Casual cycling clothes
ma123
Posts: 87
Can anybody recommend a website with good reasonably priced casual cycling clothes. As I need some new commuting clothes for the warmer months, I like the Rapha fixed tops and shorts but £100 plus for casual shorts is over my budget.
Any help appreciated.
Any help appreciated.
0
Posts
Have a look at the clearance lines first.
2020 Canyon Ultimate CF SLX
2020 Canyon Inflite SL 7
On the Strand
Crown Stables
...it's a look...you must have seen me on my way to work...Endura Humvees in the winter...sod it I thought I was cool... 8)
Thing I'd say also in Swrve's favour is while they might be a bit more than you wanted to spend, they do run a fair-labour programme - and personally I'm always happy to pay a bit more for ethically produced stuff.
Or perhaps the wool route http://clevercycles.com/?p=221 - not tried it myself.
Erm trousers... on a bike. Where do I start with that? A: far too hot, B: I don't want to have to keep rolling one trouser leg up all the time. As for "normal" clothing, for me this normally means a suit or jeans and a t shirt - both are useless for cycling in. As I mentioned I like to cycle fast, that means sweat; sweat and cotton don't mix well and I don't really want to go for the wet t-shirt look.
Bought some Swrve shorts and they are fab, wicking and water repellent, good value at £40 but that's with 50% off at the me, not sure I'd want to pay £80!
Oh and wool makes me itch...
2020 Canyon Ultimate CF SLX
2020 Canyon Inflite SL 7
On the Strand
Crown Stables
You could try the hi-tech fabric t-shirts designed for outdoor activity. Some of them look relatively normal.
I don't see you need to roll one leg up, since cycle clips or tucking into your socks work quite well (or a chain guard).
As the article explained - not all wool is itchy, and while I've not cycled in it, the merino wool hat my wife has, is very, very soft. I can't imagine that itching.
I keep up a fairly steady 20mph plus (traffic permitting) so normal clothes really are impractical, especially in London in the Summer, I've tried it before and believe me I know... Is there anything more unattractive than a sweaty stain in the crotch area - cos cotton'll do that!
I'm not trying to break records but I like to cycle fast, in fact I like to walk fast - not one of life's pootlers really, I'm 29 and in pretty decent shape (Etape training). When I'm 50 and knackered then normal clothes will do just fine, but I'm not and they won't!
2020 Canyon Ultimate CF SLX
2020 Canyon Inflite SL 7
On the Strand
Crown Stables
After failing to find decent, casually styled cycling trousers, I selected a pair of combats and a pair of jeans from my wardrobe and bought a packet of black press-studs that came with the tools for fitting them (£6).
I hammered 2 studs into each trouser leg to clip them in the manner you'd fold them back if wearing bike clips.
The result is normal trousers that are instantly converted into cycle clothing. The studs are barely noticeable when not in use and you can unclip them in about 2 seconds when you get off the bike. No fannying about with velcro straps like some of the cycle specific trousers. I see no reason why you couldn't do it with smart trousers or an old suit.
My work colleagues are trying to persuade me to patent the idea, but I don't really believe that it's using any new technology or manufacturing techniques.
Having said that, if anyone else does it, this can be a record of my invention for IP rights.
http://www.mountainfever.co.uk/acatalog/metolius.html
me love howies.
Whome, where did you get the Swrve shorts for £40? cheers
But the half price ones are only in olive green which I wasn't so keen on. Great value if you like the olive though...
Rohan, bleurgh - favoured garb of geography teachers everywhere - brings back rather depressing memories of school field trips!
2020 Canyon Ultimate CF SLX
2020 Canyon Inflite SL 7
On the Strand
Crown Stables
Wearing specific cycle clothing when you are just doing utility cycling seems to defeat the object to me. Unless you can find plenty of normal looking 'cycle clothing' which you wear all the time in case you go out on the bike. But I am not a fan of looking like a sports rider...
I won a load of their stuff last year - nice jeans, T shirt, etc.
WMB pan them in issue 82 though as they are very pricey for a lot of stuff.
I wear boardshorts when it's warm, trackie bottoms when it's cold. The rest of my stuff is fairly technical (wicking base layer, shoes, Altura jacket) but I'll ride in normal clothes if needed - I think they work fine.
http://www.cornwallmtb.kk5.org
Rode from London Bridge to Fleet street and back yesterday lunchtime, was in a hurry but in a cotton T, it got wet and sweaty - reinforced my impression that normal clothes are useless. The Swrve shorts are great and water beads right off them... discovered that one by accident!
2020 Canyon Ultimate CF SLX
2020 Canyon Inflite SL 7
On the Strand
Crown Stables
I generally wear the endure grey pant/shorts with the pad in (also the protective version - black fabric with a bright orange pad, eyewatering, but they ARE under trousers!), and a technical top under a shirt - it's pretty good, and not too sweaty if the weather is warm enough to go without a jacket (I wear buffs and extra warm socks and gloves when it's colder). Generally I can step off the bike and into work, even if I'm wearing jeans. That said, after a while it does wear the insides of the thighs a wee bit, but I'm talking about six months or so. I get my work trousers from the Gap sale rail!