I’m now the owner of a road bike.

I’m becoming everything I hated. I just don’t know who I am any more.

There won’t be any lycra going on, obviously (nobody deserves to see that), but is this a natural side-effect of the ageing process that you just have to accept?

There won’t be any lycra going on, obviously (nobody deserves to see that),

They all say that…

I had one in my 40’s, after being knocked off 3 times I sold it.

60 now and won’t be going back 🙂

E bike in a few years time, after ridiculing them mercilessly in the past.

This is how it starts!

Once you realise how quickly you can get out and back and you don’t need to clean your bike abd kit and drive then it all makes sense.

Then you decide that you need road cycling kit and none of your mtb kit is suitable.

Then you get into marginal gains and before you know, you’ve gone full pkw and everybody knows you should never go full pkw

Happened to me 6/7 years ago. Swore I wouldn’t wear Lycra. Obvs, now I won’t ride on the road without it..

They all say that…

There really won’t. I’m possessed with enough self-awareness not to leave the house looking like a sex offender.

I don’t eat cake either

And all rides will still be ending at the pub, not a coffee shop

I’m not really cut out for this, am I?

I put some road tyres on my gravel bike, (for the turbo trainer ;))

I did consider buying a road bike to be honest, then realised that I much prefer riding off the beaten track and doing silly stuff, so I bought a Stanton Frame and I’m building that into a bike instead.

My wife bought me one. Quite a nice one. I was trying to keep up with her on my mtb, it didnt take long before that was not possible.

I hate riding it on UK roads, too much traffic and crap road conditions. Even in the Cotswolds its only just OK. God knows how people put up with the traffic in busier parts of the UK. However, we did some riding in the Dolomites and Corsica and it was good there. Empty roads, climbs that took 4 hrs and views that were amazing.

But I would rather ride my MTB. I enjoy spending the time with my wife riding and its a good alternative to the spin bike when the off road trails are under water.

But I still ride in baggies and often take my camelbak.

If my wife didnt have a road bike then I wouldnt be riding one.

Yes… but only VERY short term… I’ve owned 4 now…

I’ve never done more than 5 rides on any of them before selling.

I don’t mind riding on the roads, i don’t mind long road rides, i don’t mind traffic.

I bloody hate riding road bikes though.

Nowdays it’s a HT on semi slicks and baggies 🙂

I was expecting an Al Bundy thread.

The ageing process takes a terrible toll on us. MrsPJM assures me that if I turn a bit Daily Mail with age she’ll book me in to one of those nice weekend breaks in Switzerland, apparently I don’t need to pay for a return ticket.

I’m not sure how to bring up the subject of road bikes with her though.

You will look more of an idiot in baggies on a road bike than you will in lycra 🙂

You will look more of an idiot in baggies on a road bike than you will in lycra

That’s open to opinion for sure.

@binners the roads around Rammy are not great for road biking right now – not just the degraded surface, but more the 18 inch wide strip of deep leaf and runoff goo in every gutter narrowing the road and the clearance for traffic. Let Spring come round before you judge.

And the answer to your title question is “yes” (assuming you are asking whether everyone who gets a road bike and swears off lycra caves in eventually).

You will look more of an idiot in baggies on a road bike than you will in lycra

I seriously doubt that Molls.

I don’t care, anyway. I’m not leaving the house wearing lycra. Simple as that. I don’t think anyone should, if I’m honest. In fact, in a lot of cases it should be a criminal offence

51 now – have never ridden a road bike and never will. Mtb, singlespeed, ebikes all good with me – but road bike – just not my cup of tea I’m afraid… Good luck to you though if it will increase your enjoyment all’s good!

I tried lycra. I felt like I was in a dream, the sort of dream you have where you turn up to work in your underpants as you forgot to put your trousers on.

Also, they have no pockets. So I had to bring my camelbak along.

The whole aero thing makes me laugh. You can spend loads on a road bike where they make it all aero, even the wheels and spokes. Forgetting that there is a fat un-aerodynamic middle aged bloke sat ontop of it.

@savoyad – I’ll bear that in mind, cheers. I’m planning on using it for the commute as I’m working over in Horwich at the moment. Not in any mad rush to start, to be honest. I was planning on waiting until we’ve a bit more light, as I’m not keen on the idea of riding on the roads in the dark, given the percentage of absolute bell ends in cars who’s stupidity could potentially kill me

I’m not leaving the house wearing lycra. Simple as that.

Trans. I will only wear lycra on the turbo to start with.

No and I cant see it happening, our daughter wanted a gravel bike so had to buy her own and its not stored with the proper bikes. 😉

Gravel bikes provide the alternative 🙂
Also never seen in lycra, but still people make hilarious jokes about it! Cyclist! Lycra! HAHAHA! It’s a wonderful world full of wonderful people! I’m delirious.

You won’t like it – you have to stay on the left…….

I love riding a road bike*, I just don’t like riding them very much on roads near where I live, I.a. in Leeds. Lakes, Yorkshire Dales, Peaks, Alps, Pyrenees it’s amazing. Especially on a warm summers day. Lycra is sooo comfy as well. Even for my 43 year old, 100kg, 36″ waist frame….

My commute will stay predominantly off road on my gravel bike though. Still nice and fast but much less nob heads.

*MTB will always be best though.

However, we did some riding in the Dolomites and Corsica and it was good there.

I’ve only driven, not ridden, in Corsica, but even from inside a tin box the native driving was pretty terrifying.

Lovely roads, proper scary drivers.

road tyres on my gravel bike

denial

I’ve got into it increasingly over the last year or so. Mainly for the convenience and general fitness, but I do enjoy taking the bike to the lakes or bowland and doing a big day out as well.

No need for lycra, got some well fitting baggies (plenty of pockets) and a padded under short, perfectly comfortable and don’t flap about. A close fitting top is a good idea though.

I have just ordered some SPD’s though, don’t know how I’m going to get on with them having never ridden clipped in.

Plus I’ve entered the ronde van calderdale 😲 Bitten off more than i can chew there I reckon.

I tried lycra. I felt like I was in a dream, the sort of dream you have where you turn up to work in your underpants as you forgot to put your trousers on.

Also, they have no pockets. So I had to bring my camelbak along.

Pockets are in the jersey, and that’s the perfect place for them. You’re not carrying much anyway.

Lycra is the right tool for the job. It take time have the confidence to stroll into pubs and cafes wearing it, I’ll give you that, but eventually, if you ride road enough, you’ll succumb, and then you’ll start to question why you don’t wear it on the MTB.

Welcome to the dark side.

Go ride a bike on roads or paths, or trails. Don’t concern yourself over what the bike is called, or what you’re wearing as long as its comfortable and keeps you dry/warm/protected.

All the rest is just about how you view yourself by comparison to other people. It’s nonsense. Ride fast and far, or bimble and dawdle. Your choice to make, on a different day.

I have bikes. Lots of bikes. Thin tyres, big tyres, suspension or not. A bike for all occasions: they’re all still just a bike.

No and I cant see it happening, our daughter wanted a gravel bike so had to buy her own and its not stored with the proper bikes. 😉
Posted 26 minutes ago

Proper lol!

It take time have the confidence to stroll into pubs and cafes wearing it, I’ll give you that, but eventually, if you ride road enough, you’ll succumb, and then you’ll start to question why you don’t wear it on the MTB.

He probably rides an aero bike though.

and then you’ll start to question why you don’t wear it on the MTB.

No, I really won’t.

you’ll succumb, and then you’ll start to question why you don’t wear it on the MTB.

Nope, never have never will.
Once upon a time we all used to think clips & straps, caliper brakes, skinny wheels, long stems, QRs… etc etc etc were suitable for MTBing too..

You can spend loads on a road bike where they make it all aero, even the wheels and spokes. Forgetting that there is a fat un-aerodynamic middle aged bloke sat on top of it.

I know this is all being discussed in a light-hearted way, but I think the whole point is that those of us whose body shape contradicts the function of the beautiful aero bike between our legs, keep using the bike until there is no longer any contradiction.

If it wasn’t for my road bike(s), I would be seriously obese. When my dad died in 2015, I was 95kgs. And while I am again too heavy for my liking (85kgs), the bike has meant I have been a svelte 76kgs. And when I am at that low on the scales, I don’t feel at all embarrassed in lycra.

Surely that’s the whole point of gravel bikes. You can buy yourself a road bike but still kid yourself that you are a gnarly off road dude at heart because just occasionally you leave the road for a moment. Worked for me anyway 🙂

I’m about as likely to leave the house in a ball gown as lycra roady gear. It’s just not happening, because I’d look equally as ridiculous in both

Get ready to be shocked at how hard a road bike is to pedal uphill

Then you get into marginal gains and before you know, you’ve gone full pkw

I’ve never associated pkw with marginal gains.

Anyway, you’ll be clad in lycra as soon as you realise how flappy MTB gear is at road speeds, and how pointless it is to pretend you still identify as a roadie.

Footnote: ‘PKW’ is?

Binners, I feel exactly the same. I’m picking up my first road bike at the weekend, I’ve not told my riding buddies yet and am wondering how long I can keep it from them. Or if they’ll still associate with me after the discovery. I wouldn’t blame them.

Definitely with you on the lycra, at least they’ll be 2 of us in baggies out there