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Biking Outfits ... what do you think?

Old 03-09-03, 07:15 PM
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Biking Outfits ... what do you think?

I'm 23 and I bike almost 4 times a week, but I haven't gotten myself to buy the clothing that I see most cyclists wearing. Road biking is one thing and I think all the spandex looks normal, but for mtn. biking what do you guys wear? I just throw on a cut off t shirt and some Nike basketball shorts. I'm not sure if I can get myself to go skin tight.

I do have normal shoes for my toe clips though.
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Old 03-09-03, 07:26 PM
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I use Jackson & Gibbons touring shorts.

https://store.yahoo.com/bicycle-cloth...blactours.html
 
Old 03-09-03, 11:18 PM
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Originally posted by jtown
for mtn. biking what do you guys wear?
I have baggies with sewn-in lycra as well as regular lycra shorts. I usually like to wear the baggies for my mountain bike rides but I've been known to wear whatever happens to be on the top of the pile. I also prefer an actual jersey to a t-shirt because the jersey will wick away moisture better while a t-shirt tends to cling to me. Additionally, the cut of a jerseys and lycra shorts tend to make it more comfortable than underwear, regular shorts and a t-shirt. It's all about the comfort.
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Old 03-09-03, 11:28 PM
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For shorts: https://www.corerat.com/

They are Canadian and my size "Battle Short" was on sale. The 69.99 Cd$ turned out to be about $50 US including Air Mail shipping.

For jerseys:

https://www.pearlizumi.com/pearlizumi...ctTypeSubID=10

I have a Sierra Nevada short sleeve jersey.
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Old 03-10-03, 04:39 AM
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You can get cycling underwear, or wear cycling shorts beneath baggy shorts.
The baggies with built-in pad need to be washed after every ride, which is not as convenient as separate underwear. 2 layers will protect you from abrasions better than a single layer.
A wicking T shirt works as well as a wicking cycling shirt and is usually a bit cheaper. Back pockets are over-rated, and you shouldnt put tools there in case of a fall. I usually take both types on a cycling tour.
For toe-clip pedals, you can get some stiff-soled trail shoes which are great for all-purpose everyday use.
I rode for years without special cycling clothes, and now use a mixture of cycling and general purpose outdoor kit.
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Old 03-10-03, 04:40 AM
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i have a pair of the baggy MTB shorts with the lycra pad sewn in but they pretty much stay in the drawer as what i prefer is regular lycra padded shorts with board shorts over them. these are great because 1) they are much tougher and extend the life of my expensive lycra shorts 2) have a tough nylon shell that doesn't "stick" in trees or brush or whatever like lycra can/will 3) look much "coooler" and 4) i can mix and wash the lycra and rewear the board shorts unless they get way muddy

probably the only concern is if the shorts are too baggy they can get stuck on the seat or whatever. but for commuting, touring and MTB rides i always wear the board shorts. the only time i dont' is when actually racing when i think the possibly baggy-catch could potentially slow me down...

obviously you could also wear the lycra shorts under any other shorts of choice too - like Basketball shorts. but the lycra padded shorts do REALLY add a lot in terms of comfort and reduced chaffing - i don't think i could do the miles i do without bike shorts (about 10,000km and 65,000 meters vertical in 2002)

i also wear bike jerseys and bike gloves (full finger for off-road) as well as SPD shoes with Speedplay Frog pedals... the more you ride, the more important "bike clothes" become and the more you can justify the expenditure... with many years of cycling now behind me i have something like 15 short-sleeve jersey and 6 long-sleeve, 2 pair no finger gloves, multiple fingered and various jackets and vests... 2 pair of shoes, 4 bikes, etc.
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Old 03-10-03, 04:43 AM
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I rode for years without special cycling clothes, and now use a mixture of cycling and general purpose outdoor kit.
yeah, i agree with all of what Micheal said. (he posted while i was writing my previous post) and i too rode for a long time without specialized stuff - ok, my first year of serious riding as a poor college student i coughed up the cash for 1 pair of lycra shorts and then i found a jersey on clearance for like $5, so i rode with one jersey and one pair of shorts for almost 2 years... i also use a lot of running stuff and for winter hiking or snowboarding gear...
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Old 03-10-03, 04:45 AM
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gloves are definitely a must on long rides. I will eventually invest in some padded lycra shorts to go underneath my regular basketball shorts I ride in. I don't really see why I would need a jersey though ... I don't come that close to the foliage.

MTN shoes and clips will be on the new bike.
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Old 03-10-03, 05:56 AM
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I don't really see why I would need a jersey though ... I don't come that close to the foliage.
the main advantage as was said somewhere above is the wicking/drying ability of the material, which basically just provides increased comfort. basically, you sweat a lot when you ride and the wicking helps the sweat evaporate fast so that 1) you aren't carrying around lots of water-loggered uncomfortable clothes and 2) if it's cool out and you take a short break all sweaty you won't become as cold much as quickly if your shirt is pretty dry as opposed to totally water-logged 3) even if totally sweated-logged, the jersey can be set out to dry during a ride break (in the sun say) or at work mine is dry and ready for the ride home just by being hung up in the corner - a cotton t-shirt often takes days to dry, especially in wet/humid climates

the most common non-technical shirt that people use is the cotton T-shirt which is horrible at keeping and retaining sweat - i can no longer ride in just a t-shirt as i find the sweat accumulation untollerable... but i used to do it before i knew anything else

a running shirt or hiking shirt other basic technical "sports" shirt (not just a trendy logo shirt made of cotton) but most any synthetic like coolmax, nike acg or whatever cheaper synthetic no-names there are will also work well, although they tend to be looser fitting so flap around in the wind.

but the bike jersey also has other special desgin features:
1) zip-down neck to regulate temperature/air flow
2) snug fit to prevent the shirt from blowing in the wind - actually a loose and wet t-shirt will give me numb skin and a rash on a multi-hour ride from the shirt comstantly thumping my skin from teh wind.

and lastly, SOME jerseys are good at preventing the accumulation of body oder, something which becomes important when you ride a lot and/or commute. i have found a few makers that i can wear for 3 sweaty hours of riding and will only have a faint odor and maybe even wear 3 days whereas others reek like Rocky's gym shorts after 30 minutes...

if you can find one cheap, i'd recommend it. but you don't really need to shell out $40 or $70 for the newest coolest graphics or team logo (although MANY do)... most bike shops have stuff in the $15-$20 range on clearance or even a synthetic shirt from your favorite discount store. or ask some veteran cyclists who will often have old jerseys they would donate to a young rider.
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Old 03-10-03, 10:08 AM
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I wear normal lycra bike shorts with lightweight baggy shorts over them. I don't like them too long because they will snag the seat. If it's warm I'll wear a cotton T-shirt. Getting sweaty is not a problem unless it's too cold out or I'm commuting. I may buy a short sleeve jersey this summer to compare. In cooler weather I'll wear a thermal undershirt which is cheap, warm, and wicks moisture well. I have a long sleeve jersey but don't use it much.
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Old 03-10-03, 11:07 AM
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Shorts and a T...regular style. I will probably switch to mtb specific shorts this year as my crotch keeps getting caught on jumps and drops. But I will never loose the T.

Oh and I have personal issues with tight lycra shorts...ug...
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Old 03-10-03, 01:40 PM
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I wear full Azonic Catalyst 03' race clothes. The jersey is super comfortable, and looks bad-ass. The shorts are "motocross pants made into shorts" and are super tough. They're made out of that crazy-strong cordora stuff and nylon. Triple stitched everywhere, and have rubber logos. Even have built-in thigh pads that are removeable via velcro.

I usually just wear a pair of old boxers underneath these shorts, as I dont have the money for lycra stuff.

For MTB, Baggy's are the way to go.
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Old 03-10-03, 03:18 PM
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I go Andre Agassi old-style or lycra bike shorts with baggy shorts over top of them. During cool days I'll sport a long sleeve t-shirt and during hot days a cycling jersey.
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Old 03-10-03, 06:08 PM
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In the summer I wear lycra shorts with board shorts or basketball style shorts over it. I've bought a few of those Nike dri fit and New Balance wicking shirts and I like them. I only have one jersey though but I never wear it because it is too small.
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Old 03-10-03, 06:14 PM
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do bugs stick to lycra? I just got back from a ride and I had a lot of small bugs collecting on my shirt and shorts. haha ... I guess summertime has it's downfalls too.
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Old 03-10-03, 08:24 PM
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I stumbled across something riders on a budget might want to look into. SafetyLine.com now has 100% polyester long and short sleeve T-shirts in hi-visibility yellow and safety orange. I just ordered a long and a short sleeve in yellow so I'll let you know how well they work when they come in.

These should wick similarly to bike jerseys at a fraction of the price (15 bucks each for the short-sleeve, 18 bucks for the long sleeve). Of course, it won't be covered with somebody's fancy advertising

That has always kind of puzzled me, why people would pay outrageous sums of money to advertise somebody's product. If I'm going to ride around looking like somebody's danged billboard they're going to be paying me!

I remember a few years ago I was looking at a nice G&L guitar. It was a limited edition "signed by Leo." I really liked the guitar but I wasn't interested in paying the premium price for the "collector's" edition guitar. I remember the salesman gushing, "but' it's number 72 of only 1000, and it's got Leo's signature." My reply? "Wonderful, scrape Leo's signature off, drop the price $200, and I'll take it."

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Old 03-11-03, 05:30 AM
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My cycling kit consists of casual shirts made of the same wicking material as the pucker cycling gear ,I just get them a size smaller to stop them flapping in the wind ( NZ$ 20. each ) No back pockets though ! My shorts are black, lined with the same wicking material with a bonus of a thin reflective strip down each side( NZ$18 ) Another pair of shorts that are water resistant that I wear as over shorts if its wet (nz$15)Boxer under-gruts to hold every thing in place sawn off thermal underwear top & bottom for under neath when it gets cold ( ziltch: coutesy of my employer ),socks nill ,I go tubeless. My Shimano spd shoes I got from Trade Me ( like E-bay) for nz$30. Ive fitted home made cleats to lock into my clips with straps . What a cheap skate !!!
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Old 03-11-03, 10:57 AM
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I wear lycra "bib" cycling shorts, with either cut-off cammo's or cargo shorts over them. Have a couple cycling jerseys, usually just wear a T-shirt. Full finger Fox gloves. Diadora polbano 3/4 MTB shoes, or Diadora cobra MTB race shoes. 636 pedals.
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