RidingMatthew

this is a good point. I wear lycra because i am riding over 10 miles in NC humidity once summer rolls around. I do have two panniers and 2 rear lights. i have two front lights too. I am riding a cyclocross bike with fenders. (to most people probably looks like a "road" bike)

haha funny and yet very true. Never can understand what they are saying either...

i think because I am riding the basically same route at the basically same time people probably figure i am commuter. I do think that in the afternoons when the weather has been nice. ( like recently) the other cyclists who were out probably realized I was not out joy riding due to the fenders/ light/ and panniers.

bmthom.gis

My bulging cycle shorts...i mean, my bulging panniers really gets the ladies attention on the road and at work

Steely Dan

i don't try to look like any particular kind of cyclist when i'm bike commuting. i just do what works for me.

most of the time that's riding on a commuting-converted CX bike with full fenders and rack/panniers in my work clothes (i have a short 5 mile commute)

in the warmer sweaty summer months i usually ride in shorts and t-shirt and change into work clothes at the office.

and if the weather looks really good for the day and i want a kick, i'll break out my speedy little road bike and ride to work with a backpack.

none of it is done with any kind of intention to look a certain way. it's just what i find works best and easiest for me.

TenSpeedV2

I think that I do everything possible to NOT look like a commuter, even though I am commuting. No panniers, no racks, no fenders in the summer time, no baskets, not even a bike that will take those, no reflectors, no orange/green/whatever safety vests or anything like that, no reflective pant leg band, and I do NOT ride with headphones in. I do wear a helmet, glasses, gloves, normal looking clothes like a t-shirt and shorts in the summer, my messenger bag, and a bright rear blinker. During the day if it isn't sunny, I will run a front blinker as well for visibility.

I feel like it isn't so much what I wear, but how I handle myself on the road as to whether drivers will give me room. I don't ride like a jackass, I obey all traffic laws on major public streets, and I act very confident out on the road. If you hesitate, or look like you have no idea, you won't get much respect or room out there.

CrankyOne

There is considerable conflict and animosity between drivers and 'cyclists', not because drivers think they're engaging in a hobby, but because they are blocking the road.

no motor?

I dress in a mixture of purely functional athletic and casual clothes and don't really care what others think of my attire as long as they see my and don't run into me.

fietsbob

No, I look like a Tow Truck Driver ..

kickstart

Here in the Seattle area, you would fit the stereotype of a fair weather commuter to a t. From my experience its not so much what one wears or does, but where one is, almost all my negative encounters have been in low income housing and retail locations.

TenSpeedV2

To an extent, that is what I am I guess. I do not ride in the rain. I do have a fat bike with fenders for the winter, and I try to ride on every day that it is not raining. As for the low income areas, I am fortunate to not have to ride through much of that on my way to work.

AlmostTrick

I don't see "considerable animosity" but do agree motorists dislike cyclists blocking the road. My feeling is that a solo cyclist commuting to work (seen regularly, at the same time, on the same roads) is accepted better than a pack of weekend racerboys out for a fun ride. Not fair, but likely true.

brockd15 

I prefer cycling clothes when riding but I don't wear it when commuting. I might in the future since I shower and change at work, but I want to be able to stop by stores or run errands on the way home, and for that I prefer to not be in cycling clothes. So I wear stuff that's comfortable for my short ride (7.5 miles each way) and looks ok off the bike. I do wear a hi-viz jacket, a helmet, a backpack, have lights, and use clipless shoes/pedals.

SouthFLpix

I have come to understand that a lot of people form pretty strong judgements on you based on what you wear. For example; I almost always ride solo, but the very first time I attempted a group ride I was politely turned away because I didn't have the right 'uniform'. I showed up in regular wool shorts and a microfiber t-shirt. The group sort of looked me over from a distance, had a 'huddle', and then sent a person over explaining that this was an ride for 'advanced cyclists' and that I should look around for more leisurely rides until I was 'ready' to join the advanced group. I speculate that this particular 'bias' is more common in larger cities, and even more so in cities where people live very closely together (such as NYC for example), and less common in more rural areas.

I think partly for this reason I have gravitated more towards the 'tourer / randonneur' crowd, which basically tend to be a lot of 'loners' or 'individualist' types who also enjoy going on long rides, but aren't as 'fuzzy' about what the person next to them is wearing or riding.

As as far as hostility from drivers, well around here you always have to be on guard for that no matter what. I often get what I speculate are intentional 'close shaves' from bullies. I also occasionally find branches and broken bottles thrown at specific locations in the cycling lane. I expect attitudes to shift as traffic continues to become more nightmarish and more people turn to the bike. I see this as an inevitable, albeit slow, process.

gregf83 

Probably depends on where you live, but around here cycling for recreation is quite popular and no one complains about 'packs' of cyclists. In the summer around the time when several pro races come to town groups of riders get lots of encouraging honks and waves from drivers.

Riding in a group seems safer with respect to vehicles, other riders within the group - not so much.

gregf83 

The reason you were turned away had nothing to do with what you were wearing. Rather, it was your perceived effect on the group's safety.

AlmostTrick

Good points.

I do notice how many riders seem to become much bolder/braver (with respect to motor traffic) when riding in a group... especially a large group. I feel safer when I'm by myself.

CrankyOne

I think animosity is relative and does vary by location. I thought MN was the most bicycle friendly place there was until being in Europe and The Netherlands for some time where there is about zero animosity (and about zero conflict which is why there is about zero animosity). Now in FL it's a whole different ballgame. Animosity in The Netherlands is a close call once every few million car encounters, Copenhagen about 1 in 1,000, in MN about 1 in 100, and FL about 1 in 20 (along with stuff thrown at you occasionally).

the sci guy 

i wear a pair of lululemon pacebreaker shorts (gym shorts with a wicking liner), and an adidas UPF long sleeve high vis running/cycling shirt (loose fitting).
In colder times I wear some wind pants and a wind jacket.

alan s 

I agree. Maybe it was your bike or your quads or something else that indicated you would be dropped in the first 5 minutes, and they were doing you and themselves a favor. I was on a group ride in FL a couple years ago, and someone showed up on a hybrid. No one said anything, but on the first paceline rotation, the guy was gone, and I assume dropped.

bmthom.gis

@SouthFLpixForget about people saying it was for safety etc...that group was afraid you would drop them! Our groups around here are pretty chill...every now and again I like to show up on my steel bike and have fun picking off the people riding their carbon bikes going uphill.

halcyon100

I wear lycra, ride my road bike and generally look like a roadie, except I have a backpack on. It is a Camelbak, so they might think I am just out for a long ride and need lots of water. But, I think the backpack, plus the fact that I am generally out riding in the morning or evening conveys commuter.

I have heard people express disdain for cyclists out riding "for fun," and I find this assumption very frustrating. There are times that I have taken long road rides on weekends and actually use the trip for both recreation and something purposeful. I might put a credit card in my jersey pocket and get a gift for someone, something small like some earrings or something, where I am not using a backpack or panniers to convey "purposeful" riding... but I did accomplish a task via bike that could have been done in a car...

tjspiel

I don't really buy the premise.

A driver may be more annoyed with a bike commuter because the bike commuter could be driving a car like everyone else and not slowing down traffic.

A road cyclist is training and can't do that driving a car.


My honest belief is that most drivers don't care why the bike is on the road in front of them, only that they are. It is better to be seen and have the driver be annoyed with you than not be seen and get run over.

To answer the question though, I don't intentionally dress to look like a commuter. Typically I don't wear spandex unless I have a group ride after work, - which is pretty rare these days. I haven't noticed a difference in the level of animosity either way.

Jim from Boston

+1. It seems kind of narcissistic to think otherwise, as in "You're So Vain"...

"You had one eye in the mirror as
"You watched yourself gavotte..."

PatrickGSR94

I wear roadie kit because my commute is long. But then I have a rack on my road bike, with a trunk bag that has fold-out panniers that I use in the mornings. Yes I have had the thought that the panniers might give others the impression that I'm riding to get somewhere (work). But honestly, I *REALLY* don't care what other people think. I do what is necessary to be effective for me.

kickstart

I think its reasonable to assume that the "toy" and "hobby" perception probably is part of the general annoyance people feel when delayed by any cyclist, but I don't think the nuances of clothing and equipment factor into that for the average person.

jade408

I "dress for the destination." My bike is a Dutch bike impersonator with a front basket, rack and fenders.

Typical outfit: dress, ballet flats, cardigan. Purse in the basket and a helmet. Maybe some cheap sunglasses.

My city has roadies and utility cyclists. I do not live near the recreational spots.