Is this how it begins?

[MaineMaid]

I stand in front of all of you as a novice, I can see that . I'm definitely in the right church....grin.
I'm a big gal,(but this cycling thing is slimming me down pretty fast), and I'm still trying to find clothes that fit me. But I can see that soon I'm going to be doing what all of you have done; movin' the real world clothes to the "dead zone" closet.
And I too LUST AFTER THE "Hill Slug" jersey. Does anyone else find themselves humming the Monty Python "I'm a Lumberjack" song while the crawl up the hill? I'm trying to make the "I'm a Hill Slug" lyrics work .
I'm riding in the Trek Across Maine in 3 weeks; and I plan to be singing that song alot. Three days-- 60 miles a day- from the mountains to the sea. Oh yeah...my first event EVER...I'll have that song hammered out by then.

Jan

[SouthernBelle]

The funny thing is when you have a drawer full of black shorts and tights. Then you're hunting for a particular pair....

[missymaya]

Heck, I don't even try to put my cycling gear in draws 'cause I just end up wearing them later on that day or the next and the next and the next... until they need washing. They just sit in their own basket, waiting for use. My issue is, I'm finding more and more things that need replacing. I need to replace my helmet, a tire or 2, my seat, almost time for some new shoes and the list keeps growing (along with a whole new bike ). It will NEVER EVER END!!! Too bad I don't have the $$$ to get all of the thing I need (or really want ).

[amymisk]

I found them and will have to get it.

Those are from Team Estrogen and can be found here. I've thought about getting the t-shirt myself.

[LadyinWhite]

The funny thing is when you have a drawer full of black shorts and tights. Then you're hunting for a particular pair....

YES!!! And then you buy another pair of that particular pair and you are STILL hunting for them because both are in the wash dernit!

My problem is I have a teenage daughter who loves my buffs and I like wearing the buff that matches the jersey I have on that day. (yea yea I know, ) So I'm hunting around for a specific buff too!

crazy.

[marni]

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

[~zoom]

I am not quite as well stocked as many of you, but I do have enough to ride for one week before washing.

I am more of a shoe girl and biking just doesn't lend itself well to stylish shoes! I guess that will keep me out of trouble. Although, I did see a pic of a jersey I would love to own. It was a hill slug jersey. Anyone know where I can find it??
Thanks!

This is sorta off the topic of jerseys, but still a shopping thing. Is that a pink water bottle cage I see on your bike in your avatar?

And if so, would you mind sharing were you found it?

Thanks !

[teigyr]

I am more of a shoe girl and biking just doesn't lend itself well to stylish shoes!

Before I got married as I was moving stuff into DH's house, he modified one of the bedrooms and turned it into a "shoe room" complete with rows and rows of shelves. Shoes are honest and pure and never make ones backside look larger. Plus if I indulge in too much food or alcohol, I don't have to worry if my shoes will fit me

That all being said, tread cautiously. I have some vintage leather "dress-up" cycling shoes (no cleats on them but I have them and darn they are impressive), and now my cycling clothing collection is growing larger than the shoe collection. Just sayin'

[Fredwina]

I am more of a shoe girl and biking just doesn't lend itself well to stylish shoes!

you have seen Paolo Bettini's shoes:

[cyclokitty]

I stand in front of all of you as a novice, I can see that . I'm definitely in the right church....grin.
I'm a big gal,(but this cycling thing is slimming me down pretty fast), and I'm still trying to find clothes that fit me. But I can see that soon I'm going to be doing what all of you have done; movin' the real world clothes to the "dead zone" closet.
And I too LUST AFTER THE "Hill Slug" jersey. Does anyone else find themselves humming the Monty Python "I'm a Lumberjack" song while the crawl up the hill? I'm trying to make the "I'm a Hill Slug" lyrics work .
I'm riding in the Trek Across Maine in 3 weeks; and I plan to be singing that song alot. Three days-- 60 miles a day- from the mountains to the sea. Oh yeah...my first event EVER...I'll have that song hammered out by then.

Jan

Funny you should mention singing while cycling! I always start humming songs on a ride -- and yes, "I'm a Lumberjack" has its turn! Hilarious! It's really strange what songs will crop up - 80s songs, Motown, camp songs, and even stranger, I found myself singing "Jesus loves the little children' and I was expelled from Sunday School over 25 years ago! My former sunday school teacher would be impressed, I think.

As far as clothes go, for the first year I wore cotton because that's all I could afford. Now I have some great skorts and shorts I love wearing and great jerseys. The material is alot fresher than cotton, and comes in lots of great designs. And I have an almost obscene number of cycling socks because they come in every colour and pattern possible.

I should seek help, but I'm enjoying myself too much.

[nomummytummy]

It began so very slowly; first a pair of spandex shorts and then the tights and they fit so nicely in the thin little drawer. Jan in Maine

I was never going to get anything as silly as leg warmers or arm warmers. I mean tops come with long sleeves that you just push up when hot. Right? like the others i ahve slowly but surely increased my kit - even to the point of putting a known jacket overteh new top so DH doesn't ask any questions!! Love the 'click to shop' option above in here. Have started to think about purchasing from US online. Please - may it NEVER end!!

[Delta7]

you have seen Paolo Bettini's shoes:

um, is that a gold chain ? !

[pyxichick]

I must confess to being a bit of a bike clothes horse too. Now whenever I see a jersey I like, I have to buy the whole kit, or at least a couple pieces to match.

There's nothing wrong with owning lycra team kit shoe covers. I only wish Velo Bella had a cycling hat.

My favorite new outfit is the black Vanderkitten kit. It says "women who kick a**" and has a cat with a fang sticking out. cool!

But if you buy, note that the jerseys run large and the shorts run small.

[equus123]

i definitely have "cycling clothing syndrome" as much of the rest of you. i'm only 2 years into the sport and already i've had to purchase 2 pieces of furniture for cycling-related stuff to accumulate - one for clothes and one for stuff. i live in a 580 sq.ft. aptartment so i can justify the need to create more storage space!

since i'm on a team and we need to wear our team kits whenever we ride outside...and i try to get around 7 hrs per week on my bike...that's a lot of clothes when you don't have a washer/dryer in unit!! the cubby i bought fits perfectly at the foot of the bed and has 3 sections - long sleeves, short sleeves, and bottoms.

[tangentgirl]

So, my real shoe broke at work yesterday, and I had to hold it together with a binder clip like a big dork. And I realized that my non-sporty-bras are looking pretty worn, with little elastic threads starting to poke out. I headed to the mall, and each time I opened my purse to pay for something, it was annoying, 'cause the zipper on that purse lost it's little zipper holder guy. And the strap is super worn and the color keeps coming off on my hands.

I thought to myself, Why didn't I replace this stuff a long time ago? It feels like I'm always buying stuff - what on earth am I buying?

Wellllll....yeah...bike and tri stuff.

Also, I came home with new running shoes and a tank top with a mean-lookin' devil on it, but nada in the work shoe/bra/purse dept. I have a less conspicuous safety pin on now, and I'm heading off in the hopes that no one will notice. (My other work shoes are heels, and I'm just not wearing heels any more. Ouch city.)