Do you guys wear lycra to commute?

ductions

I've just started back at uni, and have successfully cycled to and from for the first 3 days ha.
I'm situated off campus at a small college, and there is not changing/ shower facilities, but there is a car park underground, beneath the college, with bicycle parking.

For the first two days I wore jeans, and it wasn't too bad in the morning when its pretty cold, but after riding home late afternoon I was a sweaty mess when entering my house. And its only a 3 mile, slightly uphill ride back.

So today I wore some baggy sports shorts and I was a lot cooler, and just put my jeans over the top when I got to uni. Was still pretty sweaty when I got home earlier though.

Anyway, do you guys wear lycra shorts to work/uni? And if so how do you change to normal clothes? Also if I wore shorts, and put jeans over the top, would it be obvious that I'm wearing padded shorts under my jeans?

the_prophet

i do for my commute but its the best part of 15 miles. also able to shower though so no issue for me.

i'd not be too keen on wearing padded lycra shorts all day after riding to college. not because you'd see them (dont think you'd be able to tell) would just be a bit unpleasant.

i'd stick with the loose shorts personally, its only 3 miles. either that or head into the toilets and get changed?

Tonymufc

Lycra here too. Also like the poster above, I'm able to get a shower once in work and able to dry my clothes. Personally I wouldn't wear padded shorts all day, just in case it caused infection etc. Sweaty town halls and all that.

notsoblue

Yep, lycra. Its comfy while riding, and dries quickly once you change out of it. But I primarily wear it because I look awesome in it. 8)

Lancslad

yep. mines 17 miles no other way, oh and i still get ribbed for it.

redballoon

For my half hour commute on a road bike I wear decathlon MTB shorts the most of the time. Once it gets cold, I wear Aldi winter trousers. You can't wear padded shorts all day, but get changed and freshened up were you can and change into jeans. I would search high and low for a shower though, there must be something somewhere.

red balloon

EKE_38BPM

notsoblue wrote:

Yep, lycra. Its comfy while riding, and dries quickly once you change out of it. But I primarily wear it because I look awesome in it. 8)

+1

I've only got a hilly 5 mile/25 minute commute but lycra is the only way.
I have to get changed in the toilets at work and there is no shower so I have to take it easy and use the last mile or so to cool down otherwise I end up in a sweaty (leading to stinky) mess, but anything other than lycra wouldn't be anywhere near as comfy to ride in, practical in terms of keeping warm/cool and looking awesome in.

Don't wear padded shorts under normal clothes all day unless you like yeast infections in your nether regions.

cjcp

Nothing but lycra here, too.

Baggies indeed. Pah!

EKE_38BPM

Some of my lycra tops are looser than others, but no way do I wear baggies (think of the wind resistance).

dmch2

I used to commute on a hybrid so padded shorts etc weren't necessary. Fortunately I always managed to live/work so the commute was flat/mostly downhill to work and only a few miles (through 3 houses and 4 jobs).

Since the jobs rarely had showers I just cycled in a bit slower and early enough that the sun wasn't really up so it was fairly cool. When it's cold just cycle a bit quicker to keep warm! Apart from adding gloves in winter I was always fine in jeans and T-shirt.

On the way home it was full beans all the way and I definitely needed a shower once I got in!

The current job is more like 5 miles with two decent sized hills and I need to be a bit smarter so I have to drive in (But I get paid more so could afford to add a proper road bike )

bendertherobot

20 miles each way.

So, absolutely!

ex-pat scot

20 miles each way. Absolutely.

The Rookie

I do a 6.5 mile commute, my work has no showers so I use baggy sports shorts from FILA (thin cotton with mesh lining to aid airflow), not bike specific and apart fom my head (just bought a new Helmet to sort that) don't get sweaty. I'm doing that ride in just over 20mins and have some reasonable hills.

Simon

essex-commuter

dmch2 wrote:

I used to commute on a hybrid so padded shorts etc weren't necessary.

I don't really understand that. Are you saying that if you used a road bike instead of a hybrid then shorts 'would' be necessary?

Sorry if I've misunderstood.

daviesee

essex-commuter wrote:

dmch2 wrote:

I used to commute on a hybrid so padded shorts etc weren't necessary.

I don't really understand that. Are you saying that if you used a road bike instead of a hybrid then shorts 'would' be necessary?

Sorry if I've misunderstrood.

^^^^ +1000 ^^^^ :?

seataltea

It seems I am a MAMIL, and £26 of this profit has just come from me :shock:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/news ... ofits.html

DCowling

I only cycle 2-3 days and drive the rest ,wear lycra and change when I get to work into clothes I have taken in previously.
It''s only 8 mile each way but I usually go the long way home for the hell of it. also over that distance I am going to get sweaty so would have to change anyway.

p.s. I ride a fsb mountain bike, does this mean I am not allowed lycra as the position is the same as a hybrid

The Rookie

I have no issue with others wearing Lycra, just 'not for me' on my commute, lack of showers and decent changing rooms are naturally a factor in that.

Simon

nightoff

It's Lycra for me for my commute (either 7.5 or 11.5 miles each way depending on route)
I get changed at work.
I couldn't cope with padded shorts all day, especially on a warm day. Betty Swollox and all that

Headhuunter

I commute in lycra with bagy overshorts on top largely because I often go to the gym after work and feel a bit stupid strutting around in padded lycra! As someone above mentioned, don't wear lycra for too long once you've finished cycling as sweatiness and the pad can cause yeast infections. Try to take them off as soon as you finish cycling. Why don't you just cycle in wearing lycra then change into normal boxers and jeans in a loo cubicle or something once you've arrived?

gb155

Not only do I wear lycra yes but I look DAMN good in it too :-)

PBo

Remember, it's only stale sweat that smells really bad.

So shower at home, cycle in some kind of appropriate sports kit - everyone sweats at different rates, but after 3 miles shouldn't be so bad. Maybe allow an extra 5 minutes for cooling down if you do push it hard. Use baby wipes/or a damp camping towellette/flannel for a quick wipe down in the loo, and top up deodourant - should be fine.

I start to sweat just thinking about going to the shed, so I always cycle in cycling gear - but at 3 miles or so, the wipe down is fine. Over 6, and I'd struggle without a shower....

shm_uk

Yup.

Lycra shorts with baggies over the top. Nice and comfy.
S/s Berghaus base layer with s/s lycra shirt over the top. Cool and not flappy.

Nice hot power shower at work, with lockers & changing facilities to transfer into my civvies...

Libraio

Tut tut tut, only realy fit ladies look good in lycra, not lads shaven like ladies
It's pretty comfy though.

asprilla

Libraio wrote:

Tut tut tut, only realy fit ladies look good in lycra, not lads shaven like ladies
It's pretty comfy though.

I'm not a girly shaven boy and I stride majestically into my office each morning resplendent in lycra and safe in the knowledge that I look mighty fine.

BruceG

EKE_38BPM wrote:

Some of my lycra tops are looser than others, but no way do I wear baggies (think of the wind resistance).

25 minutes to cover 5 miles, I think you need to worry about other issues oither than wind resistance

Headhuunter

BruceG wrote:

EKE_38BPM wrote:

Some of my lycra tops are looser than others, but no way do I wear baggies (think of the wind resistance).

25 minutes to cover 5 miles, I think you need to worry about other issues oither than wind resistance

If it's a hilly route which also involves travel through central London at rush hour then that's not a completely unrealistic time. I travel about 6 and a bit miles in about 22-23 mins mainly because the traffic and junctions etc slow me down

phillipjohnson

I cycle 7 miles each way and don't have showers where I work.

I wear Lycra for the journey. At work I keep a bag with some wetwipes in and some hair stuff, deodorant, towel etc and another one with a pair of jeans and a couple of tops.

To be honest if there were showers where I work I don't think I would use them as it would take longer to get changed on a morning and I don't find I sweat that much taking it easy going in.

I have a shower when I get home on a night though.

Canny Jock

I have a shower at the gym every morning, but wear Rapha baggies and a merino top - I can wear them for 5 days without washing with no smell - at least I don't think they smell...

The ride is about 8.5 miles/35 mins and I try to go fairly quickly on the safer bits.

daviesee

Canny Jock wrote:

I have a shower at the gym every morning, but wear Rapha baggies and a merino top - I can wear them for 5 days without washing with no smell - at least I don't think they smell...

The ride is about 8.5 miles/35 mins and I try to go fairly quickly on the safer bits.

Just because you "can", doesn't mean you should :shock:

For the OP. Take it easy on the way to work then take a faster, longer route home as training with a nice shower at the end.

EKE_38BPM

Headhuunter wrote:

BruceG wrote:

EKE_38BPM wrote:

Some of my lycra tops are looser than others, but no way do I wear baggies (think of the wind resistance).

25 minutes to cover 5 miles, I think you need to worry about other issues oither than wind resistance

If it's a hilly route which also involves travel through central London at rush hour then that's not a completely unrealistic time. I travel about 6 and a bit miles in about 22-23 mins mainly because the traffic and junctions etc slow me down

Yeah, I know its not quick, especially for a roadie but the traffic is very heavy for the last mile or so.

I can (and regularly do) scalp emergency vehicles on blues and twos. Even on a bike, heavy traffic slows you down.
I don't RLJ, have to cross a major A road (~2 minutes at the lights) and the roads are so narrow that filtering down the outside is difficult and up the inside is suicidal.

The previous 3 or so miles are nice though. I see horses, cows, sheep and the occasional pretty lady waiting for the bus. If I knew birds I'd could probably say Peregrine Falcons and Flamingos, but I'd be lying. More likely Wood Pigeon and Blue Tit.

The nice bit has a few hills too to make it interesting. Even cycle lanes at pinch points (didn't stop me having a clipless moment when I first started using SPD-SLs though).

Thats enough defending my woefully slow commute. Now to big up my chest.

25 mile from the suburbs of NLondon to the suburbs of SLondon through central London in rush hour in 85 minutes. 17 mph+ average (total, not rolling) over 25 miles whilst obeying the rules of the road isn't too shabby in my opinion.

I then had a few beers with a mate and rode back in 95 minutes. ~15+mph average.

Thats enough defending myself and sorry for the thread hijack.