seenloitering

Inappropriately so? Did I just stumble into a temperance meeting?

StanSeven

Cycling clothes are more comfortable, shorts keep from gathering and chafing, jerseys wick moisture away and and show you to traffic for safety, both reduce wind resistence to make it easier to keep speed up, shoes and cleats make the entire effort more efficient, and gloves makes it more comfortable.

But you go ahead and wear whatever you like. I won't make fun of you.

nthach

FWIW, I rode 17 miles in my beloved Volcom plain-front shorts and I felt OK in the saddle although I wished I had my cycling shorts on after a while.

Dr. Banzai

Well see that's where there is a disconnect. Most people start "the cool down" on the final 17 miles of wearing their lycra. Board shorts or the $22 REI "mtb" shorts are great for rides with the wife on the MUP for 33 minutes. If you want to go out crushing souls then lycra is the weaponmaster's choice.

nthach

Yea, I rode in regular clothes while waiting for my car to be worked in Berkeley. I did a subsequent ride in full gear. Day and night difference.

009jim

I often think I would try wearing the "tights" if the legs were shorter. I've noticed females have the option of short tights and men have only the long type. Why would this be?

Machka 

Look again ... but this time when you browse through the various online places you like to frequent, look for knickers and knee warmers

I've actually seen more men in that sort of thing than women. I have both knickers and knee warmers, but there is just a narrow temperature window where I feel comfortable in them.

abdon 

Why is so hard to accept that people will wear whatever makes them happy? If it doesn't make you happy, don't do it. It is not a hard concept.

My longest day ride was 125 miles on gym shirt and shorts. Why on earth should it matter to anybody if I had said full Lance getup, including the Oakley Bones shades?

I don't know what's worse; the haters, the overly defensive, or the ones that make it sounds like they are by-curious.

nelson249

Like the OP when I started getting seriously into cycling I couldn't ever imagine wearing lycra shorts and the "kit'. I went to a mountain biking resort and I was given a coupon for x number of dollars off a purchase of accessories from the gift shop. I thought, what the hell, let's give those lycra shorts a shot after being encouraged by some friends. They were great and I have been wearing them ever since on long distance rides but usually still do street clothes on my commute. So now many thousand of kilometres later I still spring for good quality shorts and cycling gloves. I usually chintz on jerseys by buying athletic shirts at a fraction of the price of cycling-specific jerseys. I have also learned not to care too much what others think, I just do my thing and do what works for me.

tagaproject6

If you don't understand it, there really is no explanation on a public forum that will enable that. It is one of those things that you have to try for yourself. It's like explaining jazz or rock and roll.

garage sale GT

I'd say it's pretty simple. The faster you go, the more important air resistance becomes. When you can average 20mph for an hour, the clothes you wear make a big difference in air resistance.

There's also comfort and sweat management.

Nightshade

Like anything else that has "fashion" attached to it the reason isn't how one looks it's all about self esteem. For some it takes others approval of how they look , or act, to bolster their self esteem. For crusty old dudes ( like me) & ladies they've long ago learned that self esteem is not something someone else can give you so they don't give a fig about anything others may think of them or their actions.

alexvpaq

Stop asking and try it
or try 50miles and up with regular jeans.

Oh and you get to look like a pro

Keith99

I think a lot of the problem in these threads is that it is very difficult to tell if the OP is a troll or not. Once someone strats responding as if the OP is trolling, even if the responce is subconscious things go south very fast.

I used to cross country ski. I'm fair sized, back then 5'10" and about 210 lbs. I gasically wore Rugby shorts and a cut off t shirt (like football players wear under pads, and for the same reason, to keep the straps on my daypack fron chafing). I'd see people in 4" thick ski pants and think they were crazy.

On a bike a lot depends on how fast you ride and perhaps even more depends on how important fast is to you. Chafing seems to become more of a problem as we get older. Also more of a problem as a ride gets longer. Much of the time it only starts when your shorts get moist. If that takes 25 miles to happen someone riding 30 miles is not apt to have a problem, the same person may change their opinion at 50 miles. (and some folks have no problems at 100 miles).

Years ago I did a ride that went out to Acton and then back over the mountians to Los Angeles. That meant riding in the desert and climbing from that side and then a decent where things were cooler. I was very clad I had a full zipper that was open on hte climb and zipped up on the decent. That ride was when I really understood why pros take the newspapers at the top of the climbs.

I find cycling specific clothes more comfortable for cycling. Woudl I buy them for beach crusing rides? Likely not, but since I already have them I usually use them. I also like the very bright colors when riding in traffic. The jerk who hits me will have no excuse for not seeing me.

big_al

I wear dri-fit shirts & shorts from www.boombah.com they are super comfortable and they keep dry. The padded shorts I used to wear them years ago but I since have stopped.

TurbineBlade

Agreed to the first -- that's a fact of moving on the surface of the earth (not in a vacuum).

Meh to the second. If you wear a huge cape I'd see it, but it's really just conjecture. I'll admit straight-up that I don't maintain 20 mph, but even at speed I'm not sure my cotton t-shirts would really "bog me down" out there .

I think by this you mean that wearing tights/jerseys are more comfortable, but I actually find this as a more convincing argument for wearing my button cotton shirts and linen. .

Nightshade

Are you saying that a person can't ride 50 miles or more in jeans or other street clothing? If so explain that to us...........

DataJunkie

Of course you can. It is more of a matter if you want to.
I could ride 200 miles in jeans but I doubt I would be able to walk the next day.

TurbineBlade

I just did 17 miles in jeans in the rain -- not too bad . Shorts would have been better.

chandltp

My big problem has never been what I wear on my top layer.. but my underwear causes problems when I sweat. I've bought some underarmor type clothing that looks like it will work just fine, but I've not had the time to go out on a medium length ride with it to see how it does.. looks like it will have to wait until next summer since I don't sweat enough for anything to cause problems right now. I get really annoyed by the padding in regular cycling shorts, but that's what I use because that's what was recommended. It really does help me with the chaffing in the heat.

(Y(L|S+

Lycra cycling shorts/tights:

• Pad - comfort, protection from soreness and tissue damage, moisture transfer
• Material - muscle compression, moisture wicking, wind and thermal performance (with cool/cold weather fabrics)
• Fit - non-chafing, moves with body, aerodynamics

Jersey:

• Material - moisture wicking properties keeps you cooler in heat and warmer in cold
• Fit - doesn't flap around, aero, longer in the back to avoid "plumber's crack"
• Function - pockets in the rear for cell-phone, keys, nutrition or what ever you may need to bring with you
• Safety - bright colors and/or reflective accents let you be seen buy drivers in low-light conditions

Gloves:

• Padding - avoids nerve damage and soreness in hands
• Protection - leather or lether-like material protects yout hands because you instinctively put your hands out in fall/crash
• Material - breathable and moisture wicking

Helmet:

• Protection - duh!

Shoes:

• Function - stiff soles for efficiency and prevents sore feet, light weight, breathable, no laces or lace management preventing drivetrain entanglement.

Sunglasses:

• Protection from UV, debri, bugs, wind drying out your eyes and strain from squinting on bright days

Why we wear it all - because we choose to do it for any or all of the above reasons or for any other reason. You can choose to do so also or not. That's the beauty of choice, it's yours to make. Wear what you like and enjoy. I won't judge you when I see you riding because you are in cargo shorts and a t-shirt. I'll wave or say "Hi' and be on my merry way.

chipcom 

Nothing...with some caveats.

I am perfectly comfortable in boxer-briefs and cargo-type shorts...as long as they are both made of wicking materials (I prefer merino wool briefs, not real picky on the shorts), have flat seams and/or gusseted crotch, and are not so loose that they bunch or get hung up on the nose of the saddle.

Indeed, for most rides I am more comfortable in boxers and shorts than in my cycling bibs, which tend to constrict the boys more. YMMV.

chipcom 

Only if you are racing...for rec, commuting, utility riding, not so much.

carlspeed

Shorts with padding are awesome. However, they do not have pockets. Enter the cycling jersey.

rogerstg

If you have to ask the question, you probably don't need them.

IOW, you aren't riding at the level of performance where you suffer from chaffing or saddle sores, too much sweat or the flapping of loose clothes in the wind.

Even though I'm now over 50, I ride at a level where I need to use those things for the reasons I mentioned. If you find them inappropriate, please stop staring