RTE's Gavin Duffy talks lycra

Chips Lovell

I heard that Dragon's Den star Gavin Duffy was talking about middle aged men in lycra on his radio show on Monday. I finally got a chance to listen to it this morning (the item is about 35 minutes in). He got three cyclists into the studio to explain the upsurge of interest in the sport, asking questions like: "do you get jealous about the size of other men's equipment?" or "Do you not feel a bit silly in the lycra?" Later on in the show he got a "fashion expert" on the phone who says it isn't a great look for men.

What some of you may not know is that when he isn't grilling aspiring entrepreneurs, one of Gavin Duffy's main interests is hunting and horse riding. You have to chuckle about a middle aged man who's fond of wearing jodhpurs poking a bit of fun at people wearing cycling shorts. Pot, kettle.

Idleater

I heard a snippet on Playback, and did the *groan* when they mentioned the leg shaving pros do it for aerodynamic reasons, and anyone else is a "fred". I could imagine them in the studio doing the inverted commas with fingers trick.

A little bit of knowledge is obviously worse than none in the case of these, certainly when they appear to gloat from upon high on the airwaves.

I liked the comment about "why are they the cyclists so colourful" the response being, "they are obviously content enough with their masculinity"

anyway, like when Morning Ireland started talking about "facebook" and "twitter", I'm fairly sure that this is some such of an acknowledgement that more cyclists exist, and the "phenomenon" is not going away in the short term, no matter how much the derision from Horsey/Car people.

mloc123

This guy? I can only pray I never see him in lycra. tbf, I see alot of people out in lycra... and it is not a good look.

I have seen his new fake tan ad on TV, I think he is missing a huge market here... fat middle aged men that shave their legs, fake tan is the next logical step.

CheGuedara

Gavin Duffy. Funny Man.

Someone should interview him about hunting.

Question 1 - So you like riding horses?....




And that's before anything gets asked about leather riding boots, whips, spurs....

thesimpsons

just listened to that link - He seemed very interested in the look of lycra, just making a big joke about it all without seeing the cyclists side of it. Has he ever tried to cycle in a pair of demins and a teeshirt !!!! very sexist too - if he was commenting on women like that there would be uproar, rubbing bits, chamois padded seats, etc. I only took up cycling a year ago and love it - progressed now to 50km cycles each weekend now. a year ago I could only manage 5km.

ednwireland

am i supposed to care what this fat (rich) old fool has to say ?
and no i'm not listening to the link.

godihatedehills

Quentin Fottrell wasn't too impressed either

Idleater

godihatedehills wrote: »

Quentin Fottrell wasn't too impressed either

read that too, very good summation of the general attitude presented by the programme

I liked the reference to Broadcast Police.

Moflojo

I was listening to this when it was first aired, the morning after I did the Etape Hibernia. At the outset I thought it was great that cycling was getting this coverage on national radio. As far as I remember at least one participant had also taken part in the Etape and tried to talk about it but the gob****e presenter kept interjecting and forcing his innuendo on the conversation. At first I wondered if he actually knew what he was saying, and when I realised that he did I just switched over and thought 'FFS, that's embarassing'. I felt sorry for those poor lads that had gone on air to talk about their sport/hobby/pastime only to be mocked by some ignorant old sod who, in the end, just embarassed himself.

sy

Just to fill you in on some of the guys that Mr Duffy spoke to or should I say sneered at on his radio show.

PJ Nolan has quite a long history associated with cycling in Ireland. I raced with him and his brother John back in the 80's and some of you may be old enough to remember their documented cycle across America. PJ was working with RTE at the time and their trip was reported to Gay Byrne each morning on his radio show. PJ was President of Cycling Ireland for 4 years see Tommy Campbell extract below. The Sean Nolan Meath Grand Prix which some of you may have ridden is in honour of their father

Alan Heary whom I met only once is a personal trainer who entered a team in the RAAM two years ago linky
He also is very involved with the Race Around Ireland (as is PJ) which some of our Boardsies will be more than familiar with.

I don't know the third guy.

As for the programme itself, Mr Duffy should stick to the news room. He can't do humour. What a prat

Nolan's departure a vacuum?

By Tommy Campbell, Irish Independent, Evening Herald, Sunday Independent
Another distinguished chapter will come to an end on Saturday, November 20 when PJ Nolan, so much associated with cycling for many a long year, exits the role of President of Cycling Ireland. His departure will leave a vacuum as he had still one year of his presidency to complete. It will put pressure on the Board and the CEO Stuart Hallam to keep up the task of the strategic work that is ongoing, but the news that membership has grown, as the CEO has indicated, will give rise to optimism in the future.
Nolan's departure took everybody unawares, whereas his predecessor Michael Lawless in late November 2000, opted out. Once on board, Nolan put his whole weight behind the job and worked tirelessly for the sport on a volunteer basis, but other commitments made it impossible for him to continue to give the post the ongoing effort it deserves. Nolan also propelled Cycling Ireland into the 21st century, securing the appointment of the federation's first Chief Executive Officer, Eamon Duffy. Cycling Ireland was the adopted name change to breathe new awareness into the body and the reduction of board members from ten down to six was very rewarding.
Nolan was largely responsible for many other appointments in Cycling Ireland: the federation now has six full time staff, three of which are administrators in Kelly-Roche House, two development officers and a national coach. PJ Nolan, whose family have been synonymous with cycling at grass roots level through his club, Navan/Avonmore, thanked everyone who had helped him during his time as President.
"I have enjoyed my office during the past four years and others can decide if the organisation progressed during that time," he said. "I have always said that organisations should be personality-proof not personality-based and I am confident that there are sufficient structures in place in Cycling Ireland to ensure the continued development of the sport.
"I feel however that the resources being put into sport development especially at the very early stages need to be dramatically increased and this would pay big dividends in the areas of health and social improvement. I wish my successor all the best and hope that the co-operation I have received from all in cycling is afforded to him. It is important for the future development of sport that statutory funding of sport reflects the immeasurable contribution of volunteers and I hope that the real heroes of sport in this country, the extraordinary local volunteers, are given the resources to turn their hopes into reality."
Cycling Ireland's AGM will take place on Saturday in the Keadeen Hotel, Newbridge, Co Kildare at 11:00 am. The Champion's Award Ceremony will take place at 8:00 pm that evening.

link

Bluefoam

I think his take is a bit ridiculous. But the OP's argument about horse riding and jodpurs is a bit misinformed. There are very practical reasons for wearing jodpurs and boots on horseback. But there are arguably little to no advantages in wearing Lycra on a bike unless you are competing at a high level

mloc123

Bluefoam wrote: »

But there are arguably little to no advantages in wearing Lycra on a bike unless you are competing at a high level

Eh, really? Go for a 4/5 hour cycle today in a cotton tshirt and shorts... let us know how you get on.

Bluefoam

mloc123 wrote: »

Eh, really? Go for a 4/5 hour cycle today in a cotton tshirt and shorts... let us know how you get on.

Or a 4/5 hour cycle wearing appropriate sweat wicking materials. There's plenty of suitable cloths that aren't Lycra.

Chips Lovell

Bluefoam wrote: »

But there are arguably little to no advantages in wearing Lycra on a bike unless you are competing at a high level

My perineum would beg to differ.

Chips Lovell

Bluefoam wrote: »

Or a 4/5 hour cycle wearing appropriate sweat wicking materials. There's plenty of suitable cloths that aren't Lycra.

Lycra is a sweat wicking material.

fondriest

sy wrote: »

Just to fill you in on some of the guys that Mr Duffy spoke to or should I say sneered at on his radio show.

PJ Nolan has quite a long history associated with cycling in Ireland. I raced with him and his brother John back in the 80's and some of you may be old enough to remember their documented cycle across America. PJ was working with RTE at the time and their trip was reported to Gay Byrne each morning on his radio show. PJ was President of Cycling Ireland for 4 years see Tommy Campbell extract below. The Sean Nolan Meath Grand Prix which some of you may have ridden is in honour of their father

Alan Heary whom I met only once is a personal trainer who entered a team in the RAAM two years ago linky
He also is very involved with the Race Around Ireland (as is PJ) which some of our Boardsies will be more than familiar with.

I don't know the third guy.

As for the programme itself, Mr Duffy should stick to the news room. He can't do humour. What a prat

link

The third guy .Bart Glover has only taken up cycling in the last few years for his health afaik, but i know for certain that he has ridden the marmotte twice since and has been very active in the coffee kids charity organising to help coffee growers in africa and sth america and also travelling to get his hands dirty making sure the money is spent properly. A VERY decent man , more so than the twat Duffy.

Blowfish

Bluefoam wrote: »

Or a 4/5 hour cycle wearing appropriate sweat wicking materials. There's plenty of suitable cloths that aren't Lycra.

Tight fitting stretchy Lycra will look much the same as any other tight fitting stretchy wicking material. Why is the specific material used in any way relevant?

Bluefoam

el tonto wrote: »

Lycra is a sweat wicking material.

That is true, I am not suggesting that Lycra does not have benefits, but those benefits are matched by other materials which are not necessarily figure hugging.

I agree with wearing appropriate clothing, but I challenge anyone to adequately defend the need to wear Lycra over a 6km commute...

Bluefoam

Blowfish wrote: »

Tight fitting stretchy Lycra will look much the same as any other tight fitting stretchy wicking material. Why is the specific material used in any way relevant?

Who mentioned anything about other tight fitting stretchy material? Confused?

Chips Lovell

Bluefoam wrote: »

That is true, I am not suggesting that Lycra does not have benefits, but those benefits are matched by other materials which are not necessarily figure hugging.

It's not the material that's figure hugging, it's the cut and there's a reason for it. Keeping "everything in place" is one.

Bluefoam wrote: »

I agree with wearing appropriate clothing, but I challenge anyone to adequately defend the need to wear Lycra over a 6km commute...

Moving the goalposts now a bit are we? Initially you said it was unnecessary for anything other than competing at a high level, now it's just unnecessary for a 6km commute. I think most people would agree with the latter.

Blowfish

Bluefoam wrote: »

Who mentioned anything about other tight fitting stretchy material? Confused?

Any 'replacement' for Lycra would need to be just as tight and stretchy as Lycra as those features in of themselves have benefits. Tight material means much less chafing, more material touching skin which means more wicking and everthing is kept 'in one place' as el tonto mentioned. Stretchyness provides freedom of movement and comfort.

Hence to replace the practical value of Lycra fully, you'd need something that wicks and is also tight and stretchy. i.e. it's pretty much going to be the same as Lycra aesthetically anyway.

Bluefoam wrote: »

I agree with wearing appropriate clothing, but I challenge anyone to adequately defend the need to wear Lycra over a 6km commute...

There's no specific reasons not to wear Lycra on a 6km commute either.

ROK ON

el tonto wrote: »

now it's just unnecessary for a 6km commute. I think most people would agree with the latter.

I wear lycra on a 12km commute and would not go back to shorts and a rugby shirt. (Now oftentimes I go for a cycle (60-80km) after work, so the fact that I am already appropriately dressed is a help.

I wear a suit in work and wont cycle in one. I can store my suits in work and have shower in work. Lycra is significantly more comfortable than combat shorts and a rugby shirt (my previous commuting gear).
In the winter or very wet, I wear winter tights and winter cycling jacket. I am warm and usually dry getting to work - previously I would rarely cycle to work in the winter. Lycra and roubaix backed lycra is ideal for cycling in the various weathers that we get in this country. I get to my place of work in a comfortable condition.
Strangely enough, when I started there were very few lycra clad commuters, now there are loads of them on my route. Yes for most people it may seem strange or unnecessary, for me it makes life much easier.

jwshooter

the ladys love the lycra

jimbo28

He's just another dickhead who doesnt understand what people get out of riding a bike................... shooting is a real mans sport isnt it, it takes some amount of training ................im sure he likes to think he has a long barrell on his gun........ass;)

Captain Havoc

Bluefoam wrote: »

I agree with wearing appropriate clothing, but I challenge anyone to adequately defend the need to wear Lycra over a 6km commute...

I've got a fantastic looking bum, like two eggs in a hanky. Lycra shows it off adequately over 6km.

mloc123

Back to horse riding, what are the benefits of jolpers? Honest question. Are they like leggings?

cdaly_

nereid wrote: »

doing the inverted commas with fingers trick.

What my 10 year-old calls "bunny ears"...

Captain Havoc wrote: »

I've got a fantastic looking bum, like two eggs in a hanky. Lycra shows it off adequately over 6km.

Or sometimes too much. I was behind somebody in grey cycle shorts the other day and the stretchiness contributed greatly to the transparency!... :eek:

Bluefoam

mloc123 wrote: »

Back to horse riding, what are the benefits of jolpers? Honest question. Are they like leggings?

the biggest advantage of jodhpurs is that the leg seams are on the outside of the leg. You would suffer very seriously if wearing jeans or other trousers (without chaps). they also have no buckles or studs with could damage the saddle & offer extra wear protection on the inside calf.

fondriest

Bluefoam wrote: »

the biggest advantage of jodhpurs is that the leg seams are on the outside of the leg. You would suffer very seriously if wearing jeans or other trousers (without chaps). they also have no buckles or studs with could damage the saddle & offer extra wear protection on the inside calf.

Surely would not need to wear jodhpurs for a 6km commute.

Bluefoam

BTW, I have no issue with anyone wearing Lycra if they want. My argument is that the benefits are negligible for the majority of riders. I have cycled long distances and have been out on the bike for 6hours+, in all types of weather & have never felt the need to wear Lycra. I wear good cycling shorts and a cycling jersey & they are perfectly adequate. I have yet to hear a good argument for the need to wear Lycra - apart from the 'fact'(?) that other loose materials chaff... in my experience they don't.

fondriest wrote: »

Surely would not need to wear jodhpurs for a 6km commute.

Whats that got to do with anything?
I don't see the need to defend your choice in clothing by slagging off garments used in another sport. Why do gymnasts wear leotards, motor racers wear jump suits...? The fact remains that the majority of cyclists have alternative choices to Lycra, but they chose Lyrca - I'm not slagging them off, I'm just highlighting the point that it is not necessary...

ThisRegard

Why is there an issue with wearing cycling gear when the county is full of fat ugly gits, male and female, wearing sports gear and English soccer jerseys, there's nothing more inappropriate than this. This is the real issue folks.

VERYinterested

Someone should have asked Duffy if he felt silly with his combover Bobby Charlton would be proud of it!

Bunnyhopper

ThisRegard wrote: »

Why is there an issue with wearing cycling gear when the county is full of fat ugly gits, male and female, wearing sports gear and English soccer jerseys, there's nothing more inappropriate than this. This is the real issue folks.

Why is "English" an issue? Unpatriotic or something?? Better to have a cycling jersey from Caisse d'Epargne or Euskaltel-Euskadi? Or is An Post or a GAA jersey the only thing permitted?

ThisRegard

Bunnyhopper wrote: »

Why is "English" an issue?

It's not, but how often do you see fat slobs wearing a Bray Wanderers jersey, the vast majority are all belonging to English with the odd Scottish jersey thrown in for good measure.

I'm firmly in the camp that sportswear should only be worn when doing sports

Raam

ThisRegard wrote: »

I'm firmly in the camp that sportswear should only be worn when doing sports

Come on, who doesn't dress up in full HTC-Columbia kit for the last 10km of a sprint stage on Eurosport?

ThisRegard

I wear my Z Team gear, that fits into the retro school of sportwear which I think is much more acceptable in terms of casual sports clothing.

TinyExplosions

Bluefoam wrote: »

BTW, I have no issue with anyone wearing Lycra if they want. My argument is that the benefits are negligible for the majority of riders. I have cycled long distances and have been out on the bike for 6hours+, in all types of weather & have never felt the need to wear Lycra. I wear good cycling shorts and a cycling jersey & they are perfectly adequate. I have yet to hear a good argument for the need to wear Lycra - apart from the 'fact'(?) that other loose materials chaff... in my experience they don't.

What are they made out of if not lycra?

Bluefoam

TinyExplosions wrote: »

What are they made out of if not lycra?

That's a bit pedantic, isn't it. Most of mine don't have Lycra and are not figure hugging. I don't know what the exact properties are but cooltherm ect. would be normal.

I think Gavin Duffy's comments were specific to body hugging lycra, not lose fitting clothing.

TinyExplosions

Bluefoam wrote: »

That's a bit pedantic, isn't it. Most of mine don't have Lycra and are not figure hugging. I don't know what the exact properties are but cooltherm ect. would be normal.

I think Gavin Duffy's comments were specific to body hugging lycra, not lose fitting clothing.

Not even a little bit pedantic, I've never come across Cycling Shorts that weren't lycra... even MTB Baggy Shorts have a lycra lining in them that holds the Chamois, cos it destroys the point otherwise

mrroboito

Bluefoam wrote: »

BTW, I have no issue with anyone wearing Lycra if they want. My argument is that the benefits are negligible for the majority of riders. I have cycled long distances and have been out on the bike for 6hours+, in all types of weather & have never felt the need to wear Lycra. I wear good cycling shorts and a cycling jersey & they are perfectly adequate. I have yet to hear a good argument for the need to wear Lycra - apart from the 'fact'(?) that other loose materials chaff... in my experience they don't.

What are they made of? I just checked out my two cycling jerseys - both 100% polyester - no lycra there. Both pairs of cycling shorts use a polyamide/elastene mix 80/20 and 84/16. Interestingly, one of these claimed to be Nylon Lycra which leaves me wondering just what is Lycra(tm), what's the problem with wearing it and what wonderful alternative do you use - and I don't think you're allowed to say Coolmax here as that's just the padding as far as I know.

TinyExplosions

mrroboito wrote: »

What are they made of? I just checked out my two cycling jerseys - both 100% polyester - no lycra there. Both pairs of cycling shorts use a polyamide/elastene mix 80/20 and 84/16. Interestingly, one of these claimed to be Nylon Lycra which leaves me wondering just what is Lycra(tm), what's the problem with wearing it and what wonderful alternative do you use - and I don't think you're allowed to say Coolmax here as that's just the padding as far as I know.

Don't forget that Lycra is a trademarked name, like Hoover, and so won't be on your labels. Elastine is the same stuff chemically

Pherekydes

mrroboito wrote: »

What are they made of? I just checked out my two cycling jerseys - both 100% polyester - no lycra there. Both pairs of cycling shorts use a polyamide/elastene mix 80/20 and 84/16. Interestingly, one of these claimed to be Nylon Lycra which leaves me wondering just what is Lycra(tm), what's the problem with wearing it and what wonderful alternative do you use - and I don't think you're allowed to say Coolmax here as that's just the padding as far as I know.

Lycra is Elastane.

unionman

My preferred bicycle attire would be nothing.

Starkers bollock naked.

But for all kinds of practical reasons that is (sadly) not a runner. So, for my 6km commute I compromise and wear stretchy-figure-hugging things made from stretchy-figure-hugging material.

And then I change into a suit (probably one that cost a lot less than Mr Duffy's).

For a longer spin I wear slightly better quality stretchy-figure-hugging things made from stretchy-figure-hugging material.

And each weekday morning between 9am and 10am I turn off the radio, because if there's one thing that eejit should NOT be doing, it's working as a radio presenter.

Please hurry up John Murray, and put that gob****e out of our misery.

Thank you for listening.

Bluefoam

mrroboito wrote: »

What are they made of? I just checked out my two cycling jerseys - both 100% polyester - no lycra there. Both pairs of cycling shorts use a polyamide/elastene mix 80/20 and 84/16. Interestingly, one of these claimed to be Nylon Lycra which leaves me wondering just what is Lycra(tm), what's the problem with wearing it and what wonderful alternative do you use - and I don't think you're allowed to say Coolmax here as that's just the padding as far as I know.

I'm not sure that Gavin Duffy has a particular issue with the technical component branded 'Lycra'. I think his radio spot was more focused on the use of very tight figure hugging cycle wear that is generalised as Lycra.

As I have repeated here numerous times, I have no issues with what people choose to wear on their bike. I just question the necessity to wear very tight figure hugging cycle wear, unless you are cycling in specific circumstances... Thats all.

TBH, I think there are a number of reasons to wear lycra. But no one here has actually given a full description of the benefits, even though I have asked.

Raam

Bluefoam wrote: »

TBH, I think there are a number of reasons to wear lycra. But no one here has actually given a full description of the benefits, even though I have asked.

Because I want to.

unionman

Bluefoam wrote: »

TBH, I think there are a number of reasons to wear lycra. But no one here has actually given a full description of the benefits, even though I have asked.

Ahem.

unionman wrote: »

My preferred bicycle attire would be nothing.

Starkers bollock naked.

But for all kinds of practical reasons that is (sadly) not a runner. So, for my 6km commute I compromise and wear stretchy-figure-hugging things made from stretchy-figure-hugging material.

Idleater

Bluefoam wrote: »

TBH, I think there are a number of reasons to wear lycra. But no one here has actually given a full description of the benefits, even though I have asked.

Apart from comfort.

Sure, as you say there are other comfortable clothes, but for me (i.e. may be subjective), I just find the tighter fitting clothing comfortable.

I wear the tight fitting lycra on the MTB too, which I'm sure offends most casual MTBers, as well as most Roadies, but hey, some people are just like that. :pac:

bbosco

Somewhere in Switzerland, in the Assos R&D department, a white-coated scientist looks up from his computer and says to his colleagues:
"Lads, you might want to be sitting down for this......there's a lad on boards says we don't have to be using lycra all the time"

Bluefoam

Boys & Girls,
I have repeated myself again and again. I have NO issues with you wearing lycra. It doesn't matter a ****e to me. But in the context of a fully informed discussion, there have been no real arguements for any particular need to wear Lycra.

Raam

Bluefoam wrote: »

Boys & Girls,
I have repeated myself again and again. I have NO issues with you wearing lycra. It doesn't matter a ****e to me. But in the context of a fully informed discussion, there have been no real arguements for any particular need to wear Lycra.

I'll repeat myself. No one NEEDS to wear it, but many of us WANT to wear it.

Liamo08

Bluefoam wrote: »

Boys & Girls,
I have repeated myself again and again. I have NO issues with you wearing lycra. It doesn't matter a ****e to me. But in the context of a fully informed discussion, there have been no real arguements for any particular need to wear Lycra.

What exactly do your "good cycling shorts" look like if they don't have lycra in them and are not figure hugging?