I've been a mountain biker for the last 15 years and a roadie for the last eight. I've worn tight Lycra shorts and tight jerseys for most of that time. When I went to Moab earlier this year, I found that I was the only person in the entire state of Utah wearing Lycra. As long as I didn't hang out in the bike shops too much, it wasn't a problem. When I got home from Moab I had learned to be more aware of what the locals wear.
I remembered this when it was time to pack for my first biking trip to Snowshoe, WV. I wasn't sure how much of a problem it would be to wear Lycra, but I was pretty sure the locals in rural West Virginia would not be wearing tight cycling garb. I started having nightmares of being dropped by my riding buddies, found by some locals, and being forced to reenact scenes from Deliverance. Out came the credit card and I soon had a new biking outfit. By the time I got to Snowshoe I was sporting baggy shorts and a motocross jersey, and seemed to fit in just fine.
While I was there, I learned that freeriding/downhilling is best done with platform pedals (not clipless pedals, which I had). I also learned that a 6'5" guy doesn't fit well on the vanilla rental bikes. After returning home, I purchased a new bike (with platform pedals), and I am now trying to get used to riding unclipped. Of course flat pedals don't work with hard-bottomed cycling shoes, so new shoes were ordered. Not just any new shoes...skate shoes! Yes I'm 34 years old and I ride my freeride bike in baggy shorts, motocross jerseys, and skate shoes (with skulls on them, no less).
As much of a transition as this has been for me to get used to, I'm learning that it's a much harder transition for the Lycra-clad guys I ride with on my local trails. This last fact was brought to light during my ride this weekend. After the initial laughter subsided and the jokes about the "High School kid I robbed on the way to the ride" were finished, I thought the worst was behind me. But that's when the subtle digs started; the sly comments about getting back home before curfew, or referring to me as 'kid' at every opportunity.
Honestly, it doesn't really bug me. I understand that it's all part of the growing pains that my riding buddies are going through as I morph into a totally awesome freeriding god!
I remembered this when it was time to pack for my first biking trip to Snowshoe, WV. I wasn't sure how much of a problem it would be to wear Lycra, but I was pretty sure the locals in rural West Virginia would not be wearing tight cycling garb. I started having nightmares of being dropped by my riding buddies, found by some locals, and being forced to reenact scenes from Deliverance. Out came the credit card and I soon had a new biking outfit. By the time I got to Snowshoe I was sporting baggy shorts and a motocross jersey, and seemed to fit in just fine.
While I was there, I learned that freeriding/downhilling is best done with platform pedals (not clipless pedals, which I had). I also learned that a 6'5" guy doesn't fit well on the vanilla rental bikes. After returning home, I purchased a new bike (with platform pedals), and I am now trying to get used to riding unclipped. Of course flat pedals don't work with hard-bottomed cycling shoes, so new shoes were ordered. Not just any new shoes...skate shoes! Yes I'm 34 years old and I ride my freeride bike in baggy shorts, motocross jerseys, and skate shoes (with skulls on them, no less).
As much of a transition as this has been for me to get used to, I'm learning that it's a much harder transition for the Lycra-clad guys I ride with on my local trails. This last fact was brought to light during my ride this weekend. After the initial laughter subsided and the jokes about the "High School kid I robbed on the way to the ride" were finished, I thought the worst was behind me. But that's when the subtle digs started; the sly comments about getting back home before curfew, or referring to me as 'kid' at every opportunity.
Honestly, it doesn't really bug me. I understand that it's all part of the growing pains that my riding buddies are going through as I morph into a totally awesome freeriding god!
