The 'cyclists should pay road tax' folks

[wst]

You don't have to have lycra on the outside for general riding. If I'm out on the bike I'll often wear my lycra shorts (for the padding and lack of seams) under jeans.

[otolith]

Jeans are too hot, and they take ages to dry if they get wet. But it depends where you are going and why, and what you are going to do when you get there. If you're going to get showered and changed afterwards, you may as well wear the most functionally appropriate clothing. If you're nipping to the corner shop it doesn't make any sense to get dressed for a long ride. Just as you don't put on athletics gear to run for the bus, but you wouldn't go jogging in a suit.

[wst]

I was mixing two hobbies and had to compromise. Cycling needed padding, drinking at a gig needed jeans.

[Motorrad]

Devil2575 said:

I have some gay friends and they wouldn't dream of wearing lycra

I resisted Lycra for a long time but after a while I reaslised that from a practical point of view it was simply better. Padded cycling shorts work far better than anything else I have tried for a long ride.

The problem is absolutely no male looks anything other than ridiculous wearing it. If you're happy to look like a clown because it's technically better I can respect that but, in my opinion, men wearing it look like tools. I find a decent saddle (not some razor sharp item designed for a road bike) makes all the difference.

Personally I think a lot of the people commuting wearing lycra do it for fashion reasons. Similarly they're too cool for mudguards so prefer to have a dirty great streak of st up their backs.

While we're on the subject I bet these lycra wearers are the sort who wear those tights to go running in.

[ewenm]

Motorrad said:

While we're on the subject I bet these lycra wearers are the sort who wear those tights to go running in.

Yep, people who wear the right kit for the activity... damn them!

[Devil2575]

Motorrad said:

Devil2575 said:

I have some gay friends and they wouldn't dream of wearing lycra

I resisted Lycra for a long time but after a while I reaslised that from a practical point of view it was simply better. Padded cycling shorts work far better than anything else I have tried for a long ride.

The problem is absolutely no male looks anything other than ridiculous wearing it. If you're happy to look like a clown because it's technically better I can respect that but, in my opinion, men wearing it look like tools. I find a decent saddle (not some razor sharp item designed for a road bike) makes all the difference.

In general I don't care what other people think, or at least I only care what a very small number of people think. Caring what people think who you don't know or even who you do know but aren't close friends with is a sign of insecurity (albeit a very common one) and a not a route to happiness.

[otolith]

I gave in and bought the Lycra kit for the opposite to fashion reasons - I had realised that it works better, and I'm old enough that I simply don't give a st what anyone else thinks I look like. Being mortified by other people's perceptions is for teenagers.

[jmorgan]

Lycra! No, no , just no. There is only so much the eye can stand and middle aged+ pie abusers do not allow the eye to recover. All major road accidents are after the drivers has seen the lycra, that is a fact. It is wrong on so many levels. If anything is going to be taxed, then the lycra mafia. To the hilt. No one see's any benefit from using it, it causes a hive mind control over cyclists.... some are better than others at resisting it.

[Freddy88FM]

Motorrad said:

While we're on the subject I bet these lycra wearers are the sort who wear those tights to go running in.

Out of interest, why does it matter? I run regularly and wear rugby shorts and a long sleeve wicking shirt to run in... is that also ridiculous since I have no intention of playing rugby during my run?

[Mr Gear]

I wear lycra just to annoy people. There is no other valid reason.

[WinstonWolf]

ewenm said:

Motorrad said:

While we're on the subject I bet these lycra wearers are the sort who wear those tights to go running in.

Yep, people who wear the right kit for the activity... damn them!

I guess I best stop changing into trunks for swimming...

[Devil2575]

WinstonWolf said:

ewenm said:

Motorrad said:

While we're on the subject I bet these lycra wearers are the sort who wear those tights to go running in.

Yep, people who wear the right kit for the activity... damn them!

I guess I best stop changing into trunks for swimming...

Absolutely, I swin in jeans because i'm worried about what people I don't know think.

[Fugazi]

jmorgan said:

Lycra! No, no , just no. There is only so much the eye can stand and middle aged+ pie abusers do not allow the eye to recover. All major road accidents are after the drivers has seen the lycra, that is a fact. It is wrong on so many levels. If anything is going to be taxed, then the lycra mafia. To the hilt. No one see's any benefit from using it, it causes a hive mind control over cyclists.... some are better than others at resisting it.

Are you aware that there are people wearing PH lycra, me included, in fact I commuted in today wearing last years PH cycling jersey. I see more pie abusers in cars in one day's worth of commuting than I'd ever see in lycra over a year.

[gazchap]

Pixelpeep7r said:

Cyclists should have to have BASIC training before let out on any main city streets.

10 PRINT "I PAY MY ROAD TAX "
20 GOTO 10

[jmorgan]

Fugazi said:

Are you aware that there are people wearing PH lycra, me included, in fact I commuted in today wearing last years PH cycling jersey. I see more pie abusers in cars in one day's worth of commuting than I'd ever see in lycra over a year.

Nooooooooooo

[Fugazi]

[IroningMan]

Some of these have been around for longer than many of the posters in this thread...

[grayze]

gazchap said:

Pixelpeep7r said:

Cyclists should have to have BASIC training before let out on any main city streets.

10 PRINT "I PAY MY ROAD TAX " ;
20 GOTO 10

That will fill your screen now.

[Johnnytheboy]

Mr Gear said:

I wear lycra just to annoy people. There is no other valid reason.

In my experience, people who wear or carry activity-specific clothing or equipment seem to be the ones who don't look very happy about the activity they are performing, be it cycling, jogging, country walking, whatever.

Your comment explains this!

[Motorrad]

Freddy88FM said:

Out of interest, why does it matter? I run regularly and wear rugby shorts and a long sleeve wicking shirt to run in... is that also ridiculous since I have no intention of playing rugby during my run?

It doesn't matter. I was just commenting that I personally think blokes wearing lycra and tights look ridiculous.

I don't think the outfit you're describing would do.

I've no beef with functional clothing, merely opining that lycra and running tights look stupid. Also I can't think of any reason whatsoever other than sub zero temps that you'd need to wear tights to go for a wee jog round the park. Unless of course you're a massive jesse. What's wrong with a pair of shorts?