hugo-theme-stack/content/post/ditch-the-lycra/index.md
Bharat Singh Bhadwal 7cbcd168f2 feat: new post - ditch the lycra
New OG image with new file name and updated in hugo.yaml
2025-04-29 10:32:59 +05:30

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title = "If You Wouldnt Wear It to a Village Wedding, Dont Wear It Bikepacking"
date = 2025-04-28
categories = ["Culture"]
tags = ["bikepacking", "touring", "athlos", "gear", "merino-wool", "natural-fabrics", "bamboo"]
slug = "ditch-the-lycra"
image = "natural-fabrics-bikepacking.webp"
description = "Why bikepackers should ditch Lycra for merino wool and bamboo. Natural fabrics breathe, wick, and ride better — and make you smell better too."
keywords = ["bikepacking clothing India", "merino vs lycra cycling", "best fabrics for touring", "athlos clothing review", "natural fabrics for cycling"]
drafts = false
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Somewhere between the carbon bikes, the electrolyte gels, and the obsession with watts, cyclists forgot one simple truth:
**Nobody wants to see your junk at 4000 meters.**
Especially not a confused shepherd whos just trying to mind his goats.
You, standing there in head-to-toe neon, feel less like a traveler and more like a lost traffic cone.
---
## Lycra Had Its Glory Days. Lets Leave It There
Lycra made sense when you needed to save half a second over 10 kilometers.
It made sense when your enemies were headwinds and milliseconds.
It makes *zero* sense when you're bikepacking across places where the closest thing to a podium is a rock and a curious yak.
Rolling into a remote village dressed like a misfired superhero?
Hard pass.
---
## Natural Fabrics: Performance Without the Peacocking
Turns out, nature was doing technical apparel before we invented marketing departments.
### Why Merino Wins:
- **Temperature Control:**
Freezing descent? Sweaty climb? Merino adjusts faster than your Instagram feed.
- **Wicks Like a Pro:**
It pulls sweat off your skin, not traps it like synthetic sausage casings.
- **No Funk:**
Wear it three days in a row. Smell like a human, not a forgotten locker room.
- **Soft As a Whisper:**
Fine merino isnt itchy. Its so soft it might make your overpriced bib shorts cry.
### Bamboo: Natures Secret Weapon for Bikepackers
- **Natural Odour Resistance:**
Forget daily laundry missions. Bamboo keeps you fresher, longer.
- **Thermal Adaptability:**
Hot days? Cool. Cold nights? Warm. Magic.
- **Skin Feel:**
Softer than polyester. Gentler than ego on a bad climb.
---
## Bikepacking Isnt a Race. Stop Dressing Like It
When youre on a loaded bike with 25 kilos of gear and an ambitious plan to cross three states, nobody cares about your aerodynamics.
They care if you look like someone who belongs.
Someone they can share tea with.
Someone who doesnt terrify the village children.
Natural fabrics — merino, bamboo, organic cotton — let you blend in, breathe easy, and ride with actual dignity intact.
Well be sharing more on bikepacking gear choices soon — stay tuned.
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## Riding Spiti with Athlos (Because We Also Have Standards)
For our upcoming Spiti expedition, we're partnering with **Athlos** — because they understand that gear should work *with* the rider, not turn them into a mobile billboard.
And importantly — the Athlos gear doesnt just perform well. It *looks* right for the road too.
Their muted colours, earthy tones, and subtle logos dont scream for attention.
They blend quietly into the landscapes were here to ride through — and respect.
Learn more at [Athlos Gear](https://www.goathlos.com/).
Merino baselayers, adventure shorts, convertible pants — designed to handle heat, cold, sweat, rain, and the occasional accidental nap in a roadside dhaba.
Real clothes. Real roads. Real riding.
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## Final Word: Dress for the Ride You Actually Want
Bikepacking isnt about winning.
Its about arriving — a little dustier, a little wiser, a lot happier.
Lycra? Great if youre chasing KOMs.
Out here?
Choose fabrics that breathe, flex, and forgive.
Choose clothes that work as hard as you do — without looking like youre auditioning for a sci-fi movie.
See you out there. Probably smelling a lot better.
---
## Curious About Natural Fabrics?
We're putting **Athlos** gear through the wringer in Spiti — from sweaty switchbacks to freezing nights under a thousand stars.
**Stay tuned for the full lowdown. No sugarcoating. No performance charts. Just the truth, the gear, and the road.**
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*PS: No Lycra was harmed during the making of this article. Several egos might have been.*