Biking Outfits ... what do you think?
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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.
I do have normal shoes for my toe clips though.
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Originally posted by jtown
for mtn. biking what do you guys wear?
for mtn. biking what do you guys wear?
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1999 K2 OzM 2001 Aegis Aro Svelte
"Be liberal in what you accept, and conservative in what you send." -- Jon Postel, RFC1122
1999 K2 OzM 2001 Aegis Aro Svelte
"Be liberal in what you accept, and conservative in what you send." -- Jon Postel, RFC1122
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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 $50 US including Air Mail shipping.
For jerseys:
https://www.pearlizumi.com/pearlizumi...ctTypeSubID=10
I have a Sierra Nevada short sleeve jersey.
They are Canadian and my size "Battle Short" was on sale. The 69.99 Cd$ 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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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.
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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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.
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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I rode for years without special cycling clothes, and now use a mixture of cycling and general purpose outdoor kit.
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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.
MTN shoes and clips will be on the new bike.
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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 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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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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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...
Oh and I have personal issues with tight lycra shorts...ug...
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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.
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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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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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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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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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."
John
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 $200, and I'll take it."
John
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My cycling kit consists of casual shirts made of the same wicking material as the pucker cycling gear ,I just get them a size smaller to stop them flapping in the wind ( NZ$ 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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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.
Bryan
Bryan