Kilts and Cyclists

**madmacs** · 5th March 12, 09:20 PM

Originally Posted by mookien

My guess is that they doffed their kilts, folded them up, threw them over their shoulders like a plaid, and "Tally Ho!".

That would also explain the cashmere saddles that you can just barely see in the old photo if you squint your eyes and use your imagination.

cashmere? Pah! Real men ride leather saddles...

**macwilkin** · 5th March 12, 09:34 PM

Just as an aside, but here is an interesting article from the South African Military History Society about cyclists in the Boer War:

http://samilitaryhistory.org/vol041dm.html

Note the mention of Commandant Danie Theron, who commanded a Boer cyclist unit, the Theron se Verkenningskorps -- at one point, the British had a 1000 pound bounty on Theron's head.

His great-great-niece is the actress Charlize Theron.

T.

**mookien** · 5th March 12, 10:47 PM

Originally Posted by madmacs

cashmere? Pah! Real men ride leather saddles...

That makes me wince just thinking about it. Better not think about it.

**NeightRG** · 6th March 12, 01:45 AM

Originally Posted by mookien

That makes me wince just thinking about it. Better not think about it.

The cashmere, or the leather?
Some of the best bike seats on the market are made of leather, and I'm glad to own two of them.

**Black Watch** · 6th March 12, 02:29 AM

Whow - you own a two seater bycicle?
LHD or RHD

Mike (sorry, couldn't resist)

**josephkirkpatrick** · 6th March 12, 03:33 AM

I spend to much time standing on my pedals to wear the kilt....I've tried. It makes it to hard to resituate on the fly.

Btw I sometimes ride a fixed gear... Hence all the standing.

**MacSpadger** · 6th March 12, 04:10 AM

The cyclists in the London Scottish went for the more sensible option.

**mookien** · 6th March 12, 10:33 AM

Originally Posted by NeightRG

The cashmere, or the leather?
Some of the best bike seats on the market are made of leather, and I'm glad to own two of them.

I was referring to leather on skin. I'll bet you don't do that.

I've been riding mountain bikes (in the mountains) for 30 years and have owned a variety of leather saddles. But, I only ride one at a time.

**NeightRG** · 6th March 12, 10:42 AM

Gotcha... Now that IS a disturbing throught.
And Joseph - I ride fixed and tend to do a lot of standing, too. Have tried in a heavy-weight, lower yardage kilt?
Side note - trackstands and kilt are sure to get all kinds of waving and pointing.

**Pleater** · 8th March 12, 05:11 AM

Only recently have I changed to a non crossbar frame - women's racing cycles have crossbars but are made with a shorter wheelbase than a man's.

I took my newly acquired cycle off on holiday last August, with a set of panniers and a totally encosed chain there was little chance of getting caught up so I rode it in kilts.

I make my own kilts, and they are reverse Kingussie style, they have the inverted pleat centre back, so no problem with the seat putting creases in the visible pleats, and deep under apron pleats, so no concerns about the aprons sliding apart.

I rode around in all weathers, including a torrential downpour which soaked me to the skin, but had no bother at all with the kilts, not my longer length ones of 27 inches nor the one that shrank and is only 23 inches.

I do wear cycling shorts under them - one morning one of the locals spotted me pulling them on and his eyes were almost on stalks. Perhaps Lycra has not reached them yet.

The idea of falling off and sliding bare skin on tarmac is not something I would like to try.

Anne the Pleater :ootd: