What To Wear For Cycling: Loose Vs Lycra Clothing
What To Wear For Cycling: Loose Vs Lycra Clothing
You don’t need lycra or special kit to go for a bike ride. In fact you don’t need to look like a cyclist at all, and the best cycling clothing is what makes you feel comfortable and confident. But what about dedicated sports fabrics with performance cuts and designs?
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Stay safe be smart…never buy or wear dark clothing whilst on a bike. Stay away from Black and dark colours on a bike always choose light colours and helements. Dark colours passing through the fovia of a human eye of other road users will take longer to pick up than light colours, this could mean the difference between safety and injury.
1:54 Unfortunate crotch lighting
Lycra turns an average cyclist into an arrogant king of the road. I like overtaking these show offs in my baggy no brand shorts and shirts that I wear cycling or not.
I look like a sausage in Lycra. So ovbs its Lycra for me!!!
Nothing in my opinion, looks more dickheadish tryhard than a person clad in full gear, especially if all one team/company (Rapha, I’m looking at you). It reminds me of a 5 year old who got their football team kit and insists on wearing top, shorts and socks everywhere you go. Or going skiing in a one piece.
There’s loads of companies (Chrome, Cadence, Mission Workshop etc) that do good clothing.
100% Lycra since I don’t MTB.
Title should be lycra Vs lycra surely?
I prefer riding in a loose hanging cardboard box and some dangling umbrellas at the back tbh.
Lycra or baggy, or somewhere in-between? What’s your go-to for cycling?
Baggies, always.
I wear Lycra capris on the bottom, and a super light, loose polyester shirt on top, in my Nikes, on my comfort bike. About 15 to 20 miles 5-6 days a week. It works. I’m happy.
I’m fixing to turn 63. Just finished a 350 mile bikepacking trip. 2pc baggies are just perfect with waterproof pockets. At my age no one needs to see my junk anyway. Like I said I’m fixing to turn 63. Hahahaha
Either buggy or Lycra there is one thing for sure. I sweat like an animal especially if the temperature reaches above 25C
what about armour, like BMXer’s wear?
Lyrca. It’s a sport, it’s a mindset. I don’t want to have messed up body parts due to too loose fitting clothing. Ever.
Baggies
I am still fairly new to cycling. I have four cycling jerseys, and a waterproof upper layer for training/racing. My saddle is pretty comfy for me, but I am looking into some comfy cycling specific shorts. When cycling with a local group on a casual loop, I dress more casual and loose. If there’s a competitive edge to the ride, I may lycra up. When commuting to church or work, I take the weather into account and generally pack a quick change of clothes. I guess I try to find a balance between social expectations and comfort, because no one wants to look homeless or like a nutter just because they’re commuting by bike.
even though I am bent rider – i still prefer lycra – had a bee fly up me shorts once
I used to live in slightly sketchy neighbourhood, and wearing lycra would not go down well. So i would wear an old t shirt and cargo shorts over my cycling clothes, ride 20 mins or so, then take off and hide my tshirt and cargo shorts somewhere. On the way home I would do the reverse.
I wear jeans and a T-shirt, because a bike is just a mode of transportation, I don’t see the need to go fast enough to even work up a sweat, and I don’t wear special clothing when I’m in a car, on a bus or in a train.
I go half way. Zoic MTB shorts that have a separate padded liner, they have 6 pockets for storage. Then I use the $15 Tesla compression shirts which are tight and keep me extremely cool and dry.
oh someone is gaining some weight!
There is ONE thing that you are missing out on. Exercise potential. That is that training/riding on a "beater" (ok not that much of a beater) and floppy clothes actually helps you be a better/faster cyclist. How – simple. DRAG and LOST POWER due to a more inefficient bike and clothes flapping drag. Overcoming the "loses" to keep up with the group means you have to work harder to do so. That translates to a really big increase in overall speed and endurance when you put on your real cycling kit and go out on your top of the line bike. That’s the overall idea. Work harder to get better doesn’t always mean flat out training to the max, just train harder using inefficiency to get you better.
Wanna ride further? Ride slower, much more efficient and comfortable. Plus you don’t look like a pansy.
I do ride in jeans, it’s same as with hard saddles … hurts a bit on the first weeks but gets better soon. XD
Unless you are racing wearing lycra makes you look a bit of a …er how can I say this… tw*t in the eyes of other road users especially if you’re wearing team kit and have a less than perfect body. There’s plenty of stylish urban wear that you can ride all day in and still look good at the café stops
0:46 for nipples
katherine isn’t wearing a ladies cut tee, and shimano doesn’t seem to have one, which gave bike commuter apparel a less flattering representation here
You need to profile the riding skirt!
I would wear Lycra if it wasn’t so damn expensive. After going broke buying my bikes I can’t afford clothes just for riding.
A debate presented by two fine examples of the human figure. Now see what happens when you put skin tight lycra on a middle aged bearded man who has recently taken to cycling as a way to try to undo some of the damage of years of pies and beer.
I hardly notice a difference in speed when wearing baggy shorts compared to Lycra.
Why not smile and miles, you can have your cake and eat it too! 🙂
right. if I just want to spend an hour riding for fun, I’m not going to dress like I’m in the Tour de France. lmao! yeah, nope
I watch the video and close my eyes in horror in all the close-ups on Si. I was hoping he would say not wearing socks it is alright.
Maybe one day, maybe one day.
Lycra doesn’t make any sense if you ride with a bagpack.
Lycra has a problem as seen this guy had a boner the hole video like bruh m
I have no friends that are into cycling. How do I start making cycling friends?
but what about tight fitting normal clothes over lycra lol, clothes I wear when not got lycra on hug me well
Its too weird seeing you guys not wearing GCN kit…
"What you choose to wear is down to you."
*makes video called "Top 10 things not to wear on a bike."* 😂
Yeah sure, but what if you’re fat.
Tight fit may not be the most charming option.
I don’t carry anything hard, like a mini-pump, in my pocket because if I crash, I don’t want land it. My mini-pump mounts next to my water bottle cage, and my repair kit goes in my seat bag. My pockets are reserved for things like food and arm warmers. Do I worry that my riding buddies might whisper to each other that I’m a nerd? Nah. If you ride well, that’s how you’ll be judged.
Serious question here….Do all cyclists have noodle arms?
I wear Zoic knickers over my riding shorts to spare the public having to see my "package"😂You’re welcome…..
Loose stuff has to much air space which insulates meaning your sweat beads and sheets on the surface of the skin and evaporates very slowly.
Loose clothing when biking to work or church, but Lycra when I am on my indoor bike using Zwift 😄
leftie 2:15
Great to see the beautiful Katherine back on the screen, who incidentally I personally agree with.
Unless I’m riding my road bike on a 100 mile run, when I wear lycra, most of my riding is done on my fast hybrid, so I wear a light t-shirt (too thick a fabric and you sweat…) and tight baggies.
For most of my riding around town I wear a pair of jean type shorts with lycra in, which are loose-ish and trendy, but also acts in the same way as my lycra shorts…..
And, I am still much faster than the majority of riders I meet: trendy and fast, that’s me!
I’ve seen some people wear “activewear”.