Don't have that problem...if I need to run a quick errand, I just jump on the Dummy in street clothes & shoes, or I can just put on my spd sneakers to ride the SS, commuter or snow bike. The only bikes that are a bit uncomfy in street clothes are the roadies.

I ride any of my bikes in street clothes except for the racing roadie. Too painful on my arse and normal clothes tend to catch on the saddle.
If I had to dress up for every ride I would be riding half as much as I do.

Hey, what about your colonials north of the 49th! Many of us are into lycra too!

I ride a road bike, so I guess it makes sense that I like to wear cycling clothing. In fact, for me, I wouldn't ride my bike if I were wearing jeans or regular clothes. Too uncomfortable.

You don't look like a wierdo in "skinny tracksuit bottoms with piping down the side and stirrups?"

Lycra shorts or more accurately, microfiber shorts, are incredibly comfortable... don't knock 'em until you've tried 'em. Back in the 70's I avoided bike shorts and rode in cut off jeans, running shorts, and just about anything I could find... all in an effort to be more comfortable... I was finally goaded into trying wool bike shorts... Oh My God... my nads had gone to heaven... no more bunching or frying the jewels...

Over the years I have shifted from wool and real chamios liners to the microfiber shorts with anti bacterial liners make by Pearl Izumi... in the latter, I feel like I am riding naked... the same wonderful feeling one gets skinny dipping. No way would I go back to anything that bunches up the boys and causes chafing.

Free yourself my friend and get thee to a decent pair of good riding shorts... your dangley bits will thank you.

Sure, errands can be run in anything... but if you were out to do 20 miles or more... would you do it in street clothes?

I do 30 in street clothes. Today is something like 35 in street clothes.
If I had thought todays commute through I would have worn cycling clothes.

That being said.... I put cycling clothes on yesterday for hill repeats. It was all of 9 miles in length but 1000 feet of climbing. I suppose I could have done that in regular clothes. Fortunately I chose not to since I had a ferocious sidewind of 30-50 mph. The more I could minimize being a sail the better.

I only started this post 2 days ago and there's already 2 pages of replies! Fantastic ...

I'd say fewer than 20% of my daily rides end up less 40 miles round trip. I don't give a flip what people think I look like while on a bike. Besides, no one notices here , anyway./ Lycra. When it comes to effective chamies or the wicking properties of lycra; nothing compares. But, wear what ever you want. Give lycra a try and you'll never go back, unless you like a sore arse and like clammy , wet cotton./ Another reason I wear cycling clothes. I notice when ever I wear street clothes. Quite quickly I find my favorite shorts, windpants soon developing rips and tears at their seams. That gets expensive. Lycra is designed to take the friction, my favorite nylon windpants are not.

Yup. Life has 3 stages:

During the first stage we worry excessively about what other people are thinking about us.
During the second stage we stop worrying about what other people are thinking about us.
During the third stage we come to realize that other people aren't thinking about us.

Which would make you feel more embarassed. Riding in lycra. Or riding in my favorite windpants. Getting to your destination with a big hole in your pants and all knowing you wear whitie tighties.

I rode 40 miles a couple of weeks ago in jeans and a cotton tee. Not a big deal.

My biggest problem is with the cotton tees. I can ride in jeans or jean shorts or whatever, but I much prefer a wicking shirt. I can't justify springing for a shirt that costs more than $60, so I pick up $9.99 "duodry" shirts at Target. Very comfortable and I will wear them even off the bike.

That said, I do think cycling shorts are more comfortable than jeans, and if I intend to go on a long ride (the 40 miler a couple of weeks ago was spur of the moment once I was on the bike) I'll wear cycling shorts underneath something else. I like to have the option of going in places, because I'm never out on just a training ride, and I don't like walking in places in skin tight shorts.

Few of my rides are under forty miles. My way of coping with going into public places is to put regular shorts in my panniers and put them on when I get off the bike.

I don't know, Lycra is not so bad.....

Mod warning: NSFW pics

https://farm1.static.flickr.com/77/17...ff8d3c03_o.jpg

https://farm1.static.flickr.com/48/17...0bdafe50_o.jpg

Well, you see, I have ALOT of hair on my body and I don't like the *feel* of it.

So when I wear my spandex (when I am home alone) I very lightly start moving my hands over the material - feeling the silky smoothness and how easily my hands slide all over the contours and curves of my body and how cool the fabric feels while listening to the very slight raspy sound of my hands on the spandex and then reaching down to the centre and feel the raised.....

*ahem*....sorry....I got a bit carried away there

I find even 4 miles in jeans to be a trial of pain as the jeans bunch up and chaffe pretty bad.

I would never wear those bike uniforms,just imagine the scratches from the pavement if you wipe out,I seen that last year at 17mph(he told me) he hit a bump and wiped out(I seen it),he wasnt hurt too bad(except for those concrete burns on his skin) because he had a helmet.They don't hurt when you first get them,but about 12 hours they are painful.

I wear my regular clothes and a light jacket,none of those tight fitting spandex.

Sorry, but you have that backwards. The clothing does not snag unlike normal clothes. The general consensus is that this causes less injuries. On a related note, I have trashed normal clothing in crashes and general oopses. I have had far worse wrecks in cycling clothing and the clothing came out fine. A couple crashes involved no issues to the spandex but I suffered abrasions underneath the fabric to my skin. I am still trying to figure that one out.
Anyhow, that is my additional 2 cents.

Your looking like a troll!

Lol! I'm just surprised by the variety of strong opinions expressed!

Anyway, I think I've change my opinion on the use of lycra - in certain cases it should be positively encouraged. Here is a case is point: https://www.mikevaughancycles.co.uk/p...s135p609&z=824 I think that shirt could be slightly more tight-fitting too

Raleigh. You'd probably had a couple more responses, but I think the entry - 6 responses back scared us all off. Wear what ever you want. The best aspects of cycling gear. the wicking properties, anti chaffing characteristics, increases ease of motion. Thick cotton binds. / I think the reason those who use bike clothes even care is because those who don't use it try to inflict their unfounded prejudices upon others. Don't knock what you have not experienced.

What? Little 'ol me? Scared off y'all?

I'm sorry, let's have a group hug

I'm just confirming the prejudice.

Either that or the similarities of a penthouse letter and your writing style.

This should be, "The people with insecurities" thread.

Perhaps I'll send it in! Look for it!