Overcoming fear of lycra

[roadrash]

Oneself. Not the sponsors of cycling teams or manufactures of so-called cycling clothing that irritates the skin of a sizeable minority, is like wearing shrink wrap and has pads that take ages to dry if they get wet. Regular looking wicking clothes exist, if you're pedalling that hard that it matters, don't flap around much and best of all don't show off your dick more than a codpiece. Ignore the people trying to pressure you into Lycra. There is no norm or national standard saying you should.

nobody pressures me into wearing lycra, be it manufacturers or anyone else, we all have choices but unlike you , who says..

If you are packing, people just stare and wonder whether it's socks! I don't walk into cafes in my vest and undershorts and that's basically all most Lycra is. Unless one's racing or training to race, there's no excuse for skimpy Lycra on men. You're like those people going shopping in a bikini or budgie smugglers.

I don't ridicule people who decide to cycle in what you call " normal clothes"

 

[SWSteve]

Domyou have to be a racer to wear a skinsuit? I can see no reason why I shouldn't wear one, but worry il be considered even more of a Lycra lout than before.

 

[Dan B]

I often wear a skinsuit because (1) I like the way it feels, (2) i have very slopey shoulders and bib straps often slide off. I tend to wear a jersey on top, though, because pockets

 

[Ian H]

The only things I find slightly awkward is wearing lycra in front of non-cycling friends or family. For some reason, they're surprised to see the outline of my organs.

Is your name Morgan?

 

[GuyBoden]

A few ideas about British cycling attire in the 1950's from this BFI film.

 

[freiston]

I don't find the modern lycra cycling clothes especially comfortable. I don't find them any more suitable than other clothing available. When I wore a pair of padded lycra shorts on the ride to work, the pad got soaked holding sweat and was still wet when I went to put the shorts back on for the ride home - not pleasant.

When I started cycling back in the late 70s/early 80s, I wore tracksuit style bottoms with an insert sewn into the crotch (if I recall correctly, it was a purpose-made Polartec branded synthetic fleece insert) without underwear. Nowadays I wear something very similar - Tudor Sports cycling tights (not skinny lycra) with carefully selected underwear/no underwear/purpose made cycling underwear. Shorter rides are made with regular clothing. I will wear a full-length zip lycra shirt in the summer - otherwise I wear the same T-shirts that I wear elsewhere (they are usually the sort sold in 'outdoor' shops). I use cycling specific jackets and waterproofs - but they aren't skinny lycra.

I tend not to wear short legged or short sleeved clothing - am very fair-skinned and find long legs and sleeves provide the best protection from the sun and I don't find them uncomfortable in warm weather (but on quiet lanes I will pull the zip of a cycling top down for a blast of cooling air).

 

[Venod]

A few ideas about British cycling attire in the 1955 from this BFI film

Brilliant, not sure about the shirt and tie though.

 

[hoopdriver]

That's a great film.

There is also this drawback to Lycra: I do, or have done, a lot of touring and Lycra is not always a good look in some parts of the world. There is also the matter of visiting temples and mosques etc and looking respectful - or even being allowed in at all. I have also found that people along the way can be very outgoing and welcoming and invitations to dinner or to spend the night are not uncommon. There again, it is nice - more respectful and presentable - not to be tromping around in logo-spattered Lycra.

Sure, you can always carry sets of spare civilian clothes, but I try to get maximum use out of anything I carry on a tour. Lycra, for me, doesn't offer anything that makes it worth wearing/carrying on a tour.

 

[johnnyb47]

On Friday just gone I was getting some stick from my work mates as to whether I wear lycra or not. It was all in jest and good humour, and went along with it all. I really don't give a stuff as to how others see me. Cycling is something I enjoy and if certain clothing makes it more comfortable then so be it. I just went along with the jokes and joined in with them ( it makes for a more interesting day at work:-).
If you don't take yourself to seriously it's easier to laugh off all the banter and self conscious issues you may be suffering from.

 

[SWSteve]

I often wear a skinsuit because (1) I like the way it feels, (2) i have very slopey shoulders and bib straps often slide off. I tend to wear a jersey on top, though, because pockets

Interesting, have you tried ones with pockets, such as Castelli Sanremo speedsuit?

 

[Dan B]

Interesting, have you tried ones with pockets, such as Castelli Sanremo speedsuit?

Not yet, but I will/would if I see one cheap. I have some skinsuits with pockets for skating but they don't have pads

 

[Nigel-YZ1]

Someone I worked with expressed an interest in mountain biking, so on my next time off I stopped by the office to show him the bike wea ring my usual lycra.
As we talked I started to notice all the girls from the office were finding excuses to come out one by one too.
Then one of them told me my girlfriend was a lucky girl.
It must gave been my toned legs she was on about.

 

[Tin Pot]

I was advised to stuff a pair of hiking socks down there to "add presence". Eventually, I came to terms with my tiny penis.

Post of the year, 2017.

My dad had a bit of a teenage background as a street fighter, and when I was a boy he explained to me why willies were sometimes hard and sometimes not. Hard for procreation, soft to avoid injury.

Since then, I've never understood why any one would want a large flaccid penis. It makes no sense at all.

It got worse, many years later when reading GQ magazine a guy wrote in embarrassed about getting changed at the gym because of his small willy. The advice was incredible - give it a bit of a jiggle in the shower! As if fellow gym goers would be impressed at some loon walking around at half mast!

 

[screenman]

If you do not like wearing lycra then I suggest that you do not take up swimming.

 

[youngoldbloke]

A few ideas about British cycling attire in the 1950's from this BFI film.

These were touring cyclists of course and were actually wearing the cycling kit of the times. If we'd had lycra then we would have used it. Woolen racing shorts were pretty tight after all.
Do runners have this endless discussion? The people I see out running all seem to be wearing appropriate (i.e. lycra) clothing, even the heavier amongst them.