grizzly59

“If we can see through your shorts, do you want to know?” Put the choice all on them.

genejockey 

Okay, but if your fly is open, you can zip it up. If you're 25 miles from home and someone says your ass is visible to everyone, you'll spend the next 25 miles miserable and embarassed. Or perhaps 'em-bare-assed'.

urbanknight

Better to just stay quiet until you know the person better. I personally prefer brutal honesty, but not all people do. I wonder how many club members noticed mine before my wife saw me in them and noted the worn, see-through backside. I also still wonder if anyone ever told that newbie that she's not supposed to wear underwear under her padded shorts, but it wasn't going to be me.

genejockey 

"No. Why do you ask?"
"Oh, no reason. Just making conversation."

pdlamb

Not always easy to tell. I had one pair that was opaque when I put them on, less so when it was damp from sweat. Wore it to commute to work one day, lady freaked out. Oops, sorry, ma'am.

Do tell.

frogman

If it was a male, no.

If it was a female also no. But please post pictures.

wolfchild

If I see somebody drop their wallet or their cell phone or their car keys or some other personal belonging and they're not aware of it, I would definitely say something. If I see somebody in danger that they're not aware of, I would definitely say something. If I see a mom with a child or some helpless old person getting attacked by some lowlife I would definitely intervene and help them. There are some situations in life where I would feel an obligation to get involved....A cyclist who chooses to wear a worn out bike shorts with holes in them or a worn out jersey isn't an important emergency that justifies an obligation to get involved and I don't want anything to do with it.

jaxgtr

My wife told some woman at the gym once that the yoga pants she was wearing were basically showing what nature gave her to everyone in the gym. The woman swears she did not know.

Troul 

if timing is right, I'll bring it to their attention. "hi, you like moose knuckle? There's a sale going on right now in that outfit"

jleeg

Let’s see….VBC (visible butt crack) compared to DW (dropped wallet). My take on this is based on many years of focused study. If the DW is considered lost, for whatever duration before our reunion, I am verklempt beyond description. I can’t believe my wife doesn’t know where it is and how can I ever go through the agony of cancelling/replacing credit cards and going to the DMV to replace my drivers license. I’m breaking out in hives just imagining this.

But….if I’m sporting VBC shorts, and that fact is clearly brought to my attention, unceremoniously so and devoid of euphemistic references to barn doors…….no increase in pulse, change in galvanic skin response…nada. I may apologize for your having to endure this insult that should not have been cast upon you. And, for the balance of the ride, I’ll spare you and tuck in behind.

Now this, in my case is a moot point. For g*ds sake how do you not know those shorts are not at or beyond their useful and non VBC life expectancy? Are you reaching for suspenders for your non-bib shorts? Did you think they were to go from black to brown for some reason other than being blown, worn, sun bleached, tired or dead?

I have a friend who takes pride in being cheap and his hideously worn and bagging shorts are worn with pride. And we pile on the ridicule most generously….but always in good spirit. Non of us have barfed at the sight or gone blind.

I’d go on, but I’m on my deck in my boxers and the neighbors are yelling over though I can’t make out what they’re saying. Barnsomething? Back later.

Ghazmh

I say tell the rider. Non cyclists will see that and use that horrible image to form an opinion on all of us spandex wearing weirdos.

Nachoman

I've been told. And appreciated it.

cb400bill

Retro Grouch 

If the rider is somebody who I know and who I like, I'll tell them.

kahn

Actually, I think the thread is about threadLESS!

Juan Foote

Lol, a couple of semi funny on topic stories.

One of the young ladies in our club years ago was a professional wrestler. Her ringside kit was white and purple, so she picked a white and purple riding kit. The hind end of the shorts were all white. During the ride there was some hubbub in the mid field as folks were fighting to be in line right behind her....the funnier aspect was when we got about 2/3 through the ride and one of the other ladies pointed it out to her. They weren't "see through" standing up, but when in the crouch while riding. Needless to say she just about kicked a couple of the guys fanny over the situation. Lucky it turned to an all fun situation and she was ribbed about it for the rest of the year...asking if she was selling tickets to the show and such.

The other situation involved myself. I had an older pair of shorts that didn't become see through, but enough of the fabric was worn such that, unbeknownst to me, during the ride quite a few pubic hairs came out through the shorts. When we stopped at the midway fuel/bathroom break one of the guys asked me if I was going to "shave that clam". I looked down to a good portion of bush showing. It was quite embarrassing to say the least, but was readily corrected on that ride with some strategically placed hand towels. For the rest of that season I got a lot of crap for "stuffing my shorts" (a bra reference).

Anywho, yeah would probably mention something like this even to a stranger.

wolfchild

I am shocked that so many cyclists have an obsession with paying so much attention to other cyclists butts and crotches.

WhyFi

Noticing something obvious that's 6' in front of your face is obsessing? Okay.

LesterOfPuppets

You can look at ass.

- umd

datlas 

I would want to be told. So I would politely tell them.

one4smoke

It's just a butt-crack people. Good grief...

Troul 

Just a plumber riding the bicycle.

NoWhammies

Thanks for the feedback folks. I think if it is someone I know, I'd tell them. Otherwise I'll continue to ride on my way. No sense making the person suddenly feel self conscience.

1228cody

If you know them, yes. If you don’t, allow them the pleasure of discovering it themselves. Besides, people in the US are armed to the teeth. You just never know if you’ll be their next target. But then, if they hid their weapon in their shorts, you’d know. On the other hand………

dennis336

If someone told me, I'd be mortified, but grateful as I'm generally pretty oblivious in life. I'd want to know.

Don't think I want pictures on this one