[Closed] Anyone over 8stone shouldn't wear lycra.

According to Sir Chris Hoy

Is he still associated with Vulpine? Or maybe he's trying to get another gig 😛

.I think people in the UK see cycling as a sport rather than a means of transport,

That's correct. And that explains it all nicely

Hoy needs to realise that all those people he's just put down in the end now pay his wages as he's not an athlete any more but has to go out and work - not that I actually have any idea what he does do now except for crashing other people's expensive racing cars.

I'm waiting for the new line of Hoy clothing aimed at the fuller figured cyclist.

I presume Chris Hoy was slightly more than 8st when he was racing?

what if you're really short? like a fat dwarf if you will, he or she could be around 8 stone but still look unsightly in lycra.

He apologised earlier via Twitter. He's 14.5 stone

I'm all for a blanket ban on lycra regardless of weight.*

*unless you're racing (an actual race).

even i am two stone out!

I wear it because it does not flap around

Dont care what anyone else thinks

I wear lycra for sexual reasons.
The sight of me wearing it acts as an excellent contraceptive.

lycra should be banned anywhere in a public place, when worn by men. any men.
there is nothing worse than a fat middle aged cyclist clad in lycra. and if the bloke wears it to enter a pub or cafe, he should be tarred and feathered.

Lycra should be worn by whomever wishes to wear it.

Gawd I hate this 'debate'.

[quote=Junkyard ]I wear it because it does not flap around

and neither do your clothes

Better than looking like an over aged skateboarder and much more comfortable

I've been mountain biking for well over 25 years, and up to a couple of years ago I wouldn't have been seen dead in Lycra! Since then I've started road biking, and I've totally changed my mind. It makes perfect sense for road biking, and you soon get used to it. I'm no racing snake, but I don't have a belly either. I do feel slightly self conscious in non biking situations (cafes, emergency stop in shops), so avoid them if possible. I certainly don't wear Lycra to look like a team rider, it's just the right gear for the job.

I hope I still have state of mind to put myself under a bus if I ever change my views on lycra.

Lycra should be banned. MTB shorts with bib shorts underneath FTW

Tongue in cheek comments surely? I can probably count on 1 hand the number of cyclists I know at that weight.

He didn't say that either - he is quoted as saying lycra can look "awful" on anyonen over 8 stone.
And he's right - it *can* look awful.

But I'm with the "wear what you like" brigade. No need to wear lycra if you don't want to, no reason you should listen to those saying you can't wear it if you want to though.

Saturday a problem with my cash card, outside Natwest, the door was open so in i walked, a chap asked what i was needing, and where i had ridden from,expected to be told to take bike outside, turns out he was the manager and a cyclist,he and his staff never batted an eyelid about me dressed in lycra, while he sorted out my problem.

Hoy also has a clothing and bike range, obviously wants some extra free advertising.

The article wasn't entirely serious , but that didn't stop all the journos and commentators using it to start an argument that you're all continuing

Tongue in cheek comments surely? I can probably count on 1 hand the number of [s]cyclists [/s] adults I know at that weight.

This

Tongue in cheek comments surely? I can probably count on 1 hand the number of cyclists I know at that weight.

Yes, obviously, but a lot of mountain bikers (me included until I started road riding) seem to agree regardless!

tomhoward - Member
Tongue in cheek comments surely? I can probably count on 1 hand the number of [s]cyclists adults[/s] humans at that weight.
This, that, the other

POSTED 23 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST

Lycra should be worn by whomever wishes to wear it.

I agree!

i bet you would change your mind if you saw me clad head to toe in lycra....... 😆

Rusty Spanner - Member
I wear lycra for sexual reasons.
The sight of me wearing it acts as an excellent contraceptive.

POSTED 1 HOUR AGO # REPORT-POST

This made me chuckle

I'm all for a blanket ban on lycra regardless of weight.

lycra should be banned anywhere in a public place, when worn by men. any men.
there is nothing worse than a fat middle aged cyclist clad in lycra. and if the bloke wears it to enter a pub or cafe, he should be tarred and feathered.

It may have been a tongue in cheek comment by Chris Hoy, but on a serious note, it was a harmful comment to make by someone who has benefitted the sport, but who has himself greatly benefitted from the sport and ought to think carefully about what he says given his status as a sporting hero and someone who can influence views and debates.

We currently have a major obesity crisis in this country which is placing huge demands on the NHS (limiting the available resources for non-self inflicted health conditions) and which is damaging the health and lives of the sufferers and their families.

I have seen a few very obese people on bikes wearing lycra and close fitting jerseys, and my initial thoughts were similar to Hoy's statement. However, I immediately then changed my mind, and mentally congratulated those people for having the courage and the determination to get out and ride a bike, since it does take a lot of courage when you have people like Hoy making such remarks and knowing that others who don't say it may well be thinking it, and since by getting out and riding they are taking steps to towards a healthier lifestyle. We need to encourage such people every step of the way, not make s****ing remarks which may embarrass them and discourage them from continuing to ride or take other exercise.

Got to agree with @slowster. I always feel more impressed by people out pushing themselves when it is clear that the journey is a long one rather than the elegant and impeccably dressed out for a bimble

I'm 100% with Ton on this one. If you leave the house in Lycra, then you look like a sex offender. Seriously.... you do!

If your delusional lack of self-awareness means you're not prepared to accept this self-evident fact, then it's a public duty for other people... in this case Chris Hoy... to point it out to you. You don't look like a finely honed athlete, you look like a burst black pudding. A burst black pudding who thinks it's acceptable to show the world their nads. It isn't!

So take heed of his wise words and help make the country a less aesthetically terrifying place. For gods sake think of the children and cover those cobblers!

ton - Member
lycra should be banned anywhere in a public place, when worn by men. any men.
there is nothing worse than a fat middle aged cyclist clad in lycra. and if the bloke wears it to enter a pub or cafe, he should be tarred and feathered.

Does it make you have uncomfortable thoughts or something?

Even Chris froome weighs well over 8 stone

Fact is that anyone in lycra looks a bit daft, nothing to do with weight.

I include myself in that. My recently purchased aero helmet looks like a bellend, but I simply don't care.

Does it make you have uncomfortable thoughts or something?

it puts me off my sausage butty for sure.

As a 14 stone cyclist who wears Lycra, I think Sir Chris has a good point well made 😆

I still vomit at my 2016 Ride London pic at 15st02 😳

Lycra looks odd the moment you get off the bike, so the answer is to not sit about in cafes trying to look cool, just ride your bike

What about Lycra and a bumbag?

Only with socks and sandals

However, Pete Reynolds, a blogger who writes about cycling styles, says Sir Chris's comments have a point.
Pete, who is originally from Liverpool but currently lives in Berlin, says the British attitude to cycling - and particularly about what to wear while on two wheels - is very different to the attitudes of our Continental cousins.
"If you go to other places in Europe - in Amsterdam, or Copenhagen, or here in Berlin - people are riding around in everyday clothing," he says.
"I think people in the UK see cycling as a sport rather than a means of transport," he says, adding: "I think it creates an image of cycling that is undesirable and unattainable."

He's right innit.

that ^ makes sense.

on a lighter note, if we are all honest, the only people who look nice in lycra are some women. sexist, yes, but honest. even women think that man, all men look ridiculous in lycra.

[quote=ooOOoo ]"If you go to other places in Europe - in Amsterdam, or Copenhagen, or here in Berlin - people are riding around in everyday clothing," he says.
They are when they are going about their "everyday" business but not when participating in sport/purely recreational cycling. The Euros are much more into lycra for mountain biking that we are in the UK.

Pedal around a large UK city and commuters are also in a variety of garbs. There's a lot less variation between the UK and the rest of Europe than many folk are trying to make out.

Well I've never seen anyone in Amsterdam in Lycra.

"In the UK, we are associating cycling with riding the Tour de France," he adds, "and it is making it seem much harder than it should be to a lot of people."

Interesting point as well

When I ride to work and around town, I wear my normal street clothes. When I am on my mountain bike, I wear baggy shorts over bibs, with a looser jersey. And when I ride road, I do so in Lycra.

In other words, I wear what works.

My commute to work is over 10 miles each way. I wear lycra on the commute and change at work ... baggies are just shite in comparison.

Also ... everyday clothes in british weather for riding that sort of distance? What planet do you live on? Have the right tools for the job.

I think Fabian Cancellara looks alright in Lycra, if that's not too sexist a comment
🙂

Nope I think he looks damn sexy TBH.

😆

so, Chris Hoy, rather than trying to be an ambassador for his sport, has infact, shown himself up to be a right ****

Well I've never seen anyone in Amsterdam in Lycra.

Perhaps those out on actual sporting bike rides aren't in the city, perhaps they are out on the roads. In Germany I saw lots of people going to the shops in normal clothes and lots of sporting cyclists wearing lycra.

Don't see a problem myself.

so, Chris Hoy, rather than trying to be an ambassador for his sport, has infact, shown himself up to be a right ****

U ok Hun?

Pretty sure he's saying no one looks good in Lycra, hardly the dick move of the year is it?

😀

[quote=cozz ]so, Chris Hoy, rather than trying to be an ambassador for his sport, has infact, shown himself up to be a right ****

FFS! The man was having a laugh. The problem is that too many folk have absolutely no sense of humour at all.

Perhaps those out on actual sporting bike rides aren't in the city, perhaps they are out on the roads. In Germany I saw lots of people going to the shops in normal clothes and lots of sporting cyclists wearing lycra.

Don't see a problem myself.

This - although I couldn't be bothered to type it out.

Better than looking like an over aged skateboarder and much more comfortable

What does this even mean. What's an over aged skateboarder? Rodney Mullen would like a word. I've never tried wearing an aged skateboarder though, so can't comment on the comfort, do they chafe?

I was at the local retail park thing on Saturday and saw a man, in Lycra, just walking around. He didn't even have a bike! He was wearing it for leisure purposes 😯

Some people just like to watch the world burn.

Well I've never seen anyone in Amsterdam in Lycra.

I've worn lycra in Amsterdam....and been paid to do so 😉

[quote=garage-dweller ]

Perhaps those out on actual sporting bike rides aren't in the city, perhaps they are out on the roads. In Germany I saw lots of people going to the shops in normal clothes and lots of sporting cyclists wearing lycra.
Don't see a problem myself.

@scotroutes I wasn't disagreeing with you (quite the contrary) although I am totally guilty in true STW fashion of only half reading your post on the way down the page then quoting the one more conveniently located just above from molgrips.

Edit. Balls now typed more than I would have done if I'd just repeated your and molgrips thoughts in slightly different words. 😳

[quote=garage-dweller ]@scotroutes I wasn't disagreeing with you I know [i]you[/i] weren't. I was more expressing my dismay at some folk's lack of comprehension. 😆

Who cares a toss if some poor soul is offended? If you are some fat knacker don't make the rest of us feel ill showing your bulges, especially if wearing team kit when your are not a team member.
I bet few here look at some flabby overweight cyclist bulging at the seams and think " that looks good" so why try and be all wonderful and pretend otherwise. A fat slob is a fat slob. A sleek athletic body is different. Bugger someone else's feelings.
Written by someone who could do with dropping a stone around the gut but wouldn't dream of wearing team kit.

I dunno, some people look brilliant whatever they wear

[img] [/img]

Wait, I don't mean brilliant, do I? Heroic?

One day I'll fit into those tights properly.

I'm pretty sure if you eat enough, everything can fit like lycra.

binners - Member
I'm 100% with Ton on this one. If you leave the house in Lycra, then you look like a sex offender. Seriously.... you do!

If your delusional lack of self-awareness means you're not prepared to accept this self-evident fact, then it's a public duty for other people... in this case Chris Hoy... to point it out to you. You don't look like a finely honed athlete, you look like a burst black pudding. A burst black pudding who thinks it's acceptable to show the world their nads. It isn't!

I am assuming your comment is tongue in cheek - if not, then sorry to hear about your insecurity issues.

Edit. Image linking fail.

From a female view point I think a man in lycra looks the least like a sex offender . . . In fact the only sex offender I can think of whose may have worn lycra is probably saville - but this isn't an image I have seen or would want in my head - I just know he was a cyclist.

I think more of shouty abusive men as sex offenders - not those who are happy to feel a little more exposed than normal if it means they can be comfortable riding.

Some people look great in it, some don't - but why worry when you are wearing it for practical reasons

Is that a mangina up there?

Is that a mangina up there?

Edited, too rude 😳

Instead of ridiculing those who are choosing to exercise, perhaps Mr Hoy would be better trying to encourage more people on to bikes?

At 5ft 10 and 11 stone I shall continue to wear Lycra whether Chris finds me attractive or not.

I bet few here look at some flabby overweight cyclist bulging at the seams and think " that looks good" so why try and be all wonderful and pretend otherwise.

It's not about whether someone looks good or not, it's about wearing what you want.

Personally, I feel sorry for Mamils. When they walk into a café dressed head-to-toe in Lycra, you'll always spot people s****ing at them. [b]And yet you don't know what that person looked like six months or even a year ago. It may be that they were once twice the size they are now until cycling transformed them and they feel great about how they look.[/b] Of course, that is the positive way of looking at it. The flipside is that [b]Lycra isn't the most elegant material[/b] you can wear and professional cycling gear generally looks awful on pretty much anyone heavier than eight stone and with more than five per cent body aerodynamic fat. But there is a better solution. For me, the most important consideration is to choose attire that is functional, but looks stylish too.

I've seen this covered by plenty of newspapers. I personally think when you read the GQ article itself it makes perfect sense. Lycra doesn't look great on 90% of people but thats probably not why they wear it.

even women think that man, all men look ridiculous in lycra.

You need to change you women friends. There have been compliments given to me when wearing lycra (a couple of years and stone ago now but compliments). Lycra is currently limited to under baggies while I get the fitness back.

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

You read all of the original article, in context, and it makes perfect sense?

Out. We don't want your kind in ere. We want out of context, clickbaity headlines with which we can start a witch hunt till we are no longer offended...

The flipside is that Lycra isn't the most elegant material you can wear and professional cycling gear generally looks awful on pretty much anyone heavier than eight stone and with more than five per cent body aerodynamic fat.

IMO it doesn't look that great on most bony-arsed pro cyclists either. So it's only really Sandwich who looks awesome. 🙂

I know BMI is bollocks but on the chart you'd have to be very short (5'4" or less) for a chap to weigh 8 stone and be 'healthy'. I thought most grand tour competitors are about 11 stone or so.

I think we can therefore conclude that reading between the lines what he meant was fit women look good in lycra. Men don't. I undertook a quick survey in my house this morning and my wife looks good in lycra and I don't so thats categorically proved he point.

I don't know. I wear mine even on the school drop off. As the mums all know that I race bikes, I like to think it perpetuates thier illusion that I'm an athlete.

😉

I have just ordered a Mario Cipollini muscle skin suit.
pictures posted in due course.

Kryton57 - Member
I don't know. I wear mine even on the school drop off. As the mums all know that I race bikes, I like to think it perpetuates thier illusion that I'm an athlete.

ton - Member
I have just ordered a Mario Cipollini muscle skin suit.
pictures posted in due course..

Proof that dreams can come true!

*retires to bedroom in anticipation*