So I'm not cycling in ordinary street clothes/chic

[Crankin]

+1, Oak.
It's rare to see a cyclist without a helmet around where I live, except, when you see a parent riding along with a child. The kid always has a helmet, but not the parent. I really don't get that. You make the kid wear a helmet because it's the law and you don't want him/her to get a head injury. But, it's OK for you to get TBI?
The closer to the city you get, the more helmet-less riders you see. Sometimes, when I walk out of the university building, to the subway (one block), I see about 25 helmet-less riders go by, to about 5 with helmets. Not just students, either.
About 16 years ago I was toodling along down the road by our rented cottage in Dennisport, Cape Cod. My kids were riding behind me, about maybe 9 and 11 at the time. I so clearly remember 2 older women, from NY, walked by us and commented that, "those helmets must be a new thing required in Massachusetts. We don't do that."

[JennK13]

"Nice bells," said the woman as we rode past. "I just didn't want to run you over!" I hollered over my shoulder. "Oh yeah, you're SERIOUS cyclists," sneered the woman.

Some people are just jerks and have no regard for anyone but themselves. Why would it matter if you're a "serious" cyclist or a casual rider? Why can't they just share the dang trail?

A couple weeks ago I was leading a group ride down a heavily biked MUP - bikes outnumber peds 3:1. It was the weekend the volunteers were out cleaning the trail which I totally respect and appreciate. We slow to go through the area in which they were working as people were all over. Then I see 3 boys, ages 3-5 sitting ON the trail. The trail isn't that wide, and it's painted with a line down the middle for two-way traffic just like a street it. There is grass on either side of it, and a gravel walking path on one side. But the little kids were sitting in the middle of the trail. The people saw us, no one said anything to the boys or even tried to move them. As we got closer I said "Bikes coming" loudly to be heard, but not yelling at them. Didn't matter - they gave us dirty looks and left their kids in the road.

This trail is used by commuters, casual cyclists, group rides and hardcore racers training. The kids might have well have been playing in the street!

[KnottedYet]

I did read the original comment on ShootingStar's blog and found it a bit bizarre. Really, it's no big deal to him, or anyone else, what she wears to ride in.

Rev. Forrest Church on anxiety and insecurity:

"We can get so tangled up in our emotional underwear that it is hardly possible to walk into a room without feeling vulnerable. Cringing from the imagined judgement of others -who are fretting more over their own emotional wedgies than anyone else's- we succumb instead to the merciless critic within."

In other words, don't get your panties in a wad over what you think someone else thinks, just ride your bike.

(and please, please, please don't anyone start the "underwear or no?" debate now... again... it's a metaphor here, ok?)

ETA: I'm with Hebe, I just thought the guy was being nice and trying to help SS solve her problems she described on her current bike.

[moderncyclista]

OMG! The angst! The ANGST!!!!

If I wear lycra, am I only allowed to wave at folks in lycra?

What if I wear wool? Who can I wave at then?

WAIT! I'm hugely f**kin' fat right now, and can't wear ANY of my old stuff! How will people know I'm a serious rider as I struggle along in my knit fat-lady pants? Who do I wave at now? Only fat chicks?

How will we survive?!?! How can we handle the stress!?!?! Oh, the social anxiety!!! And WHAT WILL COMPLETE STRANGERS THINK OF US? Oh, noes, they may judge us *wrong* and the world will end! That bitter stab to the heart that crushes our psyche! I'm lost, what if they only waved TWO fingers instead of THREE!?!?!? I'll have to stop riding completely from the emotional devastation! I can't afford psychotherapy AND 700c Vittoria tires!





I don't give a rip what any of you wear, and I won't wave at any of you. Guarantee nobody else knows you from Adam and doesn't give a dang what you wear, either. (they're too busy riding)

LMAO!!! Truth. Preach sister!!!

[Susan]

I don't think that the guy wanted to offend you. Of course it's none of his business what you want to wear on your bike.

I think it's maybe just a slightly different point of view if you use your bike for everyday transportation, all errands, trips to the city and so on. I don't like to go to a cafè or a restaurant in my cycling clothes. If I was to wear cycling clothes every time I use a bike I would never wear any normal clothes at all.
While I use cycling clothes and a helmet when doing cycling as a sport, I don't use any cycling-specific gear when I use my bike for transportation or driving into the city. I think a lot of people here do so (and I think it has nothing to do with being a "fashionista").
Still I don't care if anybody wants to wear something else.

I too notice that some people seem to be frightened or offended by more "professional" cycling gear, I get far more negative comments when in my cycling clothes. A lot of people seem to think that wearing cycling gear means that you go fast and act as if you were about to run them over even when you go really slow or even stop as they pass you - strange.

[Kiwi Stoker]

In New Zealand there's a huge group of people who believe "people are not using bicycles for communting or errands because they have to wear a helmet".



And even when people point out that other reasons are more likely (have to collect children after work, weather, too hilly, work doesn't support cycling, takes too long, not fit enough, no bike paths) they don't listen and keep on harping on about "if only the helmet law was taken away how many more people would cycle".

[KnottedYet]

they don't listen and keep on harping on about "if only the helmet law was taken away how many more people would cycle".

"If only the helmet law was taken away, how many more people would..."
...have crushed upper orbital bones?
...sport amazing scarred and twisted eyebrows?
...be mistaken for men because of their deformed faces?

Oh, yeah, I'm all over that. C'mon, I want more people to suffer like me!!!

Been there, done that, wearing a helmet now.

[westtexas]

"If only the helmet law was taken away, how many more people would..."
...have crushed upper orbital bones?
...sport amazing scarred and twisted eyebrows?
...be mistaken for men because of their deformed faces?

Oh, yeah, I'm all over that. C'mon, I want more people to suffer like me!!!

Been there, done that, wearing a helmet now.

It actually worries me a lot when I see cyclists in my town without helmets on. This area is extremely unfriendly to bikes of any kind; drivers intentionally try to clip you to scare you.

No helmets and riding against traffic are the two things that bother me the most. I could care less what they are wearing or what kind of bike they ride. But to those people I want to shout at them or shake some sense into them. At the very least I feel my apparel (usually bike shorts and a bright colored tshirt or tank top) makes me visible and my helmet keeps me safe(r).

[PamNY]

In New Zealand there's a huge group of people who believe "people are not using bicycles for communting or errands because they have to wear a helmet".

That view exists in the US as well:

http://lobv.org/2006/08/15-reasons-t...he-helmet-law/

[OakLeaf]

Wow, I'd heard that a lot w/r/t motorcycle helmets, but never about bicycles before. I wish I knew who's even driving that myth...

[shootingstar]

lph: So for promotional purposes - yeah, I'd make an effort to show that we don't all look like aliens, some of us even look like the normal people next door

The only thing I would do is to wear a skort or walking shorts to attend a social function with people who themselves will dress casual nice or just casual but aren't cyclists. I don't go out of my way too much if it's too much effort for me to hunt around in my wardrobe beyond 5 min.

More about this Oak, on anti-helmet for cycling....'cause this interesting times..

For now, on our blog, I posted this for the owner (which is dearie):

http://thirdwavecyclingblog.wordpres...er-to-cycling/

Note: He is a conference director for Velo-city 2012 cycling conference in Vancouver.

[oz rider]

For now, on our blog, I posted this for the owner (which is dearie):

http://thirdwavecyclingblog.wordpres...er-to-cycling/

The guy doing his masters might want to have a look at this recent research (link at bottom of page, 7MB). It wasn't summarised very usefully imho, but it does bring together in one place some of the psych research (among other things). IIRC (don't have time to review right now), it made no difference to the focus groups whether cyclists were in Lycra or civvies; we are an out-group, with all the issues that flow from that. I hope he gets some useful research done on the subject; we really should be way past personal hypotheses and anecdotes by now.

[JennK13]

The guy doing his masters might want to have a look at this recent research (link at bottom of page, 7MB).

Interesting article....this topic and the new one solely about helmets are engaging some really great discussions. I'm stuck on a topic for an english paper and I think one of these may lead to something....please continue the friendly and challenging dialogues!

[Kitsune06]

"If only the helmet law was taken away, how many more people would..."
...have crushed upper orbital bones?
...sport amazing scarred and twisted eyebrows?
...be mistaken for men because of their deformed faces?

Oh, yeah, I'm all over that. C'mon, I want more people to suffer like me!!!

Been there, done that, wearing a helmet now.

Knot, I'm callin' BS on this, you're gorgeous.
(glances around for Trek)
I mean that in the most innocuous, happilymarriedwoman way possible.

[Trek420]

Sure you do She is gorgeous And brilliant, did I mention that? Brilliant, I tell ya.