# Do cyclists have to be slim to wear Lycra?



## Matt Cycle (Aug 29, 2017)

Olympic legend Sir Chris Hoy says Lycra can look "awful" on anyone weighing more than 8st (49kg) and that amateur cyclists don't have to pull on a pair of tight-fitting shorts to look good. Is he right?

It is a question that many amateur cyclists will have asked at some point: does my belly/legs/bum* (*delete as appropriate) look big in this?

But according to Sir Chris - the six-time Olympic gold winning cyclist - not enough people think before pulling on a pair of Lycra leggings.

"Lycra isn't the most elegant material you can wear and professional cycling gear generally looks awful on pretty much anyone heavier than 8st," he wrote in GQ magazine.

He said the desire of so-called "mamils" - the dreaded middle-aged man in Lycra - to be seen in the latest high-performance Team Sky cycling kit all too often results in a tummy-turning experience for onlookers.

"Personally, I feel sorry for mamils," he wrote. "When they walk into a cafe dressed head-to-toe in Lycra, you always spot people sniggering at them."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-41081756

I think this is a bit unfair of Sir Chris.  Cycling should be about wearing what you want and riding whatever bike you like.  I wear lycra because I think it's the best and most comfortable material for riding in but also feel good when I've got my proper gear on.  Suits me sir.  Yes, it may not be the most attractive look on everyone and any sort of clothing is not just about function but about how you look and feel in it but if people feel good in wearing it whatever their size then why not?


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## Copepod (Aug 29, 2017)

Personally, I don't care what I look like when cycling, but padded cycling shorts / pants are essential for rides longer than about 5 miles. Often hidden under normal trousers. I have a few items of lycra, but comfort and low wind resistance are the crucial factors.


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## Bubbsie (Aug 29, 2017)

Matt Cycle said:


> Olympic legend Sir Chris Hoy says Lycra can look "awful" on anyone weighing more than 8st (49kg) and that amateur cyclists don't have to pull on a pair of tight-fitting shorts to look good. Is he right?
> 
> It is a question that many amateur cyclists will have asked at some point: does my belly/legs/bum* (*delete as appropriate) look big in this?
> 
> ...


Think his comments are rather crass...I would have thought he would be pleased 'Joe Public' was  cycling...getting more active...fitter...whether wearing Lycra or not...honestly what on earth was he thinking when he said that?


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## Northerner (Aug 29, 2017)

Not cycling, but I wear lycra leggings for cold autumn/winter runs, chiefly because they are comfortable and warm. To be honest, I looked a lot dafter back in 1983 when I started running and wore a baggy track suit - back then I did actually weigh 8st! Don't agree with Sir Chris's comments - who cares? I've got a pair of extremely colourful running shoes too, he'd probably have an issue with those too!


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## Matt Cycle (Aug 29, 2017)

Bubbsie said:


> Think his comments are rather crass...I would have thought he would be pleased 'Joe Public' was  cycling...getting more active...fitter...whether wearing Lycra or not...honestly what on earth was he thinking when he said that?



I suspect he did it to stir up comment which has certainly been the case.  Just had a search and as it's all over the papers he's now apologised and said it was meant to be tongue in cheek.  Having now read the original GQ article parts of do appear to be slightly tongue in cheek but it's not obvious.  Although there are some clearly ridiculous statements such as the 8 stone (49kg) comment as it doesn't mention height.  Chris Froome currently the best road cyclist on the planet is 71kg but he's 6' 1 !  GQ is a style magazine so that's what it is focusing on and aside from his 'humourous' comments some of his tips are quite relevant.  White shorts are a definite no-no especially if it's raining.


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## Lucy Honeychurch (Aug 29, 2017)

Thankfully I don't wear any Lycra  personally I don't care what others wear or do. However, mamils  are all over the place here in Norfolk, particularly at weekends, we're more concerned about road safety than what the cyclists look like in their Lycra. By the way, in your avatar you look fine in yours.


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## Bubbsie (Aug 30, 2017)

Matt Cycle said:


> I suspect he did it to stir up comment which has certainly been the case.  Just had a search and as it's all over the papers he's now apologised and said it was meant to be tongue in cheek.  Having now read the original GQ article parts of do appear to be slightly tongue in cheek but it's not obvious.  Although there are some clearly ridiculous statements such as the 8 stone (49kg) comment as it doesn't mention height.  Chris Froome currently the best road cyclist on the planet is 71kg but he's 6' 1 !  GQ is a style magazine so that's what it is focusing on and aside from his 'humourous' comments some of his tips are quite relevant.  White shorts are a definite no-no especially if it's raining.


Made me laugh Matt...but...only the white shorts part.


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## Bloden (Aug 30, 2017)

If you're comfortable in Lycra, you should wear it. I think there's even a law here in Spain that says all cyclists HAVE to wear Lycra cos I've never seen a cyclist in anything but...we call them Lycra-lists.


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## Radders (Aug 30, 2017)

I find Lycra very comfortable and actually quite flattering. I've not been 8 stone since I was 15. Even if he was joking, he shouldn't have said it in my opinion.


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## Amigo (Aug 30, 2017)

I once had a middle aged member of staff call into the office whilst out cycling decked out in very tight Lycra which left nothing to the imagination and was far too revealing in the crotch area. One of the older ladies winced and announced that it reminded her she needed meat & veg on the way home! I've no problem with it but please keep it decent!


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## Matt Cycle (Aug 30, 2017)

Lucy Honeychurch said:


> Thankfully I don't wear any Lycra  personally I don't care what others wear or do. However, mamils  are all over the place here in Norfolk, particularly at weekends, we're more concerned about road safety than what the cyclists look like in their Lycra. *By the way, in your avatar you look fine in yours*.



You're definitely getting a like for that.   That photo was taken last year after I'd just got back from Wales after a day out with the Diabetes Fairy.

http://diabetesfairy.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/

I'm sure Northerner is still looking for unsuspecting victims, er I mean willing hosts.


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## Matt Cycle (Aug 30, 2017)

David Garbutt said:


> The lycra does the job. Anything over 20 miles and you will be glad you put on padded bib shorts.
> I don't think cycling shapes the body for beauty, the legs are too thick and upper body too thin; swimming or football give a really nice shape.
> When I used to go out on Sunday club rides there were some young kids, which was nice to see, but mostly older guys, yes there were middle aged men in their lycra doing their miles, also older guys even into their 70's. There is no shame in wearing comfortable lycra.



It's still definitely white male dominated.  I'm not in a cycling club but I have noticed on the roads over recent times how many more women are now cycling.  Possibly something to do with the success of the GB women's team in the Olympics.


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## Matt Cycle (Aug 30, 2017)

Bubbsie said:


> Made me laugh Matt...but...only the white shorts part.



I've never had any but apparently white shorts can be a bit revealing when they get wet although the padded bit covers most of your modesty.  I was on a cycling forum and the subject of white shorts came up.  A lady on there who commuted to work had gone out one day in her white bibshorts in the rain. She said when she arrived at work she realised she'd crossed central London displaying her arse crack to all those behind her.  She said black shorts from now on.


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## HOBIE (Aug 30, 2017)

Matt Cycle said:


> Olympic legend Sir Chris Hoy says Lycra can look "awful" on anyone weighing more than 8st (49kg) and that amateur cyclists don't have to pull on a pair of tight-fitting shorts to look good. Is he right?
> 
> It is a question that many amateur cyclists will have asked at some point: does my belly/legs/bum* (*delete as appropriate) look big in this?
> 
> ...


NO !  Matt


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## Bubbsie (Aug 30, 2017)

Lucy Honeychurch said:


> Thankfully I don't wear any Lycra  personally I don't care what others wear or do. However, mamils  are all over the place here in Norfolk, particularly at weekends, we're more concerned about road safety than what the cyclists look like in their Lycra. By the way, in your avatar you look fine in yours.





Matt Cycle said:


> I've never had any but apparently white shorts can be a bit revealing when they get wet although the padded bit covers most of your modesty.  I was on a cycling forum and the subject of white shorts came up.  A lady on there who commuted to work had gone out one day in her white bibshorts in the rain. She said when she arrived at work she realised she'd crossed central London displaying her arse crack to all those behind her.  She said black shorts from now on.


Ooh...difficult one...my first instinct was to sympathise with her...ashamed to admit I laughed instead...then laughed again...how embarrassing...and when these 'things' do happen...no one tells you!


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## Bubbsie (Aug 30, 2017)

Matt Cycle said:


> It's still definitely white male dominated.  I'm not in a cycling club but I have noticed on the roads over recent times how many more women are now cycling.  Possibly something to do with the success of the GB women's team in the Olympics.


Thinking about it...until then...still cycling in the dining room...haven't worked up the courage yet.


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## Lisa66 (Aug 30, 2017)

Reminds me of driving on a winding local road recently behind an older slightly larger gentlemen in his sweaty, pale grey stretched shorts, it was quite a while before we had a chance to pass...my daughter was in the passenger seat and very keen for me to overtake him...she didn't know where to look, expression on her face was priceless!


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## Matt Cycle (Aug 30, 2017)

Bubbsie said:


> Thinking about it...until then...still cycling in the dining room...haven't worked up the courage yet.



If you do decide then British Cycling (used to be with Sky but it looks like HSBC now sponsor it) have lots of group rides for all ages and abilities including women only breeze rides.  

https://www.letsride.co.uk/
https://www.letsride.co.uk/breeze


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## Bloden (Aug 31, 2017)

Amigo said:


> I once had a middle aged member of staff call into the office whilst out cycling decked out in very tight Lycra which left nothing to the imagination and was far too revealing in the crotch area. One of the older ladies winced and announced that it reminded her she needed meat & veg on the way home! I've no problem with it but please keep it decent!


That's what I call a 'front bottom'.


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## Chris Hobson (Sep 1, 2017)

Although I think that it's true that, if you are carrying too much weight, you are not going to look good in Lycra However, it is practical and comfortable and what people wear is really nobody's business but their own. I think that he set the bar a bit low at 49kg, nowadays my weight varies between 70 and 76kg and I don't have any issues with unsightly bulges at all. As for people sniggering, if the mamils in question were anything like me they just wouldn't care, so his sympathy would be wasted.

I also wish that he hadn't apologised. I dislike the current trend of people being hysterically outraged every time says something that they disagree with. He should have said that there is no need to get all outraged, if you disagree feel free to say that you disagree and why you disagree and have a grown up discussion about it.


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## Chris Hobson (Sep 1, 2019)

I've been looking through the old threads here and came across this one. As a triathlete I often wear tri suits which are a garment that takes the unflattering nature of lycra to a whole new level. For those not familiar with this garment, imagine a cat suit that has had the legs cut off just above the knees. The idea is to have a garment that you can swim, cycle and run in. When cycling I usually wear a cycling top over mine so I just look as though I'm wearing cycling shorts. Most of mine are dark colours but I have one that I bought cheap off the internet that is sky blue. I only use it for open water swimming when I wear a wetsuit over it because it is pretty revealing when it is wet.


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## Dave W (Sep 1, 2019)

Also just spotted the thread. I'm slim - 55kg and 5'8" but don't wear lycra - I tend to wear layers that I vary according to the weather. I do wear padded pants under my shorts and they make a big difference on longer rides. Made a big error of judgement with one pair I bought as the padded area was red and looked like a baboon's bum when I was wearing them!


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## MikeTurin (Sep 1, 2019)

I do MTB just for fun or to go to groceries, and I have some cycling gear aimed to MTB, so my padded pants look almost like normal shorts for hiking, I use some acrylic t-shirts, and my bike is from 2003 so is a 24" with v-brakes.
Sometimes I see some posers with an expensive racing bike and a lycra suit like one of a professional team with strong colours. Some of them have muscles and not fat, other seems they wear like this and use the bike on sundays to make a showoff.


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## Docb (Sep 1, 2019)

Padded lycra shorts are the key to comfort when riding a bike, especially if you suffer from soreness in the nether regions.  The padding absorbs and wicks away sweat and any rubbing that goes on is between the saddle and the lycra and not between your clothing and your skin.  They only work if you wear nothing underneath them ( something that ladies don't often appreciate ) but you can wear what you like - within reason - on top.  If you ride to get real exercise you don't want much if anything on top otherwise you get too sweaty.  Also if you are riding in the rain it is generally more comfortable to let your legs and shorts get wet because they dry much faster than conventional clothing when it stops raining. 

So padded lycra shorts are purely practical and have nothng to do with a "look".  People who get upset by them should simply avert their eyes.


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## Pine Marten (Sep 2, 2019)

I don't care what cyclists wear as long as they *GET OFF THE PAVEMENT INTO THE ROAD, DO NOT JUMP THE RED LIGHTS, AND DO NOT SWEAR ABUSE AT PEDESTRIANS!  











*


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## Northerner (Sep 2, 2019)

My problem if I wear Lycra when running is having to hurdle all the swooning women that litter the path when they clock my magnificence


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## eggyg (Sep 2, 2019)

When Mr Eggy was a regular cyclist he had some MAMIL gear ( middle aged man in Lycra) and the kids always pulled a face if they happened to see him in it but he didn’t care. One day I had a bit of a turn at work and went to GP who didn’t want me to drive home and suggested I called someone to come and drive me and my car home. I called Mr Eggy who had cycled to work, he duly arrived and we walked to the car park and that’s when I noticed he had his cycling shorts on inside out and back to front, obviously displaying the padded piece on the front, in his panic to pick me up he’d got changed quickly in a dark office! It still makes me giggle to this day.


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## Robin (Sep 2, 2019)

eggyg said:


> When Mr Eggy was a regular cyclist he had some MAMIL gear ( middle aged man in Lycra) and the kids always pulled a face if they happened to see him in it but he didn’t care. One day I had a bit of a turn at work and went to GP who didn’t want me to drive home and suggested I called someone to come and drive me and my car home. I called Mr Eggy who had cycled to work, he duly arrived and we walked to the car park and that’s when I noticed he had his cycling shorts on inside out and back to front, obviously displaying the padded piece on the front, in his panic to pick me up he’d got changed quickly in a dark office! It still makes me giggle to this day.


I wear padded 'Dressage knickers' for riding, ie they’re designed for when you're riding with longer stirrups and need protection for the delicate bits at the front. I’m always worried I’ll fall off, have to go to A and E, and they’ll take one look and assume I’m incontinent!


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## declan88 (Oct 25, 2019)

Matt Cycle said:


> Olympic legend Sir Chris Hoy says Lycra can look "awful" on anyone weighing more than 8st (49kg) and that amateur cyclists don't have to pull on a pair of tight-fitting shorts to look good. Is he right?
> 
> It is a question that many amateur cyclists will have asked at some point: does my belly/legs/bum* (*delete as appropriate) look big in this?
> 
> ...



He's wrong.  Men look look awful in lycra.  Its just a no no.  Obsession with image i find naff.


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## Chris Hobson (Oct 25, 2019)

I'm not bothered about image in the slightest. I find lycra cycling gear to be comfortable and practical. You might think that it's a no no but I don't care at all about your opinion to be honest.


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## MikeyBikey (Oct 25, 2019)

Most Sunday cyclists in lycra just look daft! If you haven't got it don't flaunt it!


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## TrevA (Nov 7, 2019)

So what do you suggest they wear instead? Or perhaps you think that overweight people shouldn’t be riding bikes?  Lycra is popular because it’s comfortable. I’m 100kg and wear Lycra. I cycle 50-60 miles at a time. There are specialist firms that make clothing in more generous proportions for us larger lads and lasses - Fat Lad at the Back is one.


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