Commuting in regular clothing?

[GLC1968]

Does anyone commute in their regular clothing? I have a question for you.

I've recently started riding to work on a bike that has me fairly upright. I am using a wider saddle than on my road bike just for this purpose. I'm commuting in my work clothes instead of 'cycling' clothes/shorts. Unfortunately, my sit bones are KILLING me. I know the saddle is a pretty good fit as it's only the actual sit bones that hurt...but I've never ridden so much without padded bike shorts.

DH has gotten used to it, but I'm still really, really sore. Will it go away? Or am I just asking too much of my poor sit bones??

[mimitabby]

didn't you just tell us you have like a 2 mile commute? If it's hurting that bad, i wonder what kind of saddle you have.
I ride in my street clothing on my brooks saddle on my commute, it's 4 miles each way. I could easily ride 20 miles without a chamois.

[Voodoo Sally]

I also commute in regular "street" clothes. I really don't notice much of a difference in how my butt feels between wearing jeans and wearing cycling shorts. If your area is very sore, I suspect the saddle, not your clothes.

[GLC1968]

Yep, 2 miles each way X 4 times a day (I go home for lunch)...plus we've done two evening rides to get dinner down the street this week. I'd say I've ridden about 25 - 30 miles this week so far... And this is after 2 months of no biking at all. :o

BUT, this is my first time EVER not using bike shorts...so I'm sure it'll take more time than usual to adjust. I just want to be sure that I WILL adjust. The only people I know who ride without bike shorts (or liners) are men. It IS possible for a woman to adjust, right?

The saddle is a Terry liberator X. On my road bike, I ride Terry's in the men's version because the ladies's saddles are too wide (I have narrow sit bones). On the upright bike, those saddles were definitely too narrow feeling.

OK, here's another question... it is possible to get used to riding with no bike shorts on any saddle other than a Brooks? ;) (Mimi rides a Brooks, my husband rides a Brooks....maybe there's a trend here?)

[7rider]

Yep, 2 miles each way X 4 times a day (I go home for lunch)...plus we've done two evening rides to get dinner down the street this week. I'd say I've ridden about 25 - 30 miles this week so far... And this is after 2 months of no biking at all. :o



Maybe you just have to (re)build up the appropriate butt callouses???

[Veronica]

Get a Brooks. :D

I also commute in my regular clothes, on a Brooks.

V.

[Trek420]

I've commuted in regular clothes (no Brooks :rolleyes:) about 2 miles each way.

I pretty much work in jeans. Seat comfort was fine. I was not comfy with my rolled up cuffs getting caught on the pedal :eek:

Now I wear cycling tights or capris but regular shirt on a commute with screaming yellow vest etc.

[kiwi girl]

I usually commute in bike gear, but ride my bike lots of other places in regular clothes. I find the seam on jeans a little uncomfortable, but most other clothes are fine

[Crankin]

I think everyone is different. I can't ride the .99 mile jaunt to our community pond without having a severe hurting butt, if I am not in cycling shorts. And this is with a good saddle. It's crazy to put cycling shorts on over a bathing suit, but I do. I couldn't imagine riding anywhere in jeans. If I am going to do errands (3-6 miles away), I have more "street like" cycling capris and mtb shorts that I can wear with various sports type shirts that are not cycling jerseys.
My commute is 15 miles, so it's definitely cycling clothes for that, although a couple of times I wore my cycling capris. However, after wearing them all day at school, I felt icky and sweaty. I need to change out of my riding clothes after riding 15 miles!

[Melalvai]

I commute 3.5 miles in my slacks. I wear a t-shirt and change into my shirt when I get to work, even in winter. I think I sweat more under that winter coat.

I do have a brooks saddle now, but the year before I got it, I did not have any discomfort. It was the 100 miles on that old saddle that made me get the brooks. (Or tell my parents to buy it for my birthday, anyway.)

[KnottedYet]

OK, here's another question... it is possible to get used to riding with no bike shorts on any saddle other than a Brooks? ;) (Mimi rides a Brooks, my husband rides a Brooks....maybe there's a trend here?)

I'm *no* help here, cuz I ride up to 40 miles without bike shorts.... like everyone else: on a Brooks! :rolleyes:

[uk elephant]

I don't have a brooks and I ride to work in jeans (or whatever other type of pants or skirt I happen to be wearing). I always take a couple of days to get comfortable if I've been off the bike for a long time, but other than that I'm fine. My commute is 2.5mi each way and this week I've been doing the return trip twice a day for a total of 10mi a day and one day I even had to do the trip three times. The only problem with wearing jeans on the bike....the saddle shaped wear on the bum of my jeans. They all wear out pretty quickly in the crotch area, but I do ride my bike every day so it is only to be expected and a good excuse for buying new jeans every now and again.

[madscot13]

I usually commute in casual clothes- no one at Georgetown would be caught dead wearing their biking clothes, well maybe if it was very expensive and said hincapie on it or Gucci or....

I use the Terry Liberator X also. I feel the sit bone pressure for the first few days of riding and then I either become null to the pain or it actually goes away. Either way I'm not feeling it. Also I avoid taking a load on my back. I'm on a touring bike and so it may be less upright than yours, however.

[Geonz]

Don't need a brooks here... but I've always had a bionic butt.

I would think if your bones were aimed just wrong, though, you'd simply need something between them and the seat, or else put on an extra 20 pounds ... think I'd stick to the removable padding myself ;)

[Voodoo Sally]

No Brooks here, either. Just an ancient model of the Terry Liberator (probably the first year they made it). Everyone's different. Jeans are fine for me. You might want to go ahead and try a different saddle. Sometimes I see no rhyme or reason between how one saddle can feel so different than another one.

[tulip]

Since you've been off the bike for a while, and your sit bones are sore (feels like bruising?), I bet you just have to get used to it again. When I was off the bike for a while, it took me a week or two for that bruised sitbone feeling to go away.

You could put on your cycling shorts under your work clothes, but with a 4 times a day commute, all that changing could get old.

[GLC1968]

The only problem with wearing jeans on the bike....the saddle shaped wear on the bum of my jeans.

OMG - I never thought of this!! I only have a few pair of pants that currently fit (I've gained weight), so if this happens, I'm screwed! :eek: I do wear different ones each day, so hopefully they'll hold out until I lose enough weight to fit into my other clothes!



You could put on your cycling shorts under your work clothes, but with a 4 times a day commute, all that changing could get old.

This is exactly why I bought the more upright bike and wider saddle. I just didn't want to get all 'dressed up' in cycling clothes for such a short commute, so many times a day.


Thanks all - this helps. I'm going to give it another week and see if I don't just adjust to it. I'm hoping that I do. DH and I have the same sit bone width, so I'm going to borrow one if his brooks saddles for a ride or two this weekend just in case. I've resisted becasue I leave this bike sitting on a bike rack in bad weather and didn't want to ruin a nice saddle. (The Liberator X I have is VERY old...also probably the first model they made. It's been virutally unused and it was gathering dust in the garage...so I figured it was worth a shot)

[tulip]

take a plastic grocery bag (two actually since they get holes in them) and cover your seat when you get to work. Secure it with a rubber band or twistie.

[shootingstar]

Sometimes I will cycle-commute (16 kms. to 30 kms. each commute ride in different years depending where I lived and location of different employers for past 17 years) and long-distance touring in walking shorts (ie. shorts with a waistband and zipper),....but last time I did any cycling in jeans....was when I was 19 yrs. old!

No way, I could not feel comfortable cycling any distance with the tight binding of jeans /long casual pants on a bike.

I didn't start wearing cycling jerseys until 5 years ago but have been cycling regularily for many more years. I wore T-shirts at that time.

ANd no, I wouldn't want to cycle in an ordinary skirt...unless it was a skort.

As mentioned ages ago, I don't wear padded cycling shorts/tights when I cycle. Yes, I do go on long-distance touring rides and rack up 3,000-6,000 kms. annually in cycling.

Guess everyone is different.. I'm a normal female.. :D:)

[obie]

Another street-clothes commuter here, although I often wear a cycling top so my shirt doesn't get sweaty.
I occasionally have butt pain - I think it's because I'm always switching between bikes and my butt gets confused at the slight differences in saddles and position.

[lph]

I can't stand even sitting a bike in anything but bike clothes. I'll make an exception to run down to the store 500 yds away... ;) (Hey, it's WAY too far to WALK!)

But I'm real fussy. And it may have something to do with the fact that I've never really gotten myself a good saddle, just the stock ones. Good luck :)

[fatbottomedgurl]

I will probably be commuting this summer when the whole kids/ carpool nonsense ends...

Four mile commute- not worth dressing in Lycra. But not quite sure I would go as far as this ultra chic chick from Switzerland:

For more great photos of European girls on bikes see:

http://copenhagengirlsonbikes.blogspot.com/

and for a California girl's blog:

http://ridingpretty.blogspot.com/

Cheers to all us girls on bikes!

[VeloVT]

My commute is only about 2 miles right now, but I can't do normal clothes. I think it's because I'm completely incapable of taking it easy when I'm riding in traffic -- I get on my bike and ride all out for those two miles. (And in one direction, half of it is uphill, a hill that is probably 8-10% grade at the steepest). I do get sweaty, plus normal clothes would be much too restrictive, I think. (I don't need a chamois for this distance, I will wear regular tights in winter and skorts, with and without chamois, when it's warm). I wish I could just wear jeans, because I end up sitting in class wearing full on bike gear, and I feel a little like I must look as though I'm looking for attention. But I'm really comfy on the bike :D.

[KnottedYet]

Bike (and motorcycle) friendly gusset jeans, and made in the USA.
http://www.gussetjeans.com/madenusa.htm

and around $43. (around $55 for the stretch denim)

[Eden]

I don't think shorts have much to do with sore sit bones - they relieve chafing, but were never really meant to be heavily padded (that's a recent innovation and most people find very padded shorts to be more uncomfortable than lightly padded ones anyway) Your sit bones are probably sore because they aren't used to the position and/or the saddle.

I'll do short rides in street clothes, though I tend to avoid jeans because of the big seam (I don't know how we did it, but my mom and I used to tour in regular clothes... the idea gives me the heebie jeebies and brings up images of pain these days :rolleyes:). I commute in my kit, even though its fairly short, the commute that is, - I think 5 or 6 miles each way. We have a locker room and showers, so I just do all that when I get there, so I don't have to be concerned about being sweaty/dirty.

[shootingstar]

Gee, interesting to see the copenhagen cycling chick blog ...fashionistas.. It made me realize how I've forgotten...to be a fashion chick... I'm serious. I'm in cycling gear in personal life or jeans...at work..I'm in casual pants/jeans since it's a construction site.

Come to think of it, in cool weather, I wore a pair of long tights..for several years ...it was jeans spandex material....I know it sounds like something out the 1970's. But it was in the early 1990's I wore this cycling all over town..:D

I don't cycle in ordinary clothing except for the walking shorts I described earlier, simply because I do want my non-cycling clothing to last.....not interested in sweating up such clothes.

I haven't spent much money on non-cycling clothing for the last few years and tend to restrict my budget to well-constructed/long lasting, non-cycling clothing.

And I do feel freer and easier to cycle in clothing that is or at least close to the cut of cycling clothing.

[madscot13]

I broke my right toe cage while I was wearing high heels and then I broke my left toe cage while I was wearing my going out boots. fashion is rough.

[GuitarRiderGrrl]

Hi guys,

nope, I ride to work in street clothes, usually jeans, unless its raining (I live in Issaquah Wa - outside of Seattle) First place I've ever lived that has 5 names for different types of rain :)

I have a Terry Cite-X saddle, my ride is short, only about 3 and a half miles, one way, but my fanny is fine, the past few days, my nose has gotten cold enough to fall off, and I get a down hill ice cream headache, but no problem with the fazoo.

Best,
Cindy

[GLC1968]

I will probably be commuting this summer when the whole kids/ carpool nonsense ends...

Four mile commute- not worth dressing in Lycra. But not quite sure I would go as far as this ultra chic chick from Switzerland:

For more great photos of European girls on bikes see:

http://copenhagengirlsonbikes.blogspot.com/

and for a California girl's blog:

http://ridingpretty.blogspot.com/

Cheers to all us girls on bikes!

Wow, some great photos! Thanks for posting this FBG - makes me feel like less of a weirdo for riding to work in dress pants and a sweater. Of course, it's much easier to look ultra hip in your regular clothing if you aren't wearing a helmet (something I won't do). I guess looking half hip is at least something, right?

Report: my butt is already getting better. It was just my need to adjust! Thanks all!

[indigoiis]

My commute is between 5 and 15 miles depending on which bus I choose to chase (I am always late for the bus.)

I can't wear my work clothes. Too sweaty. But I do not wear bike shorts, either. I wear sweat pants or athletic pants with the ankle cuffed with a reflecting velcro strap. I have an ancient brooks saddle which is torn, and so it is covered with one of those padded seat covers. It is comfortable to 15 miles - after that it's very uncomfortable.

[BeeLady]

I bought a pair of very lightly padded cycling "underwear" from REI. They are for cycling but not for public display. I usually wear a knee length skirt with either some short cycling shorts or my REI underwear. I'm in and out of the grocery store, bank, library, LBS, etc. and feel more comfortable being "dressed."

The REI thing is an actual chamious but not very thick so I can wear it under pants, skirt, etc. My in-town riding is usually between 5 to 12 miles a day. Sometimes I wear a lycra scort that I bought from Terry this is not padded (dumb me -- I bought it for cycling) so I can go without a chamious but don't think I'd like to try jeans.

[cyclokitty]

Occasionally I'll wear my regular clothes on my bike, but I like to wear a pair of cycling shorts as well as a quick dry shortsleeve shirt under whatever top I'll wear. This way if I'm going someplace where I can't change my clothes I'll be comfy on my ride and hopefully not too sweaty. A fast trip to the washroom and I can mop up excessive sweat and reapply deodorant.

[Xrayted]

Kit and I did a nice 24 mi. on Sunday in jeans. My butt felt okay - no brooks. Her butt hurt - brooks saddle. She mostly rides in jeans around town, usually 5mi and under, no problems then. I ride 10mi one way to work on a nonpadded saddle, nonpadded tri shorts - no problem. I personally can't put my behind on a brooks. It kills me. Everyone is very different. Try switching out the saddle or maybe just wearing undies that don't have a seam running across your sit bone area, like boxer briefs.

[KnottedYet]

Try switching out the saddle or maybe just wearing undies that don't have a seam running across your sit bone area, like boxer briefs.

Ibex Roaster Boxers (women's) are absolutely heavenly on the bike. As are UnderArmour women's long inseam compression shorts. Fit great under regular clothes, and no chamois to over-pad or get soggy.

[shootingstar]

Though I don't wear street clothing anymore on bike and haven't for eons, it's still interesting to read this thread.

I'm still trying to figure out how some women can cycle in longish swirly skirts. I guess it must the chainguard protectors...and something to cover spokes partially. However one doesn't see such bikes hardly here even in cycling-intensive North American cities.

[Grog]

I'm still trying to figure out how some women can cycle in longish swirly skirts. I guess it must the chainguard protectors...and something to cover spokes partially. However one doesn't see such bikes hardly here even in cycling-intensive North American cities.

When I do ride in a skirt (extremely rare) I tie it up with an elastic band or a knot if it's long enough...

I biked in my wedding dress but it was relatively short (just below the knee) and the bike had a chain protector.

[malloreigh]

I commute 4 - 5km each way and don't have problems, and I do ride in "regular" clothes - you know, jeans.

[malloreigh]

I biked in my wedding dress but it was relatively short (just below the knee) and the bike had a chain protector.
Do you believe in polygamy? Marry me!

[Bron]

I'm still trying to figure out how some women can cycle in longish swirly skirts. I guess it must the chainguard protectors...and something to cover spokes partially. However one doesn't see such bikes hardly here even in cycling-intensive North American cities.

Yes, my bike when I was at Uni had a chain guard and these plastic things that went from the mud-guards over the top of the wheels. I had no problem cycling with longish skirts (and my academic gown streaming out behind).

[shootingstar]

Just now, my partner reported to me that while he and his cycling buddy were cycling Paris for past 2 days, he did notice several different women all in wonderful long leather boots with a significant heel and dressed decently, in some cases looking model-like.


To him, seeing this several times, he wonders if it's a in-vogue thing for some cycling ladies in Paris.

Reminds me just last week, I saw a cycling woman wearing a beautiful set of tall leather boots, matching thigh-length coat, and she had a very large gorgeous matching leather large zippered and expensive-looking tote on her one shoulder... she was in this gear, mounting a 10% grade hill.

I wouldn't wear such an outfit, for fearing of sweating up the outfit quickly.

[Crankin]

I saw tons of women in Florence and Siena dressed this way, commuting to work. It was in flat areas, but there were enough hills around to know that they might have had to go up one on the way home.
I love nice clothes, but I could never ride, even a mile, dressed like that!

[shootingstar]

This is what he saw in paris when he was cycling around yesterday in the heart of the city.

Now I know it's not black boots that turn him on, it's mini-skirt and tall black boots on bike...and knowing him he would be totally impresssed if I did hills in this outfit..

[TahoeDirtGirl]

OMG I love this thread, I'm gonna have to dig me up some boots like that chic in Paris! What a great pic!

I originally came on here to find out info on my wonderful UTI that keeps coming back when I ride, but I think it might be the chamois that's making matters worse. I rode 12 miles one day with a friend and didn't put on my shorts, no problem. I have been trying to get 'prepared' to do 32 miles round trip to work on a commuter bike but I got sidelined with a UTI. I think most of it was dehydration, however, I think there is something to the no chamois. I don't do much road riding but since I came to New England for work, I'm kinda like a bear out of the mountains :) But I'm finding dirt when I can...

I'll probably try it without as soon as I can get back in the saddle.

BTW I'm in New England right now, if you are in this area, Ocean State Job Lot, believe it or not, has cute Russell skorts that are $10. We don't have the Job Lot in Calif. I wish! No padding but I'm going to try it sans padding, and maybe check out the REI underwear someone was talking about...

[jayjay]

In all likelyhood, your 'bum' is just not accustomed to the pressure. Time and repetative riding will take care of that, probably with whatever saddle or clothes you ride, if you're only riding 2 miles. I agree with the ealier quote "Maybe you just have to (re)build up the appropriate butt callouses???".... yes, ditto here.

For the longer distances, I have found that narrower saddles, and not too padded, are most comfortable. My favorite saddle is Terry Liberator (for men) and I have two and keep switching those two on the bikes I ride most (have 4 alltogether) . I am too fat right now, but when I am even 20 pounds lighter, I can wear Gramicci pants comfortably, and they have a nice gusset so I'm not sitting on any big knots of seams in the crotch. So, one or both of those tricks, helps me stay comfortable longer.

[SouthernBelle]

I did my first 'official' commute on Baby Blue today, but wore pants. That was mostly because it was chilly. I plan on trying it in a skirt soon though. I'll let you know how that works.

[Zen]

This is what he saw in paris when he was cycling around yesterday in the heart of the city.

Sad to say but women have been known to do some really dumb stuff in the name of "fashion"

[jayjay]

Sad to say but women have been known to do some really dumb stuff in the name of "fashion"I'm with you there, why is it that there's All or Nothing with some. But , it's nice to know there are really no valid excuses to not riding, especially if fashion is the excuse. ;)

[Jolt]

I did my first 'official' commute on Baby Blue today, but wore pants. That was mostly because it was chilly. I plan on trying it in a skirt soon though. I'll let you know how that works.

Definitely let us know--I've wanted to try riding in a skirt but just haven't been able to get up the guts to do so (afraid I'll do something klutzy!).

[Torrilin]

I look for good fit (so the damn skirt stays in place), a sensible fabric, and a nice active cut. If I need a slit to walk, it's cut too narrow. If it needs a crinoline to hang right, it's too full. Most skirts are too narrow to bike in easily - they're fine if you have a step through frame and are not going far. If you have a diamond frame or are going more than 3-4 miles, you'll really want something you can move in.

Kilt style wrap skirts seem like they'd work best. Good freedom of movement, and they only need to fit properly at the waist. Fixing fit issues is also pretty easy, even if you can't sew very well. I've been having a hard time finding 'em tho :(

[SouthernBelle]

I commuted in a skirt this morning!! It's an older bell-shaped skirt. My commuter is a step thru.

'Twas a bit chilly. :p

[badger]

I haven't read the whole thread, but I thought I would chime in.

My cycling consists of 90% commuting and I ride in my street clothes. In fact, i actually do not own any cycling shorts (hate the padding, make me feel like I'm wearing a diaper).

Having said that, my current saddle is a Brooks B-17 women's. I've only had it for about a month now, and I will admit that the first 3 weeks involved some sit bone pain and a fair amount of adjusting. I think I've finally found a happy setting and the saddle's getting more comfortable.

In the winter I'll don waterproof jacket and pants and in the summer I usually just ride in my capris and flip flops.