By Cathy Goedde, Community Voices

There was an article in the Star Tribune in April about male bicycle racers who shave their legs. The men interviewed stated that having smooth legs was a sign that someone is a serious cyclist. The practical purpose for shaving is to have a much better healing process in the event of a crash. A road rash with hairy legs is awful.

My friends that race will say if they see someone at a start line with hairy legs, they stay away from them. When you are in a pack of riders, six inches from someone’s behind, you have to trust that they know how to handle their bike. And someone who has taken the time to shave is more likely to be that kind of a person.

Cathy Goedde

Reading this article from my female perspective, I kept thinking, what about the outfits you wear? For me, deciding to wear the spandex when I ride was a life-changing event, because shaving my legs is part of my daily routine.

Spandex, as you know, is a stretchy, yet breathable, comfortable material, that clings to your body. Wearing spandex in public is similar to wearing your birthday suit walking down the street. It hides nothing! Men, especially serious cyclists who weigh less than some children, happen to look great in them! I enjoy watching the Tour de France as much for the team jerseys, shorts, socks, shoes, as I do the strategies of the race itself. They wear these glorious colors -- shades of pink, orange, blue, purple -- colors that women are naturally attracted towards. These riders also have little tiny derrieres and no fat on their entire bodies. For those Grey’s Anatomy fans, Dr. McDreamy, aka, Patrick Dempsey was on the cover of Bicycling a month ago and he should be named the new poster child for spandex.

Women have a totally different bone structure. We have these things called hips. We can’t hide them. They come in handy during childbirth, but other than that, they are just there, and those spandex shorts are unforgiving.

So, when I began cycling on a regular basis, I had a brilliant plan to avoid the humiliation of wearing those outfits. I found baggy shorts that still had padding in them! I could ride and feel comfortable, and not be self conscious about my cellulite and have a wonderful time riding. I was wrong. There is this phenomenon in the atmosphere called wind. It can go unnoticed on days when one is walking outside or working in the yard, but the moment you get on the bike, you can struggle to pedal forward. Baggy shorts accentuate this problem. The wind catches them and slows you down, beside the fact that you are billowing out like the Michelin tire guy.

And, I hate to admit this, but there is an element of status to wearing the spandex shorts. The moment I caved in and bought my specialized brand of stretchy shorts and put on a jersey, I went from being invisible on the road to being a respectable cyclist. Wearing the baggy shorts out there, I was never, ever acknowledged by another rider. Now, I get the head nod when another cyclist approaches from the other side of the road. Or I get the little wave, or even a word or two when someone passes me. It is a culture that you yearn to be a part of, and even though I am not much faster than I was five years ago, the outfit makes me feel like I belong.

So now when I put the spandex on, I stay away from the mirror. I pray when I am riding that no one is staring at my backside. I have found cute women’s cycling jerseys with socks to match, satisfying my urge to accessorize, and I ride, and ride and ride. And I have the pleasure of my good friend/coach, Dave, saying to me over and over, “If you want to get faster you have to ‘Stop training like a girl!’” and in his signature bellow, “Pedal, Pedal, Pedal! No coasting for YOU!’”

(Cathy Goedde is one of 10 people in the Savage community who write for Community Voices. This column features a different writer each week and is one of several opinion and commentary pieces appearing regularly in this newspaper.)