The group has started to gather for our Saturday ride. Look at that guy. His bike is decade(s) old. It is not aero. He is not wearing NEXTHOT brand clothing/helmet, and do you see what color it is? That handlebar tape is dirty and needs replacing. Look at that old jersey. He has hair on his legs!
What is up with him?
Let me tell you, there are two choices. He is either someone that is new to cycling and is trying to figure out this odd sport of ours. In which case we should embrace him and guide him.
OR
He is an old racer that might just hand you your butt on a platter.
You will know soon enough.
As cyclists we have a set of rules. Mostly unwritten. Some might be useful. Helmets, blinky lights, and a spare tube are quite useful; but some are ridiculous. Need the newest bike? That aero helmet? Newest tech item/tire/gizmo? Those rim brakes are going make you slower than discs!
Hair? Where? I was once at a State Road race championship. In the 80s. Yes, it was still USCF. A group of guys gathered during warm-up, and someone asked about Bill. No one knew why he was not there. Then someone said, “Who knows? Bill is odd anyway – I mean, he has hair on his legs.” Everyone laughed. Really? A gathering of age 20 something males with testosterone flying and that was the comment? Yes, because – cycling. In the cycling world, that was odd.
The bad part? Unwritten rules and judgement are not reserved to young people or racers. Sure, you might not shave your legs or care if others do. I must say I shaved mine for years, then quit racing and quit shaving. I still like showing up to a group ride and getting ‘the look.’ That smug dude that has never raced in his life and has just been riding a few years but thinks he is king with his shaved legs and is looking down at me for having hairy legs. Then having that same guy be frustrated trying to keep up with ‘old hair legs.’ Well, my fitness used to allow for that. But I digress.
Fact is – we look like dorks on the bike much of the time. When your cycling friend says that your new helmet looks cool or that jersey/Lycra shorts look great on you remember that our perspective is skewed. First, very few people actually ‘look good’ in Lycra. I am not one of them, and odds are, neither are you. Sorry, not trying to offend you…and…I did not say “do not wear it.” I said very few people really ‘look good’ in it. Same with that helmet. It looks like a Styrofoam ice chest on your head painted bright pink. Well, it is a descendent of that ice chest that is probably in your vehicle at this ride. I did not say do not wear it, I said open your eyes.
Why do I critique? Ahhh – please follow me. I am not trying to critique. I am trying to encourage you to let go. Let go of what others think…of trying to look good…of trying to look pro. I encourage you to embrace your inner cycling geek. Move on.
The cycling world is mostly older so who are you trying to impress? Have you not grown out of that? There are young folks on bikes, and I love that. But for the most part the cyclist spectrum leans older. But even if you are young, the sooner you embrace your inner cycling geek the better.
Just because ‘all in style Suzie’ thinks certain things look cooler than others – whatever. Choose what is comfortable for you not what another says is correct. I wear Lycra because it serves a purpose…and I remove it as fast as possible after a ride, because the same items that serves a great purpose on the bike is like a diaper off the bike. Again, I say – choose your gear for a purpose. If it makes you feel comfortable, fast, happy or brings you joy simply because it makes others wince. Good for you.
I remember many years ago people would mock cyclists for wearing Lycra cycling shorts. Then, Lycra became fashionable. I would go to the grocery store and people that did not own bikes were in Lycra. What? It has not changed. Many that do not exercise live life in Lycra…odd to me. But as I have said – to each his own.
Cycling is fun. I cycle for joy, not to win races and not to make you happy. Not to make the industry happy. Not even for fitness (although I am thankful for that byproduct). I cycle for joy. So, I embrace what makes it more fun, safe, joyful, etc.
Before I ask you the question, I will answer. I wear a mirror. Yep, those little ones that attach to my glasses. Well over a decade after hanging it there, I cannot feel comfortable without it. Yes, it allows me to see behind me while looking forward. Yes, I have pulled off the road and avoided impact with a car way more than I can remember simply because of that mirror. Thank you, little mirror. Yes, I have used it on single-track to watch my significant other and temper my pace. Dork you say? OK. Yes, I have been openly ridiculed. Do you think that causes me concern?
Yes, I see the side stares and hear the snide comments. Small minds. I have embraced my inner cycling geek. I am OK. The bottom line is that most of us ride bikes and have equipment that is beyond what we ‘need.’ I am not saying you should not buy it. If you can afford it, and it makes you happy, motivates you, whatever…more power to you. I am simply posing the questions: First, do you/us blindly accept/do/buy what others say without a critical review of that item/belief in our brain? Second, do you really care what other people think of you?
In addition, I ask – what items have you embraced that are ‘not cool?’ What do we need to change/accept/introduce in the cycling world that is currently ‘not cool’ but is useful? Where have you let your inner cycling geek fly the freak flag?
Athleisure wear is hot!
On my road bike, I’ve mostly given up wearing jerseys. I wear department store quick-dry synthetic t-shirts instead. They’re more comfortable, the designs appeal to me more and they’re a fraction of the price. Plus you can layer them when it’s cold. Where do I put my stuff without jersey pockets, you ask? In a fanny pack/hip pack/bum bag, that’s where. Also from the department store.
I still wear the lycra shorts. Twenty years ago, I wore them to be a “proper” cyclist with shaved legs, etc. Now I wear them because they have padding where my butt no longer has padding.
When I ride my road bike, I like to see interesting things and eat nice food along the way. That means I need to get off and walk a little sometimes. I prefer to walk like a human being not like a penguin. Three bolt road cleats mean I walk like a penguin. That’s why my road bike had SPD pedals which I use with XC mountain bike shoes. The shoes have carbon soles – no flex, no power loss. Win/win.
On my mountain bike, I don’t have a visor on my helmet. Why? Because in summer when the heat is ridiculous, I still like to ride. But I don’t like to get sunburnt so I put a Da Brim on my helmet. You can’t get one of those on if you have a visor. In case you’ve never seen Da Brim: https://dabrim.com
Cheap fanny pack on the mountain bike also.
Mountain bike clothes are hideous and expensive. For me, department store quick-dry, flannels, shorts, home made jorts. Anything goes. And department/discount store socks. Life’s too short not to have Marvel heros, Minions, aliens, fish, hot chillis or any number of other things on your socks while riding.
Flat pedals on all the bikes. Take a lot of rubbing during club rides. Happy feet, no duck walking and 6,500 miles a year.
“First, do you/us blindly accept/do/buy what others say without a critical review of that item/belief in our brain? Second, do you really care what other people think of you?
In addition, I ask – what items have you embraced that are ‘not cool?’”
1. Never. I do my own research and great deal of it.
2. Not at all. I am no edge lord, but I love the irreverent and ridiculous. I do not purposely try to offend, but ones IQ is is inversely related to how fast they let anything offend them.
3.I always ran clipless mountain bike pedals on my road bikes back when I rode those. Now I just run flat pedals on everything. I rarely wear jerseys and instead favor crummy poly-cotton band t-shirts. I always wear gloves, heavily armored full fingered ones year round. I have always decorated my helmets with assorted stickers and still do.