Fat lass at the front?

BIGGER AND BETTER:

We didn’t just want to size up our gear, we wanted to redesign traditional garments so that they would properly fit and flatter the new ‘average’ size of cyclist. It took months to track down a manufacturer prepared to make the larger sizes and pattern changes we required and we finally found a superb family run company in Italy who had been making sportswear for 35 years and who understood that we wanted cyclewear which didn’t make the wearer look like a shrink wrapped chicken. 

MR AVERAGE:

The Fat Lad brand was created for Mr Averages, MAMIL’s with a 44” chest and a 38” waist but it quickly became apparent that there were bigger cyclists who needed something to wear too, so we introduced larger sizes. More and more Lads said to us, “as soon as I read it, I knew you were talking to me!” and a community started growing. The lads started sending us photos of themselves wearing their FLAB jersey’s and having fun on their bikes and posting funny and supportive comments on social media.

SPARE TYRE:

Then we met Geoff, at 23 stone he had already shed 15 stone, but our largest jersey didn’t go anywhere near him. Geoff’s story touched and inspired us, so we designed the Spare Tyre range, a collection specifically tailored for Geoff shape and all the other lads like him. 

HERE COME THE LASSES:

In no time, the lasses were saying “what about us?” so we began work on our women’s range. It has to be said it was a touchy subject with the lasses – some loved Fat    Lass, some hated it, but on the basis that we were sure you didn’t have to be a virgin to travel Virgin, we persevered and designed a lasses range which took into consideration women’s curves and women’s comfort.

NEW STUFF:

We have extended the range to include triathlon wear and running wear and will continue to bring new colours, designs and garments into the collections.

THE BULGE:

Core to our success have been our customers. They help us develop our product range, they fill our social media with comments and hilarious one-liners and great photos, they take part in our photoshoots, they come and chat to us at events and they generally keep us on the right path.    

FLAB continues to grow (no pun intended) and in a short space of time it has become a people brands. Key to that is encouraging everyone to have fun and enjoy their sport. We don’t differentiate between lads and lasses, skinny and fat, beginners and pro’s. The only thing that matters is we’re all part of the bulge.

OUR VALUES:

Sticking with the simple theme, our values are pretty simple. We’re serious about our sportswear but we don’t take ourselves too seriously. We make top quality sportswear that does what it says on the jersey.

We are the Fat Lads and Lasses at the back, Join us and be proud.

What do I think of this company’s playful bike jerseys? I like their expansive size range but I’m not sure I’d ever wear a jersey that refereed to me as a “fat lass.”

I think it’s easier for men to get away with this kind of self-deprecating humour. Why “self-deprecating”? Why not just factual? “Fat” need not be an insult. And that’s true. Except here it’s the “at the back” part that self-deprecating. Men get to make jokes about their size in ways that women don’t. I considered briefly getting my partner a bike jersey that says on the back “Big Men Break Wheels” after he’d had a run in with a series of broken spokes. There were no equivalent jerseys for women.

I did buy a Fat Cyclist jersey when he was selling them to raise money for cancer research after his wife’s cancer diagnosis a few year’s ago. Team Fatty joined the Livestrong Challenge and raised more than a half million dollars.

Here’s his blog post from August, 2009:

Of course, the Fat Cyclist isn’t really fat. He’s just a regular sized guy who drops weight each spring to race. You can read his bio and weight loss story here. He’s now remarried and races triathlons with his new wife. I love his blog. Read it here.

I’m digressing a lot.

Back to the point of the post: I bought a Fat Cyclist jersey, like this one:

 

It’s pretty. It’s black and pink, two of my favourite colours. Sadly, I can’t wear it. Each time I do, people feel the need to tell me that either: A: You’re not fat really. You’re just chubby; B. You’re fat now but keep it up. Keep riding and you’ll lose weight; or C. Don’t call yourself that. Focus on the positive.

Women have a harder time than men claiming the label “fat” without the sympathy. I don’t want anyone to feel sorry for me. Often I’m not the “fat lass at the back.” Depending on who I’m riding with (and whether hills are involved)  I may well be the “fat lass at the front.”