nun

Head- cycling cap
Neck- bandana
Body, long sleeve lightweight technical zip tee....Patagonia or Techwick
Bottoms - Merino undies with a pad and nylon touring shorts with pockets, sometimes Rapha knickers or nylon leggings.
Feet - Smartwool socks and Shimano SPD shoes.

Also rain jacket and trousers, insulated windshirt, gloves, balaclava

antokelly

assos bibs assos cycling top if i need to go shoping i wip out my pants and put them on over bibs.hate baggie shorts but each to there own as long as your comfy thats what counts.

stevage

I usually wear a long sleeved hiking shirt. Reduces the area I need to put sunscreen, and front pockets are more comfortable. If the roads permit, I wear a broad brimmed hat rather than helmet.

I usually keep a pair of lightweight zip-off pants handy if I feel the need to get more presentable in towns. I always wear knicks.

Tandem Tom

Thanks for all the replies!
After a second try out with the Rivendell MUSA knickers I am returning them. They rub on my knees and it seems to be a very irritating feel. I really like the idea of some type of knicker over my cycling shorts. Anyone have any leads?
Thanks!

nun

Try these

https://swrve.myshopify.com/collections/knickers-shorts/

3speed

If it's warm, I wear my zip-off pants zipped off as shorts. If cooler, I'll leave them as pants. On top, if warm, I tend to wear a moisture wicking shirt(or no shirt if sun isn't an issue). If cooler, I wear a t-shirt and long sleeve over it, or something of that sort. That's also the same clothes I wear when mountain biking or road biking. I've never seen any reason to wear anything else.

Cyclesafe

The sun thing can't be over emphasized. Carelessness in my youth has led to three surgically excised tumors. I tour with long sleeve tech tees, Lycra longish running shorts, and lots of sun screen. Yes, no chamois for me: takes too long to dry and not necessary when you are as tough as me.

Sharpshin

Ya, so do cowboys and vaqueros; big hats, long sleeves, and even gloves and bandannas. Down here in Texas the sun does NOT mess around.

Ain't toured yet but I'm finding long cotton or polyester blend slacks (same kind I wear at work) over regular cotton boxers work as well as anything for me on long rides. Cotton t-shirt up top with a long sleeved loose-fitting long sleeve shirt over it. Half-finger cycling gloves, cotton gloves over them if its cold.

Thus far a simple skullcap under the helmet has sufficed. But I'm gonna have to figure out some wide brim arrangement over the next few months as the sun comes back north.

Mike

Cheyou

https://www.aerotechdesigns.com
I like the areo tech shorts .
https://www.aerotechdesigns.com/aetedemecoca.html

Tandem Tom

Thanks for the AeroTech idea! I wear their cycling shorts and we were at their shop last Spring. I did not think to consider them. I ordered knickers this evening!

shipwreck

I generally wear Aero tech shorts, I get the model with the colored stripes down the side to make it easy to keep track of which to wear that day. I like their pads a lot, they dry fast and don't seem to have the loaded diaper feel. have not worn my Izumi shorts since I got them.
Usually I have a pair of really light weight shorts, thin nylon fishing shorts from bass pro, to pull on when going into a store or restaurant. But usually I just pop into a store wearing the bike shorts. In colder weather some Columbia Omni dry pants.

For tops, I like to vary things on a tour. I am in the long sleeve camp, for sun protection mostly. A light fishing shirt with vented back, a soccer goalie jersey that is so colorful butterflies are always landing in it, a Columbia PFG long sleeve. I don't care for rear pockets and don't miss them. Cold weather a light fleece, one thin wool sweater, and a rain jacket over that.

I like the fishing clothes, they are really light. I look like a total tourist, but guess what? I am.

Tandem Tom

Regarding the "fishing shirt". Where did you get yours?

shipwreck

Ive picked them up at Cabellas, Bass pro, various backpacking shops. Columbia makes some nice shirts in my opinion. Biggest drawback is that they usually come in drab colors, and you have to not mind cotton.
I got a couple at W-mart, Berkley brand(no I don't know that off the top of my head, just went and looked). The quality is not as nice as bigger brands, but the material is less than paper thin synthetic, and dries in a minute. Only drawback is they can get pretty whiffy on a hot day, but that's why I carry several shirts, to ensure a clean one for at least four days without washing. They were dirt cheap compared to others I have.

My new favorite is one from Under Armor. It is not super light, but light enough, and its strechy non cotton, has vents and large zippered pockets. Just wore it on a backpacking trip in 20F conditions and it made a nice outer layer. But again, its kaki, not the most visible shirt.

Derailed

Nothing original here: I also like padded lycra shorts (two pair) and long-sleeved non-cycling-specific tech shirts (two); for socks I take two pair that are very short made by SmartWool..

I keep a very lightweight pair of nylon shorts handy in case I feel like covering up the lycra shorts when I stop.

Additionally, I take some convertible pants, a nice-ish short-sleeved synthetic collared shirt, one or two wool or polypro tops, a brightly colored breathable rain jacket, and some cheap rain paints. For sleeping or (or wearing when I find a laundromat) I take a pair of cotton socks, a pair of boxer shorts, and a cotton t-shirt.

gpsblake

Just regular shorts for the most part, sometimes I'll have cycling shorts on, and lot of the time, I'll have them under my regular shorts.

sandulea

Last year I made the transition from cycling clothes to "normal" clothes. This has reduced the total number of clothes, because I no longer have an off-bike set, and I feel less like an alien when stopping for a drink or something to eat in a small, secluded village.

I use long-sleeve button-up shirts, linen and polyester. The polyester one is a cheap supermarket one I had lying around, it wicks sweat but it isn't suited for really hot sunny days. The linen shirts, however, are a miracle. They dry in minutes from soaking wet then worn in the sun, and keep me cool like nothing else. I did a test once and rode with the sleeves rolled up, and an hour later I rolled them down. It was like turning on the air conditioner, the difference was massive and immediate. It never felt like that with any cycling jersey or cotton shirt I ever wore. They do pick up a bit of a smell after a few days, but rotating them, airing them up in the sun or a simple rinse in the river solves the issue.

I'm having problems with the lower half however. I got some very light, black nylon track pants, long not short. Underneath I wear cycling shorts without the pad, to prevent chafing on the inner thighs and to keep everything in place (I'm a guy riding a crank forward). They do tend to stink up quite fast, so when rotating the 3 pairs I carry I always keep a clean pair on hand that I wear in museums or other places when looking and smelling like a farm hand from the olden days isn't appropriate. What's irritating though is how they rub on my knees when pedaling, and I don't see how I can solve this. I roll them up occasionally, and they stay put around the knee, but I lose the lower leg sun protection. This year I'll try elastic bands to hold the pants in place, just above the knee. When in town I'll just slide these down to my ankle so it won't look funny.

On my head I wear a straw hat that keeps the sun off most of my face and neck, and I keep a Buff-type thing on hand for very dusty roads and some neck sun protection when the sun is really beating down. I also tried going with just sandals last year instead of running shoes + socks + slippers, combined with neoprene diving socks for that 1% chance that I would get really cold, rainy weather in the mountains. Fortunately, the neoprene socks weren't needed. I did break the sandals, which shows that in some areas you really can't find a cheaper equivalent, and I have to save some money for a pair of nice hiking sandals that will endure some mountain trails in off-bike days.

fietsbob

Reading that, and not liking what you bought, it seems like it's the reality of knickers,
is bothersome, but the Idea is OK./

I'm a old post Levi's guy, and found a Jersey Knit fabric gives ,. where a Woven one will not..

pants used in Baseball seem to be a jersey Knit, for freedom of movement.. and sweatpants..

I got some compound fabric track Warmup pants , fuzzy poly fleece on the inside,
smooth nylon on the outside ..

Old and Fat, sweatpants suit me.

nun

I have a pair of Rapha Knickers and the are great, the Schoeller fabric is very comfortable and they have a thin pad that works well with a pair of padded briefs. They also have good pockets. Knickers are great for spring and autumn riding.

https://www.bikeradar.com/us/gear/cat...d-shorts-9981/

fietsbob

OK whats a Schoeller?

psy

Sports/compression polyester spandex boxers, rivendale pants, polyester t's, polyester spandex sox,long under armor , pearl izumi elite barrier jacket and gloves. This combo in various configurations gets me through pretty much any weather any time of year out here on the west coast and in the pants and a t shirt I don't look rediculous when i stop for food and supplies. Cant reccomend the rivendale pants enough..they are very ****ional and durable. I own several pairs and wear them almost daily.

nun

The fabric is soft to the tough and sheds water well for the first 6 months. After that it loses a lot of the water repelance, but the material
still feels nice. My guess is that the nano surface structure gets disrupted or filled in with dirt and oils. But the knickers are still very comfortable
and practical on all but the warmest of days.

https://www.schoeller-tech.com/en/tex...anosphere/#all

Rowan

I started the transition away from cycling-specific touring clothes some time ago. The bulk of chamois in shorts is one reason, and the additional pockets are very useful. So, I use cargo shorts made of a Taslon/microfibre type of fabric, without zipper for the fly. For underclothing, I use lycra or similar underpants. Of course, it's essential in my opinion, to have the well worn-in Brooks saddle to do this. To help reduce sunburn risk, but also provide an element of protection in cold wind, I use a pair of Columbia pants in a similar lightweight microfibre fabric to the shorts.

As to tops, I don't use the back pockets in cycling jerseys much, and on tour they become a real irritation if I sit back in a chair with a wallet or some other item in there digging into my back. So I went the wicking T-shirt route... whatever I need to carry on my person can go into the pants pockets.

However, I concede to cycling specific attire with wind and rain jackets and rain pants, plus booties. For protection from the sun on my head, I use a bandana, and my socks are woollen, and I wear MTB shoes that are acceptable in more dressy situations. I always carry a cap for off-bike wear.

The result is that I don't have to carry two or three pairs of bike shorts and an extra two or three bike jerseys that are equally bulky, and I can blend into a crowd.

Tandem Tom

Just received my knickers from Aero Tech Design toady. I am going to try them out on my trainer tomorrow and get a sense of how they feel. Bought 2 sizes to see which I prefer as I want to wear cycling shorts of a a cycling brief underneath.

rekmeyata

I transitioned away from traditional road clothes over 20 years ago when I use to live in the Mojave Desert area of California to looser fitting jerseys because the tight fitting ones were just too hot because they wouldn't allow the air to get inside, once I switched to looser fitting jerseys I was much more comfortable. Heck I don't even buy bike specific jerseys anymore unless it's a wool one which I rarely buy, I just get cheap off the rack 100% polyester jerseys at Walmart, Target, or if I find a sale in some some clothing store, and never pay over $15, I never use the rear pocket anyway; and since their 100% polyester they wick and stink just as good as a $125 jersey because they're made of the same 100% polyester. Then I started to switch away from lycra shorts to MTB shorts because I found myself venturing further into remote areas and would need to stop into a store now and then and didn't like the look of the bulge in the short situation...I guess I've gotten more reserved as I've gotten older; but I will spend a lot more money on a short (then a jersey) because you need a good padding.

irwin7638

I got away from lycra a number of years ago, I found the padded shorts unnecessary when I switched back to leather saddles and am just as comfortable in a golf or tennis shirt. I have been hooked on Riv's pants and shorts since they came out. They are very good for cycling in general, touring in particular.


Marc