When do you slip on the bike shorts?

[e.e.cummings]

My on-and-off commute has become pretty regular now (12 km each way - takes me about 30 minutes). The weather got really hot and I could not bear to put on my black bike shorts one day. Then I got used to wearing either running shorts or cut-offs. How far do you need to be going before you find that bike shorts are a must?

[buffybike]

10 miles and the shorts are going on...I have a really firm seat though and I need a seamless chamois to be comfortable...

[kjb]

I always wear my bike shorts for commuting. It's only 7.5 miles each way, but they keep me drier and much, much more comfortable. I change in my office when I get to work. I also wear a "sport" tshirt made out of wicking material. I bought it from Target for $12. I don't feel gross or sweaty when I get in, which makes commuting possible/enjoyable.

[Grog]

I wear bike shorts on my 12 km commute (each way) but I tend to use it as a workout and from what I know of your commute (along the Canal Lachine) mine is much, much hillier. Then I have a shower at work.

If I had all the time in the world ahead of myself, I would try commuting in street clothes and not having to change.

This being said, bike shorts are never "too warm" for me. They're just a second skin. But that's just my own feeling.

[Melalvai]

For the first three years I commuted, I had never worn bike shorts. Finally one day I bought a pair to try out. Now I never ride without them! Sometimes if it's just a mile away I don't want to bother putting them on, but I feel so naked without them. My new commute is 2 miles. I wear them to work, change into work clothes, change back to ride home. I would change anyway because I don't want my work clothes to be sweaty.

[abejita]

I guess i am in the minority. Biking shorts chafe the girly bits, so I usually just wear running knickers to ride. I've gone up to 30 miles are so with them. At the beginning of the season, I bought a pair of tri knickers with a really thin pad and I wear those on my 50+ mile rides.

[blackhillsbiker]

I commute in my work clothes. I only use bike shorts when I plan longer rides after work or on the weekend. That's especially true on my mountain bike, where I don't have a Brooks saddle. The wtb saddle is much more comfortable with bike shorts.

Deb

[colby]

I only commute about 6mi (~10k) but I usually put on some kind of bike shorts or tri shorts to ride. I like to have on fresh clothes when I get to work and not feel sweaty, so I just change. It does depend on how "hard" I ride, if it's a casual ride I wouldn't mind wearing just street clothes, but if I am getting my heart rate up, I put on the wicking bottoms and tops.

[e.e.cummings]

I have had to do my commutes a little faster lately because of time constraints, so I am putting on the wicking clothes. I am finding it a little easier on the nether regions as well!

[Voodoo Sally]

I wear jeans on my daily commute, which is 8 miles each way. I'm just too lazy to change into and out of cycling shorts.

I have done the jeans riding up to about 30 miles in a day. If I were to ride more than that, I'd put on the cycling shorts.

[runningcyclist]

I wear jeans on my daily commute, which is 8 miles each way. I'm just too lazy to change into and out of cycling shorts.

I have done the jeans riding up to about 30 miles in a day. If I were to ride more than that, I'd put on the cycling shorts.

Wow Voodoo Sally, the seams don't cause any problems? I tried wearing jeans a few times, just locally and never again. I was so uncomfortable!

I tend to use cycling shorts every time I get on the bike now. However, yesterday I went out for a short ride (footie was on so streets were quieter) and I felt ok until I got home then realised a little chafing had occurred. I'll do it again but slap some Sudocreme on :rolleyes:

[Voodoo Sally]

Wow Voodoo Sally, the seams don't cause any problems? I tried wearing jeans a few times, just locally and never again. I was so uncomfortable!

Eh, it's a little uncomfortable, but not enough to not do it.

[Fontinalis]

Anything below 30 minutes (no matter the distance), I don't need bike shorts. Longer rides, I wear Louis Garneau Sensor, as is, or with pants over them, depending on the weather and time of year. My saddle is pretty hard, so I need the padding if I am goind to commute for an 1h00 or 1h15 one way. Once I get to work, I change into something else.

[Melalvai]

Update: I made myself stop wearing bike shorts to work (2 miles). It took a few days but I don't feel naked anymore. It's so hot, I get really sweaty and then it's hard to get the shorts off.

[runningcyclist]

I wonder if it's the quality of the padding that makes the difference? Last Saturday I went on a 60 mile bike ride with my Specialized padded shorts and I was dry the whole day. Today I wore my commuting padded shorts and I was sweaty. Both days were hot and today's journey was about 4 miles round trip, if that.

I changed my stem to a shorter one so my sitting position is slightly more upright. That seems to have made a difference so I might try regular knickers tomorrow and see what happens.

[schnitzle]

Wait, what? I thought we were supposed to be wearing skirts, our hair flowing in the wind, fashionable heels peddling along, like on Copenhagen cycle chic! ;)

[JennK13]

Wait, what? I thought we were supposed to be wearing skirts, our hair flowing in the wind, fashionable heels peddling along, like on Copenhagen cycle chic! ;)

Did someone say we're not???? Though, it would explain the funny looks people give me when I'm in stilettos....

[schnitzle]

Did someone say we're not???? Though, it would explain the funny looks people give me when I'm in stilettos....

No, no, of course we are! Stilettos keep your feet from slipping off the pedals!:D

[mirliluck]

My commute is only 8 minutes and it is quite flat so I don't bother with the cycling shorts. If I want to wear heels that day, I just put them in my bag and I have a pair of cycling keens that I can use to clip in (which is kind of funny to do while wearing jeans). But sometimes if it's a more casual shoe choice that day, I will just wear the shoes and ditch the cycling footwear.

I have not tried commuting in a skirt yet, though I have with a 'skort' this summer. I definitely got whistled/honked at that time. :eek:

[schnitzle]

My commute is only 8 minutes and it is quite flat so I don't bother with the cycling shorts. If I want to wear heels that day, I just put them in my bag and I have a pair of cycling keens that I can use to clip in (which is kind of funny to do while wearing jeans). But sometimes if it's a more casual shoe choice that day, I will just wear the shoes and ditch the cycling footwear.

I have not tried commuting in a skirt yet, though I have with a 'skort' this summer. I definitely got whistled/honked at that time. :eek:

I want some of those cycling Keens! I have the regular ones and have worn them for 2 years. Love 'em! Are the cycling shoes just as good?

Who knew a skort would draw so much interest huh? I can tell you if I was wearing it, there would not be the same reaction :D:p hehehe

[Groundhog]

I want some of those cycling Keens! I have the regular ones and have worn them for 2 years. Love 'em! Are the cycling shoes just as good?



I have the Keen cycling sandals and like them for riding, but they are stiff and clunky in the front part of the foot when walking, so they're not as good for being a tourist off the bike as I had hoped. And since I don't clip in (I use Power Grips instead) the clips are not needed. When these wear out, I'll get plain Keens to wear biking.

[Groundhog]

http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodTY_1539.html

Terry Trail Short...?

I just ordered these today, to use both for commuting and for the weekend urban cycling we've been doing.

I usually wear compression shorts but being overweight (BMI 28) I don't look good in them. Sometimes I wear dockers cargo shorts over them but it is not very comforable.

My commute is ~6 miles to the express bus stop, then a bus ride and a 1/2 mile ride from the bus to the office. The way home is a ride to the bus stop, bus ride and a 12 mile ride home. I don't like the spandex in non-biking situations (like my office elevator).

On weekends DH and I do a lot of urban biking ...20-40 miles in and around Seattle - up to Capitol Hill, Queen Anne Hill or the waterfront or around the lake. I've not felt comfortable going into "nice" restaurants wearing spandex (even though people go to fancy restaurants in Seattle in shorts or jeans), so that's limiting.

I thought of getting a jersey knit skirt to stick in my pannier and pull out if needed (like this http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodTY_1858_4.html ) but thought that the shorts would be more useful and I can only afford one.

Y'all can tell me not to worry about what people think when I wear spandex but I haven't been successful convincing myself.

[soprano]

In warm weather, I wear normal shorts or skorts - I love that there are cute skorts out there now. I don't know that anyone has ever honked at or harassed me when I was wearing a skort. However, I tend to pick longer styles that look more modest. (I ride to church in the morning as well as school, and although the daily mass crowd is pretty casual, that doesn't mean I'd be comfy wearing either spandex or an overly short skirt).

In cool weather, I'm strictly a jeans girl, although occasionally I'll extend to some fleece leggings in really cold/rainy weather.

The one and only piece of athletic apparel that I cannot dispense with is a sports bra. No bike shorts here. I've tried them and found them to be more trouble than they were worth. If I'm doing OK in street clothes, why bother? If I'm going more than 25 miles I dab on a little Bodyglide, which doesn't seem to stain. Depending on the weather I might go ahead and pack a change of clothes. It's hard to dress for sitting in a 65 degree library all day, and then to ride 5 miles home in +100 degree heat.

I had a very funny moment on tour this spring, when I asked a hotel owner for some directions and mentioned that I was on a bicycle tour. "You're touring? Really?? You don't look like it! You don't have the clothes!" She then pulled out the huge registry book that she keeps for bicycle tourists for me - I never would have seen it otherwise! (The hotel was on the ACA Southern Tier route, so they gets lots of cyclist traffic.)