I'm a large man, and don't particularly care for close fitting clothing either. That said, 




Bibs.



They might be under baggies 90% of the time, but it's IMPOSSIBLE to beat a pair of well fitting bibs.

Robert C. wrote on 04/20/17 at 4:33pm:

That works, more hate for that place than 29ers anyway

seems to me, the hate stems from the hate of roadies and mtbers that wear spandex remind folks of roadies.  I don't know if that's because people here don't know how to share the road with bikers and thus they hate them from the perspective of a driver or if it's a normal road vs. mtb rivalry.  I do both and most of my friends do also.  After riding many miles on the road, I find roadies to be easier to approach and get along with than most mtbers.  we seem to be a fickle bunch.

It's hot as heck here 6 months a year, why would you want an extra layer of clothing on? Besides the only one seeing me in the woods are other mtbers it's not like I walk around town in the diaper. As for the jersey, that zipper in the front is awesome in the summer,. I also have 3 jerseys I cut the sleeves off of, keep the zipper open and the winds flows right through and out the sleeves holes. Plus pockets are good

To me it makes more sense to wear the spandex and jersey. Functionality over fashion 

Time difference between spandex and baggy, would be fun.

On a side note, why don't Roadies use hydration packs? Drag isn't a reason because I'm sure multiple water bottles(and cages) on the frame induce similar parasitic drag and weight can't be it either. Surely it more practical to have a 1.5-3 liter bag on you than having to stop everytime you need a drink.

Sierra I assume you have never ridden a road bike with a camelbak - as someone whose made that mistake, as soon as you get a good headwind with that thing on you won't wear it again.

Sierra_bravo wrote on 04/24/17 at 11:11am:


Riding a roadbike into a headwind with a camelbak on definitely catches the wind a lot, I can tell you from experience. 

The other big reason is heat, and the hotspot it creates on your back and the shoulder straps. With you being leaned forward in a low road position, wind rolls off your shoulders and down your back helping to cool you. With a pack or backpack on you totally lose that benefit, plus the straps are uncomfortable when bent over like that for long periods of time. 

Another thing, depending on the size of the camelbak, is that it makes it hard to get anything out of the rear pockets. A major benefit of jerseys are those pockets, so if you cover them with a pack it defeats the purpose.

Sierra_bravo wrote on 04/24/17 at 11:11am:


There is little (if any) upside to wearing a pack. A road bike can hold two 25oz bottles. Those two bottles are in the slipstream of the bike, so there is minimal additional drag. Two 25 oz bottles can last 2+ hours on a bike. Roadies don't stop for a drink, only to reload the bottles at a store or spigot.

Given the forward positioning of the body at 18-25 mph speeds, a bag on the back is not comfortable.

Sierra_bravo wrote on 04/24/17 at 11:11am:


Yea it's annoying every time I need a drink on the roadie I have to stop, kills all the momentum.