On Your Bikes Ladies...

[summerdays]

Well I use a bike to get me to a destination and don't want to change - so the clothes have to suit on the bike and off.

 

[Andy in Sig]

I'm not knocking it. It's just that it is a factor which wouldn't pop over my horizon.

 

[Auntie Helen]

Would you lounge around an outside café in tight lycra shorts? Very brave, if so!

It's fine being a cycling-clothing-clad lady in a group of similarly dressed people, it's when you're on your own you feel a bit foolish. I was in a supermarket the other day in my cycling gear (including sunglasses and helmet) and an elderly man said to me, "You look like an alien". I wasn't entirely sure what to make of that!

 

[Andy in Sig]

It's a bit off to make comments like that to a stranger.

Of course a bloke doesn't give two hoots about sitting on his own, lycra-clad, outside a cafe. It's a fundamental difference between men and women. Women do shoes and perfume, men do spanners and oil.

 

[Auntie Helen]

Women do shoes and perfume, men do spanners and oil.

You're forgetting cooking & laundry in the list of women's skills

When I got back from my ride today I discovered that my bottom bracket's gear cable was fraying (is it still a bottom bracket when it's at the front of the bike?) Anyway, Uncle James appeared in the back garden wearing his boiler suit with a toolbox and changed it for me. It's good when chaps conform to the required specification and are usefully good at bike maintenance!

 

[Baggy]

It's a fundamental difference between men and women. Women do shoes and perfume, men do spanners and oil.

I'm more likely to do spanners and oil, though I own some shoes. And some perfume. Somewhere.

Have never really been phased by lycra, and don't really feel self conscious in bike kit, even if I'm on my own somewhere...

I'll happily hop on the bike in jeans etc if I'm going shorter distances, but anything further or sweaty and it's lycra all the way.

Still, it's good that more girly kit might encourage some people to get out on their bikes.

 

[Auntie Helen]

The problem I find is that cycling jerseys tend to be cut badly. The recent Lidl ones were OK (which zipped all the way up the front) but the plain colour doesn't work for me, giving me an apparently enormous stomach when sitting on the trike (the recumbent position does make one's belly rather obvious). Some patterning or colour or something would help.

I'd really like something more low-cut in a lady's design but with sleeves but they don't seem to exist unless you go sleeveless; it's a bit too early in the season for that.

 

[summerdays]

I'd really like something more low-cut in a lady's design but with sleeves but they don't seem to exist unless you go sleeveless; it's a bit too early in the season for that.

I agree

 

[Auntie Helen]

After all, Trinny & Susannah tell me that, as a Cello, I should wear low-cut tops but with sleeves to above the elbow.

 

[buggi]

After all, Trinny & Susannah tell me that, as a Cello, I should wear low-cut tops but with sleeves to above the elbow.

what are you trying to do???? encourage male drivers to wrap their car around the nearest tree whilst ogling your tits LOL

i quite like the idea of top shop doing cycle clothiing, but i bet its just for pootling around... not long distance sweaty cycling.

i am thinking of getting a "shopper" type bike like Duffy is riding in that picture just for pootling around ... i think they are getting to be quite cool and the top shop clothes would probably go with it. The basket would be for my ferrets to sit in

 

[summerdays]

I can honestly say that I think its easier to turn right in summer than winter - on coming cars seem more prepared to wait and let you go

(And I'm not overly well endowed)

 

[Priscilla Parsley]

I think its fabulous that Topshop are doing cycle gear as it really improves the cool quotient, all my female friends have been thinking about bikes, asking me stuff, and I think its is great i would have loved this stuff to have been about when I started cycling, especially the nice panniers you can get now.

Now i'm on a racer my number one problem is a large volume rucksack for my commutes, since I have no rack anymore. I have to say I love the proper cycling kit for rides, although it is differnt than mainstream fashion it is riddled with it's own snobbery. (I myself mix Aldi and boyfriends Rapha)

 

[Cathryn]

I agree with Priscilla...looking forward to the Top Shop range, even if I'll wear my proper stuff for decent rides. Have to be honest, I think cycling jerseys are dog ugly, so I just wear gym stuff on top, and cover cycling shorts with cargo shorts in summer.

 

[rich p]

Mrs rich p doesn't like the tops that have a 'seam?' above the bust line for some reason. She says they accentuate the bosom or summat!