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spandex........why???????

15K views 147 replies 106 participants last post by  mastercycleman 
#1 ·
why is spandex still being used in the mtb world??????
it offers NO protection whatsoever...
it looks funny (now,back in the early '90's it was kinda cool)
areodynamics dont matter anymore in racing unless you are a roadie
its not a substatute for shaving your legs just shave 'em jacko it doesnt mean you're gay
multiple layers of it dont work either who are you foolin'?
im not saying dont wear it, seriously who am i??????i just want some reasons why people still wear it....jerseys are cool,they atleast have pockets.....
baggies dont mean you have to look like, as they say "punkass freeriders"...
**** i wear jeans and a t-shirt and im comfortable........
think about it
 
#4 ·
Cause that's what I've got, and I'm wearing it!

Besides, jeans don't work with my tree trunk thighs.
 
#7 ·
I used to be just like you when I started riding. I was NEVER going to give-in to status-quo and wear all of the expensive cycling crap...not to mention that it looked like hell! I wore cut-offs and a cotton t-shirt. Then my arse hurt from all of the grinding on the saddle, so I bought a pair of lycra shorts to wear under my cut-offs. Ahhhh, much better. Then, I realized that wearing cotton in the 95 percent-humidity southern Summers was like wearing a hot, wet blanket. So I broke down and bought a jersey. Again, much better. Then I bought my first pair of baggies. They were okay, hot and heavy, but at the time I didn't know any better.

Then it happened. We had a guy in our group that sported the lycra shorts and a racer-boy jersey. I was giving him hell one day and he proposed this to me: Next time you go ride solo, wear the pair of lycra shorts you have without putting the cut-offs on over them. If you can honestly say that it isn't better, I'll buy you a new pair of baggies. So I went and did it. Did you ever see the "Seinfeld" episode where Kramer started going "commando"? Well if you did, you'll know what I mean when I say, "I'm lovin' it Jerry!" I think I've only worn my baggies, maybe once since then.

Look, in this area, lycra is the "rule" rather than the "exception"...well, I won't go that far but I see way more people in lycra than I do baggies. To each his own.
 
#8 ·
DoctorJD said:
I used to be just like you when I started riding. I was NEVER going to give-in to status-quo and wear all of the expensive cycling crap...not to mention that it looked like hell! I wore cut-offs and a cotton t-shirt. Then my arse hurt from all of the grinding on the saddle, so I bought a pair of lycra shorts to wear under my cut-offs. Ahhhh, much better. Then, I realized that wearing cotton in the 95 percent-humidity southern Summers was like wearing a hot, wet blanket. So I broke down and bought a jersey. Again, much better. Then I bought my first pair of baggies. They were okay, hot and heavy, but at the time I didn't know any better.

Then it happened. We had a guy in our group that sported the lycra shorts and a racer-boy jersey. I was giving him hell one day and he proposed this to me: Next time you go ride solo, wear the pair of lycra shorts you have without putting the cut-offs on over them. If you can honestly say that it isn't better, I'll buy you a new pair of baggies. So I went and did it. Did you ever see the "Seinfeld" episode where Kramer started going "commando"? Well if you did, you'll know what I mean when I say, "I'm lovin' it Jerry!" I think I've only worn my baggies, maybe once since then.

Look, in this area, lycra is the "rule" rather than the "exception"...well, I won't go that far but I see way more people in lycra than I do baggies. To each his own.
X2
Exactly what I used to think and now I only wear my baggies if the lycra are dirty. Lycra/spandex shorts might not look the best with hairy stick legs, but your ass will thank you and they will keep you comfortable. Plus, most lycra bike shorts have a better chamois design/construction/material then the few baggies that I have personally used.
If I know I'm going on a longer ride then normal, the baggies are staying home period.
 
#9 ·
so noone is confused..... i used to wear lycra back when i started riding in '93,cause it was what everyone else was doing......then i crashed really hard and searched out something better......i dont make fun of anyone who still sports lycra,**** look at all of the fat people at wal*mart who thin k tights are still in fashion.......and yes the padding of the shorts is kinda nice(if you like the feeling you have a load in your shorts)....underware,underware works good!!!!!
in all im not trying to change anyone, but when you are out on a ride and hear people laughing......think about your outfit....
 
#13 ·
Because I started wearing it when I started riding bikes seriously at 11 years old so I never felt uncomfortable in it when I got older.

Because I am a racer boy and thats what racer boy teams give you to wear.

Because it is cooler in the summer.

Because I ride road bikes often and I don't want road specific or mt. specific clothing.

Because cotton pants don't keep me warm and they get caught in the chain when it's 20 degrees outside and I want to ride.

Because I have never seen such things as "bib-baggies."

Because they are hot.

-Lets (proud owner of 17 pairs of tight fitting lycra bottom coverers)
 
#15 ·
This time of year i wear padded undershorts, then bib tights then baggy shorts.

The undershorts are there for comfort, the bib tights for warmth and the baggies for protection. Combined with xc leg armour and overshoes its a good set up.

The bib tights even work well in the rain and they don't end up round your ankles when soaking !!

In summer i wear lycra road bib shorts with baggies over them. The undershorts i use in winter can be a bit warm and sweaty in summer even though they are a wicking material.

The only problem is that baggies can slide down the lycra a bit.
 
#16 ·
1. Cotton stinks for any type of activity when sweating.

2. Cotton absorbs sweat.

3. When its cold around 40 degrees you risk hypothermia since the sweat does not evaporate.

4. Baggie cloths get caught on everything.

5. Lycra is comfortable.

6. Jeans on a 2 to 3 hour XC ride, sounds like a lot of chaffing.

7. Drys fast.

8. Easy to layer on cold days.

9. Easy to remove layer and stuff in my camelback when I am too hot.

10. Lite
 
#17 · (Edited)
scottyl said:
.......and yes the padding of the shorts is kinda nice(if you like the feeling you have a load in your shorts)....underware,underware works good!!!!!
Too funny! So eloquent.

I get the joke. I think. Not.

Here's a test: come race with me for 24 hours, solo, with your cotton jeans & cotton tighty-******'s, or better - your cotton boxers - and let's see whose equipment comes out worse for the wear. I'll take well fitting, use-specific gear for any activity, anytime.

Hell - after an hour or two on a hot sweaty day, better lube the boyz up GOOD or that chafing will make you bleed in all sorts of nasty ways you never want to have happen... That is, if when your riding your bike you are actually, well - RIDING - not posing or hangin or chillin or whatever.

Goddamn stoopid bait - I keep falling for the idiotic, new-to-the-boards, 15 year old, ignorant, trolling dumb-azzes who post such valuable Passion content. I'm just as bad, I guess. Too funny though.

Maybe this genius wearing spandex thread shoud be linked to that other great thread about who's allowed to claim themselves a real "mountain biker". And then throw it in with the shaved leg thread, and the "what kind of car is best" or "FS or HT for racing/riding/whatever" and so on.

So, as a recap: Why do I "still" wear spandex;

It's the right equipment for the job, which in my context is XC/STXC/Marathon/24 Hour/Endurance mountain bike racing/riding, and yes, road riding/racing.
 
#18 ·
Goddamn stoopid bate - I keep falling for the idiotic, new-to-the-boards, 15 year old, ignorant, trolling dumb-azzes who post such valuable Passion content. I'm just as bad, I guess. Too funny though.
you and me both, i guess it's winter blues making me post in all these dumb threads.

i'd have a good laugh at anyone who tried an 8 hour summit ride in jeans, hell even baggies would be pretty uncomfortable after a while...
 
#19 ·
I started out wearing whatever I grabbed out of my closet. Then got a pair of baggies as a gift and really liked the way they didn't cling to me like my cotton shorts did. The pad was nice too.

Then I got a road bike. Now I admit I'm a little bit of a slave to fashion and since I'm not strapped for cash and have always wondered about it, I bought a pair of lycra shorts. Wow, pretty darn nice. On a road bike you do notice the aerodynamics. And the padding is waaaay better. And the tight fit around my thighs is nice, kinda like a massage with every pedal stroke.

I'll keep wearing baggies to mtb though since I'm more prone to going into the store on the way home or sitting around on abrasive rocks for lunch during the ride etc. Plus I'm a slave to fashion...

BTW, Short of wearing knee pads etc, no pair of shorts will protect you during a hard fall.
 
#20 ·
scottyl said:
wear jeans and a t-shirt and im comfortable
That's probably because you don't ride long or hard enough to feel the discomfort of wet cotton against the skin.

I personally feel very lucky to live in this age of mind-blowing fabrics. Nothing stays wet on the body for more than a few minutes; the same jersey keeps me warm in winter and cool in summer. Wow! That's beyond space age... :)

The only problem I have with tights is the feeling of walking around in my underwear. :) The solution is simple: I slip on my baggies after the ride. The pockets are useful only then anyway...

Ali
 
#21 ·
In my short experience, I have found that the spandex cycling shorts with the padding is tremendously more helpful than regular cotton britches. I was kinda nervous about buying my first pair last year, I felt wierd when I first wore them on the trail. I never heard anyone laugh at me either and everyone was nice and friendly. At least I never heard them say anything derogatory. If they did, they at least did it out of earshot.

I decided to get a pair because I usually ride about 2 - 2 1/2 hours at a time and after wearing the regular ****** tighties, my stuff was so fraggin sore it wasn't even funny. I hated that everytime I went riding my crap was hurting. I wore the spandex and didn't have that problem, rode for the 2 1/2 hours and no hurting boys!

A suggestion for anyone who might be embarrased for wearing spandex, wear them under something so it don't look like you are wearing spandex. Sure it is extra heat but if you are that self concious then maybe that would be a suggestion. I really don't care what folks think, after all it is me that is wearing them. If they don't like it, they can just look the other way. It is in your best interest to protect the boys from pain and chafing. I'd rather look silly and have happy boys than look cool and the boys screaming in pain.
 
#23 ·
This year marks my 20th year aboard a mountain bike. I have seen and tried just about every style from jeans and t-shirts to lycra to armor and baggies. I wear what works for me and that is a chamois liner (PI or Swobo) beneath either Core Rat battle shorts, Dickies shorts (13" inseam almost knickers), or a Zoic/PI shell. Please note that none of the above are cotton. I think that if you are, as stated above, particpating in XC/STXC/Marathon/24 Hour/Endurance mountain bike racing/riding, and yes, road riding/racing or you just plain enjoy wearing lycra only so be it. Guess what though? None of those areas really apply to me. I trail ride, freeride, do some urban, some DH, some enduro, all mountain whatever you wanna call it. I prefer riding in terrain that is sketchy, that if you fall your potential to lose flesh is high. I am no expert and I crash. I dress for this fact. Core Rats and Dickies are close to being indestructable; I wear the PI/Zoic shell if I am doing a more chill ride. Also, an often over-looked fact is that I like to have pockets. I know I can carry stuff in my pack, but often I want something that I can get to fast or without getting off my bike. Does my clothing choice make me dumb, less fast, more sweaty? I know it works for me; do what works for you. I don't give a rats ass what anyone wears anymore. This is old news; just shut up and ride. :thumbsup:

1993:

2002:

2006:
 
#24 ·
I used to think the same way...spandex...lol why? Anyway I have ridden with them a lot this year and they are just soooo comfortable. No matter what the conditions. The biggest plus for me is that they don't snag the saddle. I'm always up and down and if it catches it's annoying. I'll usually wear baggies for casual rides and spandex for the races or road riding but it really doesn't matter any more. I don't care if I look stupid to some, I'll be comfortable. As long as my riding skills don't look stoopid :)

Ryan H.
 
#26 ·
Comfort - doesn't bunch up under the freckle like baggies - no chafing.

Breathable - sweat gets out and dries out. Doesn't weigh 7kg when it gets wet on rainy rides. Dries out quick too.

Doesn't catch the front or back of the seat.

Keeps the 'taters supported so they aren't bojangling around and getting in disarray.

Chicks dig it sometimes, and I dig chicks IN it - sometimes...
 
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