# plain clothes commute



## confusedcyclist (18 Jun 2018)

Today was my first deliberate lycra free commute, a 20 mile round trip from my home in South West Leeds to Bradford Royal Infirmary and back. I have been doing the journey for years now, but always in cycling specific gear. I don't change into lycra to pop to the shops, happily doing it in my jeans and tshirt... but for some reason I have always commuted in cycling garb to get to and from work as quickly as possible so I can get on with life at home in the morning and evening with minimal time wasted on the commute.

I have had a few people approach me to ask me about my experiences cycling to work, it was obvious they were considering trying it themselves, but few other than sporting types have ever been converted from their cars, and only after the heavy investment in cycling kit and accessories. It got me wondering, is it maybe that extra barrier of lycra, pillow hats and high vis jackets that puts the cycle-curious off in the end? Should those of us that use bikes as transport consider wearing less lycra to make cycling seem more accessible to the masses? Yes, it won't replace dedicated investment in essential infrastructure and better policing, but maybe us commuting cycling fanatics could help tip the scales in our favour to reach that critical mass needed to get the investment by being seen cycling in normal clothes.

As for today, I was wearing a waxed canvas jacket over a summer merino baselayer, but it looks like a plain black tshirt, and some elasticated craghoppers mens walking trousers and some old converse all stars high I use for the dog walk. The jacket was a bit much for the warmth today, but I think it would be ideal in autumn. I need a lighter jacket, or maybe a long sleeved flannel shirt, sleeves rolled up, or something like a golf jacket for the morning chill. I had to consciously slow down somewhat, and coast down hills to keep from sweating buckets, but it made for a nice leisurely ride. I could still put the hammer down somewhat where necessary, but the pace was definitely more sedate, which wasn't a bad thing on such a lovely day.

So how about a discussion on what plain clothes you prefer to cycle in, no need for lycra or technical fabrics here 

Also, has anyone found a discreet and not nerdy looking solution for protecting the trouser cuff so it doesn't get caught in a chain, sadly my stable doesn't have a roaster with a sensible chain guard.


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## Slick (18 Jun 2018)

I've never tried it but can't help but think it might be a bit different on a wet morning?


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## T4tomo (18 Jun 2018)

confusedcyclist said:


> Anyone found a discreet solution for tucking the trouser leg away so it doesn't get caught in a chain guard,



Your sock is design specifically for this purpose.

I trundle across London in Chinos I wear in the office. But that is only a couple of miles each way, no hills and not enough to work up a sweat. 

I get the not changing bit, I'm
.not sure I get the changing into something that isn't lycra bit, as that is the comfiest stuff to cycle in.


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## dave r (18 Jun 2018)

I was a cycling commuter for over thirty years, I only stopped when I retired, I did nearly all that commuting in my work clothes towards the end I used to use a cycle jacket on cold days but that was all. I also used to straighten and rebend toeclips so they would fit my steel toe capped boots.


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## confusedcyclist (18 Jun 2018)

Slick said:


> I've never tried it but can't help but think it might be a bit different on a wet morning?


Hence waxed-canvas!


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## MichaelW2 (18 Jun 2018)

For my plain-clothed cycle commute I mostly wear polycottonhiking trousers, cotton underpants, cotton T shirt with office shirt, wool socks with leather shoes. In winter I wear a Paramo jacket which is windproof, breathable, handles heavy downpours well and passes for some kind of normal. For longer commutes I would probably switch to a merino or polycoton T shirt. Generally, sweat is not an issue at my riding pace, I found that time saved riding was offset by time spent cooling down, showering and re-dressing at work


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## glasgowcyclist (18 Jun 2018)

confusedcyclist said:


> Also, has anyone found a discreet and not nerdy looking solution for protecting the trouser cuff so it doesn't get caught in a chain



My M&S cycling chinos have a couple of pop studs hidden on the inside of the hem at the ankle. I pop the studs together when riding then snap apart at the office, dead easy.
Or, when I'm wearing jeans, I use a Velcro strap. These are either spares from pump attachments and the like or a velcro cable tidy from the server room.

Then there are these:


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## confusedcyclist (18 Jun 2018)

MichaelW2 said:


> I found that time saved riding was offset by time spent cooling down, showering and re-dressing at work


This is a very good point, I will make an effort to cycle as slowly as possible tomorrow to see how this pans out over 10 miles. I guess the pay off is greater on much shorter rides.


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## glasgowcyclist (18 Jun 2018)

MichaelW2 said:


> I found that time saved riding was offset by time spent cooling down, showering and re-dressing at work



That can often happen but it's good to remember that potential time-saving isn't the only benefit.

I'm fortunate in that my commute in to work is a descent of 300ft over 7 miles, most of that in the first 2 or 3, so there's no need for me to break into a sweat to get in on time. I still beat the car and even if I used the car and got lucky with traffic, there's zero chance of a space at my office so I have to factor in a 5-10 minute walk from the nearest available spot.
The bike wins for me every time.

Going home though, it's a much closer call!


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## Milkfloat (18 Jun 2018)

I commute in normal clothing - trouser leg tucked into brightly coloured sock. My only concession is waterproofs in the pannier and a bucket hat for the rare days it rains. I have a short commute though.

In my house Lycra is for weekends and evenings.


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## Bodhbh (18 Jun 2018)

confusedcyclist said:


> Also, has anyone found a discreet and not nerdy looking solution for protecting the trouser cuff so it doesn't get caught in a chain, sadly my stable doesn't have a roaster with a sensible chain guard.



I generally just turn the right leg up. Downside is you forget and end up walking round the supermarket like that.


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## User10119 (18 Jun 2018)

Bodhbh said:


> I generally just turn the right leg up. Downside is you forget and end up walking round the supermarket like that.


Or go through your whole day in work with one jeans leg rolled up and one not....


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## spen666 (18 Jun 2018)

confusedcyclist said:


> .....Should those of us that use bikes as transport consider wearing less lycra to make cycling seem more accessible to the masses? .......




Surely it depends on:

1. Your purpose in cycling?
2. What you feel most comfortable/ happy wearing for the commute?

For me, my purpose in cycling is to get to work cheaply and to get/ keep fit/exercise. I am not cycling to convert others to cycling, so the answer for me would be no. I would still need to change after my commute as I would be sweaty/ smelly so no benefit to me in not wearing lycra.

Others will no doubt have different views


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## Cycleops (18 Jun 2018)

Bodhbh said:


> I generally just turn the right leg up. Downside is you forget and end up walking round the supermarket like that.


Worst that can happen is someone might think you've just come from a lodge meeting.


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## Slick (18 Jun 2018)

confusedcyclist said:


> Hence waxed-canvas!


Which of course is fair enough but sounds a bit like cycling in a Barbour jacket to me. 

My reasons for my commute is total enjoyment and fitness. It might not always look like it but I like to go for it as much as I can over the 15 mile commute and i do turn up at work over an hour before starting time looking for a shower and a hot mug of tea. Lately, it's just been shorts and lycra t shirt as the weather has been magic but during the winter it's bib tights and jacket which dry out really quickly even on the wettest morning.


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## Crankarm (18 Jun 2018)

Lycra and cycling shorts are worn for a reason. They are comfortable and wick moisture from your body. Normal clothes are typically cotton and don't. I can't think of anything worse cycling in normal non Lycra clothing, then doing a whole day's work and your clothes smelling of sweat. Yuk. No thanks, not for me. This would be enough to put anyone off who was thinking of taking up cycling. I have no interest in converting other people to cycling. For me Lycra or similar fabrics used in cycle clothing will be my choice every time.


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## Lonestar (18 Jun 2018)

I have worn cycle specific clothes for years and change when I get to work but I never wear lycra.

I may consider it if I get called up for the Tour De France.


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## NorthernDave (18 Jun 2018)

I occasionally see a chap who cycles in wearing a suit.
To be fair, the route is mainly downhill _into_ the city, so he can probably get away with coasting / freewheeling large sections of it, but there is enough 'up' to make me wonder about the hot days.

I've never seen him making the return (mostly uphill) journey though - maybe he gets a lift or uses the train?


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## Moodyman (18 Jun 2018)

I have a similar commute to the OPs but in reverse. North Bradford to South Leeds so, maybe we should swap workplaces or homes.

I'd sweat profusely even if I was to go easy, so lycra and shower for me everytime.

For local errands I wear second tier casual clothes i.e. jeans and T shirts that are one rung up the ladder from gardening/painting duty. 

I've ruined too many nice jeans/chinos with either irremovable oil stains or a worn crotch.


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## Pat "5mph" (18 Jun 2018)

I ride in casual wear, always have done.
Leggings, tees, rolled up trousers and so on.
I change into my uniform at work, don't tend to sweat much as I'm slow, the commute is only 5 miles, slightly downhill into work.
It rains a lot here, I found that the only item of gear that keeps me dry on top is a proper cycling jacket (the rest of me can get wet, it will be dry by the time I finish work), that means I must look weird walking around town with that only item of specific cycling clothing on if I end up somewhere else after work 
Sometimes, if the weather is dry but the visibility is poor, I will wear a Sam Brown belt over my normal clothing, leave it in my pannier.
Being my cycling mostly utilitarian, the total lycra look is not suitable, I feel uncomfortable in padded shorts anyway, and most cycling tops make me itchy, I need to wear bamboo base layer under them, don't know why that is.


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## Lonestar (18 Jun 2018)

Yup no way would I want to be a MAMIL.


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## DCBassman (19 Jun 2018)

Still using original lycra from 2000...in the meantime changing from MAMIL to OMIL.


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## andrew_s (19 Jun 2018)

I use...
SPD sandals, shoes under desk, socks in bag
Berghaus hiking trousers, which are black, plain enough to be sufficiently respectable at work, don't wear out on the saddle, and have an elastic ankle draw cord that I snug down above the calf, plus-8 style, to keep them clear of the transmission.
Top is a regular office shirt, and whatever waterproofness or insulation is required for the weather (eg rainlegs, old cycling jacket)

The commute is short enough that sweatiness can be kept under control.


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## clf (20 Jun 2018)

I think all the kit does put off people who might fancy using a bike to pop to the shop or the 3 or 4 mile commute, it's just an extra barrier, the perception it's dangerous is only exasperated by hi viz this and reflective that, polystyrene hats, cameras and lights all over the place. It doesn't look attractive to the casual commuter, far too much cost and effort, I love seeing normal people riding normal bikes in normal clothes, and if they are on the larger side even better, the more people like this around the more normalised cycling will become, I think this is key to getting people on bikes, as important if not more so than super duper infrastructure.


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## Tom B (26 Jun 2018)

I shun the lycra and cycle wear for summer commuting.


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## vickster (26 Jun 2018)

Tom B said:


> I shun the lycra and cycle wear for summer commuting.


And ride in your pyjamas


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## Ming the Merciless (26 Jun 2018)

I saw a break even calc somewhere once. Where the time saved by going faster exceeds the time spent showering or changing. So casual or cycling specific would really depend on length of ride, terrain, how early you want to leave for work and how late you want to get back.

As for lycra, have a look at the labels in your clothing. You would be surprised how many items have lycra in them anyway.


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## Tom B (26 Jun 2018)

vickster said:


> And ride in your pyjamas



That would scare the natives and increase weight saving and natural form.....

;-)


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## spen666 (26 Jun 2018)

YukonBoy said:


> I saw a break even calc somewhere once. Where the time saved by going faster exceeds the time spent showering or changing. So casual or cycling specific would really depend on length of ride, terrain, how early you want to leave for work and how late you want to get back.
> 
> As for lycra, have a look at the labels in your clothing. You would be surprised how many items have lycra in them anyway.




Your opening paragraph works on the assumption that the only factor someone is concerned about is time.

For many people, myself included time is not the sole factor in deciding what to wear


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## Tom B (26 Jun 2018)

spen666 said:


> Your opening paragraph works on the assumption that the only factor someone is concerned about is time.
> 
> For many people, myself included time is not the sole factor in deciding what to wear



My commute isn't noticeably slower dressed casually at 22 mins and 6 miles I'd be going some for lycra to make a difference. The six sets of traffic lights is a bigger issue. My casual wear is much quicker to change out of / in to and I dont bother with a shower at work as I get more sweaty at work than I do commuting.

Horses for courses


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## SkipdiverJohn (26 Jun 2018)

clf said:


> . It doesn't look attractive to the casual commuter, far too much cost and effort, I love seeing normal people riding normal bikes in normal clothes, and if they are on the larger side even better, the more people like this around the more normalised cycling will become, I think this is key to getting people on bikes, as important if not more so than super duper infrastructure.



I also deliberately ride in casual wear, and I do not wish to look like a typical weekend warrior roadie (although I suspect riding a 25-30 year old steel flat bar bike would make that image difficult to pull off anyway).

Best of luck trying to persuade more people to take up riding though. I've come to the conclusion that a significant portion of the UK population are essentially just fat lazy b'stards whose idea of success in life is to avoid as much physical activity as humanly possible. I mean, when you've got people who live half a mile away from the pub and yet use minicabs to get there and back, or wait longer for a bus to take them 3 stops down the road to get their Chinese take-away than it would take them to walk, things are not really looking too promising are they?
I also can't believe how many adult youngsters these days don't have bikes, and some don't ever seem to have ridden bikes. When I was small, every kid of both sexes, without exception, could ride a bike from a young age and possessed a bike of some description - even if it was some beaten-up old secondhand heap with umpteen previous careless owners.


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## slowmotion (26 Jun 2018)

Ski socks with Levi 501s tucked into them and a tee shirt with maybe a vest underneath , and a sweater and fleece on top. If it rains I have a pair of over-trousers and a Hi-Viz jacket. I need to wear the over-trousers really rarely. It doesn't seem to rain much in London if you do a five and a half mile trip twice a day.


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## snorri (27 Jun 2018)

confusedcyclist said:


> It got me wondering, is it maybe that extra barrier of lycra, pillow hats and high vis jackets that puts the cycle-curious off in the end? Should those of us that use bikes as transport consider wearing less lycra to make cycling seem more accessible to the masses?


I think the thought of wearing lycra etc. does deter some of the cycle-curious from becoming active cyclists.
The second question is more difficult as experienced cyclists will wear what they find most suitable for their particular style and would be unlikely to be persuaded to make any change.
Those of us wishing to encourage the cycle curious and detecting an aversion to lycra may have to explain the difference between cycling purely for transport and cycling for transport as part of an exercise regime.


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## mgs315 (28 Jun 2018)

snorri said:


> Those of us wishing to encourage the cycle curious and detecting an aversion to lycra may have to explain the difference between cycling purely for transport and cycling for transport as part of an exercise regime.



Nail on head for me. The guys at work are a bit confused as to why I end up spending 10-15 or so minutes changing into/out of my Lycra and smashing myself for an hour but hey it saves gym time. Thankfully a good number of them understand the benefits of cycling and are happy to trundle along on MTBs in shorts and tees which is a perfectly good way to get out and about methinks.

I usually end up explaining that you don’t need to wear Lycra and charge around but I do so out of choice. Number one choice for the cycle curious is to just get out there and pedal.


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## Andy in Germany (28 Jun 2018)

Confession: I do not and never have owned anything made of Lycra.

I wear work clothes but I don't ride far or fast, don't sweat much except in high summer, and don't work somewhere with a shower, in fact I've never had a shower at work. I'm not sure if they are common here. On the other hand I see a lot of other people cycling in normal clothes locally so I think the conditions and culture are different.

I also generally wear natural materials which may help.

One reason for using normal clothes is the same as the OP: to try and persuade people that cycling can be transport and done by normal people. On the other hand I'm fortunate that most of my route is on surfaced roads or good gravel trails and car free so I don't have to ride hard to get out of trouble.


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## Lonestar (29 Jun 2018)

Lonestar said:


> Yup no way would I want to be a MAMIL.



Actually if I lived to 108 I'd be a MAMIL now. So I guess I'd be an OMIL.


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## dantheman (29 Jun 2018)

I just cant bring myself to wear all the gear, even though I don't care really much for how I look, I'm well aware that seeing someone of my size all in lycra is not a pretty site.. Nowadays my commute is only 2 miles each way so if I'm late can put the power down all the way there with no problems.. But I'm talking even for leisure rides at the weekend I will just add some padded undershorts etc.. I get ignored by a lot of the guys in all the gear, guess it's cycle snobbery but I don't really mind - I overtake a lot of them... Except for the superfit guys, you know the ones that are training etc - though I have to say, most of the serious cyclists like that are not the ignorant ones.


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## confusedcyclist (3 Jan 2019)

I left my best lycra in the washing machine overnight so it was still wet in the morning so I decided to have a plain clothes winter commute.

Cotton T-shirt, wool jumper, under a wind proof climbing jacket, wooly merino hat and a pair of Levis Commuter Cordura trousers and walking boots. I was plenty warm, had to hold back a little bit on the steep climbs. I didn't arrive too sweaty, I was impressed with how the cotton tshirt held out. I have previously heard people strictly advise against cotton due to it's propensity to feel cold when wet. I assume I got my layers just right this morning, I felt nice and toasty. The merino hat was a bit chilly though, on account of it not being wind proof at all.

I did 10 miles, looking forward to the return leg.


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## overmind (3 Jan 2019)

Generally, I wear jogging bottoms and an Airtex t-shirt (I have about 10 of those cheapo Slazenger/Lonsdale type ones you can buy at Sports Direct).

In the summer I wear cycle shoes (spd clipless) and ride a Triban 3.
In the winter I just put a hi-viz coat over the shirt and ride a rat bike with normal pedals (and a pair of old trainers). If it is really cold I have a scarf and gloves.

I change when I get to work. I only have about 3 miles to go, however.

I recently bought 3 or 4 of these and they are great in the summer (I thought they were fantastic value)

My transport costs next to nothing as I do all the mechanics myself (main costs are tyres/tubes, chain and freewheel (every 2 years) and oil and grease and white spirit/reused, soap for cleaning [peanuts]). Since discovering Marathon tyres/tyre liners I cannot remember the last time I got a puncture either).

I think it is tragic that more people do not cycle. I reckon it has had a dramatic effect on my overall health too. It is only anecdotal but I reckon the reason I caught a cold over Christmas maybe because I was not as active. 2 weeks of no commuting. I have not been badly sick with cold or flu for several years.

Sorry, went off-topic there </rantover>


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## mickle (3 Jan 2019)

I remember the moment it dawned on me that it took me longer to get changed into my winter cycling gear at the end of the day than it took to ride home.

I do think that lycra along with the rest of the uniform (shoes, gloves, go-faster striped clothing) makes cycling seem like a sporting club which requires enormous lots of expensive equipment and clothing to participate in. In that regard I think its actually hurt cycling in the UK.

I admit to being one of the (sad) people who used to wear cycling gear almost as a badge because felt exactly like being the member of an exclusive club. I never was as fast and sporting as I looked. I didn't help that I worked in bike shops and got staff discount on all my gear!!


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## mustang1 (4 Jan 2019)

I rode the hybrid recently for 40km wearing jeans and bike shorts underneath. After about 5k, it was getting a bit uncomfortable and the final 20km I was almost thinking about taking the jeans off.

I've ridden in jeans before and every time I keep thinking I better not do that again. I've put on some weight lately so that doesn't help, but even when I was slimmer, the jeans just didn't work too well for me. 

Lycra for me all the way!


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## confusedcyclist (4 Jan 2019)

mustang1 said:


> I rode the hybrid recently for 40km wearing jeans and bike shorts underneath. After about 5k, it was getting a bit uncomfortable and the final 20km I was almost thinking about taking the jeans off.
> 
> I've ridden in jeans before and every time I keep thinking I better not do that again. I've put on some weight lately so that doesn't help, but even when I was slimmer, the jeans just didn't work too well for me.
> 
> Lycra for me all the way!


Part of the problem is that modern mass manufactured fashion oriented clothes are not made with active travel in mind. They are cut, sewn and seamed in arkward places, not a problem if you are inactive all day, only venturing occasionally from room to room, and using cars to travel about. Anyone who has walked in jeans a long distance has felt the pain in their never-regions and inner thighs knows that jeans are not great choice for physical activity! You can however get jeans specifically cut and seamed for cycle commuting, I found these slightly more comfortable, but other materials are kinder still. You just have to pick your clothing carefully.


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## mickle (4 Jan 2019)

'never regions' lolz!


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## Ming the Merciless (4 Jan 2019)

One of the great advantages of recumbents. You can be comfortable for any distance even in jeans. Just ride as you dressed.


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## SkipdiverJohn (6 Jan 2019)

confusedcyclist said:


> fashion oriented clothes are not made with active travel in mind. They are cut, sewn and seamed in arkward places, not a problem if you are inactive all day, only venturing occasionally from room to room, and using cars to travel about. Anyone who has walked in jeans a long distance has felt the pain in their never-regions and inner thighs knows that jeans are not great choice for physical activity! .



I can't agree at all. Jeans were originally conceived as tough hardwearing clothing for undertaking physical work in, NOT as fashion items!. I ride in jeans all the time over distances of up to 25-30 miles and they don't cause me any discomfort. Nor do I wear padded "cycling" clothing of any kind. The problem I think is due to fashion victims insisting on wearing skinny fit tight clothing that they can't move around in and which causes the seams to exert pressure on various bits of their bodies. If, like me, you wear comfortable fitting straight leg cuts with room to move in, undertaking physical activity whilst wearing them, including riding bikes, is not a big deal. I also walk a fair bit, again often wearing jeans.


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## simongt (6 Jan 2019)

Ahh, I stopped wearing jeans when I grew up - !  
Back when I were lad, it was smart, close fitting Levis or Wranglers; nothing else would cut it with the lasses - !


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## Rusty Nails (6 Jan 2019)

simongt said:


> Ahh, *I stopped wearing jeans when I grew up* - !
> Back when I were lad, it was smart, close fitting Levis or Wranglers; nothing else would cut it with the lasses - !




So will I


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## Andy in Germany (7 Jan 2019)

confusedcyclist said:


> Part of the problem is that modern mass manufactured fashion oriented clothes are not made with active travel in mind. They are cut, sewn and seamed in arkward places, not a problem if you are inactive all day, only venturing occasionally from room to room, and using cars to travel about.



This is my experience too, also for shoes which generally seem to be made for people who walk from the car to the office and back again. People ask why I wear hiking/work boots and work clothes (well, not verbally but they give me funny looks) but it's because these are the only clothes still made for people that move around.

Mind you, in winter most people notice the leather Akubra hat and avoid me as a wierdo anyway.



slowmotion said:


> It doesn't seem to rain much in London if you do a five and a half mile trip twice a day.



So cycling is a sort of anti-rain measure? Is 5.5 miles the minimum to be effective? Can you come and commute here for a bit, it's been raining for ages.

(I'll get my coat)


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## steveindenmark (7 Jan 2019)

My 20km commute to work is done in lycra cycling attire and high viz jacket. I am not speedy gonzalez and have no wish be to be a pro cyclist. But I have changing facilities and showers at work. My work clothes stay in my locker and my riding gear hangs in the changing room to dry, ready for my ride home.

I find lycra comfortable to ride in as it stretches and there are no seams to dig in and start rubbing. 

For rides under 10km I often ride in jeans and "normal" clothes. But it is not as comfortable as being in lycra. Its not a fashion statement. Its just comfortable and practical.


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## confusedcyclist (7 Jan 2019)

SkipdiverJohn said:


> I can't agree at all. Jeans were originally conceived as tough hardwearing clothing for undertaking physical work in, NOT as fashion items!.



But poorly cut clothes and badly placed seams are a modern problem. Jeans were hardly active wear, although I don't dispute they were designed to durable for physical jobs. Looking to the past, active wear looked like this (note, I am not suggesting we should revert to knickerbockers);







People simply don't get around on foot anymore which is why no one makes a big enough fuss so that manufacturers improve their designs. And stuff is no longer made to measure due to industrial manufacturing/idiotically applied economies of scale. Less is more if it means you've got one or two good fitting items of clothing, rather than a wardrobe full of stuff you can't move in.


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## SkipdiverJohn (7 Jan 2019)

confusedcyclist said:


> But poorly cut clothes and badly placed seams are a modern problem. Jeans were hardly active wear, although I don't dispute they were designed to durable for physical jobs.
> People simply don't get around on foot anymore which is why no one makes a big enough fuss so that manufacturers improve their designs. And stuff is no longer made to measure due to industrial manufacturing/idiotically applied economies of scale.



Badly fitting stuff is a triumph of fashion over practicality, and is entirely the remit of the wearer. I don't have any made-to-measure stuff and I get on fine so long as the stuff is correctly sized and not a crippling tight fit. That's the difference, the sizing. If you look at old photos, much of the wear will be "baggy" by modern standards, especially trousers. That doesn't mean they didn't have seams, just they weren't worn tight enough to rub or exert pressure on the wearer.
Plenty of people do still get around on foot, and plenty of people also spend a lot of time on their feet whilst working. 
Mainstream, mass-produced clothing has never been made to measure. That was the preserve of two opposite ends of the spectrum; bespoke tailors and home-made DIY clothing. Levi's jeans have been made for over 140 years and to the best of my knowledge they were always made in various standard off-the-peg sizes. The budget of the typical industrial worker would not run to the expense of employing a Jewish master tailor to cut his denims!


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## si_c (7 Jan 2019)

I'm currently wearing lycra to work (winter bib tights) as they are warmer, and better fitting for my 20km each way commute in the current weather. Usually through spring/summer/autumn I wear short and t-shirt or MTB shorts and a jersey depending on the weather. I'm changing jobs from next week however and I'll have a significantly shorter commute (4km each way) so I'll probably just wear my regular work clothes.


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## confusedcyclist (7 Jan 2019)

SkipdiverJohn said:


> The budget of the typical industrial worker would not run to the expense of employing a Jewish master tailor to cut his denims!



Whilst top hats, dinner suits, and silk garments would have been, made to measure was not the preserve of the elite. 200 years ago, every single garment was made by hand, even if the textiles themselves were woven in steam-powered looms. Prior to the establishment of the market economy and industrialisation, 95% of the UK population lived outside of towns (where only the wealthiest will have used and had access to skilled tailors and fancy materials and items). In rural areas clothes were made at home, to suggest that they were not made to measure is absurd. Off the peg clothing is a relatively modern phenomenon. Only the poorest of the poor will have had to wear second-hand items (clearly not made to measure) and only then because they were destitute.

Of course, hand made clothes were expensive (time intensive), so the working classes had only a few items, for some that might be only the clothes on their backs, but that doesn't mean they didn't fit well.

As interesting as it is, we have gone quite off topic now!


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## Andy in Germany (7 Jan 2019)

SkipdiverJohn said:


> Plenty of people do still get around on foot, and plenty of people also spend a lot of time on their feet whilst working.
> Mainstream, mass-produced clothing has never been made to measure. That was the preserve of two opposite ends of the spectrum; bespoke tailors and home-made DIY clothing. Levi's jeans have been made for over 140 years and to the best of my knowledge they were always made in various standard off-the-peg sizes. The budget of the typical industrial worker would not run to the expense of employing a Jewish master tailor to cut his denims!



I'm one of those people who spends a lot of time on my feet whilst working. That's why I look like a walking advert for workwear shops: they make clothes that are built to last when you are moving about in them.

Even my 'cycling' gloves are 'winter assembly gloves' because they are made for dexterity. Oh, and as you say they are cheap(ish) for their durability.


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## mjr (7 Jan 2019)

confusedcyclist said:


> Cotton T-shirt, wool jumper, under a wind proof climbing jacket, wooly merino hat and a pair of Levis Commuter Cordura trousers and walking boots. I was plenty warm, had to hold back a little bit on the steep climbs. I didn't arrive too sweaty, I was impressed with how the cotton tshirt held out. I have previously heard people strictly advise against cotton due to it's propensity to feel cold when wet. I assume I got my layers just right this morning, I felt nice and toasty. The merino hat was a bit chilly though, on account of it not being wind proof at all.


Yeah, the advice against cotton is often overstated. As I understand it, the danger is that you get a cotton base layer wet (whether through sweat or from not putting a waterproof outer on in rain because you'd sweat out because you're working too hard) and then you stop working so you and it cool down and then you're basically stood out in the wind in a damp cloth - very cold. The countermeasures are not to work hard enough to soak it (many of us can slow down enough) and to change damp cotton for dry one before you cool down.

Cotton mid layers don't see to be so prone to getting wet from sweat, but can of course still get soaked by rain if you don't have something waterproof outside it. My winter wear is often a cotton or bamboo base layer with a cotton flannel shirt as a mid layer, then sometimes a fleecy jumper if cold, and if needed a wind/waterproof outer.

Ultimately, cotton's fine for everyday if used with a tiny bit of care. Original Mackintosh's are cotton, after all, but with rubberised waterproof outers.


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## beany_bot (30 Jan 2019)

I've cycled for 30 years and never felt the need to wear lycra.


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## icowden (1 Feb 2019)

I just wear a t-shoot and my coat (jumper if cold). My only "lycra" is my Endura Humvee's as they are comfy and support my gentlemans particulars.
Showering at work is available, but I don't usually get sweaty unless the weather is hot. I don't cycle in my work clothes as it's nice to change and if I do get soaked, I can hang up my bike stuff to dry and still have clothes to wear.


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