Why chose a cycling jersey over something like this?
https://www.walmart.com/catalog/produ...ct_id=10714070

I got these (or ones that looked like those). I've been wearing them since last fall, and besides a small tear in one that makes it tricky to start the zipper, they've held up fine. You don't need a brand name cycling jacket or jersey to ride, though I can understand why some wear them.

Those wicking tees work fine but lack pockets and tend to be short in the back, which is a problem if you're wearing shorts. Crack kills, you know. For the price though they're alright in a pinch. I find a jersey to be more comfortable, but for the price they're alright in a pinch.

All technical materials under $100 stink like arse when combined with the sweat of most humans.

Buy one wool jersey for $60 instead of 6 $10 walmart plastic rags. Handwash in the sink every night in woolite, hang over the back of a towel-covered chair to dry while you sleep. If you forget to wash it one night and you sweated really bad that day, wear it the next day anyway. Worst case, you smell like a wet sheep.

Try that with a synthetic fabric and somebody might get hurt.

For commuting, the wicking tees are fine. I use them alone or as layers. They're good for a lot of things besides cycling, I have about 10 at this point.

I wear jerseys for longer rides, road and mountain. They have zippers in front for better ventilation, pockets in back to carry stuff. They're longer in back, no plumbers crack. More form fitting so they don't flap around in the wind or catch branches. They're purpose built for high performance cycling I have about 10 of these too.

edit - wool is best, I have collected a lot of poly shirts/jerseys over the years, I'll only buy wool now. Superior in every way, but 'spenive.....

I don't use jersey back pockets normally. I like the zippers and fit of jerseys though.

You're missing all the fun.

I love jersey pockets. That and the fit is wacky on the bike being bent forward.
I used to like them but after a couple years I tried a jersey and will not go back unless I am riding in my basement. However, I like old jerseys for the pockets to hold my tv remote on the trainer.

Maybe you mean you use them abnormally. Now I'm getting more interested...

I was riding in some pretty hard rain on Tuesday. It got too much for my glasses, so I shoved them in a jersey pocket. The blackberry was already in another jersey pocket being my mp3 player. The rain let up a little and I was getting hot, so I rode hands-free while taking off the (unfortunately bulky) rain jacket, rolling it up, and shoving it into the remaining jersey pocket.

Never stopped moving. I love being self-contained and mobile.

Pockets on the back are pretty useless on a recumbent with a seatback. Love those wicking shirts from Target, Meijer, and even, gasp! Wal-Mart.

https://www.alertshirt.com/higvisshirfo.html
ftw
I have one jersey, and I can't imagine ever using those rear pockets anyway. I guess if I didn't have any other storage on the bike I'd have to, so maybe that's what they're for. But I've got plenty of room to store things, so I don't use pockets at all.

I did buy my last batch of alertshirts, long sleeve, with pocket in the conventional place. I use it to hold my MP3 player, and that works fine. I guess if I were riding in the drops (if I had drops) there might be a danger of it falling out.

I don't buy at Wal*Mart. If I find myself near one, I'll go in and use their bathrooms or something that costs them. Once a year or so I'll give them money, when visiting my mom and I need to buy something, and that's because Wal*Mart has run every other store in her town out of business; if I don't shop there I have to drive 30 miles. The place is a ghost town. It's Wal*Mart, the home improvement store, and a grocery store, and about 40 vacant store fronts. And nobody living there anymore but welfare cases and retirees, and more meth labs than you can count. Used to be a nice town.

Because "something like this" comes from Wal-mart, and I don't give them my business.

+1. I just wear mine into the shower after riding and use Ivory liquid soap.

ChainLove.com and Bonktown.com have had Swobo wool jerseys for like $60 shipped several times.

Heck, I wash my wool shirts about once a month (if I remember). And even then only because I somehow feel like I ought to. They never stink, except for a bit of the wet sheep smell that goes away when they dry out.

That said, I only have wool shirts for the winter so far. They are pricey, and it seems like even lightweight wool would be a bit warm in the summer. Plus they seem to wear out quickly. I have a couple of mid-priced wicking shirts ($20-$30) that have held up well, and don't stink much if I wash them regularly.

I find the walmart poly shirts really scratchy. I bought about five of wicking shirts from target because they were on clearance for like 3 bucks and that is what I wear most of the time to commute in. They don't stink for me. My wife says so and she doesn't sugarcoat.

Others have handled the wal-mart rant for me (no, I never shop there).

If it's not wool, I'm not wearing it. In the winter I wear long-sleeve wool tops, not jerseys.
In the summer, I tend to go back and forth between jerseys and shirts (both wool). I don't use jersey pockets on the commute, but find the fit slightly better on the bike. Off the bike, I would prefer the shirt though.

Ibex had a big sale recently on their jerseys. I bought some extras, but am a little disappointed because the new models look MUCH better than anything they've previously sold.

I wore all that "technical" junk when I was going to the gym twice a day. At some point it would start to smell so bad that I'd just trash it.

I'm basically just starting out and I have what may be a silly question: Do you wear the wool jerseys right up against your skin, or do you wear a baselayer underneath? It seems like it would defeat the purpose to wear a baselayer, but I'm just a little concerned that a wool jersey alone will not keep me warm enough. Should i just wear something over it?

Wool as your baselayer, and then something over top of it.

I use a smartwool zip-neck as my longsleeve winter baselayer and a synthetic fleece lined winter weight jersey over top (Performance Tundra II). If you can afford it: wool over wool when you don't need windproof layers for the biting cold.

Got it. Thanks!

I don't buy bike jerseys anymore. I use the plastic T-shirts, or sometimes good ol' cotton T-shirts.

I ride with a Camelbak ... hard to use the pockets, so why bother?

Form follows function. Bike jerseys are designed for biking (ok not for recumbents). The long tail, back pockets, ventalation options with zipper, more aerodynamic (or just less flapping fabric).

Same with bike shorts......designed for efficent cycling.

That said what you wear for commuting has a huge number of variables. Personal preference, weather, lenght of commute, type of bike etc etc.

On my current commute...I just wear my work clothes...Khakis and a poloe and put a band around by pants leg. But this commute is only 5 miles one way, I am riding my utility/commuter bike (english 3 speed feel)I don't go hard, flat land and even when it is hot here, don't have a lot of humidity....so it works for me.

On past commutes I wore bike shorts and jersey......commute was 10 miles one way, I went a lot faster (both to cut commute time and to match traffic) and used my rode bike.

YMMV but all the negative vibes on bike short, jerseys, full kit etc ignore that they are very functional, especially for longer harder hotter rides.

I've been upgrading my "business casual" wardrobe slowly to include less cotton and more "technical fabric." I wear shirts similar to what the OP showed as undershirts, but I get them at Target or Kohl's. Nothing against Wal-Mart, specifically. I also wear non-specific tech-wear for my commute, but usually change at work.

That said, for weekend road biking, I wear jerseys for all the reasons already mentioned. Alluded to but not expanded upon was the idea of "form fitting." Bike jerseys are not just tight (in fact, they don't have to be tight), but also formed to be comfortable to a rider who is actually riding. (Bent over, arms out front). T-shirts made for any other purpose tend to bunch, bind, and ride up in all the wrong places.

You guys have convinced me on the wool. I'd like to get some of that, but every wool jersey I've seen is over $100. Would like to find some of those big sales, and even in bus-cas, tough to find 100% wool instead of cotton or acrylic. Target had some Merino wool this year that I'm kicking myself for passing up.

I ride with a Camelbak and still use my pockets.

Stupid anti walmart sentiment.
Anyhow, target champion shirts are a better quality.