Why do cyclists have to wear all that lycra?

[nuliajuk]

In all the years that I've been commuting to work on a bike, I've heard the range of reasons from co-workers why they don't bike commute. Number one was fear of traffic, followed closely by lack of time or showers. I don't ever recall someone saying they wouldn't ride because they were afraid they'd have to wear lycra.
Most people already know they can ride without lycra. They've always known it. The "lycra scares people away from cycling so we'd better not wear it" argument is bogus.

[malkin]

Why do swimmers wear bathing suits?

You could swim in jeans and you could ride a bike in jeans. Certainly not my preference, but suit yourself.

[shootingstar]

During the lst 10 years of returning cycling, starting @32 yrs., I wore walking shorts and T-shirts for cycling. I didn't want to be identified with the cycling jersey pack. I wanted to cycle more "anonymously" if that makes sense. At that time, I didn't consider myself a competent cyclist....when in fact, I did my longest self-loaded bike tour trips during that time in my life!

Keep in mind, I did several bike tours 800- 1,200 km. each over several days-weeks, plus this was what I wore commuting to work. It's been such a long time I was such a "rebel". I moved over to wearing mountain bike shoes after within the first 5 years. I always wear (mtb) cycling shoes.

My partner actually didn't move over to cycling shoes until 8-9 yrs. after he returned to cycling.

These days, I split my time maybe 40% wearing lycra shorts and rest of time between walking shorts and a running skort on the bike.
I always tend to wear cycling jerseys except in the winter i'm wearing a turtleneck for light local riding.

I would tend to agree the fear of car traffic and showers has been voiced to me. However, we have to remember that some women (I don't know about guys) are very self-conscious about what they wear and fear looking "stupid".

[lph]

I thought the OP was referring to questions asked by non-cyclists, not by budding cyclists or people otherwise genuinely interested.

I don't think I've ever been asked point-blank why cyclists wear so much lycra, but I've certainly heard lycra ridiculed a million times in anti-cyclist posts. It never fails - any article writing anything at all about cycling, whether it's positive or negative, about commuting or racing or little old ladies, will get a rash of comments saying something like "what the bleepitybleep do they think they're doing out there anyway, wagging their fat fannies in multicoloured shiny condom suits* "

*the epithet of choice in Norwegian

[aponi]

I thought the OP was referring to questions asked by non-cyclists, not by budding cyclists or people otherwise genuinely interested.

I don't think I've ever been asked point-blank why cyclists wear so much lycra, but I've certainly heard lycra ridiculed a million times in anti-cyclist posts. It never fails - any article writing anything at all about cycling, whether it's positive or negative, about commuting or racing or little old ladies, will get a rash of comments saying something like "what the bleepitybleep do they think they're doing out there anyway, wagging their fat fannies in multicoloured shiny condom suits* "

*the epithet of choice in Norwegian

^^this

[zoom-zoom]

Heck, there's even an acronym including Lycra/spandex: MAMIL - middle age men in Lycra. Referring to the dudes over 40 who buy uber-bikes as part of their midlife crisis, rather than a 'vette.

[NbyNW]

Why do swimmers wear bathing suits?

You could swim in jeans and you could ride a bike in jeans. Certainly not my preference, but suit yourself.

These days there is a little bit of lycra blended into cotton denim, so they move with you a little better than the denim of yore that felt like cardboard when it was new. Most of my rides are under 5 miles these days -- in cooler weather jeans are perfectly comfortable, sitting on a Brooks B67.