Hey Novices - Free Speed!



Jim Moore

Member
Dec 14, 2010
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Now, you experienced riders can just skip this thread. This is for the new guys (and gals). If you're like me you broke down and bought the cycling shorts. You hope your neighbors don't point and laugh, and you make the best of it. You also reach into your t-shirt drawer and grab whatever old t-shirt you can find when you go riding, just like me. Well, we've been making a mistake!

As I was riding along earlier this week with my t-shirt billowing behind me, the thought occurred that my shirt might be creating some wind drag. That day I went to the local sporting goods and bought a fitted workout shirt from Nike. Not a compression shirt, just a fitted t-shirt made of some stretchy material. I figured it would be a little better in the wind. Well ****, it was a LOT better! It earned me at least a half mile per hour with the same effort, and probably more. The difference was shocking. I can't recommend it highly enough. Go get one!
 
Sorry, I read it just in case there was something that I was missing. But there are three reasons that we all wear the tight Lycra cycling togs, it cuts wind resistance as you found out, it wicks sweat away from our skin, .......and it makes us look cool./img/vbsmilies/smilies/ROTF.gif
 
You could just tuck that T-shirt into your cycling shorts - it looks geeky but it works.

I have also gone shirtless, however the guys in my group complained of the constant stream of sweat blowing off when I would pull. Now, I only go shirtless solo.
 
Hmmm....lemme' see if I read this right....you bought a "fitted t-shirt" made of "some stretchy material" and it gave you an extra 1/2 mile per hr of speed. Now...how much did you pay for this excessive increase in speed? I'd think you're a bit late for the "April Fools" posting award! :)

Honestly, I can't see paying for something that, to me, seems insignificant. A racer, on the other hand, would consider that a cheap and easy increase. Or am I just out of touch with the technical things "bicycle"?

Mike
defiler of "bicycle religion" and other stuff
 
hahaha....I don't think it was the shirt entirely that increased your speed. It probably has something to do with you feeling more comfortable and concentrating on your cycling and not your shirt blowing in the wind...hahaha so, may it did make you faster!