Originally Posted by
squirtdad
I can say that for me..repeat for me, the cotton gramicci shorts I wear for commuting and most errand riding are great up to about 10 miles anything beyond that they become uncomfortable...especially if it is hot.
I would guess i am not in the minority this way, but the big point is what works for you may not work for others.
If you can do 20 or a 100 miles in non bike specific gear....good for you, but don't assume that it works for anyone else.
Exactly... there are folks that have come on BF and tell tales of doing 50 mile rides in Levis.
Doesn't work for me...
I have never been able to wear anything slightly heavy or with seams on a bike. When I first started biking quite a bit in the '70's, I wore running shorts... until someone told me about wool bike shorts... I was sold immediately. These days I prefer Pearl I shorts, and frankly I would wear them anytime I am on the bike... but sometimes, for a short ride, I just wear baggy cotton shorts. My utility (commuting... "everyday") bike has racks and I tend to carry at least one pannier all the time (man purse?). Since I can end up anywhere during the day, I tend to throw a shirt and other shorts into my bag just so I am not wearing bike gear when I end up somewhere else. So I look "just like every one else."
I wear bike shorts because I find them very comfortable... I don't wear bike jerseys for the same reason... I don't find them comfortable... So I don't wear a "kit" so to speak. I like cotton, so I may wear a Tshirt or one of my many "aloha" shirts. For the record, I do own two jerseys... which I wear on rare occasions... more likely though, I am wearing a long sleeve cotton T.
Some folks have mentioned carrying wallet and other stuff in pockets in shorts... I don't do that because those things bang against my legs as I pedal... and I find that very annoying. But that is me... could be a difference in cadence, riding style, type of bike... who knows.
To me, it is all about comfort...