noglider 

I wore bike tights and other stuff on the way to work last week. I changed into regular clothes upon arrival at the office. I don't like taking time to change, but the ride was much comfier. I realize that 13 miles (21 km) each way is a larger than normal distance for a bike commute. The "anything work will fine" attitude is fine but bike clothes are better for longish rides. If it were five miles, I wouldn't care, but regular trousers pull on me in various directions, I get sweaty, I'm wearing my clothes out, and I look wrinkled upon arrive. Plus I probably smell.

PaulRivers

I really wanted to be part of the "I'll just ride in regular clothes crowd", but I found the same thing. Jeans wear out in the uh "upper legs" from riding on the saddle as well. If it's more than about 5 miles I'll either change clothes or drive.

Most of my effort ends up going into trying to find bike-specific or friendly clothes that look relatively good being seen walking around in. :-) It's been nearly impossible to do that for winter riding though.

DiabloScott

I go 3.5 miles each way in riding clothes ... work clothes ironed and rolled up in my backpack. I hate riding in regular clothes; grease, seams, sweat, wrinkles.

noglider 

@PaulRivers, since nothing is both presentable and practical, I might as well change, right? We're supposed to dress "business casual" or something like that, so there are standards of some kind. I wouldn't feel right walking around in tights all day, though I do let myself be seen while walking in.

@DiabloScott, I hear ya.

winston63 

My commute is ridiculously short (4 km or about 2.5 miles) yet I wear cycle-specific clothing and change at work.

Of course, I often do a longer, sometimes fast ride at lunch, but regardless of the distance I simply can't stand riding in street clothes.

Wittyname

I wear cycling clothes for my 11.5mi commute and don't regret it at all; would get very uncomfortable if normal clothes. I have a uniform that I have to change into no matter what, so may as well wear the right thing.

caloso

For me it mostly depends on the sweatiness. My direct route is only 4 miles, so in the fall and winter (remember we're in a 4-year drought), if I'm only going to and from work I will just wear my office clothes. I generally won't wear one of my nice suits on the bike. I wear a tie, but I can get away with a blazer most days if I need to be in a meeting. During the summer, I'll wear bibs and a jersey just for the short ride, because I'll be soaked in sweat even after 10 minutes.

This morning I met a buddy for a 25 mile prework training ride. It was cold (for NorCal) so I wore bibs, tights, jersey, windvest. I put my work clothes in a backpack, ride to the office, drop my bag, met my buddy, ride back to the office, and shower and change. On the way home this evening it will probably be 25-30 degrees warmer, so I'll just ride home in my work clothes.

mcours2006

There's no way I'd want to ride in my work clothes. First of all, regardless of how much I want to 'take it easy' on a commute, invariably it turns into a sweat-fest. This is my workout for the day, so I feel like I want to break a sweat. I've got a shower and half my wardrobe there, so I'm good in that department.

Second, it is just more comfortable to cycle, and sweat, in cycling clothes. My commute usually 30-40 km in the AM, and 20 km in the PM, so it's pretty long. Though I've never cycled that long without regular clothes, I imagine my sit bone area would be pretty sore without the benefit of a chamois.

I imagine if my ride was 5 miles or less, I might be more inclined to ride in regular clothes, but then again, I'd probably wouldn't bother with a road bike; I'd just take my very-upright mountain bike with a comfy padded seat.

andr0id

I think if you call them "yoga pants" it's OK.

wolfchild

I don't use any cycling specific clothing....I use athletic fitness/sports clothing, they're very comfortable and look normal when I am in public places. I change into work clothes after I arrive at my workplace... I've been commuting all year round for 9 years and nobody is going to convince me that cycling clothing is essential, because it isn't... A guy walking down the city street in skin tight spandex looks ridiculous.

Darth Lefty 

I tried to start wearing arm warmers this year, but the warm weather lasted so long and the cool weather arrived so suddenly that I only got to use them a few times before I switched to my usual not-cycling jacket.

caloso

Who's walking? I thought we were talking about bike commuting.

velocity

I agree no argument here.
Its great to see the girls at work and the look on their faces as I tell them to keep their eyes up here I say "enjoy your freedom! Spandex is a privilege and not a right!"

tjspiel

Lots of things we might choose aren't essential, just preferred by the person making the choice.

There's a reasonable chance that someone at work or a random person on the street might be bothered by the idea of a guy wearing spandex. If that's going to have some negative impacts on your career, well, that's something that will have to factor into your decision whether to wear spandex or not, - or how quickly you change.

I don't know if I heard it here or not but somewhere I saw cycling described as the "new golf". If that's really the case, then seeing MAMILs will become more common in office settings and no longer a big deal. It's just fashion after all and what's acceptable changes all the time.

no motor?

I wear a mixture of cycling, athletic and casual clothes that work for me. I think people are more concerned by how I smell than look, and I wouldn't want to wear work clothes to ride in even with a shorter (<4 miles) commute.

Giant Doofus

When I started bike commuting, my plan was to ride in normal clothes all the time. I was persuaded by some blogs I had been following that there was no reason to wear special bike clothes. That went out the window fast! It's hot -- really hot -- in Memphis in the summer. My commute is six miles each way. No way I'm going to ride in my work clothes during our hot and humid summers and then stay in those same clothes all day.

What I finally settled on was a seasonal arrangement. When it is mid-60s and up, I tend to ride in cycling clothing and change at the office. Below that I typically wear my work clothes -- skirts and dresses with cardigans, tights and low heels. If we are below freezing, I go back to cycling clothes.

hueyhoolihan

forget commuting! i don't even want to ride a quarter mile to the convenience store in my civvies. it's MTB shoes and biking shorts at least or, god forbid, i'm driving.

wolfchild

Yes we're talking about bike commuting and not a racing event... I don't know what your or other peoples commute looks like, but my commute involves running errands which involves getting off the bike and walking to different places and mixing with public.

mcours2006

How I look in spandex doesn't factor into my decision to wear it. I'm just more comfortable in it. If it looks ridiculous to others, so be it. That's their problem; not mine. I am long past caring what other people think about my choice of clothing.

I run in tights in the winter too, and I don't wear a pair of shorts over them either. Deal with it!

Edit:
Oh yeah, I run errands in my spandex too, into the grocery store every week, and Canadian Tire and Walmart too. Sometimes I'll take my Fred helmet off and sometimes I'll leave it on my head, headlights/tail-lights, mirrors--the whole nine yards. People don't care, nor do I.

caloso

Well, that's the thing isn't it? Your commute doesn't look like mine. While yours involves running errands which includes a walking amongst the public, mine often involves intervals. So while pants and a shirt is more appropriate for your commute, bibs and a jersey is more appropriate for mine. I'm certainly not going to try to convince you that bike kit is essential for your commute, but don't assume that it's not for mine.

jaxgtr

Yep, I do the same...Commute is only 7 miles one way, but I often take the long way home stretching the return trip to 20-25 and it just makes the ride much more comfortable.

Jim from Boston

I always thought "yoga pants" are baggy, like sweat pants, or so-called "buffet pants."

tjspiel

I confess to being confused about this too until a year or two ago. Yoga pants are form fitting and apparently very comfortable. They've taken the place of both jeans and sweats for many women.

They are a little bit controversial in schools and office environments.

joeyduck

I slowly drifted from athletic shorts and shirts to cycling like attire, I have not gone to bibs or chamois yet. My original commute was long enough (~15 miles each way) that it made sense. I end up sweaty after a few hundred meters.

I always found it essential to keep things tight and controlled in the saddle region or I experience quite a bit of discomfort, so I have always worn spandex. I find even a quick jaunt to the store in regular boxers painful.

So @noglider you are not alone in your choice, nor are you @wolfchild; but we all have our needs and comforts. I wish my balls wouldn't hurt and require spandex even for short rides and that I could wear regular clothes.

kickstart

Its funny, people are always singing the praises of cycling specific clothes, and I have plenty except jerseys, but rarely wear it other than the rain wear and shoes.

I find regular active wear more comfortable because of its looser fit, and even though I have a half dozen cycling shorts, the only time I wear them is as underwear for regular pants in cold weather.
A month or so back while it was still warm, I got some Castilli shorts at a thrift store, and decided to wear them home. By the time I was half way home (10 miles?) I was so hot and sweaty down there, I had to stop and put my running shorts back on for relief. I like air circulation and freedom of movement in warm weather.
I also prefer cycling specific gloves in warm weather for the same reason. In the cold and wet whatever glove that's appropriate for conditions is ok. In fair weather I prefer foot retention with cycling shoes, but the other 3 seasons I like LL Bean boots with platforms. No doubt that bike specific commuter orientated rain wear works better than active wear rain wear. Nothing but cycling rain wear has enough ventilation. Helmets are another given, the ones intended for cycling are the best choice.

For Commuting to work I wear an active wear shirt, and my work pants or shorts depending on weather. The Pants/shorts are active work wear and ok for 8 miles. I also wear cycling shoes or the bean boots because I don't like riding wearing my steel toe boots.