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Casual Cycling Apparel

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Old 09-13-13 | 10:46 AM
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Casual Cycling Apparel

I was wondering what you all tend to wear on your rides around town instead of on the trail or for a sweat. I'm a big fan of Club Ride jeans, and Ibex pieces. Particularly this one:

The Shak City Roller.
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Old 09-13-13 | 10:52 AM
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How does that one breath? Is it like a fleece? I use this cycling specific outer jacket when its 30 and less.
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Old 09-13-13 | 11:08 AM
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I like cycling specific clothing. It has taken me some time to find stuff that works but does not look like racer kit. Wicking t-shirts are readily available in sporting good departments everywhere and I have some Nashbar liner shorts that I can put under street shorts. I don't like to ride in jeans, though I have a couple of times. I have some Shimano mountain biking shoes that look more or less like normal shoes and I can walk in them easily.
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Old 09-13-13 | 11:16 AM
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My roadbike has clipless, so I'm always "in lycra" on it.
On my folding bikes; I may wear "regular" clothes -
T-shirt, cotton shorts, etc. or I may wear a jersey
and bibs depending on how far I'm going.

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Old 09-13-13 | 11:23 AM
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Originally Posted by Yo Spiff
Wicking t-shirts are readily available in sporting good departments everywhere...
I find most generic wicking shirts hang in the front waaay to much for cycling.

Originally Posted by droy45
How does that one breath? Is it like a fleece? I use this cycling specific outer jacket when its 30 and less.
The Shak City Roller is like a light fleece. No heavy wind protection, but just really nice feel for the skin and all you need for just a chill day.
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Old 09-13-13 | 11:31 AM
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If I'm just doing errands, I'll ride in whatever I happen to be wearing.
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Old 09-13-13 | 11:49 AM
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Originally Posted by spivonious
If I'm just doing errands, I'll ride in whatever I happen to be wearing.
This.

For commuting, I typically wear a gym T-shirt and a pair of regular shorts. On a chilly morning, I add a bicycle jacket on top.

For trail rides (typically 20+ miles), I tend to wear a pair of mountain-bike shorts.
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Old 09-13-13 | 12:25 PM
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Bikes: 2011 Felt Z85 (road/commuter), 2006 Marin Pine Mountain (utility/commuter E-bike), 1995 KHS Alite 1000 (gravel grinder)

On casual rides I might wear some narrow-leg jeans if it's cooler. Or if it's warmer I usually wear some narrow-leg cargo pants (look like MTB shorts but no padding). I used to be all about the loose/baggy stuff but I'm way over that now as they're usually just annoying. I also have a high-vis running shirt that I sometimes wear, since I don't need jersey pockets if I have pants pockets.

Sometimes I do wear some spandex briefs under my shorts as they do a better job at moisture wicking than regular cotton boxers and the like.

For commuting I usually wear high-vis jerseys and regular bike shorts. This week I did commute a couple days with the briefs and cargo shorts, plus high-vis, and it wasn't bad.
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Old 09-13-13 | 12:28 PM
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I define casual riding as shopping, errands, going to a friend's place, just riding around so I'll just wear a wicking t-shirt and shorts but if I think it's going to be a longer ride, I'll wear padded mtb shorts. I'll also bring a sweat-absorbing (currently Nike) "running" hat so that I don't look too gross when I'm at my friend's or in the stores. I only have MTB clipless shoes so I'll wear those and I would continue to do so if I also had road clipless shoes so that it's easier to walk around.
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Old 09-13-13 | 12:32 PM
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For commuting, I wear MTB baggy shorts and one of my wicking technical shirts that I got at races (running). Shoes are Pearl Izumi All Road shoes, very comfortable, easy to walk in, but do look cycling specific...I also have some Shimano MTB shoes that look "normal", but I don't wear those too much. I don't usually stop anywhere on my way home, so it doesn't matter too much.

Originally Posted by IcySmooth52
I find most generic wicking shirts hang in the front waaay to much for cycling.
Generally, I would find the above to be true, but most of my technical shirts are fairly tight and with my messenger bag, it's a non-issue anyhow...

If I'm just buzzing around with the kids, I'll just wear whatever I have on at the time.
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Old 09-13-13 | 12:33 PM
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I typically wear "gym shorts" with thin merino undies. A jersey if I need to carry stuff in the pockets, technical T otherwise.
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Old 09-13-13 | 01:52 PM
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From: Memphis TN area

Bikes: 2011 Felt Z85 (road/commuter), 2006 Marin Pine Mountain (utility/commuter E-bike), 1995 KHS Alite 1000 (gravel grinder)

The running shirt I use is an Adidas shirt, definitely not generic. It actually seems cut a little more snug in the back between my shoulders, than my cycling jerseys are.

This is it actually, and the polyester cargo shorts (far right):

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Old 09-13-13 | 06:52 PM
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What are "wicking" shirts? Those sport T-shirts that absorb sweat well?
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Old 09-13-13 | 07:00 PM
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From: Memphis TN area

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I wouldn't say "absorb", that's more what cotton shirts do. Wicking shirts pull the sweat away from your body faster and let it evaporate out into the air. They're mostly polyester, which means they can have issues with stinking. But in my experience they work VERY well for their intended purpose.
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Old 09-13-13 | 07:14 PM
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Originally Posted by PatrickGSR94
I wouldn't say "absorb", that's more what cotton shirts do. Wicking shirts pull the sweat away from your body faster and let it evaporate out into the air. They're mostly polyester, which means they can have issues with stinking. But in my experience they work VERY well for their intended purpose.
Thanks! I worded my question completely wrong. Yes, you're talking about the exact kind of shirts I have in mind. Glad I asked - I wasn't sure how to refer to those shirts. I just called them "gym shirts," "sport shirts," etc. Now I know better.
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Old 09-14-13 | 12:07 PM
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Long sleeve, a vest and a shell.
Over the years I have accumulated some amazing vests that I use depending on how cold is it, my favorite are the: Arc'teryx Atom LT, Patagonia Nanopuff, Marmot Variant, Mammut Broad Peak and Mammut Aenergy. And then if needed, I just put a gore-tex pro shell on top.
I have riden through bad NYC winters this way and I find it to be the perfect form of top layering.
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Old 09-14-13 | 02:18 PM
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I wear $29 Lee jeans in the cooler weather and $9 shorts from Kohl's in the warm weather. Underneath, I'll sometimes wear my padded undershorts. T-shirt or sweatshirt on top. I'm not out to go broke cycling.
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Old 09-14-13 | 03:06 PM
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I wear cycling specific clothes only if I'm going ten miles or more. Other than that, I wear what I happen to have on. Now, I often happen to have on cycling specific shoes and sometimes other cycling clothing.
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Old 09-14-13 | 06:09 PM
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and
a pair of shorts.
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Old 09-14-13 | 06:35 PM
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Guess I'm not one for this question, since my rides in cooler weather are almost all commute/utility; for those:

1. Commute to work in work clothes, with winter-weight tights under the jeans in winter, and a graduated layering system up top.
2. Utility rides in cooler weather usually default to sweats.

I do longer "fun" rides, the occasional group ride, etc., during warmer weather, and wear shorts and a wicking T. "Basketball" shorts work well; if you feel the need for lycra, wear it under, say, a pair of baggy swim trunks.
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Old 09-14-13 | 06:44 PM
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they have those starters dry fit layers. I fit exactly like a cycling jersey, except without the decals or the pockets.

I also like to wear a pair of boys' (as in picked up from the juniors section) basketball shorts.
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