Commuting - Cycling shorts on a bus??

I'm contemplating including riding the bus in my commuting plans on various occasions - like when I'm late, foggy mornings, dark nights and my headlight burned out, heavy downpours, etc. Taking the bus will cut my morning and evening commute from 14+ miles to 9+ miles (first 5 miles in the AM, last 5 miles in the PM).

For those of you who ride the bus, train, etc., what type shorts do you wear? I currently wear road style cycling shorts. I'm thinking "modesty" since public transportation can be crowded(?). Haven't ridden this particular route yet.
Should I buy some baggy shorts just for "bus days"?
Thanks.

I wear normal baggy shorts made of a lightweight material of some kind. They are not hot and I think the wind resistance they may cause would be negligible. I got them at Sam's Club.

What are the advantages of spandex biker shorts anyway?

I say wear what's most comfortable and covenient for you while on the cycling portion of your comute. Those who think you odd while on the bus are just jealous (or ignorant) of your athletic prowess.

Carl

Yeah, I sweat a lot and even the mild Seattle Summers don't really help. I have gotten into the habit lately of wearing my (lycra) bike clothes everywhere, including the coffee shop, school (UW), and the grocery store. It really boils down to whether you are comfortable with it. I don't think anyone else really notices.

Wear what YOU are comfortable with - whatever that means to you. One option is to carry a very light pair of nylon shorts which you can slip on right over the lycra. I do this when going into a shopping center, for example.

Wear your cycling shorts and some bright red lipstick and you'll get a seat all to yourself on the bus even when it's crowded.

Originally posted by MediaCreations
Wear your cycling shorts and some bright red lipstick and you'll get a seat all to yourself on the bus even when it's crowded.

:roflmao:

I agree - wear what you like. Noone will notice - apparently most people just spend the whole time thinking: 'I wonder what everyone else is thinking of me?', rather than actually noticing anyone else...

just a bit of pop-psychology for a friday morn

Originally posted by MediaCreations
Wear your cycling shorts and some bright red lipstick and you'll get a seat all to yourself on the bus even when it's crowded.

hehe, I might try that on my train into London...it's always crowded!

Top tip! :thumbup:

for those days - there are bike shorts that are sewn into regular shorts. i have a pair made by Blackburn.

It's been a practice of mine to include the bus in my commuting plans and I've worn my spandex bike shorts. I never thought anything of it. The local customs in south Florida have always been relaxed when it comes to clothes. Casual and anything goes.

The days of uptight dressing are over. Wear what you feel comfortable wearing.

I do what was mentioned by Denver Fox.. Nylon soccer shorts are compact and fit into your jersey pocket.. Don't worry about it so much on bus', but in places like grocery stores I usually throw soccer shorts over my biking shorts.. In fact one of my group puts on jeans when he goes into stores. I would not do this. Like to be indentified as a cyclists, anyway. Cover up too much and they all probably think you are some homeless smelly person.
Heah, be proud of your sport. I find baggies wrap about the saddle, I don't like that. So soccer shorts, I use only when I feel I absolutely have to.
I remember my grandmother said, "don't worry about what people think of you, they are too busy worrying about what someone else thinks about them.."

Why should we really be that worried about what people think of wearing cycling shorts on a bus? Heck, if they see you wearing it on a bike they'll just form the same judgements. I have found that people tend to believe what they want to believe, irrespective of the truth or evidence or anything else. A friend of mine was recently stereotyped as being homosexual despite being married with three children! Guess he does a pretty good job of hiding it!

Ladies and gentlemen, anyone who is going to stereotype and form a judgement of an individual on the basis of what shorts they wear probably isn't that intelligent. Personally, I really couldn't care less what people like that think of me.

Heah, my chosen ' peer group' of choice is my fellow cyclists.. I remember years ago, when first started cycling, I would wear soccer shorts over cycling shorts(while riding.) Today, I feel that is pretty silly.
I remember stopping at a coffee shop in Carlsbad frequented by cyclists. They rediculed me ! Thought I looked silly. Said do I have something to hide.
Sat at adjacent table. Said if on tour with a group, should leave cycling shorts on until last one. Woman like to see men in cycling shorts. That is what they said. Sort of jerkey about it- they were.
So my fellow cyclists have more sway over me, than people on the bus..

Originally posted by RonH
For those of you who ride the bus, train, etc., what type shorts do you wear? I currently wear road style cycling shorts. I'm thinking "modesty" since public transportation can be crowded(?).
Heck, why be modest?

Our "thighs" may be our best advertisement!

"This has been a public service announcement from Ron, your local community cyclist."

Just curious, but you don't say if you plan on taking your bike on the bus with you. The local transit system where I live has bike racks on the buses.

Ron, wearing your bicycle shorts on the bus might be a good way to meet people...

Seriously, though, if I know I will be in an environment where it will be akward to wear bicycle shorts, I bring a pair of nylon cargo shorts that I can quickly slide on and off over my bicycle pants.

After My Am bike ride today. I took some guests up to nearby Palomar Mtn. for a picnic.. At the observatory, I started to congratulate a couple I thought must be cyclists- for climbing the mountain.. They looked suprised and like I was crazy- cycling up the mtn.. Seemed they were saying- cycling up this mountain would be crazy..!
They were wearing cycling shorts and what looked like what could be a Coolmax T shirt.. Good asumption on my part.? Cycling shorts and not cycling??? It is a difficult climb- I did it a couple of times. For those that do it, they deserve congratulations. In fact the local restaurant gives you free drinks for those that cycle up...
So my point. Why were they wearing cycling shorts.???? In hind sight- they did not look hot or sweaty. And some of us think we should be modest when we are actually wearing cycling shorts and have a need for them....
Think I would not just prance about town in cycling shorts, if not cycling or some other kind of exercise. If not a need for Lycra, think I would feel it odd.. So since we have a need for it, why should we feel ill at ease..!
Does anyone else here wear lycra when not exercising and out in public?

Maybe they were trying to score some free drinks without having to cycle up the mtn.

originally posted by LittleBigMan
Heck, why be modest?
Our "thighs" may be our best advertisement!
Pete, I was referring to eh, er, ... the front of my shorts. :D


Originally posted by mike
Ron, wearing your bicycle shorts on the bus might be a good way to meet people...

Tried the bus and got no "strange looks" or stares.
There was an older, foreign-sounding gentleman on the bus who asked about my bike. He said when he lived in Amsterdam everyone used the bus-bike combination to get around. He told me about the bikes he once had and some of his riding experiences he enjoyed when he was "younger". Hope I see him on future bus rides. :)

BTW: The reason for this thread is because bike racks were recently installed on buses in Atlanta. Sad to say I haven't seen many bikes on the racks. :( Thought I'd include the bus in my commute on occasion.

Cycling shorts on a bus??
It's a moot question, they don't make shorts that big :)

:roflmao: