Fifty Plus (50+) - Clueless wardrobe question

One of my favorite biking garments is a pair of bib shorts, by LG I believe. Let's face it, it works like a girdle and holds my gut in ;) In the winter I wore a technical shirt underneath the straps so it was pretty darned comfortable. Now that we've succombed to Al Gore's hoa.., whoa, I mean now that global warming is upon us, I'm wondering. Do you still wear a base underneath the straps when it gets warm? I didn't today, and my back is still itchy.

What would an OCP do????

What would an OCP do????

Shave his (or maybe her) legs.

I always wear my bibs under my base layer. I find the base to slippery for the straps. Plus, once I'm on teh bike i never feel the bib straps anyway.
Perhaps you need to find a different set of bibs? There are many different back styles.

Done it both ways many times. It just depends how much hot air Al is spewing. I am slowly learning that over dressing leads to boinking in the spring months.

What's a technical shirt?

Didn't realize there was an art and science to my cycling wardrobe. In warm weather I pull on the bibs or shorts and then pull over them a jersey or a ripped and ventilated t-shirt. Winters, I also wear a "technical" keep you warm wool or polypro beneath the straps.

What's a technical shirt?

Its a tee shirt valued at 4 times the going rate. :D

Its a tee shirt valued at 4 times the going rate. :D
Non-cotton T. Wicking polyester. Target and Meijer have them at reasonable prices. Under Armour get Under My Skin with their prices.

In winter I wear the bib outside the base layer, in the summer no base layer for me. I have no problems with the straps or itching. I have thought of adding a base layer in the summer but in the end I think it will just add to the additional sweat I have to carry around. When the humidty is 80%+ and the dew point hits in the 70s the whole wicking thing kind of goes out the window.

Wow, this is way too much to worry about! I have two basic riding getups. For summer it's biking underwear with cargo shorts and a MTB jersey or tee-shirt, for winter it's good base stuff with sweat pants and a hoodie.

I'm guessing I'm probably a Fred.

Whats a base layer? I get too warm if I use one. Short sleeve always. When its cold then a long sleeve Roubaix material over the top and then the outer of Pertex- Goretex or Showerproof. Even this time of year when it is only about 70 then I still start out with the pertex or showerproof over the top of the S/Sleeve.

When it gets cold around here (less than 40F or 4C) I wear a "technical" tank top, then my bibs, then my wool biking jersey and then a Wonder Fabric jacket over that. The tank top feels fine up to about 75F, but this week it was 85F and I skipped it. Maybe I shouldn't.

By the way, if you look at any of the numerous advertising brocheures from the online bike places, they always have a white shirt underneath the bib straps.

BTW, I think my wife is going to get me a LeMond Reno for my aniversary (29 years; seems like I should get full carbon for toughing out that long. Just sayin').

Non-cotton T. Wicking polyester. Target and Meijer have them at reasonable prices. Under Armour get Under My Skin with their prices.

I agree. Don't get me started.

Oh well, too late. Recently on a restaurant stop during one of our Winter rides, the OCP'ers were all comparing their technical wear and marveling at each others high-priced Winter underwear. What was funny, was that I rode all Winter (like I always do) in frigid temps with $12 Target non-cotton polypropylene long sleeved t-shirts and the OCP'ers had finally left their warm caves with their Armour-All and Craft stuff at 40F. What was even funnier, was that they seemed to be trying to out do each other about how much they had paid. OK, I feel better now. :)

To the OP: wear something under your bib straps or not, but be sure to wear a jersey over your straps or Style Man will have a cow if they (straps) show in public.

I agree. Don't get me started.

Oh well, too late. Recently on a restaurant stop during one of our Winter rides, the OCP'ers were all comparing their technical wear and marveling at each others high-priced Winter underwear. What was funny, was that I rode all Winter (like I always do) in frigid temps with $12 Target non-cotton polypropylene long sleeved t-shirts and the OCP'ers had finally left their warm caves with their Armour-All and Craft stuff at 40F. What was even funnier, was that they seemed to be trying to out do each other about how much they had paid. OK, I feel better now. :)

To the OP: wear something under your bib straps or not, but be sure to wear a jersey over your straps or Style Man will have a cow if they (straps) show in public.

Do you mean shirts like these? http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=br_1_10/601-6874335-0917729?ie=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B000LSGJO2

To the OP: wear something under your bib straps or not, but be sure to wear a jersey over your straps or Style Man will have a cow if they (straps) show in public.

It seems to me that wearing your bib straps exposed is like the babes wearing only their sports bras when they ride.

There's nothing wrong with that.

Do you mean shirts like these? http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=br_1_10/601-6874335-0917729?ie=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B000LSGJO2

No, I was talking about Winter wear, sort of like long underwear, but not cotton. To be honest, I'm not sure they are made any more. Last Winter, I was trying to find some more and couldn't. However, it was late in the season.

Not to worry, BVD still makes cheap polypropylene long johns, both bottoms and tops. I got mine at J.C. Penney last November. Works great under anything that will stop the wind from whistling on through. I didn't know it was "technical".

Not to worry, BVD still makes cheap polypropylene long johns, both bottoms and tops. I got mine at J.C. Penney last November. Works great under anything that will stop the wind from whistling on through. I didn't know it was "technical".

"Technical" is a hold-over from my jogging days. That's what runners call a non-cotton garment ("cotton kills", you know). The prefered ones are those that cost 5-10 times more than you can buy the same thing at Target for.

I have read animated discussions about Target versus Underarmor shirts. They have the same religious fervor as one might encounter in a discussion here about, oh, say, which chain lube is the best.

As I think about it, a big weakness with running is the relative lack of bells and whistles you can deal with. Get a pair of good shoes, nice shorts, technical shirt, maybe a Forerunner if you're into it, and just go and do a few Yazzo 800's and be done with it.

Where's the fun of that, I ask?

But I digress. The reason why runners call a simple shirt "technical" is because there is so little else "technical" in their sport to talk about.

Hope that clears thing up a bit.

Do you mean shirts like these? http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=br_1_10/601-6874335-0917729?ie=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B000LSGJO2


similar, here's the technical long sleeve from Wally World:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/catalog.gsp?cat=487911&fromPageCatId=133197&catNavId=133197

similar, here's the technical long sleeve from Wally World:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/catalog.gsp?cat=487911&fromPageCatId=133197&catNavId=133197

I have one of those. I rarely wear it because it freezes me when I sweat in it. My Wally World wicking shirts are these cheapos. They work fine and look decent worn as outerwear.
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5384414

But really, it's summer now. What's with all this talk about base layers? I wear nothing under my bibs and a jersey over them. No itching. Maybe the OP should wash his.

I just wear two jerseys, one under the other. Works great, and I don't need to go to Target. Generally a long sleeve over a short sleeve, although that will vary depending on the temp.

Have done both outer and inner with the bib straps. Matter of choice and, at times, anticipated bathroom needs!!

What's "itching?"

You could go this route for the summer Assos summer base only $100

I have one of those. I rarely wear it because it freezes me when I sweat in it. My Wally World wicking shirts are these cheapos. They work fine and look decent worn as outerwear.
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5384414

But really, it's summer now. What's with all this talk about base layers? I wear nothing under my bibs and a jersey over them. No itching. Maybe the OP should wash his.

BluesDawgThanks, I will check out your link next time in Wally World. I also have noticed a slight chill once sweating begins in that long sleeve I posted. I have older polypro long sleeves I use in colder weather.

I wear a base layer under my jersey all year in CA. In the winter it keeps me warm. In the summer it keeps me cool. Cool you say? As it dampens from my sweat with the moving air it works as a cooler for me. (You have to keep riding for this to work.) I always wear my base layer against my body. I really don’t even notice it anymore with or without a bib or shorts. I do have two types of base layers; one is long sleeved and slightly heavier material, but still wicking material while the other is short sleeved and very light material. I have Wal-Mart, Voler and Craft. I got to tell you Craft is the best one. (Craft was a gift from the spousal unit.) Second best are the Voler base layers I bought. It is all about fit and function.

And then again, I also wear a skull cap over a full head of hair all year. If I were to over heat it would be easy to peal off and store these items.

I would buy Voler (http://www.velowear.com/category.aspx?cat=CAT-TOPS-MENS-UNDER) again. They run $18-$35 each.

Well OK.

Just now I slipped on my Underarmor tanktop as a base for my bibs. Honest, it only cost me $15 because I bought it at the outlet mall one hour north of Cincinnati. Then I got ready for a quick 20 miler. Had my headlamp, blinkies, glasses-mounted mirror, the works.

Then the thunderstorm hit. I ain't doing nothing but net surfing now.

I think God has made His Opinion clear on the matter.