Michael Press said:In article
<[email hidden]>,
Chalo said:Tom said:I felt EXTREMELY self concious the first time I wore them and tried my
circuit. Strangely enough I was 2 minutes (!!!) faster. The next day I
wore my jeans and t-shirt and got my normal time. Shorts and jersey
again and - two minutes faster! I went back and forth for a week
because I couldn't believe that could be the case.
But it was.
You can measure the difference on a familiar circuit when using disc
wheels, too. Like cycling clothes, those have benefits that, while
measurable, are rarely significant for most cyclists-- but they have
significant drawbacks that abbreviate their practical uses.
If you want more company out there (or merely more safety in numbers),
then you should wear real clothes when you ride. SuperGeek Underoos
are a big part of the reason that regular people don't think cycling is
for regular people. Ain't nobody gonna want to join your team if they
think they'll have to wear _that_ uniform.
Over the last couple of years in my neighborhood, I have noticed that
the more young hipsters ride bike in their normal clothes, the more
other young hipsters do the same. The increase in numbers has been
noticeable.
Quoted message said:Maybe you don't want to wear it and if so that's fine but when you're
going up the hill on Market Street remember that part of the reason
that guy rides by you like you're standing still is the clothing.
I think you are overstating the potential benefits here. I have
switched both to and away from cycling shorts and clipless shoes, and
while there was a performance difference, it was not like you describe.
The change in performance is subtle; the change in your appearance,
and in what else you can do while wearing your biking clothes, isn't
subtle at all.
Normal trousers for me are plain cotton. Extended
bicycling destroys them through chafing. Also they sponge
up water and do not release it. They get dirty faster. I
switched to bib knickers
Around town I wear street clothes.
While it's true that pushing the envelope of distance, speed or effort
raise issues of performance and comfort, it doesn't necessarily follow
that cycling-specific clothes are the only answer, nor do performance
and comfort justify a lot of the aesthetic characteristics of cycling
clothing.
There are garments that fall in between the two extremes. You can find
t-shirts and even collared shirts in wicking, non-absorbent materials,
ditto for jackets, vests and pullovers. While they might not have the
aerodynamic cut of cycling-specific tops, often the same effect can be
had by going down a size. It's a little more difficult to find shorts
and pants in the "middle zone". Most of the garments in "performance"
fabrics are cut baggy, but that's mostly an aerodynamic issue below the
knee, so slightly baggy shorts aren't a real problem. For long pants, I
use "warm-ups" made from 4-way stretch fabric, cut a bit less than
skin-tight, plain black, with thin (black) full-length side zippers.
You can buy light weight (6 oz, typically) bike shorts and wear them
under lightweight, dark-colored, cargo or soccer shorts -- or buy the
equivalent setup in "baggy" cycle shorts. Rayon and polyester collared
shirts are easy to find, I've found polo shirts in Coolmax (Dacron),
Coolmax and other branded performance fabrics are cheaply and widely
available in t-shirts.
Of course you don't have to wear yellow, red or silver cycling shoes, or
shoes with deep treaded soles or protruding cleats. High visibility tops
are a safety feature, but you can get the same advantage from vests,
gloves and ankle bands, which are easy removed once off the bike.
