Show of hands - who cycles in lycra?

[il padrone]

There's pics out there if you know where to search

Retro rides are another world

[il padrone]

I've previously said "horses for course" and agree with simonn's approach, but you do realise that this

+1 except that I rarely if ever do short trips to shops, etc

is a big part of the problem facing cycling as transport in Australia ?

[Boognoss]

I've previously said "horses for course" and agree with simonn's approach, but you do realise that this

+1 except that I rarely if ever do short trips to shops, etc

is a big part of the problem facing cycling as transport in Australia ?

Yep, quite possibly. I walk short distances, and can't be bothered riding anywhere that's less than 30 mins ride away.

I live within 10 mins walk of my nearest shops and there are no facilities there I'd feel safe locking my bike up there (there are racks at the shopping centre but they're never used). My cheapest bike is worth $1400 new and I won't leave that for idiots to break.

[il padrone]

Ah, OK. That puts a much better slant on it. My nearest shops are all >20 mins. walk, so it's either the car or I ride the bike. It is much better for cycling, walking and other forms of sustainable human powered transport to design cities and suburbs with shorter travel distances to shops, services and workplaces.

Sounds like you do need a beater bike though .

[Boognoss]

Sounds like you do need a beater bike though .

Given the lack of space at home if I get a +1 I want it to be a Ti Roadie at least . Not wasting that space on a beater.

[il padrone]

But the beater should be fine to just sit out on the back verandah. Or in the garden tool shed.

[simonn]

Ah, OK. That puts a much better slant on it. My nearest shops are all >20 mins. walk, so it's either the car or I ride the bike. It is much better for cycling, walking and other forms of sustainable human powered transport to design cities and suburbs with shorter travel distances to shops, services and workplaces.

Sounds like you do need a beater bike though .

Says the guy who is probably old enough to have probably bought before the housing boom (i.e. you probably have more space than the average Sydneysider younger than 35-40 to store a bicycle for each purpose <- this is a real issue) .

[simonn]

But the beater should be fine to just sit out on the back verandah. Or in the garden tool shed.

Ha ha ha ho ho ho? Back verandah? We have a front balcony - and my wife has said "no" in uncertain terms to that being potentially used to store a bicycle. In any case, I am not carting a bicycle down 3 flights of stairs regularly. Garden? Tool shed? WT? are they?

Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I rest my case.

[il padrone]

Yep, I bought my first bike before the housing boom


Does deopend on which housing boom you are talking about ie. there's always a housing boom at some time.

[Boognoss]

Yep, I bought my first bike before the housing boom

When you visit Sydney next I'll gladly give you the 10 second tour of my suburban shoebox crammed with bikes (only 3) and other items like my wife and boy, etc .

Anyway back on topic, lycra rules now that I don't look like the Michelin man .

[ILMB]

Anyway back on topic, lycra rules now that I don't look like the Michelin man .

At last the unspoken truth. Lycra is all about vanity!

[simonn]

Yep, I bought my first bike before the housing boom


Does deopend on which housing boom you are talking about ie. there's always a housing boom at some time.

But not like this (against GDP, which is the/a way to measure affordability):

[Mrfenejeans]

At last the unspoken truth. Lycra is all about vanity!

Deep down i only wear it to show off my toned legs and buttocks, also to gain those much desired crisp un-wavering tan lines.


On the other hand seeing some of the MAMIL's on a Saturday morning shop ride...well I think they are well past vanity.

[ILMB]

Have been too polite up to now to mention the sweaty butt cracks showing through old/over stretched cycling pants. Much worse when up and off the saddle!

Edit: No-one should leave home w/o a decency check from the better half.

[human909]

Basically, I'm not stoopid and don't really care if some newb (or potential newb) or old hand is put off by me riding in whatever I want to ride. If they are that small minded, because if me riding in lycra is a genuine reason for them not cycling (or whatever, really) they certainly are small minded, they, IMHO, deserve no value placed on their opinion on anything and I certainly do not care if such petty people cycle or not.

I don't think many are put off by YOU cycling. Or even ME cycling in Lycra. That isn't really the problem. If you think that is the problem then you are missing the point.

What people ARE are put off by is the perpetrated notion the Lycra is necessary for cycling. Many people want to cycle but don't want to join the Lycra tribe. Personally I don't want to join the Lycra tribe either. In fact many might have guessed as such from my comments. However I'm happy to cycle regardless, and happy (though a little reluctantly) to wear Lycra when needed.

The Lycra barrier is big and it is REAL. The Lycra uniform has done a good job of transforming cycling from something EVERYBODY can do into something you need to be a "cyclist" to do. In this way the Lycra uniform certainly hasn't been a benefit towards greater cycling.


I'm not saying the thought process is correct. But there is no doubt that Lycra does put many off.

[simonn]

The Lycra barrier is big and it is REAL.

Oh well. Sad small-minded unimaginative and ignorant people. Their loss.

[il padrone]

Have been too polite up to now to mention the sweaty butt cracks showing through old/over stretched cycling pants.

Yeah, plumbers should never be allowed to ride bikes

[il padrone]

The Lycra barrier is big and it is REAL.

Oh well. Sad small-minded unimaginative and ignorant people. Their loss.

But in other parts of the world those "small-minded unimaginative and ignorant people" are the ones all out there - riding their bikes

BTW they generally don't have 'plumber's crack' though.

[simonn]

The Lycra barrier is big and it is REAL.

Oh well. Sad small-minded unimaginative and ignorant people. Their loss.

But in other parts of the world those "small-minded unimaginative and ignorant people" are the ones all out there - riding their bikes

BTW they generally don't have 'plumber's crack' though.

Eh? People out there riding their bikes in normal clothes are doing so because they are put off by cyclists wearing lycra...? Logic error.

[il padrone]

Read - my - post !

Not at all what I said.

[human909]

The Lycra barrier is big and it is REAL.

Oh well. Sad small-minded unimaginative and ignorant people. Their loss.

With that attitude I believe the same could be said about you.

(Within reason I don't mean to offend you. However calling people "sad small-minded unimaginative and ignorant" simply because they don't want to subscribe to the Lycra clad Tour-de-Sydney paradigm does deserve the same.) Not recognising the Lycra barrier is simply being naive.

[Eh? People out there riding their bikes in normal clothes are doing so because they are put off by cyclists wearing lycra...? Logic error.

No. But there are people in AUSTRALIA not cycling because they are put off by the lycra culture.

(That is not to say Lycra wearers should feel guilty. But failure to recognise this is being blind and naive.)

[im_no_pro]

Always for the roadie but never for the taxi (baby seated mountain bike)

+1

[sogood]

"Never" is too hard a criteria to satisfy so I ticked "Mostly" to be absolutely honest. Typically wearing shorts or jeans when testing mechanicals of my bike around the block.

[hannos]

It's blind and naive to think you cannot cycle without joining the so-called lycra brigade.

[simonn]

No. But there are people in AUSTRALIA not cycling because they are put off by the lycra culture.

(That is not to say Lycra wearers should feel guilty. But failure to recognise this is being blind and naive.)

I recognize it, but really do not care. If they do not want to ride a bike because of what someone else is wearing, well, that's their problem to deal with.

EDIT:

With that attitude I believe the same could be said about you.

(Within reason I don't mean to offend you. However calling people "sad small-minded unimaginative and ignorant" simply because they don't want to subscribe to the Lycra clad Tour-de-Sydney paradigm does deserve the same.) Not recognising the Lycra barrier is simply being naive.

Eh? I am not saying that. I am saying that they are:

1) Unimaginative and/or ignorant if they think they have to wear lycra to ride a bicycle
2) Small-minded if they let what someone else wears when riding a bicycle affect their choice to ride a bicycle or not

Is there some part of definition of the "lycra barrier" I have defined incorrectly?

I am not stating anywhere that anyone should do anything - like subscribe to Tour-de-whatever.