else does.

Putting on Lance's jersey is a lot like pasting a NASCAR sticker on the back windshield of your pickup truck, or wearing your favorite baseball team's uniform shirt, or your favorite Basketball players number.

No, putting on a USPS doesn't make anyone faster, but it is a fan's show of support for a favorite team.

Why don't you go pick on Nascar fans or golfers or just about any other group of people that do any
activity. How about cowboys and those ridiculous pointed boots. Face it, the answer is " because we want to."

WTF! Wear what you want! If some fat redneck yell's that s#$t at me I just keep riding and think when I'm sixty and still able to see my dick and they'll be sitting on the front porch sucking down Sterno eating pork rinds with the two teeth they have left. I really can't believe how worried you all are about what other people think of you, just enjoy riding your bike for Christ sake. If you want to ride in cordaroy shorts and t-shirt good for you! If you want to ride in USPS gear have at it! Just ride your bike and don't worry about what other, less enlightened people think or say.

Here here, to the old guy in his 80's.

And yes I know this discussion is not about overweight people, that is a whole topic of its own.

My point, was that the clothing can inspire others to do the same, as it tends to visually project a level of fun and dedication to a very healthy lifestyle that "anyone", even handicapped people, can partake in. That's all.

Patriot

It's a stupid question to the extent that you post HERE -and- you're trying to compare riding clothes to street clothes. Okay, maybe not stupid, but someone already called you a troll. so which is it?

And no, I don't wear logos, couldn't care less what anyone wears, but don't suggest cotton shorts are as effective, that's plain wrong.

FYI
Pearl Izumi, Canari, Cannondale, Nashbar etc.... all sell functional cycling clothing that pretty look sedate, "normal" even.

Around here about the place I see the loud colors are on bike trails or on group road rides so the issue seems pretty much moot. Hardly ever see lone rangers wearing racing kits on the street.

Why can't people just leave us the hell alone. Why should they care what we wear. I have seen plenty of plain clothed folks in the mall etc that I totally wanna say, what were you thinking leaving the house like that!...but I don't! Because I am considerate of others feelings. Because I was raised that you treat others the way you want to be treated. His is a valid question, people look at us and think we are crazy for what we wear. I would rather them think I am crazy for wanting to ride 100 miles in the Texas heat!! As for the cars that shout "fat ass" and other obscenities, (I was however amused at the fella who shouted "what's the matter, your car broken" at me just yesterday...no, it's called exercise, you should try it sometime!!)anyway, well screw them. They will never understand the joy of completing a 100 K, or the agony of SAGing in after a hard bonk. I pitty them and their clearly narrow mindset. Live and let live. And cycle on my vividly colored, lycra wearing friends!!