I cycled thousands of miles every year but I would never wear that skin-tight, bollock-strangling, silly-looking cycling gear. I wore footwear that didn't clank or look ludicrous as soon as I dismounted, preferring toe clips with adjustable straps, a piece of cake to use and highly efficient. In summer it was baggy cycling shorts and in winter anything long and loose except round the ankles. I'll concede the need to be highly visible. To me, the whole point of riding my bike was to enjoy having all my senses working in the fresh air, and, hopefully, sunshine. I had a Claud Butler Majestic when having a "Claud" actually meant something and I always fitted it with sensible 32mm touring tyres to take the bumps on Westcountry lanes, and always fitted a Brooks B-17 seat. I used a Carradice cotton duck saddle bag and remember one day cycling home from Holsworthy with 17lb of meat from the butcher and two sets of exercise books to mark. Today's cycling hordes, on their stiff bikes and ultra-narrow tyres that seem designed specifically to be as uncomfortable as possible, look like aliens on a mission. They also look unfailingly miserable. Well cycling for me was sheer enjoyment, though I didn't exactly hang about. I can't begin to imagine why cyclists are now seen as the enemy. ;-)