Cycling clothes without looking a berk?

[Doki]

What do you lot wear for riding a bike then? I'd prefer to
avoid lycra and so on . I've been riding around in jeans
and army surplus trousers (p'raps I shouldn't have bought
the lightweight summer clobber) and keep finding that my
legs have frozen. Any ideas on something normal looking and
a bit warmer?

 

[Richard Bates]

On Fri, 12 Mar 2004 19:53:02 -0000, in
<[email protected]>, "Doki"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>What do you lot wear for riding a bike then? I'd prefer to
>avoid lycra and so on . I've been riding around in jeans
>and army surplus trousers (p'raps I shouldn't have bought
>the lightweight summer clobber) and keep finding that my
>legs have frozen. Any ideas on something normal looking and
>a bit warmer?

Jeans are a bad idea in anycase since when they are wet
they stay wet forever. I find them uncomfortable for
cycling even when dry.

Longjohns underneath will help and won't make you look a
berk!

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[Danny Colyer]

Doki wrote:
> What do you lot wear for riding a bike then? I'd prefer to
> avoid lycra and so on . I've been riding around in jeans
> and army surplus trousers (p'raps I shouldn't have bought
> the lightweight summer clobber) and keep finding that my
> legs have frozen. Any ideas on something normal looking
> and a bit warmer?

Nothing wrong with lycra. A pair of Ronhill Tracksters or
Bikesters over the top works well when it's cold.

--
Danny Colyer (the UK company has been laughed out of my reply address)
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[Doki]

Richard Bates wrote:
> On Fri, 12 Mar 2004 19:53:02 -0000, in
> <[email protected]>, "Doki"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> What do you lot wear for riding a bike then? I'd prefer
>> to avoid lycra and so on . I've been riding around in
>> jeans and army surplus trousers (p'raps I shouldn't have
>> bought the lightweight summer clobber) and keep finding
>> that my legs have frozen. Any ideas on something normal
>> looking and a bit warmer?
>
> Jeans are a bad idea in anycase since when they are wet
> they stay wet forever. I find them uncomfortable for
> cycling even when dry.

That's what I thought, so I've only worn them for the ride
from the shed to the backdoor . The army surplus stuff has
the advantage of being mostly or all manmade guff so it
dries out very quickly.

> Longjohns underneath will help and won't make you
> look a berk!

Nice!

 

[Doki]

Danny Colyer wrote:
> Doki wrote:
>> What do you lot wear for riding a bike then? I'd prefer
>> to avoid lycra and so on . I've been riding around in
>> jeans and army surplus trousers (p'raps I shouldn't have
>> bought the lightweight summer clobber) and keep finding
>> that my legs have frozen. Any ideas on something normal
>> looking and a bit warmer?
>
> Nothing wrong with lycra.

There's a lot wrong with it. There'd be even more wrong with
it if I wore it
.

> A pair of Ronhill Tracksters or Bikesters
> over the top works well when it's cold.

Will google.

 

[Mark Thompson]

> What do you lot wear for riding a bike then? I'd prefer to
> avoid lycra and so on . I've been riding around in jeans
> and army surplus trousers (p'raps I shouldn't have bought
> the lightweight summer clobber) and keep finding that my
> legs have frozen. Any ideas on something normal looking
> and a bit warmer?

When cycling to the gym/frisbee practice I just wear my
tracksuit bottoms. They're made out of some manmade stuff
with a loose cotton liner. They're windproof, light, and
warm (I guess 'cos of the cotton liner stuff, and the
windproofness) and baggy enough to give lots of room. One of
the more cunning bits is that from the shins down the liner
is made of more man made non absorbant stuff so it doesn't
get too sodden in the rain. They cost I guess £12-20 in JJBs
or similar.

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[Peter B]

"Doki" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
>
> Danny Colyer wrote:
> > Doki wrote:
> >> What do you lot wear for riding a bike then? I'd prefer
> >> to avoid lycra and so on . I've been riding around in
> >> jeans and army surplus trousers (p'raps I shouldn't
> >> have bought the lightweight summer clobber) and keep
> >> finding that my legs have frozen. Any ideas on
> >> something normal looking and a bit warmer?
> >
> > Nothing wrong with lycra.
>
> There's a lot wrong with it. There'd be even more wrong
> with it if I wore
it
> .
>
> > A pair of Ronhill Tracksters or Bikesters
> > over the top works well when it's cold.
>
> Will google.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk have them for £22.99 (plus post) on
their home page.

Jeans are what I wear most of the time but Lycra does a
better job as cycling apparel and neoprene for watersports,
nothing to do with fashion or what others think, just what
works best
--
Regards, Pete

 

[Helen Deborah V]

T-shirt + jumper/fleece Ron Hill Tracksters (but they aren't
very warm) or M&S leggings Tchibo cycling jacket (loads of
reflective tape but no yucky fluo yellow anywhere)

--
Helen D. Vecht: [email protected] Edgware.

 

[Richard Goodman]

"Doki" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
>
> Danny Colyer wrote:
> >
> > Nothing wrong with lycra.
>
> There's a lot wrong with it. There'd be even more wrong
> with it if I wore
it
> .
>

Before I started cycling regularly I always thought I'd
_never_ wear lycra. But, I saw the advantage of padded
cycling briefs and put them on under regular shorts.. then I
thought if this is good, maybe 'proper' cycling shorts with
the padded bit sewn in would be better.. and it was. I moved
to lycra shorts, then a lycra top, then lycra tights for
cold weather. And I realised how stupid I'd been to rubbish
it and think it wasn't for me. Lycra is highly practical
cycling gear. It is warm to the touch, it is comfortable, it
is close fitting so it doesn't flap around and create drag,
it flexes easily at the joints and doesn't chaff the skin,
it is light, it is breathable, it dries quickly and easily.
It is a perfectly sensible choice of material for cycle
clothing and cyclists wearing it don't look like 'berks'.
They look like.. cyclists!

Rich

 

[David Waters]

If I am out for a ride (in winter), then I will wear hiking
socks, my cycling shoes, lycra shorts (and if it is really
bitter a pair of hiking style shorts on top. Up top I will
generally wear a base layer, with either a winter style
cycling top or gillet, and then a waterproof & breathable
shell. On my head I wear a helmet and if particularly bitter
I contrive to fit some kind of breathable hat underneath.

My legs don't seem to get cold when wearing shorts unless
the windchill factor is particularly high.

Avoid Cotton at ALL costs. It gets wet then stays wet. Lycra
or polyester is definitely the way to go because if it does
get wet then it dries.

 

[Whingin' Pom]

On Fri, 12 Mar 2004 23:59:21 -0000, "Richard Goodman"
<[email protected]> wrote:

> It is a perfectly sensible choice of material for cycle
> clothing and cyclists wearing it don't look like 'berks'.
> They look like.. cyclists!

Only if the definition of cyclist includes "130kg of
badly made shrink-wrapped sausages". Lycra is not a
option for me. :-(

I've found that some walking-type outdoors-ey gear works
well for me, it's comfy, doesn't chafe, dries quick and is
light and warmish. Agree with the long-johns trick, though.

--
Matt K Dunedin, NZ

 

[Tom Anderson]

On Fri, 12 Mar 2004 23:59:21 -0000, "Richard Goodman"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Lycra is highly practical cycling gear. It is warm to the
>touch, it is comfortable, it is close fitting so it doesn't
>flap around and create drag, it flexes easily at the joints
>and doesn't chaff the skin, it is light, it is breathable,
>it dries quickly and easily.

and they enhance the outline of those new thighs that
cycling have given me.

Seriously, I couldn't wear lycra shorts w/o covering them
with a pair of shorts. Don't give a toss now. I wear lycra
shorts or longs, depending on the weather, for all my
cycling. Sooo comfy.

Best wishes Tom Anderson Leighton Buzzard, BEDS England

and a woman is just a woman but a good cigar is a smoke
(Rudyard Kipling)

 

[Jon Senior]

"Doki" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Danny Colyer wrote:
<snip>
> There's a lot wrong with it. There'd be even more wrong
> with it if I wore
it
> .

If it's the closeness of the fit that bothers you, Endura
do something called multitights. They are a looser cut,
roubaix lycra tight and I can vouch for their comfort. They
look more light a pair of close fitting tracksuit bottoms
than tights.

Jon

 

[GearóId Ó Laoi/]

There is another reason to avoid cotton (Jeans).

Cotton transmits 80 times as much heat when wet as compared
to when it's dry. Wool is the same wet or dry as is fleece.
That's shy sheep don't grow cotton and why cotton is ideal
for tropical climates. Maybe tropical sheep have it??

 

[Just Zis Guy]

On Fri, 12 Mar 2004 20:28:52 -0000, "Doki" <[email protected]>
wrote in message <[email protected]>:

>> Nothing wrong with lycra.
>There's a lot wrong with it. There'd be even more wrong
>with it if I wore it

Thing is, though there is a reason why so many cyclists wear
the kit. It works. It doesn't drag the legs, keeps out of
the way of chains and such, has pockets at the back which is
handy on a wedgie and so on. If it gets wet, it dries out
quickly as you ride, and most cycle clothing is made of
modern fabrics which wick well and don't stink when you get
sweaty (I find cycling in cotton shirts makes you smell like
a woolshed on a rainy afternoon in about ten minutes). You
can get lined MTB shorts which look no different from
ordinary shorts, I guess, but don't dismiss the good cycling
gear just because you haven't ridden your bike enough to
look good in it yet. Think of it as an incentive scheme ;-)

--
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===
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[David Kenning]

Gearóid Ó Laoi/Garry Lee wrote:
> Wool is the same wet or dry as is fleece. That's shy sheep
> don't grow cotton and why cotton is ideal for tropical
> climates. Maybe tropical sheep have it??

Interesting thought.

Anyway, about wool - it's what they used to wear before
lycra was invented, isn't it. Merino wool, specifically.

If you want to look *very* cool in a tight-fitting top, get
one of these: http://www.vintagevelos.com/jer-peugeot1.html
http://www.vintagevelos.com/jer-molteni_arcore1.html http://www.vintagevelos.com/jer-
cinzano1.html

d.

 

[David Kenning]

Richard Goodman wrote:
> choice of material for cycle clothing and cyclists wearing
> it don't look like 'berks'. They look like.. cyclists!

My wife says I look 'cute' when I'm fully togged out in neck-to-
ankle lycra.

I'm a complete convert to the lycra cause. My mum got me
some bib tights for christmas - she found it highly amusing
buying tights for her own grown-up son, but I tell you what:
they have been a godsend in the recent freezing weather.

If you're not keen on a tight lycra top, a football shirt is
a good alternative - they're reasonably close fitting and
made out of material that's appropriate for sporting
activities (ie not cotton). Lightweight tracksuit trousers
with elasticated ankles are probably a good non-berk
alternative to lycra - and you can still wear your comfy
padded shorts underneath without anyone noticing.

d.

 

[Congokid]

In message <[email protected]>, Jon
Senior <jon@restless_REMOVE_lemon.co.uk> writes

>If it's the closeness of the fit that bothers you, Endura
>do something called multitights. They are a looser cut,
>roubaix lycra tight and I can vouch for their comfort. They
>look more light a pair of close fitting tracksuit bottoms
>than tights.

They look pretty skin-tight to me: http://www.endura.co.uk/tights-
multi.html

--
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http://congokid.com

 

[Congokid]

In message <[email protected]>, Doki
<[email protected]> writes
>What do you lot wear for riding a bike then? I'd prefer to
>avoid lycra and so on . I've been riding around in jeans
>and army surplus trousers (p'raps I shouldn't have bought
>the lightweight summer clobber) and keep finding that my
>legs have frozen. Any ideas on something normal looking and
>a bit warmer?

I've tended to avoid lycra for the same reasons. In winter I
wear fleece Altura cruiser pants with foot stirrups over
padded shorts - although they're not the warmest things in
cold wind or water repellent. I've had warmer fleece
trousers in the past from Zoic, but they don't seem to do
them anymore.

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[Congokid]

In message <[email protected]>, david
kenning <[email protected]> writes

>Anyway, about wool - it's what they used to wear before
>lycra was invented, isn't it. Merino wool, specifically.

I have a 100 per cent merino wool shirt from Swobo - very
cosy worn underneath anything in winter.

--
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