Not a big fan of wearing lycra. other options???

im 22 and i have always loved riding bikes and bought a road bike. Im in shape from soccer year round so theres nothing i should be uneasy about lycra shorts... just something i cant get past to actually wear them.... Just curious if there are other options that im not aware of.. im thinking finding a pair of shorts that have draw strings around the legs... i dont know what else so i figure i would ask! thanks!


Jesus Christ is the only way!

You can get more traditional cycling clothing, touring style, from outfits such as Rivendell, or you can get nice touring/mountain cycle clothing that look perfectly respectable. Most people wouldn't even recognize it as cycling-specific. It all works well. It's just a matter of choice, but it doesn't have to be racing stuff, even if you're riding a road bike.

Being out there in a racing outfit is like going ice skating dressed like an Olympic speed skater. You can do it, but you don't need it. Besides, it invites every yahoo on a bike to play I-dropped-a-roadie games with you, when you just want to ride in peace.

Who do you ride with? I've never encountered that phenomenon.

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Why don't you just wear normal clothes? As long as they aren't the type to get caught in the chain, and allow for movement, you should be fine. Jeans are fine as long as they're not too loose or tight. Or denim shorts. I would avoid anything with strings though, as they get caught in things easily.

Check out shorts designed for mountain biking. You get the comfort of the chamois while wearing an outfit you'll be comfortable wearing in the convenience store.

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Now I'm gonna ask you: do any of you guys wanna go fast?

I wanna go fast...

Regular clothing will turn your butt to hamburger if you ride any distance. I use the best padded bibs that I can however there are some alternatives such as chamois or gel padding that can be worn under conventional clothing.
I would suggest this as an alternative to preserve your image and your butt.

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Dope,when training and talent just aren't enough.

They have cycling shorts which are designed to be used as underwear. You could also wear regular bike shorts as underwear.

Cotton gets wet and stays wet. Don't wear cotton.

Like I said before, you don't have to wear the tight fitting lycra, but at some point, you will almost certainly find that proper road bike type cycling shorts are the way to go if you ride a lot and for more than 10 miles. I usually wear mine along with an ordinary non-cycling sport shirt. I need extra sun protection and this works better for me than cycling jerseys.

I don't look good in lycra, any time, any where, doing any thing. I have been riding for many years and started before lycra became readily available. So, maybe it is just because I have callouses on my back side or something like that, but I am nearly as comfortable riding in regular clothes as I am in full kit. From time to time I wear touring shorts, basically a regular pair of shorts with a padded lycra inner liner, but if none are clean I wear regular shorts and feel none the worse for it.

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One life, one chance. Don't waste it!

To expand on the wet cotton....wet cotton rubbing against grollies and inner thighs makes for great sores. Submerged in a wet, hot environment the tacklebox becomes a veritable garden of bacteria and all manner of things that don't exactly smell good.

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Sex is horrid
Pain is Fun
I cut my fingers off
One by one

You can wear the cycling shorts with a pair of baggy basketball shorts over them. noone will see the cycling shorts and you will have the advantage of the chamois.

I wear a pair of thin running shorts, with the liner cut out, over my bike shorts. Works great.

I ride a recumbent trike,. Because of its chair-like seating, I don't have to wear bike shorts with a chamois.

You don't like lycra purely for the look right? If you ride an upright bike, I'd still recommend shorts with a chamois. Most mountain bike shorts have a normal short-look to them, but they also have a chamois.

Or you could do as others suggested:: wear lightweight shorts over lycra cycling shorts.

Cullen

You should wear a fur coat.

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baker

A fur coat over a snowmobile suit works great in winter!