pennpaul

I have about given up on bike jerseys. I live in the Middle East now and there are no jerseys in my size--not because the men are smaller (because they're not), but because there aren't as many cyclists. I was stateside last week and stopped in Performance Bike and didn't see anything I liked. I also don't want to take a gamble buying bike clothes off Amazon and dealing with the return.

Has anyone just switched to wearing some kind of cotton/poly or fully synthetic hiking shirt or fishing shirt? I rode with one yesterday and it was fairly comfortable with the air flowing through but I think a vented back would be better. The one downside is that there are no rear pockets but I could dig out my fanny pack or get a top tube bag.

Just wondering if you have any recommendations. I'm 6'1" and 250lbs. Have recently gone from an XL to XXL.

Thanks
Paul

Teamprovicycle

Just buy an xl or 2 xl from nashbar or amazon its not a big deal. I just a 10 dollar base layer from amazon , but i will be getting a skin suit by next year at least a tighter higher quality top for time trials...

Colnago Mixte

I have 40 or 50 jerseys, and still ride in t-shirts mostly, with a fanny pack if I need to carry anything. Many of them are polyester and only get comfortable after i start sweating, which is never long when a person is bundled up in some overly-tight, gaudy, usually ill-fitting, polyester blend jersey that's covered in obscure ads, on a hot day.

I guess if you need to "look the part" then wear a jersey, but unless the ride lasts more than a couple hours, I don't use any cycling-specific clothing except clip in shoes, and maybe gloves, mainly to keep the sun off my hands.

I'm convinced that bike jerseys are more for conspicuous consumption and posing purposes, and to let the world know "I'm serious cyclist, DAMMIT!" than for anything that's really necessary as a practical matter for most rides I do.

tagaproject6

If you are in Israel, you could just have a bespoke jersey.

fietsbob

I have not had any need for the MAMIL look for 30 years..
as a Cycle tourist or general utility riding..

Wicking 'Polo' Izod style is what I got , around town just T Shirts, are fine..

Really want a Bike Jersey?
Seek out Fabric and someone that can Sew* from a simple pattern,
or an old shirt?

the internet beckons you.. search

Green Pepper in Oregon had patterns for jerseys,
for your sewing person to use as a theme, and expand on, from there
if inadequately large..

*4 needle machines are ideal with Lycra fabrics..




...

DrIsotope

Junkbeast

I straight up buy the yellow and orange, high visibility, 100% polyester, moisture wicking Old Mill brand t-shirts from Menard's. $8 bucks! Next time you visit the States, if you're in the Midwest, hit up Menard's.

JLDickmon

I just bought a couple from Love2Pedal.com that actually seem like they are "American" cut..
Price was right, too.. like under $30 each..
flip side, my Lawson Craddock t-shirt came today.. that's gonna get worn a lot.

Rock71

search relaxed fit cycling jersey on amazon. I personally prefer the pearl izumi relaxed fit but they must be discontinuing it.

Rollfast

I have about half a zillion antique bike, vintage audio, concert and VW related t-shirts (and a Star Wars one). Nothing wrong with wearing a Colson on your chest.

DrIsotope

This is a legitimate question: to those rolling around in cotton t-shirts, where do y'all put your... stuff? I don't wear jerseys because I have an insatiable desire to buy +$40 shirts with an overall limited utility. I wear them because they zip down the front, they have a shorter inseam so they don't bunch up in the front, and they have these neat pockets in the back to put, you know... stuff in.

The past 2 weeks, the average daily high temperature here has been 103º. And my rides have looked like this:



I don't wear jerseys for fashion. I wear them because they are suited to the task.

Colnago Mixte

I use something similar to this, they carry quite a bit of stuff. I even started throwing my frame pump in there, and the chafe marks on my leg thanked me. I also use fanny packs to carry stuff, I don't care how dorky they look.

GAJett

starkmojo

I have never found a jersey that fit me right; they are always to short for my extremely long torso. If I get one that doesn't come half way up my back when I am biking its big enough to double as a tent. I am not anti-jersey, I am just pro clothes that fit right.

cyclist2000

I found a couple on the PI site, this one is in the road jerseys
https://www.pearlizumi.com/US/en/Sho.../p/11121707062

There may be a couple in the mountain bike gear.

Personally, I like to wear jerseys when riding, I find them comfortable and the pockets are handy. For me, the xxl in PI, Yeti, Fox and tir in Assos fit very good.

chiefkurtz 

Every jersey I've purchased from Amazon I have returned. They're all either skin tight, or too short in the torso and sleeves (If I had Peter Sagan's physique it wouldn't be an issue). I too have given up on them, and I used to wear wool jerseys year round back in the day.

europa

I've been using running shorts (Brooks saddle), running shirts and a bum bag for well over a decade. Even when I was skinny I didn't like jerseys. You can wear what you like, it's all about being comfortable. Don't fall for the 'loose shirts flap' story either, I've never known that to be a problem.

pennpaul

My Dad always told me "If you don't ask, you don't get.". Well, I'm glad I asked. I guess I haven't completely given up on jerseys, not yet at least.

I found and ordered 2 Primal jerseys from Love2Pedal (have not heard of them before although Amazon sells the same jerseys through them). I did like their sizing charts and additional comments regarding manufacturer size differences. I also have a Columbia fishing shirt with a vented back on the way. We'll see how it goes.

Thanks
Paul

KraneXL

Jerseys are functional garments that solved a lot of problems for the cyclist. At the top of these are arm opening. Which is why jersey sleeves have their unique comfort stitching that typical T-shirts do not. After that comes tapered torso with elastic waist band, which like cycling shorts reduces excess material flapping and drag.

Last but not least, the ventilation zipper so you can adjust your temperature as you ride. No T-shirts can do that. Of course materials vary and many T-shirts can certainly match and/or surpass that.

One more thing, I could mention the rear pockets, but there's other places to store your belongings, and I rarely find them particularly useful.

JLDickmon

I checked their web store after they gave away some Falconi bibs that had been returned. I missed the free pair, but for the price, bought one anyway.. the jerseys were an afterthough, and I bought two. They fit me and big ol' belly pretty good.

KraneXL

Would you care to share with the audience?

skidder

Long-sleeve cotton t-shirts for me. I bought a few bicycle-specific jerseys but didn't really care for them. The cotton absorbs sweat, and the breeze I create while ridig (15-18 mph) is enough to turn that absorbed moisture into an effective cooler. The long sleeves help block the sun and makes it easy to wipe sweat off your face.

Where to put 'stuff?'. That goes into a larger seat bag (something like a bikepacking bag) or rack-top bag (all but one bicycles has a rear or front rack). I always wondered why more bicycle riders don't use some type of rack (even a seatpost mounted one) with either a stuff sack or rack-top 'trunk' to give themselves more space to carry an extra bottle, store a jacket/extra clothes, food, . . just about anything. Those tiny seat bags just don't work for me.

good4u

I wear a jersey sometimes and other times a high visibility Under Armour wicking t-shirt. All of my shirts flap in the breeze. Oh well.

JLDickmon

Jersey.. bought a white one and a blue one.. blue one even matches the paint on my Raven.. ordered a 3x and it fits pretty darn good..
World's Most Boring Cycling Jersey Ascent Pro SS Men's White MADE in USA Free Shipping to U.S. addresses - LOVE2PEDAL.COM

Bibs.. bought the 3x and my 240lb Dunlop fits right in..
Falconi Deluxe Bib Shorts Bibshorts Mens Black w/Blue Stitching - Free Shipping to U.S. Addresses - Runs Small - LOVE2PEDAL.COM

I never would have known about it, but Love2pedal gave away about a half-dozen pair of the bibs that got returned.. I missed that deal, but for $15.. I figured what the heck (only I used a different word for "heck").. They're pretty active here on the forums.. I'm surprised they haven't chimed in on this yet..

Colnago Mixte

I wushed I had a jersey today.

Had a blowout while passing through an expensive nabe, one that was full of upscale joggers and dog walkers, out early for a fine day. I was casually-dressed and unshaven, which felt fine while the bike was moving, but now I'm bent over trying to change a tire, dropping tools nervously.

If I had a jersey, people would know what I was doing, they'd think "Oh, bike rider", but when you're standing on the sidewalk in old clothes, sweating like a pig while fumbling with a 40 year-old bike, greasy fingers smearing shabby clothes(R), a nice delightful colorful bike jersey splattered with ads definitely calms people's suspicions that you're hanging out in their neighborhood, eyeing little girls with bad intent(R).