I well know about the problems of appearances and cycling. I love the lycra jersey because it's easy to take care of, has nice pockets, is readily available in all styles and colors to suit my various bikes, and because recent editions of the fabric absorb perspiration and evaporate it off quickly. I don't like the acrylic jerseys much because they stink, hold moisture and are difficult to get (relatively). I've tried the best of the Merino Wool and it's better in some ways and less good in others. It's expensive, is a tad itchy and I worry that I might muck up something so valuable. As a rule I won't wear modern jerseys that have modern advertisements on them, because that's where I draw the line. I don't care a lick about Liquigas or Credit Agricole but for some odd reason I will wear a Moltini era Jersey even though I don't eat dairy cheese or sausage or drink Cinzano. I wear mostly modern cotton biking shorts which are exactly like the modern lycra ones but they are a plain grey which is a color that goes with any motif. For years I wondered why the "in" cyclists that predominate around here ignored me or were unfriendly, since I don't send bad vibes towards the carbon fibered bunch who wear neon billboards and use brifters. To me we are all cyclists, enjoying the ride or testing our limits. Now that I am as fast as many of the fast "in" cyclists, they seem to be more friendly to me. To me this is dumb, but I'll take a friendly smile where I can get it. They know I'm different by my clothes and my bikes but they give me the nod because I'm up there with them taking my place in the group, holding my line, signaling for broken glass, and conversing in two languages. You see, it was a performance standard that I wasn't measuring up to. I still think that that's a bit dumb because in my heart I always desired to cooperate, be friendly and I never snubbed anyone else for doing something more conformist or up to date. It's still about lungs and legs and technique to me... why make such harsh demands on our fellow citizens for acting out their own special individuality? Miami is a big place and I also have found friends that I ride with on recovery days who ride slow, talk a lot about everything and ride old bikes by choice, not just because they can't afford something more pricey. We are united by so much and divided by such minutae. No matter what you ride, standing on the side of the road fixing a flat, we remember we are one.
Garth Libre in Miami Fl. USA (North America)