Bike Tan

Now that the warm weather is here, commence the return of the biker tan. AHHHHHH!

Any tips on how to not look like a freak in a swimsuit come July?

And what's your favorite bike tan line effect? Mine has to be the chin strap line by the ear. SEXY!

Redefine "freak." Alternately, accept and glory in your freakishness. My husband calls me a freak all the time ... I take it as a compliment =)

I suppose, if it really matters to you, you could try cranking up the spf on rides; self-tanning lotions; ultra-short bike shorts and those teensy athletic tops combined with boy-short style bathing suits ....

Last summer I was so many colors it was hilarious. Everyone at the beach was like "so......you bike don't you"

I don't really mind it, but was hoping for a bit less of a drastic contrast this year :) My problem is I like getting tan on the rides. I guess I can't win :D

One year, I was riding on the coast, it was cool so I was wearing tights. I didn't realize there was a 1/2" gap between my sox and the bottom of my tights. Got a 1/2 sunburn band around my ankle - the tan line lasted most of the summer :D

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Originally posted by betagirl
Any tips on how to not look like a freak in a swimsuit come July?

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How about sitting in the sun wearing only leg warmers and arm warmers so all your "white" areas have a chance to catch up!:cool: :cool: :cool: :eek: :D

Be proud of those white feet!! You've earned them!

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Originally posted by Adventure Girl
How about sitting in the sun wearing only leg warmers and arm warmers so all your "white" areas have a chance to catch up!:cool: :cool: :cool: :eek: :D

Be proud of those white feet!! You've earned them!

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I agree Adventure Girl. I put on a 45 sun screen on the bike tan parts and let the white parts catch up. but then I live in the middle of no where with the nearest neighbor 4 miles away I can get all the white parts out in the sun. :D
Dea

well I feel like a freak for the first time in years, with NO bike shorts tan, and omigosh, bikini lines!!!!!! The shorts line finally got filled in today.

two more days of this Caribean sunshine... saw a 6' Moray today.

:D
penny

Heh, you're worried about swimsuits? How about the bike glove tan, that's a hard one to hide. Brown forearms & wrists, white hands and fingers which go back to brown above the first knuckle. Stylin' :cool:

"How about the bike glove tan, that's a hard one to hide. Brown forearms & wrists, white hands and fingers which go back to brown above the first knuckle. Stylin' "

Jobob,
I'm getting this now - and also a quarter-sized "spot" where the velcro strap gaps on the back of my hand. Someone is going to think I have a skin disease!

Snapdragen,

You may have started a new trend in "permanent" ankle bracelets!:D

Jobob:

I had a beautiful bike glove tan when I got married twenty
years ago...the pictures say it all!!

karen

Four words:

Tan In a Can

Then you can be brown and orange-ish. Some coral lipstick & you're set for the evening!

In addition to riding, I run and play soccer so I get pretty bizarre tan lines. The running and riding tan lines are similar but the shorts are a little longer and the socks come up to your knees. So, I get really tan knees, white feet and a lighter tan on the rest of my legs.

I used to try to sunbathe with extra SPF on the tan parts and less on the pale parts to try to even things out but have decided it's not worth the time. I just view the tan lines as a sign that I am out there being athletic instead of being a couch potato.

my personal favorite is the bike glove tan... the round tan spot by the thumb and tan on the arm until the wrist... i don't think any other sport (except maybe skiing, depending on the weather) gets such a spiffy tan! :D

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i don't think any other sport (except maybe skiing, depending on the weather) gets such a spiffy tan!

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Racoon eyes!

weird as it may be but i like my bike tan. it defines/shows who i am and what i do.....outside of cleaning house, folding laundry, scrubbing toilets, bussing my kids around etc:eek: now i just need to exercise my brain muscle!!!!

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Originally posted by ilofman
weird as it may be but i like my bike tan.

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I like my bike tan, too, while I'm in cycling clothes on my bike or when in "play clothes", but when I'm wearing a summer dress with sandles I'm not that thrilled.:eek: I went to a wedding last summer. When I saw my dad saw me, the first thing he said to me was, "Wow, your feet are white!". Thanks, Dad!! :p

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Originally posted by fultzie
my personal favorite is the bike glove tan... the round tan spot by the thumb and tan on the arm until the wrist... i don't think any other sport (except maybe skiing, depending on the weather) gets such a spiffy tan! :D

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Playing softball will give you quite a "spiffy tan" too - batting glove and mitt always on the left hand (if you are right handed) causes one hand to get really tan and the other to stay really white. The minute you start to type on a computer (with hands side by side) you find out how odd it really looks... :o

~ Wendi

How about the racer-back top tan? Then try wearing a spaghetti strap dress to a wedding with those great looking tan lines. Kind of takes away from the "elegant" look you're trying to achieve! ;)

But in one form it's a great conversation starter!

Great topic! Weird tan lines from biking have been around forever.....
I tried riding without gloves so I wouldn't have the glaring white hands, but I didn't like it so I went back to the gloves. Comfort before anything!

I tend to wear short non-biking shorts, so I crank up my bike shorts as much as I can while still remaining comfortable on the saddle. I often wear a tankini top instead of a bike-specific top when I ride. They are cool, comfortable, and since I am not overly-endowed (!!) there's plenty of support and no hanging out. I rarely use the pockets in my jersey so I don't miss them. If it's cooler in the morning when I start out, I wear a jersey over the tankini and just take it off when the temps warm up. There's till some weird looking tan lines but usually, they're covered up.

annie