Commuting: cycling shorts?
#3
Senior Member

Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 13,237
Likes: 75
From: Fallbrook,Calif./Palau del Vidre, France
Bikes: Klein QP, Fuji touring, Surly Cross Check, BCH City bike
26 mile commute . It's proper cycling shorts or a sore rear..
Regular cycling shorts.. But, before I got to work I'd put a pair of soccer shorts over my cycling shorts. Did not want to show my quads to the secretaries..
Luckily, with my long hours, I'd have time to rinse out my bike gear and have it dry before I return home.
Regular cycling shorts.. But, before I got to work I'd put a pair of soccer shorts over my cycling shorts. Did not want to show my quads to the secretaries..
Luckily, with my long hours, I'd have time to rinse out my bike gear and have it dry before I return home.
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#5
Senior Member

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,207
Likes: 45
From: Northern VT
Bikes: recumbent & upright
I'm fortunate to have an office in which I can hang my stuff. So I carry a set of office clothes with me each day for the next day- they hang overnight to de-wrinkle. When weather supports wearing shorts;
I like the J&G touring short- they have a light pad, are comfortable, long wearing and don't make me
look like a stuffed sausage.
I like the J&G touring short- they have a light pad, are comfortable, long wearing and don't make me
look like a stuffed sausage.
#8
Infamous Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 24,360
Likes: 6
From: Ohio
Bikes: Surly Big Dummy, Fuji World, 80ish Bianchi
I can go either way...bibs or flat-seamed wool/poly undies under regular shorts or pants (preferably with a gusseted crotch).
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"Let us hope our weapons are never needed --but do not forget what the common people knew when they demanded the Bill of Rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. If guns are outlawed, only the government will have guns. Only the police, the secret police, the military, the hired servants of our rulers. Only the government -- and a few outlaws. I intend to be among the outlaws" - Edward Abbey
#10
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 574
Likes: 0
From: Union, NJ
Bikes: Canondale CAAD 10 3; Trek 7200; Motobecane Grand Sprint
15.5 miles, one way for me. Trail shorts with a chamois or liner shorts with regular shorts on top. I bring 3-4 days worth of cloth into the office on my non-bike day (either Monday or Thursday) and change into clean clothes in my office. Sometimes I stop at the gym on the way to the office for shower if i'm especially sweaty.
#12
Goathead Magnet
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 673
Likes: 11
From: Albuquerque, NM
Bikes: Surly LHT, Cannondale Caffeine F3
I wear bibs and a jersey on my ride (~7.6 miles each way). When I arrive at work, unless I've got a meeting right away, I usually lounge around in my bike clothes until they're dry (30 minutes or less) or until Solidworks crashes for the first time (30 minutes or less), then I go change into the work clothes in my panniers. Depending on how much I sweat on the round trip, I'll wash the bike clothes every day or every other day.
At a previous job, my boss chewed me out for wearing bike clothes at my desk, so I'd change right when I got in and drape them over the bike to dry.
At a previous job, my boss chewed me out for wearing bike clothes at my desk, so I'd change right when I got in and drape them over the bike to dry.
#13
The longer and more challenging the commute, the more likely you'll find some benefit from cycling shorts. On the other hand, there are people who do fine without them no matter how long the ride.
Personally I use them. I have access to showers at work and keep them in a gym bag in my office until it's time to go home. They get sweaty and while I suppose I could just pull a pair of pants over them, I would feel pretty grungy. They wouldn't dry well that way and walking around all day in damp shorts isn't probably the best thing for you skin.
#14
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,505
Likes: 2
From: Melbourne, Australia
Bikes: Specialized Tricross Sport 2009
Cycling shorts, of course. I mean you have to wear something on the bike, you might as well wear something adapted for the purpose. If you can ride in your work gear, fair enough, but I don't see the point of wearing non-cycling shorts...
#15
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 811
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From: Madison, WI
Bikes: '08 Trek 7.3FX
#16
well hello there

Joined: May 2005
Posts: 15,488
Likes: 388
From: Point Loma, CA
Bikes: Bill Holland (Road-Ti), Fuji Roubaix Pro (back-up), Bike Friday (folder), Co-Motion (tandem) & Trek 750 (hybrid)
6.5 mile ride to work for me. I usually commute in baggie mountain biking shorts.
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Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.
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Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.
#18
Committed Commuter
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 141
Likes: 0
From: Cary, NC
Bikes: Surly Long Haul Trucker, Swobo Baxter
#23
Joyously Phred
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 126
Likes: 0
From: 600 miles from the nearest flat road
Bikes: Raleigh Passage 3.0, Giant Halfway 2007 folding, Trek Lime Easy-Step
No real reason to bother with cycle shorts unless I'm going to be in the saddle for longer than an hour without any planned stops or stopping for traffic. Chamois shorts don't last as long when people wear them around like regular clothes. When I have a long commute, I change upon arrival. So many reasons why it's not the best idea to keep them on all day, reasons which most people can surmise without me needing to repeat it. Wear and tear alone is enough of a reason.
#24
This is my thought as well. My commute is only about 6 miles each way, so I don't really need them. Plus I leave as much clothes at work as I need, but want to leave as little as possible. Wearing bike shorts means I also need to bring extra underwear. Wearing normal athletic shorts reduces the amount of things I need to store at work.






I change into pants when I get to work.