dorky cycling tans

jitteringjr said:

I can deal with the "farmer" tan on my arms and neck. I can even deal with the tan line across my thighs. However, I now have a tan circle from my cycling gloves above the velcro where the sun hits and otherwise white hands.

I think this looks dorky as heck when I'm off the bike. What does everyone else think about tan lines and what do you do to prevent them, if anything?

Personally i think it looks cool, from a riders perspective. With the groups i ride with they all see the tan lines a sign of deadication. 😄

Get the fancy gloves without the hole, like the Castellis.

When I finally had my "paws" every season, I would know that I was finally getting enough miles under my belt ............ 😉

But then I would ride shorter days without the gloves to even it out. It does look a little wierd after awhile .........

I wear mine like a boy scout patch. Someone ask, I tell them.

jcjordan said:

Personally i think it looks cool, from a riders perspective. With the groups i ride with they all see the tan lines a sign of deadication. 😄

Yep I agree, when you get a helmet strap tan you know you've been doing enough miles 😎

cheers

I look at the tan lines as a secret inter-cyclist symbol. Non-cyclists have no clue why you have bizarre tan-lines, but when you see another cyclist on the street, you don't even need to speak a word... there is just an automatic unspoken respect 🙂

I see my tan lines as battle scars!! I love them! And they're a lot better than those dorky golf tans!!

hahahaha! I have the rider's tan too. Most people don't notice it unless I pull up my shirt sleeves. Some of the people in my car club poke fun at me about it, but I usually point out that I ride more miles in a weekend than they usually drive 😉

jitteringjr said:

I can deal with the "farmer" tan on my arms and neck. I can even deal with the tan line across my thighs. However, I now have a tan circle from my cycling gloves above the velcro where the sun hits and otherwise white hands.

I think this looks dorky as heck when I'm off the bike. What does everyone else think about tan lines and what do you do to prevent them, if anything?

why dont youn just ride without gloves? thats what i do. 🙂

I dunno about anyone else, but gloves mean a lot to me, and it's not just the padding. They keep my hand from slipping off the bars, and they're useful for wiping sweat away. They also provide extra protection in case of a fall.

I like wearing gloves too, and I get the tan lines across my wrists despite wearing sunscreen. It's a bit freakish-looking, but I'm OK with that.

starship said:

I wear mine like a boy scout patch. Someone ask, I tell them.

I had a kid sitting next to me in church one Sunday when I used to wear gloves that left big ole tan marks cause of the holes on the back. He pointed to my left hand and ask why I had the mark. I held my right hand next to it, and said "So it can match THIS hand. Now pay attention!" LOL

I *love* my dorky tan lines!! If you think you've got it bad, take a good close look at Rubiera or Beltan or Azevado next time they interview them. Those aren't dirt smudges on their foreheads.

What's so dorky about this? 😉 I tried to get rid of them when I stopped riding, but as soon as I started again, they came back with a vengeance.

It's a mark of the sport like shaved legs and oversize quads. If you like the sport then I think you accept it as something you've earned. Certainly nothing to be ashamed about. You only get teased by non-cyclists who immediately change their tune when the try to conceive of putting in the miles you do on a bike.

To me it's better to have an "earned" tan, even if it's a bit patchy than one of those all-over even tans from lounging in a tanning booth or slowly roasting on the beach to asure that your all-over tan is even and without lines. That's just lazy vanity.

Did anyone see Tyler's arms when he retired from this year's Tour? If it's good enough for Tyler, Amrstrong and the rest, then it should be more than good enough for us little wannabees.
🙂