Now For The Most Fussy And Demanding Cyclist-The Proper Attire
 

Living Car Free means that most of us here use our bikes very frequently beyond simple recreational riding. Below is an article from the Los Angeles Times June 9. 2011 issue. The properly attired cyclist now has options to wear clothing that fits-no more flashing butt-you-know-whats to your neighboring cyclist or unsuspecting driver. Not to mention looking and radiating out anything other than a socially acceptable image of cleanliness that up to now, cyclists always seem to be accused of not quite living up to.

http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-cycling-clothes-20110609,0,5239575.story

Folder: that U-lock hanging from the those skimpy jeans. To me it evokes one word... discipline! :)

I've been wearing work pants and jackets from Duluth Trading. Except for reflective additions they have the same features basically to allow widest range of movement when working, which incidentally makes them great for riding a bike. Their jackets, tops and turtlenecks also have longer tails to prevent "plumber's butt" but again, that works great on a bicycle too. The pants have crotch gusset designs to make kneeling easy and reinforced pockets. The clothing is breathable and the materials are hard wearing. I used them in winter, very comfortable. Oh, they don't have that skinny, NYC look required by hipsters though ;)

I pretty much wear my normal clothes when riding, the only possible exceptions is a pair of baggy shorts with a built in lycra cycling short underneath for longer rides on my drop bar bike. In this part of the country during the summer months anything that has ventilation is a good thing. I have a whole closet full of the Columbia PFG shirts with the vented backs, those combined with Columbia or Carhartt shorts pretty much make up my summer wardrobe, winter I switch over to wool slacks and silk or wool under shirts, adding layers as needed. FWIW I wait until the end of the season an buy my clothing on deep discount, buy at the outlets or thrift stores.



Aaron :)

Great idea. Hopefully in the near future there will be more clothes designers/companies adding choices for someone looking to commute by bicycle.

I usually find my clothes at the local thrift store. My commute is only 14mi one way. If the mornings aren't too warm I can wear what I'll work in...cargo shorts and a bright Hawaiian shirt.. Not much into bike specific shorts unless going on a long tour.

Jerry H

i'm a fan of the high tech fabrics, and it's nice to see them used in Non-athletic clothing.

I too have adopted the "Euro" look by using clothes that can go anywhere off or on the bike. I don't go to thrift stores for my needs. As an seamstress/designer of most anything made of fabric, I usually make my own clothes that work very well on the bike-very important especially for a woman that is not a*ahem cough cough*spring chicken anymore. Skinny jeans I could still wear (I am not that old), but I don't as they are for someone much younger than I (and that would make me look even older than my years). And I don't like the "cheap" look/fit that most imported clothing has nowadays-the underlying reason for most clothing malfunctions. The fitting models from Asia does not cut it for the average much heavier and taller North American and European. Again, I am so grateful for the time I spent as a sample maker/shipper/retailer in the industry before it went mostly overseas.

There are now companies sprouting up all over the place especially online. But most commuters and utility cyclists might not be able to afford their prices or even be willing to pay if they can. The prices are fair to be sure for the most part. First World residents are now extremely accustomed to the third world prices and shopping for the most part at discounters. So the cycle continues to accelerate as more and more factories go overseas and fewer people remain that even know how to thread a needle.

The very concept of "Proper Attire" is offensive to me in that it's just another way for the fashion industry to squeeze money out a cyclist for the sake of pure vanity.

+1

+1 Exactly what I work in and exactly where I buy them.

Other than picking up some mountain bike shorts once in a while when they are on sale, I have no "bike specific" clothes. Usually it's cargo shorts and a tee shirt, for work it's my work clothes. While these bike specific items may be a good idea for people with disposable incomes to dispose of some of it, I think we still need to show the real people in this country that all that is needed to ride is a bicycle. Nothing more, nothing less.

Since the recent Recession started, workplaces have been a bit more, well, hard on their employees on their choices of attire (no more Dress Down Fridays as there are at least 10 equally or better qualified people lined up for your job). Even off hours are now opportunity for others to scrutinize your choice of clothing or (how to put it nicely but graphically) radiating outwardly the socially acceptable image of cleanliness on you as a person, factoring in possible separateness or exclusion by choosing cycling over more group acceptable forms of transit (the private motor vehicle). To be part of this society, one must put out money. If not for paying bills, eating, shelter, meeting other financial obligations, not to mention not having to livie in some tree, cave, or overpass. I do find it interesting that men take personal affront with "proper attire." With almost every women, we could still not get away with half the things that men can (like dressing down to put it mildly) squeeze in after work hour obligations are met. Men still see us in a vanity light (looks-with clothes and make up), no matter what they claim either here or offline.

Just ask their wives.

A breath of honesty. And it also depends on where and what the man does for a living. Suits, Ties, solid color shirts are still required in many places as well. But I will agree the after work pressure is less on us. But I might add that living in Southern California cycling specific clothes are more acceptable than many places and can help some of us in being accepted even in commuting as a middle manager. At least it did for me but I had a locker and access to a shower. But I never assumed that the clothes I rode to work with would be acceptable for the office or for meeting the public.

I agree it shouldn't matter in theory but as you say in reality what professional people wear does matter from a public and work perspective. In jobs without public access life can be easier from a dress "code" standpoint but not always.

As far as buying cycling specific clothes it doesn't have to cost more than cargo shorts and a sports jersey or T-shirt. I have bought Jerseys at city bike fairs for 5 bucks and shorts for 15. Shopping at Nashbar I have done almost as well. Why wear cycling specific clothes? They dry faster, tend not to hold smells like cotton does and are designed to work best while cycling.

I pretty much agree with this. I think there's a generational component also. My generation (boomer) practically invented casual clothing, especially blue jeans everywhere. But we quickly learned to dress up a little for the job and for special occasions.

Personally, I wear khakis (such as Dockers) and a polo-type shirt at my job, and those work well for my short commute. I often buy these clothes at a resale shop. However, I prefer shorts on the bike so I often change after I get to work, if I have enough time to do so.

For long rides,, especially on my days off, I prefer bike clothing, or at least "athletic" clothing such as shorts and wicking shirts. I buy these new at the LBS, online, or even from a big-box discount store.

That isn't true. My boss (owner of the company) shows up for work in shorts and flip-flops, just as he has for the entire 10 years I've worked there. He meets with customers, partners, and vendors dressed like that. It's obviously not harming business in any way. There are no restrictions on what we employees wear to work. By the way, I'm a woman and have strenuous objections to being told what constitutes "proper" attire. It's not just men who hate that.

I agree that workers have faced a much tougher environment lately, but clothing really doesn't enter into it much. Senior executives don't really care what you're wearing while they move your job to Indonesia.

I did not mean it is meant for all situations, just some situations. Do remember that the bay cities and silicon valley is always a bit more, well...different, in being in an oasis of nonconformity. The Dime A Dozen replaceable worker is for most other job categories easily staffed at a moment's notice which does not require anything special in the way of skills, knowledge, education, or even perhaps nepotism that special places of employment does. You are very lucky to be employed in such environment you described above. When I was teaching, the other teachers acted as "fashion police" to each other. Not a very educational or supportive environment to be sure-especially for the students that they claimed they were "educating." I do not miss it in the least.

Maybe not senior executives, but the lower levels-your boss, co-workers, even picky customers/clients. You have to deal with them at all times.

Still even jobs not likely to be sent over seas have been setting dress codes for some time. And with so many standing in line to slot into a job someone else wishes to test their employer on it can be wise to go with the flow. city government and school districts are enforcing dress codes as much if not more than ever. And they are being supported by the courts. I attended a school board meeting about a year ago where they upheld the termination of two teachers and they were replaced within a month.

http://www.firstamendmentschools.org....aspx?id=13027

And from what I have been reading dress codes are on the upswing in many states as well.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/201...cts_adopt.html

And I realize they can't mandate some of these dress codes but peer pressure goes a long way.

I still believe the statement that women are judged harder on what they wear is true.

So much for the "Woman's Liberation" movement. We lost much of the protections society and social practices bestowed on us. And the trade-off is judgement remains of "feminine mystique" beliefs of both genders is alive and well-and more hidden.