Handelfan

Hello All -

For most of my time riding, I have been proud of the distinct cyclist's tan lines that we all get on our upper arms and legs from riding a lot. I always understood that the more obvious the tan line, the more dedicated rider you are. Tan line pride! Show off you're a cyclist!

However, there are times in the year where I find myself doing outdoor activities either with no shirt (ie swimming on our annual family vacation to the lake), or an athletic shirt with no sleeves (it's just cooler in the hot summers) and I don't find myself surrounded with people that share an appreciation of my cyclist's tan. Instead, I get a bunch of wiseguys. The leg tan lines don't present any problem, obviously, but I was wondering if anyone has ever tried to "fix" their arm tan lines.

Anybody ever tried any techniques for tanning your upper arms to "catch up" with the rest?

Tanning lotion?

Wearing only arm warmers in the sun?

Let the fun begin.

datlas 

I have tiger stripe pride!

danvuquoc

I don't care to show my "cyclist pride" when I take my shirt off. My lines are ridiculous -- I look like a freggin' panda!

kenji666

Just wear your arm warmers and no gloves during a 60 mile ride on a sunny day.

WestCoastDan

^ I don't recommend this same technique for the upper legs.
+++

ahsposo 

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jsutkeepspining

https://www.atwistedspoke.com/alberto...00-1277297243/
one must have this intense of tan lines

veloboy971

I purposely wear as high spf sunblock as possible if any untanned areas are exposed. I also ensure that my bibs are carefully rolled to perfection before any UV rays land on my skin. The lines cannot be ruined!

Handelfan

And he's nearly see-through to begin with.......

JustinHorne

I despise tan lines. Anyone who doesn't is either married or... Who knows, haha.

I try to spend as much time swimming or something to keep my tan lines as least visible as possible. Tan lines look stupid, imo.

ErichM

Rule #7.

Creatre

Who cares? Wear your tan lines with pride, or put more sun block on. Shouldn't matter what other people think. If you are worried about skin cancer or something though, that would be a different story. My dermatologist had a short chat with me when he saw my leg tan line last time I went in, pretty much telling me if I have that bad of a tan line I need to be careful and coat myself often because of the massive amount of sun exposure per week.

kenji666

Commodus

Well, we're doing a sport here that just isn't very appreciated in North America. I guess wisecracks about our tan lines is just another of the indignities we must endure from the neanderthalic masses.

AMAlex

I hate tan lines, if I see one coming on I'll hit the beach after a morning ride to get some good rays.

bbattle

This is as dark as I will get:

surgeonstone

This.
"Pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall".
You might like them but the rest of the world thinks " frikin dweeb"

ErichM

That's what they think about us when they see us on the road anyway, why fight it?

Commodus

Yeah, but those people aren't cyclists.

rubic

I kind of enjoy the look on peoples faces when they notice my pasty white hands attached to my bronzed arms.

bbattle

I used to work with a cyclist who would get really burnt in the summer yet his hands were ghost white. Freaky.

I put some sunblock on my face and ears but once I get my tan going I don't bother with the arms or the legs. They won't burn and they won't get any darker. Probably should still slather the stuff all over, just to be safe.

pgjackson

Taking pride in tan lines is just another reason why people think cyclists are weird. You want to see tan lines, go to Parris Island and check out the Marine Corps Drill Instructors.

MNBikeCommuter

The biggest insult I've had is noticing my pale hands, someone asked, "Oh, so you're a golfer??"

My hands bug my wife, so I make a point of slathering them with sunscreen if I'm out and about without gloves, just to keep them that way. She doesn't know that, but my daughter really gets a kick out of it.

Speaking of my daughter, she was pretty embarrassed going off to college last fall because of her helmet strap lines. But the first evening, she got lots of "Wow, that's cool!!!" comments from her new classmates.

DC_United_Fan

I am as proud of my tan lines and helment strap marks as I am of my weight and flat stomach. Haters' always gonna' hate, and I say F*#$! em'. 10 years from now they'll all be comparing heart stints and colostomey bags while I'm racing and riding.

Creatre

That would be a horrible insult!! I can't believe someone say that!