hi,
novice question:
doing a six day ride in the fl. keys. how important, if any, is it to wear a cycling jersey?

Also, I think I bought padded bike shorts too large. when I walk and am off the bike, the pads aren't hugging my bottom and it feels like almost a loose diaper. I bought XL and I' 6'2" and 195 lbs. Any thoughts on cycling shorts? and how many folks don't even wear any padded shorts if its 50 miles a day or so?
Thanks in advance!
JP

50 miles in non-padded shorts? Nope. Not for this guy. If the ride is long enough for me to wear a helmet and bike shoes, I'm wearing padded bibs.

Wearing a jersey is your choice. Personally, I prefer riding with clothing that isn't flappy, and is made from fabrics that help keep my body at a comfortable temperature. The rear pockets in a cycling jersey are also important to me (phone, tools, etc.)

The nice thing about riding with a bicycling jersey is that you have pockets on the back where you can stow stuff such a s your wallet and snacks.

Cheers

JP. Try a Large Size of the same Brand.

A jersey can be nice because it should wick sweat better than most other tops, and should fit snugly so it doesn't flap in the breeze.

I've had shorts where the pad hangs kind of loose when I'm off the bike, but are perfectly fine on the bike. You definitely don't want the shorts chafing when you're riding. In terms of fit, I prefer my bike togs to be painted on, but that's just me.

There are cyclists who wear regular streetclothes, even for ultra-distance events. I'm not one of them.

A proper fitting bib short is the way to go. You'll never find a Pro in anything but them. A bib short will keep the chamois tight up against you preventing friction against your body that can cause a sore .
A cycling jersey has pockets to carry cell phone, nutrition, and etc., and is usually made of comfortable material, unlike a cotton shirt. IMO the tighter the clothing the less friction it can cause.

Agree with AdamRice, shorts that are too loose are ok while on the bike.

On a previous trip I had some bike shorts that would slip down when off the bike, I used a nylon strap around the outside of the shorts like a belt to keep them on.

On a bike tour I always wear bike shorts.

You want good visibility. But you will sweat whatever you wear in the Keys. I use a jersey but if you lack a jersey, it is not a deal breaker.

Have a great time. Don't let the long bridge scare you, it is like any other bridge, just takes more time to get across. And you will cross dozens of bridges.



There is a high point on the bridge for a channel for large vessels to pass below the bridge, the photo below is from that high section of the 7 mile bridge.



There is debris on some of the bridges, if you have a rear view mirror so you can see how far back the traffic is, that can be useful to know if you want to veer into the traffic lane to get around the debris.

Okay, I'll make the first Fred reply!

I'm a bit chubby and find it hard to get a comfortable fit with a jersey. I prefer a synthetic T shirt with the same breathability of a jersey at a fraction of the price with lots of solid bright colors to choose from. UnderArmour is my favorite brand. We have an outlet store nearby.

Rear pockets? At 73 I've lost the flexibility to reach back there. I use a small top tube bag for wallet & phone/camera. Pockets of baggy shorts for off-bike use.

I can't tolerate thick, maxi-pad diaper wads on the butt. Only thin ones if I wear cycling specific shorts..

FredG

I wear bike shorts that fit properly. Some find they like bibs better. It depends on your build really thin guys and guys with big guts are both likely to gave a hard time keeping regular shorts up, but there are probably other factors. Figure out what works for you, but they need to fit.

Jerseys are nice. I have worn them on most of my tours, but have started using a little backpack and wearing tech tees instead lately on some tours.

For the first 10 years of my 'serious cycling life' I never had any cycling-specific clothing. I rode my old Fuji S-10s well over 40,000 miles over those years. Many Centuries. Many two-three-day rides, and even a 1000-mile 'tour' of 90-120-mile days. Again, just in street clothes.

Now I have a pair of padded/chamois cycling shorts that I'll wear on rides of over 40 miles (two hours) - and only under my short-inseam hiking shorts (pockets!). On rides of less than 40 miles, I wear normal clothes - hiking shorts and a hi-vis wicking t-shirt (short- or long-sleeve).

thanks for all the perspectives!

After over five decades of cycling, the only cycling clothing I own is a pair of lined, not padded shorts. I tried padding and it didn't work for me. I tried jerseys, didn't like them. I tried cleated shoes, for almost twenty years, didn't like them in the end either. I only use the bike shorts if I'm riding over 60 miles in a day.

The reason is most of my days on the bike are not just on the bike. I ride the bike to go do other things. When I'm doing other things, I don't want to wear bike clothing and bike shoes. That's the case when I'm touring. Out of 14 to 16 waking hours, I'm seldom on the bike for more than six or seven of those.

There was a thread recently on whether people prefer bike shorts or not for bikepacking. This was my posting on that thread.

I can see that, but I don't find the need to carry most of the stuff I carry in my pockets when at home. I recall one guy saying, "Where do you put your wallet and keys?". The question baffled me for a minute before I said, "Wallet and keys? I don't take either of those on tour." I guess it depends on how much your life on tour resembles life at home and maybe on how much of your time is on the bike. For me a wallet is replaced with a ziplock bag with a few bucks, a few credit/debit cards, some ID, and health insurance cards. It goes in either a jersey pocket, handlebar bag, or little backpack. In any case it stays with me. Typically no keys go with me, but if there is a car at the end a valet key might be on a cord around my neck along with my little pico light and a military style dog tag. My folding knife is replaced with a smaller one that is packed somewhere and the phone is in the ziplock bag with the wallet stuff.
I am typically on the bike a larger percentage of the time and my time off the bike is broken up into chunks throughout the day. In addition I prefer to instantly be recognised as "that guy on the bike who I saw 60 miles down the road this morning". It is an ice breaker and leads to lots of offers of hospitality or at least conversation with the local folks who are curious about what I am doing, which for me is a big part of what touring is about. I know some folks say they don't want to look like cyclists when off the bike, but on a bike tour I see it as a plus. I'd rather be seen as that interesting guy riding coast to coast or some other long distance than just some grungy looking out of place old stranger. I will be sweaty and grungy at stops during the day and won't blend in in any case, at least with bike clothes folks know why I am sweaty and grungy and usually cut me some slack.