chicharron

Decorum? naw, lets not take ourselves too seriously.

DnvrFox

I'm so grouchy I got the grouchiest poster contest cancelled!

Wear what you like. See how things feel after a really long ride.

Have a great day!

chicharron

ditto!

chicharron

I dress for comfort. But I usually feel exhausted after a long ride.
How are you doing Mr. Fox?

allgoo19

Another vote for Sportif shorts. They make the best non-bike specific shorts for riding. Look into Hattera model, or Tide Water. If you don't mind the short inseam, original 7 pocket cargo shorts will do just fine.
Performance and Nashbar are very different when it comes to clothing. I have bought a few things from both and I found quality of Performance to be much better(both material and craftsmanship). But one exception, Nashbar gloves have better pad placing for hand fatigues.

chicharron

What about Khaki shorts purchased from Walmart?

Roody

Thinking about shorts at this time of year only makes me colder! () deg F. wind chill today)

Ken Cox

I started out with whatever clothes I could find around the house.
Besides the money, I didn't like the biker look.
However, over time I have gradually gravitated towards bicycling specific clothing, and, in cool and cold weather it works much better for me than regular clothes.

My Local Bike Store, a good bunch of boys, tends to push their gaudy high-end stuff.
Dealers have to do that.
I wound up buying almost all of my stuff, piece by piece as I learned more, from Performance Bike and Nashbar.
I bought things on sale, and I only made few buys that in hindsight turned out useless.

I count my Performance TriFlex Bib Tights as my most valuable clothing item.
I got them on sale for $59.
They have wind and water resistant fabric on the front and much more breathable fabric on the back, and they give me about a 40 F degree temperature spread.
I never feel cold in them, and I don't start to feel warm until it gets up to the 50's.
They haven't come apart on me yet, but they seem a little fragile.
Time will tell.
Because they reveal more of my body shape than I really want to share, I wear big baggy shorts over them and I feel a little better about my appearance.

A rain-resistant, breathable (not gortex) bicycle-specific wind breaker with removable sleeves represents my next most valuable clothing item, and it cost the most.
I think I paid $150 for it, but another rider at work got the same thing on sale for $79.
This wind breaker has a pull tie around the bottom that keeps it windproof around my butt.
By removing the sleeves when it gets warmer (that makes it a vest), and using arm warmers, I can ride comfortably from about 5 F up to 50 F.

For my main biking shirt, and all I ever wear under my wind breaker, even at 5 F, I have a solid white Pearl Izumi jersey.
I don't remember what I paid for it, but Performance has their version of it on sale right now for $18.
I find the bike-specific fabrics work much better at keeping me dry and comfortable than regular fabrics.
They have a lot of trick names for these bike-specific fabrics, but they all do the same thing: they keep me dry and comfortable; and for not very much money.
From my own study of fabrics, I think very fine merino wool performs better, but it costs four time as much and I wouldn't feel as right about throwing wool items into the washer and dryer as I do with the bike-specific synthetics.

I have as yet to find a glove system that really works.
I suffer cold fingers on occasion despite my best efforts.
I've thrown a lot of money at gloves and I still don't have an answer.

I also wear goggles when it gets colder than 50F, and this, surprisingly, has contributed more to my comfort than any other single item of clothing.
I had to search quite awhile to find goggles that would go over glasses and still provide adequate peripheral vision.
The label on them says "Global Vision."

A bike-specific skull cap for $12 keeps my head and ears warm no matter how cold it gets.

In the summer, I wear cotton "whatever."
I usually pull on a pair of Nashbar padded skivvies I got for $17 and then wear whatever I want over them.
I don't ride hard enough to really sweat, so the synthetics don't matter so much in the summer as they do in winter.

So, I say, for those who want to extend their riding into the cooler and colder times of the year, watch Nashbar and Performance bike for sales, and gradually acquire bike-specific clothing over a period of time.
Most of the items come in solid colors with no logos, and they work.
It doesn't take very much of the right type of clothing to stay warm.

fsor

For the days at 50F or below, I have been trying out some silk longjohn tops (imp. from China) under my usual jersey. This works well and they are pretty heavily discounted. (ie. 1/4 of merino wool) I tried some silk "glove liners" that are very light weight and I wear them under the usual fingerless glove. This pretty much pegs the dork meter but it works. Terrifies small children as well. So far these silkies have tolerated warm wash and hang dry. Too soon to tell about durability.

chicharron

Thinsulate undershirt and Thinsulate underpants under a hoody and sweat pants.

the loafer

you can always try www.groundeffect.com found themto be very good

jimshapiro

Two comments. First, you advertise for things you pay for every time you ride your bicycle or drive your car, so there seems to be almost no way around that situation. Frankly, I don't like it either, but I have learned to ignore it.

As for the clothing, I have a tip that has served me well. I never used to wear any special bicycle clothing until I tried a nylon biking shirt and a pair of tights -- they're terrific. But, I get all of my bicycle wear from a thrift shop. The shirts never seem to wear out and if you're watchful you can get like new tights as well. Heck, I even got my bicycle shoes at a thrift shop. I have four shirts and a pile of shorts and tights and the whole caboodle probably set me back less than $50! Happy hunting.

Jim

Shifty

I'm sorry, but buying shorts and shoes from a thrift shop makes me chringe! I wear Pearl Izumi shorts for general riding, I have four pairs and they are so comfortable. I also wear Performance gel shorts for rides 100 miles and longer, these are an excellent value and are often on sale.
Anyone who trys to save money on cycling shorts usually pays in the end :-)

jimshapiro

I can afford new, more expensive bicycle clothing, just as I can afford new cars, but I don't buy either. Good grief, when I played handball at UCLA you used to hand in your clothing when you were done playing and get a newly washed (different) set before the next match -- and no one thought twice about it. Cringe all you want, but my Pearl Izumi shorts cost me $3.00 and I would expect are just as comfortable as anyone else's. (Ironically, Pearl Izumi is located in Boulder, Colorado, where I live.)

By keeping my needs simple I have reduced my working days per week from five to four and expect to cut back to three days within a year.

As an aside, while wearing one of my thrift shop shirts, which was issued at an extreme bicycle race called The Triple Bypass because it covered three high Colorado mountain passes, a bicyclist congratulated me on undertaking such a grueling race! And yes, I straightened him out.

Jim

BlazingPedals

As far as Nashbar durability goes, I have a 1986 Nashbar polypro 'slash' jersey that I still wear semi-regularly. Agreed, some of the cheap stuff won't hold up, regardless of where it came from. I had a few cheapie Performance shorts that were made of spiderwebs and were destroyed in a year.

Shifty

Sorry, I hear what your saying and I'm with you. My cringe (no typo this time) comes from my experience with my own shorts and shoes, which I incenerate when I'm no longer able to enter the same room with them, or when the shorts dissolve in the washer and go down the drain to ruin the public sanitation system.
Living in Boulder gives an entirely different image to the words thrift store, whole other world that Boulder, and a fine one at that.
And on the Triple Bypass, my hat is off to you also, salute!!
Once again, no insult intended, sorry is one was the result.

jimshapiro

First, I didn't mention that I volunteer at The Humane Society's thrift shop. We only take clothing if it's in very good condition, the rest going to Salvation Army (or the trash if it's really bad). Boulder being a relatively wealthy community, we end up with some very good clothing.

And no, no, no, I definitely didn't do The Triple Bypass bicycle race! One of my shirts must have been donated by someone who did. My hat is off too, but to that person.

Jim

Shifty

Ok, then the "Salute" stands, for the volunteer work on behalf of the pooches! Next time I'm in Boulder (my wife went to HS and CU there) the Odwalla and Cherry Garcia in on Shifty. Like my signature line says.......

jimshapiro

Thanks. Hey, maybe your wife went to high school with one of my sons. Mark is 33 and David 31. Any chance?

Jim

Shifty

She wishes that she was that young!!! We are in the Fifty + section Jim

jimshapiro

Isn't there this "trophy wife" thing?

Shifty

It all depends on what you prize!

pauncho

I'm a lardbutt. Big bike jerseys are cut for NFL outside linebackers, not guys with guts. I have found that fan-replica sports jerseys are ideal, apart from no rear pockets. They are sized for American-cut bodies. You get sweat-wicking material and bright colors for safety. On cooler days, soccer goalkeeper jerseys give you long sleeves and many even have elbow padding for warmth and a little protection against minor tumbles.

Jbryant

I MUST have a Spiderman jersey. Where do you suggest I get one? (large)
Thanks! ~~Jeff

oldspark

These clothing threads kill me, not only do the non biking public think we look funky but some of our "own" do so also. I wear the clothes to ease the discomfort of long rides and keep me dry and warm not to look "gay" or cool or whatever you simple minded individuals think. Performance and nashbar offer some great buys with sales coming all too often for my wallet.