Basic clothing for a new commuter

[debeast]

Thank you everyone for your replies they have been really really useful.
Time to get my credit card out and buy a few bits

thanks again and if anyone can recommend a place to start my shopping at please do

/Nathan

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

keep an eye on evans website for some pretty good deals eg, they were selling a winter jacket of £250 for £140.

 

[taxing]

I would like to get some cycling specific clothing as i'm getting everything else including the bike

I'd hang on a bit before you buy anything, just ride your bike for at least a couple of weeks then see what you need to suit you. I'd be especially wary of buying a load of specialist kit as a beginner, I'd hate to be an 'all the gear, no idea' type.

I'm maybe biased because I chose a sit up and beg bike so that I would be comfortable on it in my normal clothes. But dressing specially for a 5 miler seems daft unless you sweat buckets, it's just going to add time at the end of your journey where you have to get changed. And of course you'll have to carry the clothes.

 

[Sheffield_Tiger]

I like Decathlon, though their sizes are for a different species of biped to me it seems.

I commute in a Rockrider top, cool enough and wicking, to say it was only a tenner.

Although I have found that, for me, as an XL in everyone else's clothing, for Decathlon I am an XXL in MTB clothing and XXXL in road tops!!!

I've never ever ever been a triple XL even at 3 stones heavier!

 

[macp]

I wear a close fitting T shirt and padded Endura shorts under a pair of baggy cargo shorts.I find this comfortable and gives me zipped pockets for keys and swipe cards to get in and out of my workplace.I also wear a pair of K Swiss trainers and trainer socks.Comfy but not perfect I also have an Aerate high viz jersey on order.

 

[jimboalee]

For youngsters commuting, wear as least as possible without freezing solid.

Your hands, toes and forehead are the places to keep warm.

This turns lads into men.

 

[lolly]

Wear whatever you feel comfortable in...you don't necessarily need to fork out on any special "cycling gear". Normal clothes is all you need, cycling is just another means of transport if you take it leisurely. I ride similar distance, just dress the same as if I was driving or walking it...for me that's usually high heels for work with nice skirt/summer dress. The only must have is my pac mac in my handbag - extra large man size so it keeps me covered, and is big enough to go over my nice wool coat in winter if need be. Also wear gaiters over my shoes in v wet weather - lighter to carry than spare shoes.