Are you a MAMIL or whatever the lady version is?

[presta]

You can't get Ronhhill Bikesters any more.

Bikesters were the same as Tracksters but with the waistband a bit higher at the back, they just raised the waistband of Tracksters so they could stop making two different versions unnecessarily. I have some Tracksters I bought after Bikesters disappeared, they're fine.

I sweat too much for a cotton T shirt to be good enough. Lycra wicks the sweat away, cotton just holds it.

I didn't say cotton, I use synthetic T shirts, just not Lycra.

 

[Alex321]

Bikesters were the same as Tracksters but with the waistband a bit higher at the back, they just raised the waistband of Tracksters so they could stop making two different versions unnecessarily. I have some Tracksters I bought after Bikesters disappeared, they're fine.

I didn't say cotton, I use synthetic T shirts, just not Lycra.

I don't own any synthetic T shirts. All of mine are cotton, I don't call my cycling tops T shirts (T shirts to me don't have zip fronts, or pockets).

 

[Vapin' Joe]

One last point, I don't know if anyone else has found this but I do have the impression that during my lycra phase (when I was also riding a very racey looking Canyon) I received more abuse from motorists than I do now that I look like an old fart wobbling to the shops on a touring steed. Mind you it could of been that I was riding like a dick on the Canyon

You've got that spot on.

When you are on the road in recognised cycling kit you become part of a clearly defined tribe, rather like going to a football match in your team's colours. A fair sized minority (Of very insecure) people resent those who are not like them, which is why you get attacks on people because they are a different colour, sexual orientation or whatever.

Back in the seventies I worked with a guy who was on the fringes of West Ham's notorious Intercity Firm, and he came in one morning gleefully telling everybody how they'd stopped off at a motorway service station on the way back from a match and beaten up a group of CB radio enthusiasts because they were a "Different firm", which they regarded as fair game.

Unfortunately on the roads the same attitude applies, and apart from obvious cycling enthusiast motorcyclists and joggers suffer the same.

 

[PaulSB]

@Alex321 expressing much the same view as me. I always wear lycra and other cycling clothing. It's very comfortable and functional. If I was also a utility cyclist I would probably pop to the shops in lightweight street clothing on a utility bike. We are 6 miles from town so utility cycling doesn't really come in to the equation, though I was full of good intentions when I retired. I do feel the cold

Take yesterday for example. A full day on the bike, 117 miles ridden. I set off at 9.00am when it was cool. Bib shorts, base layer, arm warmers, summer jersey, buff, gilet, cap. At the meet point, 6 miles, I took off the buff, at 25 I removed the gilet, at the cafe, 62 miles, I ditched the arm warmers - I would have done this much earlier but didn't want to stop the ride. I rode the next 48 in jersey and shorts. Arriving at the split point about 6.00pm it was dull and a breeze had been blowing up the river. Sweat was making my back chilly. Gilet back on. My backside was fine. I was comfortable all day and could adapt to how I felt. I don't feel I could achive this in anything but purpose designed kit

 

[presta]

I don't mind using Lycra where it needs to stretch, but not elsewhere, it's just not hardwearing enough, particularly if you're unwise enough to wring it dry when laundering. When I got my first pair of Lycra shorts I took to keeping my wallet stuffed up the leg of them, but quickly stopped because even that was ruining the stuff. Swimming trunks are even worse, the chlorine rots them in no time.

 

[PedallingNowhereSlowly]

I have Lycra garments over a decade old that have done considerable number of miles. I think it wears fairly well. Some pairs of shorts have worn a bit thin over the years and had to be binned to save embarassment.

Ironically the cheap winter bib tights I bought from Wiggle somewhere around 2005 have fared better than more expensive garments.

I do lots of rides of around 10 or 15 miles in civvies. For anything longer, the Lycra comes out.

Middle aged. Not much in the way of any overhang though.

 

[Punkawallah]

I took to wearing Karrimor running legging when I started with triathlon - they were much more comfortable under the wet suit, and on the bike and run after the swim - and haven’t got out of the habit. Much easier on tour as well, as they go in the shower with me at the end of the ride and dry overnight.

 

[Webbo2]

I took to wearing Karrimor running legging when I started with triathlon - they were much more comfortable under the wet suit, and on the bike and run after the swim - and haven’t got out of the habit. Much easier on tour as well, as they go in the shower with me at the end of the ride and dry overnight.

It was budgy smugglers and a cropped vest for me up to half Ironman. When I did a full one I got changed after every discipline. 2 mins extra in each transition wasn’t going to add much in over 10 hours.

 

[Punkawallah]

It was budgy smugglers and a cropped vest for me up to half Ironman. When I did a full one I got changed after every discipline. 2 mins extra in each transition wasn’t going to add much in over 10 hours.

Absolutely. However, after that first incident with the horse it was thought best -not- to change after the swim . . .

 

[rydabent]

A MAWIL?

Not being a sleek racing snake type anymore I have given up on the tight, clingy clothing, as I don't think my spare tyre over spaghetti legs is a good look.

I do still wear the shorts for the padding but wear another pair of normal jobbies over the top. How about yourself?

In answer to the question, not in any way shape or form. I ride bents, and my attire consist of rugby shorts and a t-shirt.

 

[katiewlx]

I still think padded shorts are better than padded saddles for lots of reasons, its not just about the padding, but its down to personal preference for sure, but I would say as a cyclist who is very much on the pro lycra side of the debate, theres no way Im remotely wearing the stuff because I think it makes me slightly more aero, Im about as aero as a brick, Im not kidding myself Im making marginal watts gains from wearing figure hugging clothing for those reasons.

I wear it because its by far the most comfortable clothing Ive found on all types of distances and rides on a bike, it adapts perfectly to your body shape, not all clothes do that btw, which minimises hot spots & chafing,and its very good at thermal management, by that I mean its good at wicking sweat away when youre hot, and you only have to think about adding layers when you are cold, most of which are easily foldup able and small enough to carry around in your back pocket, and if it rains, actually it dries really quickly too, its stuff I can wear and not worry about having some gigantic salt sweat stain on.

all of which means actually so there might not be any aero gain from it, but because Im happy and feel good wearing it,even if some others feel I may look completely stupid (and Im way past the age where I care what people think I look like anymore), I am a faster rider than if I was wearing a baggy cotton tshirt and some denim shorts or equiv like some primark leggings or something (even if they were lycra based), cycling kit is designed for riding on a bike and actually I think it does a stupendously good job at it, normal everyday clothes dont tend to be and you suffer more as a result, but wear what you are comfortable with, for me it will always be the lycra cycling kit.

but people are right, Ive noted alot over the years in my sportier clothes compared to older farts wobbling to the shops in their sunday best that yes, drivers do tend to treat them alot better than me on the close pass stakes, however I tend to ride a good 2-3ft from the side of the road, theyre often so close to kerbs they risk striking their pedals on them, I think that might play just as much part as to what theyre wearing.

 

[Salad Dodger]

I'm an OBINC
Old bloke in normal clothes......

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Bikesters were the same as Tracksters but with the waistband a bit higher at the back

Plus reflective strips that ran across the calf’s, which tracksters don’t have

 

[Ming the Merciless]

We are 6 miles from town so utility cycling doesn't really come in to the equation

Don’t understand that, 6 miles is perfectly within the range for utility cycling.

 

[Gwylan]

Don’t understand that, 6 miles is perfectly within the range for utility cycling.

Quite, 6 miles is the very reason for using the bike.