Fixed your title.

Arguing about Grant Peterson is kind of like arguing about religion. You either believe or you don't.

Precisely Skye!

For some reason most of us humans have been wired to associate things and events with other groups of things and events.

ie..

Ya wanna corned beef sandwich? Ok, then where's the rye bread, mustard, and dill pickles?

Ya wanna wanna hotdog? Yeah, where's the mustard and the buns?...Hey! Who are the Yankees playing today?

Hey! Thanks Walt!

It's been a hot summer in the mid-Atlantic. I wouldn't think about wearing my work clothes on my hilly 8.5 mi ride, they would be soaked by the time I got there. I wear a loose cotton shirt and shorts with a chamois liner. I wear Teva sandals when I ride, I've gotten addicted to the feeling of wind between my toes.

Cycling clothes are practical. I ride an mtb and I still find them better. They absorb sweat, keep me cooler, have pockets in the back so I don't lose stuff. They are also quite compact so I can stuff them in the bag when I get to work and dry very quickly when washed. I think they are the best choice for any ride over 5km. Don't care what people think I look like.

I have been commuting in regular clothes this year. On my racing bike's saddle, the bunching and chafing hurts. Not so comfy on that bike.
But my new bike has a Brooks saddle that feels as gentle as a pillow even though I am wearing the same street garb.
Never woulda thought a saddle could make that kindo diff in feeling for the same clothes. Not as much riding up and bunching with the Brooks for some reason. I suspect because it is wider and has a continuous smooth contour, where the racing saddle has a groove in the middle and more squared off contours to catch clothing with.

Yeah, I agree with the idea that you have to wear what works for you.

I like wearing my kit for my commute (13 miles each way over 600 vft of climbing) and I ride hard the whole way. (minding all traffic laws mind you..)

Actually, last Wednesday about the 8 mile mark on a long grinding hill, my cyclecomp was reading 104. Needless to say, I am a hydration monster. When you drink a lot in heat like that you sweat like crazy.

It's been above 90-95 here in Atlanta for the past month. The humidity has been pretty high too. No heat exchange it naturally causes you to sweat profusely.

That being said, it's tough not to wear a kit that is 1) easy to rinse out and dry during the workday... 2) allows more freedom of movement without chaffing, and is not as hot as wearing my MTB shorts. (which I tried and didn't like)

It usually take me about 15 minutes to rinse off and change clothes. In the afternoon when I leave, It takes about 5-10 minutes out of the door.

Some people may find it weird, but I also wear a UA HeatGear WHITE compression shirts under my jersey too. Tried a black one too, didn't get the same results..

I do this because I found that in high humidity, my skin gets hot and I don't ever seem to get cool enough. When I sweat that sheer material stays wet and therefore keeps me pretty cool surprisingly enough.

So back to the OP, I think that for us who ride in the deep south with all the humidity, cycling clothes may be more practical. Of course, this would also depend on the rider, and how hard you ride and the temp/humidity.

I just got back from a vacation from Northern California -- where GP apparently lives as well -- so I understand why you are both so misinformed on subject of bike clothing. It's easy to wear "normal" clothes cycling when the temperatures seldom get warmer than the 60s F. You need to get out of CA now and then. Try riding in the Southeast during summer (or spring and fall) in your "proper" street clothes and you will be a sweaty, smelly stink bomb all day long. I personally have no desire to walk around all day in clothes soaked in sweat, but you are welcome to it if that's your thing.

My commute is 30 miles round trip. When I get to work in the morning, my clothes are completely drenched. Soaked in sweat. It's that way generally from May through September around here. So I wear synthetic cycling gear. It gets wet, but I rinse it out when I get to work, hang it up, and it's dry by the time I'm ready to leave work. Try doing that in your tweed or cotton clothes.

South Korea in the summer is the same. Today we hit 37 degrees celcius with crazy humidity. Just a 11km ride at 30km/h had me drenched in sweat. It would be foolish to wear anything but synthetic cycling clothes.

Grant Petersen has some good points, but this isn't necessarily one of them. There is no way I can commute to work in the summer and not be a disgusting pig when I get there. I sweat easily and profusely. While I don't need to wear full kit for every ride, the truth is that this stuff exists for a reason and it isn't a fashion statement. Lycra shorts with a chamois really are far more comfortable over distance. They breathe more easily and I get fewer abrasions (swamp butt). Leather saddles also can stain clothing over time, I'd rather not having them stain work clothes. Lycra jerseys also breathe easily and don't hurt your nipples.

GP really does have some value, but some of his teachings are non-sense for a lot of riders...and this falls into the non-sense category for me.

Really! Your shorts don't hurt your nipples?

Marc

Even just other parts of California. Not uncommon to get temps of 105-110+ in the summer in the Valley.

I used to ride plainclothes (I work night, so I ride to and from work at the cool parts of the day), but I recently started wearing my bibs even though it's only a 6.5 mile commute, mostly for the comfort. Dress slacks are too much of a pain to keep clean and fresh, and if I have to change clothes anyway I may as well wear the shorts that are most comfortable in the saddle.

For some people it works, for others it doesn't. Generally, I think if you are in a position that you have to change anyway, may as well sport the comfy bike shorts/bibs. If you can't/don't want to change clothes, go with street clothes until comfort becomes an issue.

fixed.

Hey guys!

Both Grant and myself assume you all have common sense. Nobody is suggesting that you all brave the hot sweltering temperatures of the south in heavy cotton clothing. All we're saying is that on those days, when the weather permits, instead of doning bicycle specific clothing, just wear what you might ordinarily wear for the day. Now Grant has already stated that certain types of clothing might have to be stowed away until you've arrived at your destination. However, that doesn't have to be the case at all during the months of September through April, if you live in the southeast. It also, doesn't necessarily have to apply at all to most of America during all the seasons except for the summer. In the summertime, bicycle specific clothing is certainly more plausible. Even full kit in some cases!

You mean there are places you can go and not be considered a disgusting pig!

Just kidding, KonAaron!

************************

I think that Grant understands the fact that it can get quite hot, uncomfortable, and sweaty during these summer months.It's during these months that cycling specific clothing and perhaps full kit could be absolutely appreciated.

However, we also know that there are times when many of us cycling commuters could just as easily walk out of the door, dressed for work or school, and leisurely cycle for some small fraction of an hour and not even break a sweat. It's to these thousands of cyclists we're addressing at this time. All we're saying is, "Ya don't have to do it!".

Of course KonAaron, we'll make an exception in your situation, due to your hyper-sensitive nipples!

Well stated, young man! Well stated!

Me and my nipples appreciate your exception

I don't go full kit, but I do use MTB shorts with a chamois and I'll wear a jersey under something else for longer rides. I do change into clothes at work.

Just a thought Slim:

Advice on clothing choice is generally better received by those who asked for said advice.

I'm thinking that the 90% or more of these thousands of cyclists you're addressing probably already know if regular clothes will work for them.

You seem like a friendly sort of guy and I know your post wasn't intended to stir the pot. However, in the few years I've been posting in this forum, one consistently polarizing subject is spandex, and another is Grant Peterson.

I dunno about no cotton even, I'll wear cargo shorts, sometimes cotton shorts, occasionally running shorts. I'd probably rotate in Lycra if I had any but I've never felt the urge. It's all good.

Absolutely, you can get by with office clothes in cooler weather. Just stay below the Perspiration Threshold (a kind if inverse training threshold).

As far as I can tell, Grant Peterson is just a guy trying to sell bike stuff. I tend to take advice from people selling stuff with a grain of salt.

It's taken me a long time to understand some of GP's approach, and it's because it's not always geared at experienced cyclists; it's geared at the average joe who is thinking about buying their first bike. GP's "thing" is trying to make biking approachable to middle America as a mainstream activity and legitimate form of transportation that is cheap and doesn't require anything special. It might be a good way to get them in, but some of it just isn't true for many/most people. Some is.

I think he's kidding himself if he believes that most folks can, or would want to, commute 10+ miles to work. It's practical for an urbanite like me, but not for most burbs commuters. I think GP has a misinformed opinion of weekend suburban riders; they ride race bikes as hobbyists because they enjoy the activity - the kind of riding he proposes isn't what they want and is often impractical for them.

It may be unnecessary for you and Grant but I'll decide for myself, thank you very much. I commute as part...well most...of my exercise regime and I don't ride slow. It's a workout and I dress for such.

As for the 'going slow and you won't sweat' idea, again, it may work for you but don't make the decision for the rest of us. I can't ride around the block without breaking out in enough of a sweat to make my clothes damp. When I ride to work in winter temperatures down to 0F, I still arrive at work completely soggy. Others may have experiences between the no sweat crowd and my extreme but we'll decide what to where and you and Grant can keep your opinions about my clothing to yourselves.

I start to sweat just thinking about riding around here.

When I ride to work at temps around 0 or colder, my head will be soggy while at the same time might feet might be numb. My hands start out fine, then I might lose feeling in a couple of fingers part way through the ride. By the time I get to work usually my gloves are soaking with sweat.

There are days that if my goal were not to sweat I could probably go slow enough to avoid it, but changing at work for me is pretty easy. It would be more of a bother to worry about if I'm going to fast or not.