How tight should lycra be?

The Ron Hill bikesters thread inspired me to ask…

Should it be tight enough that you lose balance if you attempt to pull bib tights on standing up?

Should lycra feel tight enough that it feels like every one of my leg hairs is being tugged upwards?

Just asking as I got my once-a-year-only bib tights out because it was cold the other day and both pairs of my Endura legging things were in the wash. The bibs are Lusso. It was either them or some equally uncomfortably tight and difficult to pull on DHB tights. I hate them both equally.

I’m guessing the bunching behind the knees is due to buying cheap. I actually started to wonder if I’d bought the womens Lusso bib tights as there’s no acknowledgement of manhood to their design whatsoever.

The Endura legging things which are probably as equally unfashionable as the Ron Hills are comfortable. I will be looking at skinny tracksuits or similar to replace them soon I think.

Any wrinkles or bunching means it’s too big.

So even tighter :gulp: ?

If it starts do go thin and see through, it’s too tight.

Any wrinkles or bunching means it’s too big.

Or they are cut poorly or you have odd physique.

Fwiw, my expensive Endura winter bibs are snug on thighs and calves, Uber snug on belly (ahem), but bunch a little behind the knee.

Tight enough to cut off the circulation to your manhood…so you get a sudden rush of blood when you take your Lycra off at the end of your ride 😉

If it hurts to put them on then I suspect you could do with a larger size.
I’m constantly surprised by the poor cut of so much cycle clothing.

Just tight enough to not be baggy, fit is most important and you can’t make up for poor fit by buying small and hoping it stretches!

Thanks some of this seems to go with my feeling they’re too small overall. The legs on the bibs however are too long while also being too tight and the shoulder straps feel compressive!

It’s been a few years since I bought any. Not sure it’s even lycra to be honest.

Do the shoulder straps feel compressive when stood up, or when in a riding position?

Being stood up the shoulder straps should feel a bit compressive. I’m a bit of a shortie so for my lycra leggings I have to hoik them up, starting from the calf, should give you a bit more room up top.
Takes a few moments to pull the material all the way up.
(I’m 5 foot 8 and a size small)
When you’re in the riding position it should feel fine, shouldn’t be compressive. When your stood up you should feel slightly hunched, but nothing majorly uncomfortable.

Tight enough that there’s few creases. It may feel odd when stood up as it’ll fit best when in a cycling position.

Should lycra feel tight enough that it feels like every one of my leg hairs is being tugged upwards?

Well, any self respecting cyclist won’t have leg hair so this point is irrelevant…

Lusso kit is fantastic but is cut for those of us with can I say a roads cyclists physique while Endura kit is perhaps more adapted for those perhaps who might ride ebikes while eating pies 🙂

I buy more Lusso kit than from anyone else but it fits me really well and is far better put together than anything I’ve had from Endura. You just have to find what works for you though. Bib tights are probably the hardest thing to get right as they have to fit more of your body than anything else so more places for problems

Do the shoulder straps feel compressive when stood up, or when in a riding position?

Two of my bibs you barely notice the shoulder straps. A third set of Galibier I do when stood, but as soon as I’m on the bike I can feel they sort of slide back a touch and then don’t pull at all.

Lycra needs to be tight enough to enrage daily mail readers!

my howies bib shorts are a bloody nightmare to get on and make you think they are too tight but are actually pery comfortable when on. I am sad they no longer make them

Lusso stuff is good.

But I think it’s continental sizing, so I’m a medium in most MTB clobber but large in Lusso bibs.

Joe Pasquale tight

The only bunching I get on my tights is on the ankles a bit as one leg length kit tends to be a bit long for me.  My tights are Rapha (Core) and Gore, I do find these fit better than cheaper kit I’ve had previously.

Do the shoulder straps feel compressive when stood up, or when in a riding position?

My Castelli bibs feel too tight at the shoulder when standing, but are spot on when riding.

Lusso stuff is good.

But I think it’s continental sizing, so I’m a medium in most MTB clobber but large in Lusso bibs.

My Lusso bibshorts are a few years old, but they’re definitely not Italian sizing. I’m a medium in those and a large in Castelli.

it should be tight enough so your flubber bulges out over the top.  the “burst sausage” look is a good one for mamils

top tip right there

As per TJ, translucent round the gut, saggy gusset and preferably a few burst seams round the posterior revealing little islands of milk bottle white flesh.

Fluorescent helmet cover to finish the look

This tight

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CZOeNz7uNG5/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

It should feel like you’re wearing nothing at all…nothing at all.

Also, because of the length of the fabric involved from tip to toe, bib longs seem to suffer more from shrinkage from repeated washing. At least thats what I tell myself each year as they get tighter…Getting sizing right is hard on bib longs, currently have Rapha Classic in medium, Gore in Large and Castelli in XL – which all fit about the same. They are soft and easy to get on/off, not as you describe. I don’t buy full windproof tights as thats like trying to pedal in a wetsuit. The Gore ones are the best of these, just the C3’s – 35% off on Chainreactions, bargain – and have the windproof front cup to keep ‘lil Jim and the twins in their happy zone…

There were a few pics I expected to see posted on this thread, and the one above was top of the list 🙂

Tight enough that it doesn’t move around, especially the pad as that just leads to chaffage

It should feel like you’re wearing nothing at all…nothing at all.

Stupid sexy STW members.

It should feel like you’re wearing nothing at all…nothing at all.

30 minutes into your morning commute, when you finally wake up, you sometimes have to look down to check if you put your tights on or are naked from the waist down.

There were a few pics I expected to see posted on this thread, and the one above was top of the list 🙂

Me too, although that picture is pretty risky in this modern day and age – fattist etc.

Apparently he was the local mayor, dressing up to show pride in the TdF coming through his town / village.

Definitely not baggy, but not so tight your riding buddies can tell if you’re anteater or mushroom …

There were a few pics I expected to see posted on this thread, and the one above was top of the list

Was this another one?

Surely it should be the incomparable Biker fox?

Tight enough to cut off the circulation to your manhood

Well certainly tight enough to stop it flopping around. Also for the pad to stay in place when standing. I’m 5’7″ Castelli small does the trick, Endura small is baggy, pad flaps around when stood up, yuk.

Surely it should be the incomparable Biker fox?

Completely forgot about him!

They should be skin hugging but still have plenty of stretch left. If they are hard to get on then they are too tight.

A lot of European brands or those with ‘pro’ aspirations are cut purely for skinny climber type roadies. If you have a decent arse then they will be too tight. I have this problem with a lot of trousers and with roadie Lycra as well. Although, Assos tend to be stretchy enough to fit but I need XL or even XXL in them, whereas L is my size in say Endura (usually, it’s a bit of a lottery with them). British or American brands tend to work a lot better for me.

If you can get the tackle out and have a slash over the top of the bib without bending over to put some slack in they are to loose/long. Now Idea if this will work for ladies!
If you can find anything to have a slash with in the winter then they are warmer than most.
In those situation, I wonder if Rapha have done a chain yet? Pierce the navel and the foreskin, joint them with a chain and in the winter follow the chain down to the bit you need. Or just yank and you’ll know where it is!