Haff

I've read a couple posts where people say your jersey and shorts should be form fitting to improve aerodynamics and allow for more efficient riding and higher speeds. But I have to ask. for a non-pro rider, particularly a clyde. how much does it really matter? Will there be any noticeable impact other then the feeling of flapping?

Fly2High

AS a new rider and a Clyde, it matters to me. I purchased a Canari jacket that fit more like a typical windbreaker. I was not familiar with bike fit clothing at the time. Well, if I went over 15 mph, it would flap noisily in the wind and the drag was rediculous. AS the weather improved and I was just wearing a jersey, it was much more serene and I felt much less drag. Same situation when the wind blew and I was going slower. Now, everything I own as far as bike clothing is a little tighter. They do make relaxed or club fit jerseys which have the most room followed by semi form fit. These are what I aim for. Tight enough not to have tons of drag and noise yet loose enough to hide my gut (somewhat) and have mobility.

The Canari jacket went back to the store.

You don't have to wear it like a coat of paint but closer fitting clothing, for me, helps.

Frank

BigDB67

What kind of riding are you doing?

If you are taking a leisurely ride I do not think that loose clothes matter. But on windy days or if you are breaking the 16-18mph threshold I think you want tighter fitting clothes!

Haff

I'm transitioning to road riding, so I'm hoping to put a lot of miles on, preferably at a higher speed. My first ride was a little under 15mph, but I expect that to improve significantly. I was just wondering. Since I'm not a small dude, my air resistance is pretty high. Is the added drag of loose clothing really even noticeable? So far both of your responses have said it will be. If we get a third in a row I think we can call it a trend!

Jarrett2

I didn't notice it much under 14 mph average. Once I started getting into 14-19mph average ranges, draggy/flappy clothing was really noticeable.

I also live on a hill where its constantly windy and I regularly ride into strong head winds, so any aero advantage I can give myself helps quite a bit.

obed7

above 14 mph, it makes a difference, the noise reduction alone is a benefit to me when riding for several hours, and it is nice not to notice your clothes at speed and on windy days.

MRT2

I don't notice a whole lot of difference between my relaxed fit and tighter fit jerseys. That said, I wouldn't go too loose at it gets annoying going for a ride with your shirt flapping or billowing in the wind. I do usually wear tight fitting cycling shorts so can't comment on that.

JerrySTL

One place a flappy jersey can matter is if you are wearing a heart rate monitor strap. There's even a name for it: Flappy Jersey Syndrome. It can cause some HRMs to read very high such as over 200 bpm when you are just riding easy. The flapping is caused by static being built up in technical materials such as Koolmax. The problem usually goes away once you work up a good sweat.
As Fly2High mentioned, flappy clothing can make a lot of noise.
Loose road shorts can bunch up in all the wrong places. Ouch!

dr_lha

Can I just say that I get annoyed when people go on about how "unless you're a pro why do you bother with X, Y and Z?" This excuse has been used for people to tell me that I should just be wearing jeans and a T-shirt and riding a Walmart $99 fixie, as I'm "not a pro" and "a clyde".

It's crap, and yes, it does matter to me.

I'm 250lbs and I wear tight fitting clothes when riding. Why? Well I can tell you, when I was blasting down a local road the other day, averaging 26 mph over 1.5 miles (not downhill FYI), it makes a huge difference. When I'm riding down that hill I just climbed at 40mph, it makes a big difference. When I'm doing a century ride, it matters.

Chafing and extra drag are both issues I can do without.

I love to cycle. I also love being comfortable. Cycling clothes are nothing to do with "being a pro" and you cannot be too fat for them. They are designed that way because they are the most comfortable thing to ride in.

/rant over.

MRT2

Right with you on this. I have to laugh at pics of me cycling 15 years ago. I still remember feeling kind of awkward wearing cycling shorts. Now I look back and I say to myself, WTF, cycling shorts with loose cotton T Shirt?

superdex

loose clothing up top is a drag impact, but for me it's mostly a noise annoyance

loose clothing down below is asking for major chafe.

dr_lha has it: they are designed that way because that's the most efficient/appropriate apparel for the activity.


(point of reference: I mowed my father-in-law's lawn Sunday wearing my 'kit' ... once you get comfortable, it's all good)

IBOHUNT

And then there is the placement of your water bottle. On the down tube vs the seat tube. A poorly placed bottle can cost you ~30 seconds over a 40K at 40kph are numbers I've heard

So yes, loose fitting clothes cost time/energy and cause noise.

IBOHUNT

Pretty stout 3 3/4 minute power figure there

dr_lha

Might have had a tailwind *cough*!

EDIT: No power meter on bike, Strava says 355W, no tail wind included in calculation!

Haff

I think you are reading too deeply into my "pro" comment, and might be a touch sensitive for some reason. I may have accidentally found a sore spot. My apologies if I did.

The intention of my question i think was clear, and you did answer it with the later part of your response (thank you). does it make a difference?.... you answered yes, and you even gave some reasoning.

IBOHUNT

I think STRAVA is pretty close. That's what it took me, in W/kg, the other day for the ride what @TrojanHorse called me out on. Pretty stout indeed.

dr_lha

No problem. As a "fat guy on a bike" I've often had to endure the sneers of people who don't think I should be "riding that" or "wearing that". So maybe yes, a sore point!

dr_lha

My excuse is that I spent the previous 26 miles leading my local club's "CC" group averaging 12mph. That's basically a 2 hour warm up and after that my legs just want to go-go-go! Got me up to #13 out of 267 (#1 for 2015) on that Strava segment and I'm tied for 13th place with a semi-pro rider.

JReade

I honestly feel that cycling is the one of the only sports where people put so much stock into what you wear. Does anyone show up for the company softball game with an oven mitt instead of a glove because "a glove is too pro"? I've played hockey at competitive levels for the better part of my life, and you see it the same way as cycling: guys want to try it out and get out in whatever they have, because "I'm not going pro", and then quickly they realize that there are some sport specific things that make life way easier, and end up purchasing the items they said they weren't going to buy.

Moment of honesty: I started riding and said "Nope, never getting the form fitting clothes" and rode in baggy mtb shorts and a dry fit shirt. It wasn't BAD, but wasn't good. fine for the MTB. Then I got a Jersey, since I saw a cheap one and wanted to see what the hype was about. Then shorts. Now I can't see riding any "serious" bike ride without the "proposer" clothes.

KevinF

Coming at this from a different sport -- ski racing. The conventional wisdom is that speed suits (i.e., skin tight) are worth about a second over a standard 30-second citizen race course, so somewhere around a 3% savings. That's compared to "normal" skiing attire -- bulky jacket, bulky pants, etc.

"Recreational" ski racers are generally travelling in the 25, 30mph range -- faster than most people can pedal for any extended period of time. "Baggy" cycling clothing is still far more streamlined than typical skiing attire is. You *might* get 1% faster with skin-tight attire... which means your 20mph cruise will be up to 20.2mph... assuming you don't wreck it by sitting up to enjoy the scenery every now and then.

All that said... Wear what you want.

dr_lha

There's a big difference between cycling and skiing. In skiing you're not moving your legs up and down 80-100 times per minute. That causes friction and leads to chafing. Proper cycling shorts/bibs help out. Riding long distances in running shorts and underpants leads to nasty sores.

Secondly, it's typically cold when you ski, so you're wearing heavier clothing. Moisture wicking and sweat evaporation are very important when cycling so you don't overheat. Tighter clothing is better for this.

As for speeds of 25-30 mph, yes I regularly hit those. On average, no.

Thanks!

Fly2High

But KevinF, what about the Flappy, Flappy noise, oh make it stop that annoying flutter like some kid flying a kite against your head sound!!

OK, I over did it there but tighter bike clothing is not just about the drag but about the annoying noise that gets between you enjoying nature and hearing the idiot cursing you out for riding on the street!! :O

If the flapping sound is loud enough or distracting, that can take away some degree, although small, of enjoyment and maybe even safety. Your ears are important in riding too. I also had that Canari jacket billow up and block my vision through my mirror.



One other benefit no one brought up is sweat management. Tighter clothing is more apt to absorb sweat better keeping you cooler and drier. Tighter clothes might also chafe less either from the lack of movement or from the better sweat management.



Finally, I like the stuff because I feel more athletic, look a little leaner (almost a glimpse of what the future may bring if I shed a few more pounds) and I tend to push a little harder because of it.



In the end, wear what you like.

Frank

ColaJacket

I agree that cycling shorts are much more important than jerseys. Shorts affect whether or not you're sore and/or have sores.

Jersey and moisture wicking shirts offer some improvement in comfort by wicking sweat away from your body better than cotton t-shirts. Form fitting helps performance a little. Jerseys offer convenience with their pockets. None of these things are important as the shorts.

Interesting item. I started with the MTB shorts. They are better than running or other shorts. I thought they were pretty comfortable. I recently got some Performance Ultra bibs, and have been wearing them on rides. Went on a ride with my wife, so I threw on the MTB shorts, and I realized that they aren't nearly as comfortable as the bibs. Couldn't get completely comfortable on that ride. I'm pretty sure the bibs have a better/thicker chamois than the MTB shorts.

Nobody has mentioned socks. What's better? Cotton Socks. Thin Wool Socks. Running Socks (like UA performance socks).

GH

Fly2High

wool when it is cold stays warm even when wet.

Otherwise any form of sock with wicking properties like a Coolmax helps sweat management.

Oh yeah, I have been told that I violate the rule that you wear black socks with black shoes and white socks with white shoes .



Back on the shorts and jerseys.
I also think the compressive feel of road bike shorts/bibs also contributes to some additional riding longevity. Keeps the muscles from getting sore shaking about. It is either that or it aids in blood flow or something.

Jerseys are designed to help keep you cool. Full length zipper and wicking properties help in this regard. Some even have mesh panels to help. Final benefit is if you get a hi vis color, it adds some degree of visibility which aids in safer riding. Under Armour can wick but cannot be zipped open to aid in cooling and many are not that bright in color.

Haff

these