Casual cycling clothes

ma123

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.

Gambatte

Wiggle or chain reaction cycles, to start with.

Have a look at the clearance lines first.

il_principe

There's a real hole in the market for this stuff isn't there? Since I bought my singlespeed I am finally happy about leaving a bike locked up in public, hence I am finally using a bike to get everywhere in London. Problem with this is that it means ditching the standard commuter garb (lycra for me as I already owned loads for weekend riding/training). Problem is that finding technical cycle clothing that looks good off the bike (and isn't stupidly expensive) is nigh on impossible. I mean actually looks GOOD, not like most of the Endura stuff, but good enough to wear to a bar/restaurant with a ladyfriend etc. Swrve do good stuff but again it is pricey. Rapha stuff looks ideal but i don't like the image it projects and I'm not paying £120 for a pair of shorts! Anyone know of any decent alternatives? Please note I do not want to look like a high viz combat shorted hybrid riding commuter and I cycle hard so cotton is a no go, it must be able to deal with sweat...

GrantyBoy

you might be able to get away with some of the Fox's clothes, but again they do have that certain technical look.

ChrisLS

high viz combat shorted hybrid riding commuter


...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)

mekonta

I've been having a similar issue with trying to find some decent 3/4 length shorts for the commute to work. I've been using the Endura Humvee things, but they're waaay too baggy. Medium feel like XL on me. But after a lot of seaching couldn't find other options below £50. So last week I went for a pair of the Swrve shorts and I've been really pleased with them. The cut is very skinny, which looks a bit odd off the bike - so I'm not sure they'd be perfect for cycling and socialising, but they also do a baggier legged version that might be worth a try.

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.

GrantyBoy

Endura is made in Scotland

whome

What is wrong with normal clothing - trousers and T-shirt?

Or perhaps the wool route http://clevercycles.com/?p=221 - not tried it myself.

il_principe

whome wrote:

What is wrong with normal clothing - trousers and T-shirt?

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...

whome

Plenty of people do cycle in normal clothes and from personal experience Jeans (well cotton trousers) and t-shirt seems fine to me :? but then I'm not trying to break records getting places and tend to have very short journeys (mostly < 2km).

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.

il_principe

I've tried Merino, it makes me itch I'm afraid. Chain guard is a big no no (i am not defacing my lovely Pearson with some awful plastic guard), plus it's an added issue if I want to flip the hub etc), summer socks are to short to tuck trousers into and besides (as I mentioned) trousers are too hot, at most I commute in knee warmers in the winter.

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!

fossyant

Exactly the same as you Jash - normal clothes are a no no !

richardast

I like to wear "proper" cycling garb when I'm out on my bike at the weekend, but I always feel like a fraud or a bit of a n0b wearing lycra shorts and a tight jersey when it's just a leisure ride or if I'm doing a short commute involving a train ride. Neither am I keen on the trousers in socks or bicycle clips look.

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.

Kafka\'s Doll

Have you tried Howies? The half-zip I got from them the other day (which is brilliant) is wool, but they do other stuff. Their thing is activity clothing, and they're up on the ethical stuff too. Made in Wales, I think, so no sweat shop malarky.

Keithp88

Would it be stating the obvious to try walking and climbing gear? There are plenty of lightweight fabrics used for this which dry really quickly. Not to mention zip off legs.They will still tangle with the chain unless you use a clip or something. Buy in black and no one will know... unless it rips.

http://www.mountainfever.co.uk/acatalog/metolius.html

Jon8a

have you tried Rohan. It's not cycling specific but it is outdoor clothing, technical fabrics that looks smart. Not cheap, but no where near as expensive as Rapha type stuff.

patchy

Kafka\'s Doll wrote:

Have you tried Howies? The half-zip I got from them the other day (which is brilliant) is wool, but they do other stuff. Their thing is activity clothing, and they're up on the ethical stuff too. Made in Wales, I think, so no sweat shop malarky.

me love howies.

sem69

whome wrote:

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!

Whome, where did you get the Swrve shorts for £40? cheers

mekonta

You can pick them up half price through the Swrve site. http://www.swrve.co.uk

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...

il_principe

Jon8a wrote:

have you tried Rohan. It's not cycling specific but it is outdoor clothing, technical fabrics that looks smart. Not cheap, but no where near as expensive as Rapha type stuff.

Rohan, bleurgh - favoured garb of geography teachers everywhere - brings back rather depressing memories of school field trips!

whome

SEM69, you've not read that right - it was jashburnham who had the shorts for £40, and I got the impression he had some sort of insider disount.

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...

Matteeboy

patchy wrote:

Kafka\'s Doll wrote:

Have you tried Howies? The half-zip I got from them the other day (which is brilliant) is wool, but they do other stuff. Their thing is activity clothing, and they're up on the ethical stuff too. Made in Wales, I think, so no sweat shop malarky.

me love howies.

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.

il_principe

Yeah Swrve shorts 1/2 price on their site, in olive. No insider discount.
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!

tardington

How casual is casual btw?

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!