rwortman

OK, without making any judgement about what you look like, I would feel perfectly ridiculous wearing a day-glo jersey when riding my bike. I get that the clothing makes a comfort and performance difference where the body meets the bike. I wear black cycling shorts, spd shoes, and gloves when riding. I also wear a tee shirt when the weather is warm. I like the idea of the pockets in a cycling jersey but I DO NOT want to wear a skin tight Lycra anything on my upper half. Does anyone make a tee-shirt sort of a thing with pockets in the back that doesn't cost $50+? I may have to make my own.

Speaking of SPD shoes, I bought a pair of Exustar Touring shoes and I really like them. They look like a classic road shoe and come with a blank plate of sole like material bolted over the SPD pattern so they can be used with toe clips as is or with SPD pedals when you remove the plate and bolt on the cleats.

https://www.velo-orange.com/exsrtosh.html

lhbernhardt

You can generally get cycling jerseys in a "racing cut" (skin tight, very aero, very comfortable in the "down" position) or in a "club cut," which is much looser, allows for a bit of extra weight, billows a little in the wind, but still looks perfectly fine. Day-glo colors are pretty much out. If you want to wear a nice pro team jersey, you might like the jerseys that the British-based Sky team uses: solid black with subtle Adidas stripes, very tasteful. Another nice team jersey is Garmin's, which singlehandedly brought back the Argyle pattern, which has expanded into the general population. A bit of orange, but quite tasteful. The jerseys to avoid are those of the Italian teams, unless you like wall-to-wall lettering and wierd color combinations. Must be an Italian styling thang.

Oh, and the other thing you should bear in mind is that the trend now is for jerseys to be full-zip, so on hot days, climbing long hills, you can ride with the jersey totally unzipped. A lot of clubs have yet to catch on and persist in ordering jerseys with medium-length zippers, so you can't fully unzip the jersey. One big advantage of the full-zip jersey is that you can take it off without emptying the pockets. This is a BIG advantage for guys who wear bib shorts who need to take a dump (and I guess this would make it more convenient for women to wear bib shorts). I now refuse to buy any jersey that doesn't have a full zipper, it's the best thing that has happened to cycling clothing since lycra! (although I miss silk as a jersey material...)

Luis

stapfam

Cotton is not the best material when you start sweating.Unless the temp is way up- it will hold moisture and make you feel cold. The cycling jerseys are made from a material that wicks moisture away and although they may be a bit tight fitting- do the job of keeping you dry and NOT cold.

If you want a looser fitting jersey- then Sports shops will sell a "T" made of a wicking material that will do the same job. Won't have pockets in the back but that can be overcome with a waist bag of some sort to hold the wallet- camera- Phone etc that you require on a ride.

thomamueller

Check out Pearl Izumi. They have Form, Semi and Loose fit. Here is an example of loose:
https://www.pearlizumi.com/product.ph...503336&outlet=

I ride using the semi fit and just go with some plain colors such as red, blue and black. So unless your 6' 4" and 160 pounds, I don't think form fitting is appropriate.

BengeBoy 

I wear a variety of jerseys that are "looser" than racing jerseys when I'm commuting.

I've had good luck at REI -- either getting some "brand name" jerseys like Pearl Izumi or Canari in a bigger size, or getting a mountain bike jersey, which tend to be cut looser and are often in plain colors.

REI's house brand, Novara, often has some good values in bike gear -- no logos, often loose cut. I just spotted this example on their website:

https://www.rei.com/product/794991

Wildwood 

I've never seen a T-shirt with rear pockets. I stopped looking.
It's even hard to find a T-shirt with a single front pocket.
Short sleeved merino wool jerseys are comfortable in all but the hottest weather.
Here in Seattle there are many summer days when I prefer my old-school long sleeved wool jerseys.

chasm54

+1. The superlight merino wool t-shirts (I buy the Icebreaker brand, from NZ) are expensive, but absolutely the best base layer you can buy with the possible (and even pricier) exception of silk.

But get a proper full-zipped cycling top. They're really useful and they don't all come in garish colours/patterns.

maddmaxx 

Take a look at Mountain Bike Jersey's. They are almost all much looser fitting. They also tend to come in drab earthy colors...............but remember, those bright colors may be the only thing that a driver sees before they attempt to fill the space your riding in.

chipcom 

This mountain bike tee from performance might fit the bill for you.
https://www.performancebike.com/bikes..._400000_400060

gtragitt

Although I usually wear jerseys with back pockets, I typically don't have anything in them. My Camelback holds my spare tube, mini pump and a few tools. It has room for a wallet and keys. I like grabbing for a tube for water rather than a bottle from the cage.

Terex

I would feel perfectly ridiculous NOTwearing a day-glo jersey when riding my bike if I got hit by a car.

In general, I wear very bright, or at least highly visible (white) jerseys when cycling. Standard evening ride wear for many people I ride with is the day-glo yellow that really does seems to glow in low light situations. And blinkies.

Fat Tire

Rivendell has some lightweight wool Jerseys in rather a pleasant sort of green that may be cut for non-elite cyclists. Rivendell has "way cool" stuff in most every category of products they sell.

Mojo Slim

Good suggestions, all. As far as price, I have bought 8 or 9 jerseys at a used cycling store. They sell all sort bikes, parts, etc., but I love the selection of jerseys. They're in good shape, alll descriptions and I've never paid more than $15 for one. And the proceeds go to a good organization. Look in your area for one.

mkane77g

Kucharik has a fine selection at reasonable prices

zonatandem

Comfort/fit/visibility are prime concern for us.
Bright colors/patterns are a plus . . .
In over 300,000 miles of cycling have had 4 bad hits by cars/pickups. Usual comment: Did not see you! . . . and was wearing a bright orange jersey on one occasion!
Yes, all motorists got a ticket; one had license suspended for 90 days (drunk driving) and one had his restricted drivers license revoked.
Just our input . . .

rumrunn6

this spring I was surprised to see a decent selection of excercise tops at store like Target in a big variety of colors including hi-vis day-glo lime-green. I've seen an increase in the use of hi-vis clothing even by roadies and its a good thing. too many ride in dark colors, even darkish team jerseys and you just can't see them until you are right upon them. the hi-vis stuff lets to be seen at a greater distance giving the driver more time to plan their pass. granted hi-vis clothing needs better designs, but that will come in time I guess. the best thing at night is reflective wear but thats impossible to find. a black shirt with a reflective pin-stripe just doesn't cut it in my book.

DnvrFox

$19.99 from Nashbar. Loose fit. Regularly $44.99.

https://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product...5_10000_200478

Speedskater

I'm with Terex, Day-Glo is the way to go.