Bike shorts, needing a little more "coverage"

[Catrin]

We are worried about being self-conscious in lycra and spandex. There is always the other extreme.

Oh my, I had no idea there was such an event! I agree, it does need the NSFW label

[Owlie]

We are worried about being self-conscious in lycra and spandex. There is always the other extreme.

Note to self: Do not buy a second-hand saddle from any of these cities...

I put a pair of regular athletic shorts (the knee-length ones, from Target) over my bike shorts when I first started riding. (And thanks for the link to the wrap skirt--I'm planning on biking to visit my very fashion-conscious sister next year, and I don't think she'd be caught dead with me in spandex.)

[owlice]

Note to self: Do not buy a second-hand saddle from any of these cities...

lol!!! (I cannot imagine riding without something between my seat and me. Oog!! )

I wear biking shorts. If someone else cares, that's not my problem. My problem is chafing, and that problem is minimized/non-existent when I wear biking shorts. So though some may think my bike shorts should be printed with "wide load" across the rear (front, thighs...) -- I wouldn't disagree with them. I also won't let that stop me.

[Desert Tortoise]

Wear whatever makes you most comfortable and allows you to stay on the bike as long as you want.

If you do go the route of regular shorts with bike shorts and get "uncomfortable" on the saddle, try a different pair of regular shorts with your bike shorts. It can be something as simple as the cut or type of fabric. Might take trying a few a things but that's true of biking shorts too.

Keep riding!

dt

[PamNY]

I wear really light nylon capris over bike shorts in summer. Also, as someone mentioned upthread, a gusseted crotch might be helpful.

I've worn virtually every kind of pants over bike shorts at one time or another with no problem.

[jessmarimba]

For those of you that said you wear more than one pair of shorts or something over the shorts

It depends on why I'm riding and who I'm around. I'm perfectly comfortable with how I look in bike shorts, but that doesn't mean everyone at the grocery store needs to see me wearing them. Or my work, for that matter. Technically, we're forbidden in the employee handbook from wearing tight fitting athletic clothing (i.e. bike clothing) in the office. And sometimes I get tired of catcalls from men in my neighborhood (I can't even run here anymore). So yourself. Wearing less revealing clothing doesn't prevent people from getting better or going faster.

[lph]

I will happily wear tightfitting lycra in all it's multicolour glory riding to work, past my co-workers up in my office, in stores, at the hairdressers, to a dr.s appointment, to my son(poor guy)'s school to see the teacher, or to the movies... Most times I even forget to take my helmet off.

But: come vacation time and we head for someplace laid back, and bring our bikes, I feel selfconscious as all get-out in lycra. I always bring it, but end up wearing it under baggy pants, with a plain wool top. Something about not wanting to look exercise-y and stressed citygirl-like...