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Tighty Whitey

05.02.2010 by Ray Niekamp // 14 Comments

Guest poster Jeff Hemmel tries a new look.

Today I rode in a white kit.

Not just a white shirt, not a colored outfit with some white accents, but a white kit — white jersey, white shorts, heck, I even had on white socks. What’s the big deal? I’m not quite sure, but I can tell you it was the most self-conscious 30 miles I’ve ever spent on a bike.

Jeff tries a white kit. What’s your take? Would you ride in this outfit?

Before this goes any further, let me clarify. No, I didn’t buy it. I’m working on a story on cycling gear, and Pearl Izumi sent this particular outfit. And truth be told, I really like it. The fabric is super comfortable, everything fits well, and the chamois is awesome.

So what’s the problem? I don’t know, but I just felt like, well …a poser. It was bad enough worrying about what people in their cars were thinking about a guy clad in a skintight white outfit, but the idea of coming upon another strong, legitimate cyclist? I was getting chills just thinking about it. (Well, not literal chills, but give me a little artistic license here.) As to what would happen had I needed to change a dirty tire or fix a greasy chain…I won’t even go there. The ridicule that would ensue should my tighty whiteys get slathered in grease might damage me for life.

So yes, the pressure was most definitely on. I skipped the call to a friend I ride with on weekday mornings and opted to go solo, I purposely chose a route where I wouldn’t see many people I knew in traffic, and I prayed I had timed everything right so that most people would be anywhere but on my intended route. If my name were Ted King or Mark Cavendish, I’d be wearing this outfit with pride. Heck, even if I was just the fast guy in the local club I might be confident enough to pull it off. But just Joe Average cyclist? I wasn’t worthy.

Silly? You tell me. I love the look of these outfits on the rack, or on pro race teams, but I just don’t think I could pull it off on a regular basis myself. Yeah, after a while I started to actually think I looked kind of cool, but don’t tell anybody, because I’ll deny it. My story is I was mortified…even if I did notice how tan and strong my legs looked offset by all that snowy white fabric.

Long story short, I love the gear, but I’ll probably mix-and-match from here on out. But I do have to admit, being the dude in the tighty whiteys did make me ride a little faster. Over the course of 30 miles, on a windy day with three bridges and three stoplights thrown into the mix, I averaged nearly 20 mph, probably an all-time best on this particular route when riding solo.

It’s amazing what a little embarrassment can do…

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Categories // Equipment, guest post Tags // bike shorts, jersey, team kit

Bibs & shorts – what to look for

05.14.2009 by Ray Niekamp // 15 Comments

Hot summer weather has returned to central Texas. My ride yesterday was in 93F heat, with a stiff southerly wind and a burning sun. After 18 miles, I was done in, and slept for an hour and a half after supper.

I don’t know if this had anything to do with it, but I wore my pair of bibs on the ride. In the past, I’ve complained about my bibs, mainly because I didn’t like the feel of the straps over my shoulders, and the mesh top added another layer of clothing, which on hot days didn’t help.

For the most part, I’m over those complaints. I’ll grab the bibs as quickly as any other pair of bottoms in the drawer. I guess I’ve gotten used to them, and the additional support I get around the midsection does feel better. Still, in hot weather they’re not my first choice, especially after the reminder I got yesterday.

Reader Don from California says he much prefers his bibs — but he has a problem. A seam in the chamois pad hardened up after the bibs were washed, and now causes him discomfort. He admits these bibs were inexpensive, and is now looking for a new, better pair. So he’s asking Bike Noob readers for advice: “If I were buying shorts or bibs for the first time, what should I look for?”

I’ll be the first to weigh in: go for quality. I have two pair of cheap Nashbar shorts. They’ve held together for almost two years, but the chamois on one pair is ripped along much of its seam, and the fabric on the other is losing its compression and bunching on the leg. I still wear them for rides of under an hour, but lately, I spend real money to buy my bottoms.

What else can we advise about bibs and shorts? What are the must-have features you look for?

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Categories // Accessories, Equipment Tags // bibs, bike shorts

Bibs or shorts?

09.03.2008 by Ray Niekamp // 9 Comments

From time to time, I have alluded to problems I have with my posterior region. Sometimes, my butt just plain gets sore when I ride. I’ve dealt with the problem by spending some real money and getting high quality biking shorts. And on Father’s Day, Mrs. Noob Pat gave me a pair of bibs.

Chatter on Bike Forums gives the nod to the bibs. People generally think they fit better and are overall more comfortable than regular shorts.

That’s not true for me.

My shorts and bibs are both by Pearl Izumi. Both have the same generous Race 3D chamois. But given the choice, I’ll pick the shorts over the bibs.

I still get the sore butt occasionally, but not as much as before. I get it with both the shorts and the bibs, so neither gets the nod for greater bottom comfort.

The mesh top and straps of the bibs do seem to add an extra layer to my clothing, and in the Texas summer heat, that can add to my riding discomfort (despite what I said about them in that earlier post). I’m not crazy about the way the straps feel over my shoulders. The bibs are supposed to have a slimming quality to them, but I’m not seeing it (Lose weight, fat boy!). And answering the call of nature while wearing bibs can be a real production. Better find a public john somewhere, because a lot of your kit will be undone in order to tend to business.

Anyway, I know I’m something of a maverick here, but that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. When it’s time to get a new pair of bottoms, they’ll be shorts — not bibs.

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Categories // Accessories Tags // bibs, bike shorts, sore butt

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