"Proper cyclists"; give it a rest!

[Brandane]

The one thing guaranteed to put me off cycling is the ever increasing number of comments from supposed cycling buddies referring to my refusal to conform to what they see as "proper cyclists".
I don't wear a helmet; I sometimes wear lycra shorts but never without something else over them; I tried clipless pedals but for various reasons didn't like them - so I wear trainers. Forgive me Lord, but sometimes I even wear jeans on my bike if I'm not going far.

I manage to do about 3500 miles per year on 3 different bikes (a Tricross, a Secteur, and a Trek MTB), including some touring at home and abroad. So why do the weekend warriors with all the kit feel that they are being helpful by suggesting that I would benefit from their advice regarding what I wear on a bike?
I confess that they do put me off cycling to a certain extent, but being a stubborn individual I would rather avoid the people involved rather than become one of the uniformed victims of fashion.
I enjoy being a utility cyclist - I am not interested in speed, or how I look. A proper cyclist only needs one thing IMHO, and that is a bike! So give it a rest, ya nobbers .

 

[mythste]

Meh.

 

[mattobrien]

3/10 for the rant. Complete lack of profanities.

 

[Drago]

Anyone calling themselves a proper cyclist simply can't pronounce t**t".

 

[Brandane]

3/10 for the rant. Complete lack of profanities.

Meh.

F*ck me, there's a bas**rd sheep on here that can type.
Any better, @mattobrien ?

 

[Rooster1]

Question - how many miles did you do on which bikes? What sort of conditions / routes do you ride ?

- I wear cycling kit as I don't want my regular clothes to get sweaty, worn, dirty and oily (I ride a road bike always)
- I am interested in speed
- I also don't give a **** how I look.

I get totally fed up putting the stuff on, taking it off. I ride three times a day! But i'm used to it.

Cycling is about the activity itself, and not all the accessories and kit that you can embellish upon it.
If you did 3500m in your regular togs, fair play to you, that's pretty impressive.

 

[mjr]

- I wear cycling kit as I don't want my regular clothes to get sweaty, worn, dirty and oily (I ride a road bike always)

I think there's no general rule there. Some people sweat and others don't much. The ones who sweat might benefit from technical fabrics wicking it away and so on. The ones who don't sweat much might find that spandex with a pillow in the pants is much sweatier than street clothes.

Each to their own, I say. What on earth possesses some "proper cyclists" to think their preferences are the One True Way and witter on advocating lycra and clipless and helmets and hi-viz and all the other crap that will make many people so fed up that they won't ride as much?

- I am interested in speed

I'm ambivalent. It's nice to go fast sometimes but it's also nice to reach somewhere still fresh sometimes... sometimes even back home.

- I also don't give a **** how I look.

I'm ambivalent about that too: for example, I don't mind donning ugly goggles for the ride when it means I'll have a more comfortable ride and look less of a bleary-eyed mess at my destination, but I'm absolutely not walking into a pub or someone's office with only a thin layer of lycra over my nethers.

(FWIW, I did more than 3500mi last year in mostly regular clothes on a mix of Dutch bike, vintage road bike, retro roadster, urban hybrid, hardtail MTB, city bike and folding bike.)

 

[ManiaMuse]

Not quite sure who your rant is aimed at but anyway, I don't judge other cyclists based on what they wear but I will overtake them if they are going slower than the speed I want to go at and will give them a wide berth if they are wobbling around in the gutter and/or seem to lack any awareness of what is around them or the rules of the road.

Cycling wearing jeans more than a mile or two at any sort of speed isn't very pleasant imo though, chafing (eugh), smelly, don't dry if they get wet, usually end up getting covered in chain oil anyway.

 

[Brandane]

Question - how many miles did you do on which bikes? What sort of conditions / routes do you ride ?

- I wear cycling kit as I don't want my regular clothes to get sweaty, worn, dirty and oily (I ride a road bike always)
- I am interested in speed
- I also don't give a **** how I look.

I get totally fed up putting the stuff on, taking it off. I ride three times a day! But i'm used to it.

Cycling is about the activity itself, and not all the accessories and kit that you can embellish upon it.
If you did 3500m in your regular togs, fair play to you, that's pretty impressive.

A rough breakdown of the mileage is probably about 60% Tricross; 25% Secteur; 15% MTB..
Conditions - I avoid the rain and strong winds. Routes are mainly quiet B roads, and sometimes tarmac paths of the disused railway line type. Also sometimes canal paths, and light off road forestry tracks and bridle paths.
I don't wear what I would call my normal everyday clothing; but I do buy quick drying hiking trousers from outdoor shops which I wear on the bike. Old T shirts as a base layer, or thermals in cold weather. Then a fleece or jumper, and a waterproof jacket if it even looks like rain! I do have a couple of proper cycling waterproof jackets (Endura), and a Berghaus for touring (as it is lightweight and doesn't look out of place when worn off the bike).

 

[mjr]

usually end up getting covered in chain oil anyway.

I accept that it's up to you how you want to ride, but I try to avoid kicking my chain while riding (and the Dutch bike and roadster have chainguards, while the hybrid and folder have chain disks).

 

[Brandane]

usually end up getting covered in chain oil anyway.

These are your friend......

 

[sheddy]

Cycling - simply the best way to travel - just wear whatever you like !

 

[Dogtrousers]

I'm a semi proper cyclist, possibly properer than you, but still a bit improper, and I sometimes ride with proper ones. We get on fine.

I never wear jeans. Ever.

 

[GuyBoden]

I rode many 100+ mile rides in an old pair of thick army shorts on my good(ish) road bike when I was a teenager in the early 1980's, I knew nothing about cycle gear. Never had any problems either.

These:

 

[ManiaMuse]

I accept that it's up to you how you want to ride, but I try to avoid kicking my chain while riding (and the Dutch bike and roadster have chainguards, while the hybrid and folder have chain disks).

Yeah but it's not just when you are riding, it's when you are getting on/off the bike, putting your foot down, pushing the bike around, parking it and trying to lock it to something.

I've got enough pairs of jeans covered in hard-to-remove oil to know to avoid it when possible!