Beneta:
No padded bikey shorts required for my commute. With temps in 50's and above, I'll wear short pants that I bought from J.C. Penny. They are labeled as "moisture wicking" and listed as "golf shorts." The things that sold me were:
1. They were on sale for about $15;
2. They fit.
3. They are moisture wicking.
4. and that's about it.
For colder temps, I wear "Mistral" pants from REI. If the temps fall below about 30-ish, I'll add a layer of thermal underwear. And around here, it doesn't get any colder than about 8F degrees, so I'm good down to that temp for no more than about 30 minutes.

Since I do a bike and bus commute, I end up with four legs each day on the bike. The longest trek is 5.8 miles. That's a very short ride and padded shorts just aren't required.

My bike has a Brooks B-17 Imperial saddle and I've made rides as long as 35 miles without padded bikey pants without any problems. It's just a very good saddle.

I don't know how far I could ride, in comfort, without bikey pants on my commuter bike with the B-17, but 35 miles is not a problem.

Ray

I just got a couple pairs of shorts, one is road and the other MTB shorts, which hide the spandex part. I was doing alright without on them on a ride of a little over 8 miles each way, but I was more comfortable with the commute I did in them. On the down side I have to take extra time to wash them out.

I've always worn regular clothes for my commutes. The other day I did a 32 mile roundtrip in Diamond Gusset blue jeans, it's not the big deal people think.

Marc

6 miles each way, I wear cotton boxer briefs and loose-fitting softshell pants when the temp is between 30-50F, and light-weight cargo shorts when warmer.

5.5 miles each way. I ride in the clothes I'll be wearing that day.

I never wear padded shorts on my 20mile round commute.

Find the right saddle for you and you can dispense padding, at least for under 3h riders

Depends on the rider and how they're riding.

I can be on a longish ride with the family at a relaxed pace and be comfortable enough in regular clothes. If I pick up the intensity then the bike shorts help. Other people might be fine in regular clothes regardless of pace.

I'm talking about commuting, that's the subject.

Marc

Always have worn cycling shorts for my commute. It is 30+ mi RT. I change and take a shower at work. Can't imagine doing it any other way unless it would be a really short commute.

I wear regular underwear with shorts (not tights, mtn biking shorts). I didn't need the hassle of getting weird looks walking into the office, and it's much easier to keep the changes of clothes in my drawer at work.

Yep, I understood that. There isn't a standard commute or a particular way to do it.

I mentioned rides with my family because in that scenario I tend to ride at a relaxed pace and will typically wear regular clothes even for longer distances. On my commutes I push a little harder and will usually wear bike shorts under something else but sometimes not.

I've also done my commute at an intentionally slow pace and regular clothes were fine in that scenario. It's not my favorite way to ride though.

For me, while distance matters as to whether or not bike shorts help, so does intensity. Intensity might matter more. I acknowledge that other people may have different experiences.

My commute ranges from 8 to 12 miles each way. I usually wear tech fabric wicking sport boxer briefs under jeans, MTB baggy shorts, or other wicking shorts like golf shorts or board shorts.

Depends on the saddle of which bike I'm taking.

My commute is 7 miles each way and I've never worn sports clothes for it. At the height of summer I sometimes need to change shirts on getting home - but the morning commute is never warm enough to overheat me. As I change out of work clothes when I arrive home anyway, this ain't a problem.

Got to have padded short. My crotch would hate my without it.

But getting weird looks is part of the fun. You're already weird (i.e., different, a minority) for biking to work.

I've been working with the same folks for more than a year now so no more surprises after going through all the seasons. But there were some on rainy days and some on colder days with the full length tights.

Me too, 5.5mi each way, basketball shorts and tightie whities. Bring a dry pair to work with my work clothes (jeans/polo), and I have a locker room/shower at work so easy to change. Weekend recreational rides I use padded liner.

My commute is only 3 miles each way so I usually wear jeans, commando.

Since getting my beloved Brooks Flyer I've stopped using padded anything even on my long rides; plain spandex shorts or tights or even work-out pants work great.

That saddle saved my a$$, literally...

I figured it out, back to the tighty whitey and a new WTB SPEED V saddle, comfortable and quicker. Thanks for the replies.

Running shorts and a noseless saddle for any ride, including the daily commute (10 miles each way). I hate padded shorts and found that going noseless lets me skip the padding.

Get a saddle that fits.

I wear street clothes on the commute in, but I take a bus for part of the route. The full ride back is about 9.5 mi through hilly terrain and I wear a chamois liner under baggy shorts. In summer, I am soaked in sweat by the time I get home.

~5 miles one way. I just wear compression shorts under whatever I happen to be wearing that day. And, the compression shorts are just because I like wearing them now. Prevents "swamp crotch" when it's warm out.

Never need padded shorts for the commute. Longest leg of the multi-modal (bike-bus-bike in the morning, repeat in the afternoon) is only 5.8 miles and about 30 minutes. Summertime clothing is short pants (bought from JC Penny on sale for about $15. Sold as "golfing shorts". Made with moisture-wicking fabric). Regular ol' cotton boxers underneath. Moisture wicking shirt. In winter, I wear REI "Mistral" pants and cotton boxers. Evaporate at my desk in my cube then change clothes that I tote in the pannier. Leave the belt and the shoes in the office.

Saddle is a Brooks B17 Imperial. Don't know how many miles I can do comfortably without padded shorts, but I know rides of 33 miles are just fine without padded shorts.

It's not the ride - It's the saddle!

Mine is a three hour commute, 50-55 miles round trip. Full cycling gear: padded shorts, quick dry sport shirt, wicking socks, clipless shoes, gloves, helmet, goggles....headband in summer.