Commuting in regular clothing?

[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! 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..

[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 .

[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 ). 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..

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.