No one has ever asked me that question.

I get plenty of other questions about cycling and bike commuting, but the only clothing-related question I ever seem to field is, "Do you wear a helmet?"

I agree with you that in our culture we traditionally change clothing for formal sports and exercise. Some people really do need to change due to chafing and/or odor issues, and lots of sports clothing is designed to protect the athlete or enhance performance. And, sometimes we just want to fit in or look like everyone else on the team All good reasons to don Lycra.