6/12    I'm a new cyclist and I'm thinking about wearing spandex and tight
        shirts to be more comfortable. However, I'm a bit conscious about my
        looks. I'm a lot skinnier than the guy below and I'd look really
        weird with cycling clothes. Men will laugh at me and my peers
        will be disgusted by my new looks. What do you guys do to overcome
        this psychological hurdle?
        http://www.roadcyclinguk.com/news/images/rasmussen.jpg
        \_ We are the cyclists.  The intermediate stage between humans and pure\
           energy.  I see you are driving a "car". We have dispensed with such
           primitive modes of transport.  All we require are our bicycles, our
           shiny helmets, our burex shorts, and the tarmac surface paid for by
           billions of dollars from your road taxes.  But now we must go, for
           altho the lights are still red, mere rules do not apply to us.
        \_ Boring troll, but +1 for originality.
        \_ The biking outfits, especially the more revealing colors, are
           awfully gay -- not that there's anything wrong with that!
        \_ What are you trying to accomplish?  There are plenty of cycling
           clothes which look "normal" if that's what you're concerned
           about.  See Rivendell for wool jerseys, and there are a number
           of good lined baggy shorts.  Edit to add: I ride almost
           exclusively in cotton t-shirts.  Thousands of miles.  -tom
        \_ Get over it.  You only need to worry if your a big fatty.
           \_ Or if you don't know the difference between "your" and "you're".
              \_ I propose we deport all the immigrants who cannot
                 write English properly.
                 \_ What do we do with the natives who cannot write English
                    properly?
                    \_ We ship them to back to Texas.
        \_ I don't care if you're a fatty or if you're a magnificent human
           specimen in top physical shape: please don't get the
           super-tight-package-emphasizing pants some of my coworkers have.
           they are the cyclist equivalent of speedos. If you are a
           professional biker/swimmer and it helps your performance it's
           justifiable, but otherwise no one wants to see it.  -soda gal
           \_ Bike shorts aren't about improving performance.  The point is
              that they don't chafe.  Try going for a fifty mile bike ride
              wearing normal shorts and underwear and see if it's an experience
              you'd like to repeat.  Why do your coworkers' bike clothes
              bother you?  Come to think of it, I used to have a coworker
              who wore bike shorts to the office every day just because he
              liked them (he didn't bike).  That was just weird.
              \_  We are the cyclists, and we are many.  our prime directive
                  is to protect the environment. Everything we purchase is
                  eco friendly apart from our  lycra clothes which are made in
                  a sweat shop in China.  Leader, we must return to the hive!
              \_ I do that. I like the ones with a big chamois so it looks
                 like I have a diaper underneath or something. Then I give
                 myself a half-boner and hang out by the coffee machine
                 chatting. I also have very hairy legs.
                 Ok I don't do that. People need to bring some normal
                 shorts to slip on if they're gonna wear those.
              \_ If comfort is the issue, try:
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=19825&subcategory_ID=1122
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=22291&subcategory_ID=1110
                 Fairly inexpensive, effective, and you won't look like an
                 alien wearing them.  -tom
           \_ Are you a lesbian? You don't want to see hot guys in speedos
              or tight bicycle shorts?
              \_ That is not a sign of lesbianism.  It is a sign of good taste.
                 \_ We are the cyclists.  The most energy efficient beings on
                    the planet Everything we do aimed at conserving the earth's
                    resources. Altho the construction of our tungsten graphite
                    bicycles emitted 14,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide, mine
                    bicycles emitted 14,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide,mine
                    is red.