100miles without Lycra

I'm doing the ride 100 this summer and have never ridden in full lycra before. Is this a necessity for a ride like this.

Are there alternatives? Will I look odd with shorts over lycra on this ride?

If so can anyone point me in the direction of shorts that are not as baggy as mountain bike ones, but not as snug as lycra?

Thanks

Lycra's fine as long as you stay within a few meters of the bike at all times. Women will look at your cock but you get used to that.

get bib shorts and wear them under comfy jeans.

^that will get very hot and itchy. Jeans? U mad?

jorts then? I did my first century ride with bib shorts on under jeans.

I've done a 107-miler in jeans. You do notice the seams towards the end.

Get some nice linen shorts would be my choice, or else something synthetic and lightweight

ride naked.

Lycra's fine as long as you stay within a few meters of the bike at all times. Women Everybody will look at your cock but you get used to that.
.

How far have you ridden in your regular clothes?

If you are content with them so far, whos to say something will go awry when you hit 100miles?

Lycra's fine as long as you stay within a few meters of the bike at all times. Women will look at your cock but you get used to that.

Lyra also only seems to work if you are wearing cycling shoes, you look a bit of a prat otherwise.

just get some practice in whatever you choose to wear.
I like linen and linen-mix stuff in the summer (have done 80 miles in linen/cotton cheap uniqlo 3/4s) but some people hate it - it's a "hard" fabric so you have to watch out for unfortunate chafing especially if it gets wet (sweaty).
have you looked at rapha, swrve, vulpine etc for bike-specific but not full lycra?
you can also get padded or unpadded undershorts.

Lyra also only seems to work if you are wearing cycling shoes, you look a bit of a prat otherwise.

Don't laugh but i have these shoes, my first venture into clipless shoes

There's nothing wrong with those, the sole doesn't look particularly stiff though.

I have done a century without lycra, I have also done several with. Did I notice the difference? Not really, I was a bit sore after either way. Psychologically, I felt better about wearing lycra though. The point is you need to try it out for yourself and not ask everybody else, only you know what is comfortable for you!

For example, I just bought some Howies cycling trousers that I would happily cycle miles in with seamless underwear.

I recently got my cycling bib and was thinking are people gona be looking at my package but then just thought fuck it! I suppose if I was going on a really long ride and was going into cafes and stuff I might get some thing thing p.e style shorts just to I can walk about the shop without offending anyone with your bludge lol

Rapha touring shorts work quite nicely over bibs, but they're not cheap!

I've done a 107-miler in jeans. You do notice the seams towards the end of the first 20 miles or so.

ftfy

Honestly - get some cheap bibs with decent padding. Not going to be a particularly pleasant ride otherwise...

Marcel Planes, who did 332 century rides in 1911, without resorting to lycra.

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Yeah... and Tommy Godwin did 364 double centuries* in one year... and they must have both been in agony day and night
*averaged

ftfy

Honestly - get some cheap bibs with decent padding. Not going to be a particularly pleasant ride otherwise...

The bibs might be more uncomfortable that whatever he's used to. Really needs to try it out. Ive bought cycle clothing before and found certain aspects, too hot / seams or chafing in unwanted places made the cycling stuff worse than regular clothes.

Fair enough it was cheaper gear, and I barely ride far. But I dont think fancy lycra= automatic riding bliss.

Good point. I just honestly cannot see how 100 miles in jeans is going to go well. Almost anything but just jeans and it'd probably be doable.

If so can anyone point me in the direction of shorts that are not as baggy as mountain bike ones, but not as snug as lycra?

Thanks

I searched for this solution for a long time, then decide to MTFU and just wear the Lycra.

Alternatively, Bib's under normal shorts.

lycra with rapha touring shorts over the top

lycra with rapha touring shorts over the top

+1 to this.

Reaching into middle age, I can't help but think lycra is for the younger riders amongst us, although the sight of a mamil in white lycra shorts, does give me the motivation to pick up cadence and leave that image before nausea sets in.

On my first run of the 100 course (but only the south of the river), I made the mistake of wearing cotton boxers underneath my shorts (with tourings over the top - of course)...... NO ONE ELSE MAKE THIS MISTAKE ! It took a week to recover ! WILL ALWAYS GO COMMANDO UNDER SHORTS IN FUTURE!!!

Follow the advise from.... I think it was David Millar... and wash you shorts in shampoo, to make the chamois as soft as possible :)

Bib shorts with Swrve cigarette shorts usually, although I'll droop the Swrve's if its hot.

So only once so far this year.

For distance I'd want the padding a decent chamois gives you.