How do I look from behind?

[RolliePollie]

Has anyone else ever wondered this? Or am I just super self conscious and paranoid?

I'm not exactly thin and I can't believe I actually wear spandex. I've always wondered just how scary I look from behind when I'm on my road bike. I mean, when I'm out riding and I come up behind someone, I can't help but notice their behind (especially if it's a nice tight male one). So it makes me wonder how mine looks. Well, I figured out a way to find out! I have a full length mirror leaned up against the wall behind my bedroom door, so I moved it directly behind my trainer. Then I got a hand mirror, got on the trainer, and checked out my...ahem...arse in the mirror. I must say, it was much less horrifying than I expected! Certainly not a magnificent sight to behold, but I feel better now knowing that my rump looks much better than I expected!

I can't believe I just admitted to this

[Biciclista]

and I thought we were talking about what kind of mirrors to wear on our helmets!

[kjay]

RolliePollie, you sure made me chuckle. I have a hunch there are a number of gals out here who wonder the same thing but probably just haven't voiced it. It has occurred to me, but I don't want to know how I look.

[Pedal Wench]

That's great!

I had the opposite. Kinda thought I wouldn't look too bad. But, after our first bike trip, when my BF took about 200 pictures of my bottom, I realized that I don't look nearly as cute as I thought I did.

[smurfalicious]

I had the opposite. Kinda thought I wouldn't look too bad. But, after our first bike trip, when my BF took about 200 pictures of my bottom, I realized that I don't look nearly as cute as I thought I did.

Oh, you're not alone. I was forced to participate in this photo shoot for work to get some "fall colors" stock photos. I was crying the night before and the morning of because I did not want to do it. So as it turns out there are shots of me from behind and insult to injury I'm next to my super skinny coworker. Yeah, what looks great in jeans does not carry over to bent over in spandex.
*sigh* Hot racer boys don't make passes at slow pedaling girls with fat a**es.

[Tokie]

Ah now Smurf, there is someone for everyone! I have a cycling friend with very generous hips and her devoted husband is a skinny little guy. My how do I look from behind moment came when I got a narrower saddle. I had to ask my DH - does this saddle make my butt look bigger? He just laughed. Of course, when I bought my silver cycling shoes, I also asked the guy at the store if they made my feet look bigger (since they weren't black) he just laughed too. I don't think men think of these things! And some men just love big (fill in the blank) on women! We are supposed to have the womanly curves, after all! Don't tell yourself that you are going to be overlooked - just be your loveable self. You never know what your true love may look like either! Tokie

[RolliePollie]

RolliePollie, you sure made me chuckle. I have a hunch there are a number of gals out here who wonder the same thing but probably just haven't voiced it. It has occurred to me, but I don't want to know how I look.

You never know...it might not be as bad as you think! I was expecting sheer horror, but my first reaction was more like "huh...well, that's a relief" because my imagination had pictured something much, much, MUCH worse.

I told a male cycling friend about my mirror experiment and he fell on the floor laughing. I suggested he try it...the last time I rode with him, his shorts were so worn out I could see his bare bottom right through them!

[michelem]

I suggested he try it...the last time I rode with him, his shorts were so worn out I could see his bare bottom right through them!

This happened on my first organized ride. A scary sight!

[RoadRaven]

This happened on my first organized ride. A scary sight!

You know whats scarier than too much information from behind?

Too much information from in front!!!

A guy new to our club at a club criterium in November chatting to me (on marshalling duty) while waiting for his race... I glance down to see what brand his shorts are - big panel down the side - and guess what I can see just to the right of the chamois stitching? Pubic hair... garrgghh... I have nothing against the hair itself, but it did look rather gross under the circumstances...

He had a hole in his shorts where the fabric had thinned and ripped away from the chamois...

Sorry to get side-tracked... back to your usual channel now...

[arielmoon]

You never know...it might not be as bad as you think! I was expecting sheer horror, but my first reaction was more like "huh...well, that's a relief" because my imagination had pictured something much, much, MUCH worse.

I told a male cycling friend about my mirror experiment and he fell on the floor laughing. I suggested he try it...the last time I rode with him, his shorts were so worn out I could see his bare bottom right through them!

My BF has threadbare shorts that allow me to see his birthmark when he bends over.

I bought him a new pair of shorts for Christmas!

[RoadRaven]

and I thought we were talking about what kind of mirrors to wear on our helmets!

LOL - me too!

I often wonder how I look in bike shorts from behind compared with women my age... but its no biggie (pun not intended) and doesn't really bother me.

If it bothered me I would wear a skort - or just never wear lycra!

[Grits]

Gee, thanks for bringing something I never even thought about before into my consciousness!

Actually, this has been a fun thread to read. I enjoyed the Crappy Old Bike blog about her harrowing experience. Be careful who you ride behind!

[beccaB]

Someone took a picture of me at Girl Scout camp when I was a girl scout leader. I don't think the picture was supposed to be about "Becky's Butt" but that's about all you could focus on. I had Khaki shorts on and a denim shirt. I am not especially large or small, about a normal size 10. That was the most unflattering pix of me ever, I was bent over picking up something off the ground. I thought OMG, who's butt is that, 'till I realized it was MINE!

[redrhodie]

Someone took a picture of me at Girl Scout camp when I was a girl scout leader. I don't think the picture was supposed to be about "Becky's Butt" but that's about all you could focus on. I had Khaki shorts on and a denim shirt. I am not especially large or small, about a normal size 10. That was the most unflattering pix of me ever, I was bent over picking up something off the ground. I thought OMG, who's butt is that, 'till I realized it was MINE!

I had a very similar experience. I was helping little kids make kites at a church where my mother worked, and a picture of me bent over ended up on the bulletin board. My mother came home from work and from the way she described it, I knew it was bad. I was appalled when I went to see it. I seem to remember it mysteriouly disappeared.

As awful as the moment of seeing it was, that picture really changed my life. That was the day I stopped eating meat, and started exercising. It was 1986, I lost 25lbs, and never gained them back.

[MauiRockHopper]

I just saw a commercial selling those body girdles by Kymaro, makes you look 2 to 4 sizes smaller! I was laughing my butt off because it just redistributes the lumps somewhere else (usually pushes it up to your bust). Just think, if you were to buy one and lured someone to go home with you, what happens when they actually touch you or you take off the girdle!?!?!

Anyhow I do know where you are coming from because I have a voluptuous figure too. I have high hopes of trimming down from riding my bike and now I just got a heart rate monitor so I can really kick up my workouts.

I read that wearing a bib helps reduce rolls around the waist, but it looks like a pain to take off if you have to pee.