Hoy calls time on Lycra fatties
THE cringeworthy sight of Mamils – middle-aged men in Lycra – has become so common, many of us simply turn a blind eye to their lumps and bumps.
Now Scots Olympic hero Sir Chris Hoy has called time on larger cyclists squeezing into tight clothing.
Writing in the style column of GQ magazine, the six-times Olympic champion declared that professional cycling gear ‘generally looks awful’ on riders who weigh more than eight stone.
His remarks will no doubt cause controversy in the cycling community, many of whom defend their right to don tight-fitting clothing.
Sir Chris said many Brits on bikes believed they had to wear ‘a full Team Sky racing kit’ in order to be taken seriously on the road.
But the retired track cyclist added: ‘Of course, it makes most cyclists look as ridiculous as an overweight football fan wearing the shirt of his favourite club for a pub five-a-side game.’
Wading into the controversial debate on whether men should have the right to wear what they like, he said: ‘Lycra isn’t the most elegant material you can wear and professional cycling gear generally looks awful on pretty much anyone heavier than eight stone.’
And on the subject of Mamils, he wrote: ‘Personally I feel sorry for them. When they walk into a cafe dressed head-to-toe in Lycra, you always spot people sniggering at them.
‘And yet you don’t know what that person looked like six months or even a year ago. It may be they were once twice the size they are now until cycling transformed them and they feel great about how they look.’
Last night, however, he back-pedalled on Twitter, saying: ‘As a 14+stone MAMIL myself, this was a tongue-in-cheek article that wasn’t meant to offend.
‘I’m really sorry; reading it back it looks harsh & that wasn’t my intention. Whatever ur age/ build, if ur on a bike u have my respect.’
Cycling in Britain is at an all-time high, with more than two million people riding at least once a week. And as numbers of cyclists continue to grow, sales of Lycra kit have soared. British firm Rapha, which supplied Team Sky’s kit for four years, saw its sales grow by more than 30 per cent annually for 11 years.
Sir Chris, 41, who retired from the sport in 2013, also touched on another more intimate issue – shaved legs. He said: ‘It’s a fine line but here’s the thing: the more cycling you do, the more toned your legs get, the better you will look and so you should be proud to show your legs off, with hair or without.’