Hello, yes I am a MAMIL (Middle Aged Man In Lycra). What started as a way to get fit soon turned into a blemish on my social standings with my mates, and a cause of embarrassment to my young daughters. Wearing lycra in public wasn’t my preferred dress code, but I soon found an appreciation for the questionable fashion option.
With a new found passion for cycling I found my limitations quickly with my hardtail mountain bike, and I started looking for a road bike to increase my riding options. From a lengthy search for a suitable bike I ended up choosing a Azzurri Primo which was available at an entry level bike price but fitted with higher spec components. The purchase of the new road bike also prompted the need for new riding attire, the previously ridiculed lycra. Having spent time riding in the socially acceptable mountain bike clothing, the decision to purchase lycra wasn’t taken lightly. After checking a few options I took the plunge and purchased my first kit.
The first day I decided to head out on the road bike was one filled with nerves. Suddenly I was out on the road wearing skin tight clothing, traveling at speeds downhill equivalent to those cars were legally allowed to perform all on tyres under an inch wide. Needless to say the adrenaline junkie in me was finding the new experience exhilarating, but modesty was still an issue. Although I was confident enough as a rider, my feelings of exposure as a MAMIL was heightened by the lack of concealment for all the lumps and bumps of my body. The goal to reduce my body weight was also going to be part of the solution to my embarrassment.
From discussions with a few friends and time spent on chat boards I was able to get tips on how to improve my riding experience. With the purchase of better gear and increased time in the saddle I became more comfortable in my MAMIL status and looked forward to the opportunity to get out on the weekends for a ride. Either riding solo or with a group of mates I was finding the rides therapeutic with a good opportunity to clear my head on the open roads. With the increased riding time, my distances were starting to stretch to previously incomprehensible distances. A 60-70km ride was becoming a regular way to spend my Sunday mornings.
After some encouragement of a workmate we signed up and trained for a charity ride of 120kms, something less than 6 months earlier I couldn’t fathom the logistics of, let alone the ability to complete. When the day of the ride arrived I felt like I had turned a corner and become one with the group as we all set off and completed the challenge. The feeling of accomplishment was high and being amongst around a thousand of my MAMIL brethren I finally felt I belonged within the group. My initial inhibitions gone I was now able to walk in public (back to my car at least) wearing my lycra with my head held high, much to my daughters disgust.
Sometimes it’s difficult to make the unpopular choice, to go against your mates and open yourself to their ridicule, but as I stand here now I can proudly say that yes, I am a MAMIL, and hopefully you can understand why.