Lycra - Hey pick on someone else

[ColinOldnCranky]

I occasionally chuckle at the stereotype. And I know that others chuckle at me. Laughing at others seems to be wired into the human genome. Laughing at ourselves is too.

But this wholly irrelevant rant that the public has about lycra clad cyclists. Full of malice and little else. Really, what does it matter when they are discussing road manners and things.

What I would REALLY like is to see the general public take the negative attitude to the stereotypical sports fan. The great all round Aussie sports man. The guy who thinks he is a sportsman because he can quote the bowling average of Warney and has a season ticket in the stands at the Gabba where he can eat his luke warm 4 and 20 pie and a large coke.


But I don't suppose that will ever happen when the knockers are too close to that demographic themselves. Better to work of the guilt by abusing some fit guy running around in the middle with a whistle. And on the way home do the same to someone on a bike.

[ColinOldnCranky]

Thinking about it, the pic above would be a great print to wear on back packs and on cycling jerseys when riding. Something that is so direct that it might even embarrass a few of those bozos.

Anyone got a silk screening business?

[hotfoot]

Sorry no silk screen...but I totally concur with the idea..would love a bike T-shirt with that pic on it...the other side could have "burn fat not oil" on it(for the thick sorts who might not get it without an explanation).

[Comedian]

Great way of thinking of it mate!

[bigfriendlyvegan]

Great thinking- put the big guy with the caption "25,000 km overweight. Life is better on a bike".

[ColinOldnCranky]

Great thinking- put the big guy with the caption "25,000 km overweight. Life is better on a bike".

I was thinking:

[bigfriendlyvegan]

Great thinking- put the big guy with the caption "25,000 km overweight. Life is better on a bike".

I was thinking:

Don't judge me and I won't judge you.

Screw that, I wanna judge. Fatty, fatty, fat, fat. Sorry, that just slipped out.

[Ross]

That pic is gross, seriously. I cannot understand how people can let themselves get like that.

[bookworm1707]

As someone who was on my way to looking like that it creeps up on you, I am 50kg overweight and can't believe it let myself get that far. It also doesn't help when you try to do something about it, like take up cycling, and get ridiculed or ignored because you are a fat guy on a bike (walking, swimming, etc)

[alf]

For some reason I often have certain types strike up the cyclists on the road / lycra conversation with me.

Most seem to mention how ridiculous they think over weight people are in lycra.

My response is always about how much admiration I feel for those individuals who despite being perceived as being the wrong shape, fitness or skill level are putting themselves out there and doing something about it. If I feel particularly snarky I might also mention how sad I feel for those individuals whose idea of loving sports is eating a bag of chips in front of TV while watching men run around in tight shorts or men in white uniforms trying to hit a ball with a stick.

[r2160]

And yet its OK to wear a football jersey, but not play football, or wear a V8 supercar shirt but not drive a supercar?

If only the media really was fair in their reporting . . .

cheers
Glenn

[Mrfenejeans]

I may be a Lycra Clad fool in the eyes of others, I couldn't really care less personally loosing 32Kg's thanks to cycling at 24 years of age it is the number one activity that turned my former slobbish life around and i owe a good part of my life to it.

If people think Lycra is ridiculous, I'll broach the subject once they've got themselves on a bike and ridden 31-32km an hour speeds for 2-3hours and see how easy and comfortable that is to do in their normal everyday clothes or even there "sport shorts".

[Karati]

If people think Lycra is ridiculous, I'll broach the subject once they've got themselves on a bike and ridden 31-32km an hour speeds for 2-3hours and see how easy and comfortable that is to do in their normal everyday clothes or even there "sport shorts".

I stick to this sort of approach. I'm 69kgs and 173cms tall. I had a fat guy scoff at me in the lift one day. He didn't think it was too funny after I said "Come out for a ride with me and we'll see who is laughing afterwards fat man!"

Definately an exception to the rule though. Most people say nothing.

[ColinOldnCranky]

And yet its OK to wear a football jersey, but not play football, or wear a V8 supercar shirt but not drive a supercar?

If only the media really was fair in their reporting . . .

cheers
Glenn

Spot on. Riders in Tour de France regalia are not alone. Just alone in being referred to disparagingly as wannabes.

Perhaps the average sports fan doesn't suffer that because it is obvious that they make no effort other than swipe their credit card across a sensor. Whereas riders do actually have at least a little in common with pro riders - they work on being fitter.

[Wayfarer]

Focus on your vision your own secret mission and ignore what the masses say! Seriously, I've been given discounts after a long conversation with a guy at a Rebel Sport, simply because he like my cycling jersey. I'd bought it that day and put it over my shirt to avoid carrying it. Went great with jeans actually, but hey; corporate advertising tells us we should wear shirts on the street, and suits in the office. Pro sprinters are learning the benefits of lycra too, and the footballer homo's who fumble around in a collection of arms, legs and balls for one particular ball are using Skins, which i believe came from cycling as lycra.. SO suddenly they're cool because pro footballers train in them? Gimme a break.

[norbs]

I may be a Lycra Clad fool in the eyes of others, I couldn't really care less personally loosing 32Kg's thanks to cycling at 24 years of age it is the number one activity that turned my former slobbish life around and i owe a good part of my life to it.

If people think Lycra is ridiculous, I'll broach the subject once they've got themselves on a bike and ridden 31-32km an hour speeds for 2-3hours and see how easy and comfortable that is to do in their normal everyday clothes or even there "sport shorts".

Off topic, but yes, the progress bar IS available if you use Strava.

[BoardRider]

I cop rubbishing all the time at work about the lycra and I cant seem to loose weight very easily.So I put the challenge out to shut them up.My boss is the particular offender. As I had to push him up Willunga Hill he has stop the remarks and started riding with lycra. Methinks he is now on secret training mission.
Admittedly he now is an supporter and quickly challenges others fitness when I am challenge and laughs at them.

[jules21]

"i can't even remember what my wazoo looks like"

[g-boaf]

And yet its OK to wear a football jersey, but not play football, or wear a V8 supercar shirt but not drive a supercar?

If only the media really was fair in their reporting . . .

cheers
Glenn

Spot on. Riders in Tour de France regalia are not alone. Just alone in being referred to disparagingly as wannabes.

Perhaps the average sports fan doesn't suffer that because it is obvious that they make no effort other than swipe their credit card across a sensor. Whereas riders do actually have at least a little in common with pro riders - they work on being fitter.

But you do see plenty of them out on the streets in the city in FDJ or Quickstep gear - and they are out there giving it a go, however bad it is to wear that stuff. Better than sitting on the sofa and doing nothing.