this post was submitted on 08 Mar 2026
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I'm slightly convinced that for everyone under pro levels this is all just placebo. But I still shave my legs and if I had the money I would buy all the cool stuff.
It absolutely is, but as with any hobby spending money on new things is part of what keeps it fresh. The issue is that cyclists get really insecure about this. I am a commuter who does a solid 200 miles per week and can drop most of our local bike club on my steel commuter bike while wearing a tshirt and baggy shorts. I honestly don't judge though, whatever makes you happy, but I do occasionally run into people who are like "you can't join the group ride without proper equipment" because I don't wear a skin suit or use the clipclop shoes. Whatever bro, let's see if your $800 padded onesie can beat my 8 year old gap Khakis.
I absolutely do judge, because it doesn't make them happy. At no point during their run on the approval-seeking treadmill of 'gotta shave off another 0.3 seconds from my time, no wait, 0.4 seconds, no wait...' do they actually have the briefest of moments where they can feel like they are just okay to be who they are. It's painful for them to chase the carrot on a stick, vicariously painful for others to watch, and readily turns them into toxic people when they can't get their fix.
Most amateurs have signifcantly more time they can cut by training better and harder than spending thousands or tens of thousands on better components.
Its a very small list of amateurs who train to the same level as a pro who has a good chance of winning any of the big competitions.
Stick that under 30s pro on a cheap bike geared the same as a midlife crisis amater 45 year old gear head on an ultra expensive bike and guess who wins?
If you want to buy wins enter an amateur car racing event, those are mostly reflective of money spent given a base level of talent and training (which costs far more money per hour than training for cycling).
Yeah, I'm doing nothing but running right now, adjusting my workout, training often. That's it. When I see a long plateau, then I'll consider looking to other things, but right now I know there's room in my purse running training for improvement, so there's no point in messing around with other shit.
that was me when i was younger. now reading that makes my knees hurt.
I'm assuming you're older than me, but I'm on my way to 39. New shoes have really done a lot for some of the aches and pains associated with running, though if the damage is done I think it's moot.
the damage is done and i'm a recumbent cyclist now. i highly recommend recumbent cycling it is so fun. slapped a motor on and now i basically have one of these but in real life
Recumbent cycling absolutely appeals to me.
mine isn't this one, but she's pretty close. she's at the shop right now (don't get me started on my inability to keep my front right tire unpopped) but i'll post an image on the dull men's club when i get her back. i usually have my seat more reclined than that, a big orange flag, headlight, taillight, a crate, and mirrors. and a speaker because i can't exist without music
there are a lot of used recumbents in great shape on craigslist. the tadpoles (2 wheels in front) are a lot more sturdy then the deltas (2 wheels in back) probably because your center of mass is lower, probably other reasons i am not qualified to comment on
That bike looks pretty sweet and comfortable AF. And I watched the Top Gear episode on the Reliant Robin, and so I could imagine the front single wheel being super unstable.
It will make you go faster. It only makes any difference at all if you are competing for something, whatever level you are.
But if you like cool bike stuff, great, go get it.
For me it is also any advantage I can get to keep up with my boyfriend. No competition, just hoping he feels slightly out of breath when I am panting for air. Unfortunately he is the weaker one in a group of bike friends too, so he also tries to optimize as much as possible.
Pros just cheat. See Icarus and all that.
True, but not eating 2 family sized pizzas a week would probably help my performance more than shaving my legs.
Or, eat the pizzas, then do some combo of Ozempic + PEDs...winning!
Ozempic works by making you not want to eat the pizzas. It'll never be a performance enhancing drug for sports because the top levels already have nutrition habits indistinguishable from eating disorders.