bike clothes rule the world
Dear Late rider ,
Having started biking when I weighed well over 200 pounds, I can sympathize with your hesitancy to wear form fitting bike clothes. I went through the same dilemma and only gave in to wearing exercise tights when the pants I was wearing ended up bunched in my nether regions and rubbing saddle sores into the skin. My first step was a pair of padded underpants and a pair of calf length tights, followed by a breathable t shirt, rather than a regular cotton t shirt and finally a padded pair of bike shorts beneath my tights, and then because it was hot I started rolling my tights up and then nothing would do but just to ride in a bike jersey and biking shorts.
2 years later, many workouts with a trainer and many hours of riding later, I am 80 pounds lighter, 6 clothing sizes smaller and absolutely will not wear anything other than bike specific clothes for riding. The benefits of proper padding, non bunching or rubbing fit and breathable fabrics far outweigh any negative emotions I have with the form revealing aspects. At this point I figure anyone who criticizes is either jealous or admiring, and at least I am out doing something constructive with my free time.
All that being said, I should also point out that I live in Hot, Humid, Headwindy Houston , home of the horriblist drivers anywhere, and that for most of the year, properly fitting breathable bike clothes and a camel pack are simply the facts of survival.
At least that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
marni
