• Poetry
  • Bicycling
    • Bicycle Touring
    • Seattle to Banff 2002
  • Exploring
    • Northwesting
  • Living
    • Gardening
  • Art & Community
    • Art Projects
  • Favorite Things
  • Poetry
  • Bicycling
    • Bicycle Touring
    • Seattle to Banff 2002
  • Exploring
    • Northwesting
  • Living
    • Gardening
  • Art & Community
    • Art Projects
  • Favorite Things

Sex Kitten in Redmond

28 Aug ’09

Velodrome


Fat people look like hell in Lycra. I should know. Every bulge, roll, and unsightly pudge on my over-sized body is often squeezed into my stinky kit. People gawk and stare, and occasionally ask why I wear such unsightly clothes. It’s the extra pockets, the padding, the moisture wicking, I’ll stammer. They gape back, unconvinced.

Over the last 5 years, I’ve tried a variety of get-ups for my riding comfort and type of riding I tend to do: slow, many stops for pictures and explorations, all day, all conditions. I’m also a man that doesn’t like to many costume changes or closets bulging with clothes I need to consider when I haven’t had my morning coffee.

I’ve tried wool t-shirts, wool jerseys, team gear, pad inserts, padded baggies, street shoes, bicycle shoes, thick socks, thin. It’s a process.

Here’s what I’ve come down to on my need for bicycle clothes: no flapping in the wind, staying dry despite my sweating like a proverbial pig, plenty of pockets to store my stuff (a jacket, a bite to eat) and I can wear it several days in a row without washing it. I ought to be able wear it without feeling like a kook in the grocery store.

Two days ago, I rode a pleasant 75 mile loop around Lake Washington. It was sunny, but there was a hint of the upcoming fall in the morning air and a chill breeze in the shade. I was wearing my recently arrived Rapha long sleeve jersey; a soft merino wool with fine details, decent weight, and a smart fit.

Not cheap, I’ve been justifying the cost by telling folks that it’s suitable for a man of my stature. And that’s the truth. While it can’t hide the fact that I’m a big guy with some weight to loose, it turned heads and was flattering. It’s been a long time since I’ve been on my bike feeling sexy. Audacious, sure. Tough, yes. Cheeky, yep. But sexy? No, not in ages. That changed on Wednesday.

Velodrome
Renton Airport
Lunch at Pomegrante

Plywood Supply
First Potatoes
That’s Bengal Tiger to You!

Bicycling GearProduct Review
Share

Bicycling

You might also like

Time for New Cleats
16 May ’12
Rapha: A Product Review
22 Apr ’10
Pleasure of Fresh Tape
29 Mar ’09

4 Comments


Victor Chudnovsky
28 Aug ’09 at 1:17 pm
Reply

That’s a very sexy picture of you!



    Knox Gardner
    28 Aug ’09 at 1:20 pm
    Reply

    Sure, sure…just like all the other pictures of me!

todd
29 Aug ’09 at 8:45 am
Reply

Hubba hubba



Rapha: A Product Review – Knox Gardner
22 Apr ’10 at 10:58 am
Reply

[…] traveling with not much specialized clothing, just stuff that works. It’s easy to clean. It looks good (enough). It’s […]



Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  • Hear a Poem: Autumn Almost

    http://knoxgardner.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Four-Autumn.mp3
  • See a Film: The Bed and Buckskin

    https://youtu.be/vUM9c78EIRM



© Copyright Knox Gardner 2004-2021