A whole new meaning to the term "short pants"

While researching photos from the 1880s, I came across this rather astonishing picture on the Wheelman's website:
http://www.thewheelmen.org/sections/photographs/highwheel/regviews/highwheel1v.jpg

Sportswear did tend to be shorter than regular clothes, but this gentleman seems to be taking the matter to extremes.  He appears to have put his uniform jacket over a racing singlet for the photo, but he's showing a lot of leg even by racing standards.  (Admit it: He's showing a lot of leg even by modern racing standards!)

For comparison, here are some other racing outfits of the time:

Source: http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/features/pez-bookshelf-quest-for-speed/#.VK9FN1pH1O0

Source: http://barefootted.com/labels/highwheel.html

I always love it when history makes me re-evaluate something I thought I knew—in this case, just how short someone was willing to wear their garments in the 1880s.  It's a wonderful reminder that diversity of choice exists in every era.