robertorolfo

As other people are pointing out, there are plenty of workers who do exactly what you are advising against, and they are perfectly fine. They might have relatively brief commutes, they might ride at very reasonable speeds, and/or they might live in climates that allow them to comfortably ride in those clothes.

I know your profile says you are in LA, which is technically a city, but have you ever looked around in denser, more "urban" city? You see plenty of suits, ties, skirts and heels (and aren't we all somewhat thankful for the latter)...

Maybe you think everyone is riding 10+ miles one way into work while also trying to use the commute as a workout. There are people that do that, but certainly doesn't apply to everyone in here.

noglider 

Not only that, people in NYC generally dress up more than folks on the west coast. I see plenty of women riding bikes who have the full hair-nails-makeup-dress outfit. Same for men wearing suits and ties. Their trips are probably less than three miles on average. Riding a bike makes sense for them.

wipekitty

Perhaps there is a happy medium? There certainly are some more trendy jackets out there that are reasonably waterproof, albeit not as comfortable for cycling; I find leather, PU, and certain nylon fabrics work well.

Perhaps it is time to treat yourself to a new trendy jacket that can be worn for cycling to the pub on those rainy days

madpogue 

+1; when the time to change clothes at either/both ends exceeds the actual commute time, commuting in "work" clothes just makes sense.

But I doubt we'll be able to put Krane's apparent offense/objection to the notion to rest. The fact that the video he posted is 90% irrelevant to commuting, and 100% irrelevant to this thread, is evidently lost on her/him.

Okay, here's something just brimming with "wrong" ways to ride....

wipekitty

Funny you mention this...I've mostly gone away from trousers and toward skirts/dresses since I started regularly bike commuting ~11 years ago.

Short dresses/skirts eliminate the issues commonly found with trousers (getting stuck in chains, problems with the waistband while in the drops, etc.) Creative garments underneath make them appropriate for multiple seasons: unpadded "bike" shorts for warm weather, short tri-style chamois shorts for longer journeys, and leggings, etc. for extreme temperatures. Rain paints over the top, and we're good to go for the rainy season.

Granted, I will not be riding the weekly World Championships in a dress. They do bring with them some significant aerodynamic disadvantages.

KraneXL

On the contrary, it support the position that inappropriate cycling attire already exists, which many of you here seem to insist that it does not. It further adds support that its not uniquely my offensive/objection idea. Apparently, I'm not the one who is lost.

madpogue 

Yes, you're lost. This thread is about COMMUTING (not just ANY cycling) in WORK (presumably "office") wear. No one has proposed speedos, or bib shorts only, or anything else presented in the silly video. All the video presents is that those who made it think there exist a few ways dress inappropriately for cycling.

This reminds me of the "you are in a helicopter" riddle, which revolves around making a perfectly true response to a question, but one that is utterly irrelevant to what was really being asked.

bulevardi

I like nylon and leather too, but I accidentally end up in women underwear stores mostly.
I should find the right categories someday.

madpogue 

That could be considered "work clothes", depending on one's profession.....

wphamilton

I don't really get the controversy here. If it's cool, especially this time of year, there's not much issue with riding in work clothes. If you want a workout or it's too hot, then workout clothes.

robertorolfo

That video was talking about doing serious riding, not simple and straightforward commuting. And the funny thing is that they actually looked pretty comfortable with their suits and ties on, and had their umbrella's places nicely, despite the fact that they were supposed to look extra ridiculous.


Now it's getting interesting! Seriously though, I once joked about my "fantasy" involving a lot of leather, and when I got a funny look, I said, "Yeah, being a MotoGP rider involves quite a lot of leather."

noglider 

Today, I rode to a job interview wearing a suit, tie, and long heavy overcoat. I rode a bike from the Citi Bike fleet which provides an upright position. My clothes did not impede me at all. It was a cold day, so I didn't sweat. Or if I did, I didn't notice, as I wear a wool t-shirt under my shirt in this season.

robertorolfo

Textbook example, Mr. Glider. Textbook.

madpogue 

Well how did the interview go?

wolfchild

My definition of inappropriate is wearing something silly that makes the person look goofy and out of place in social situations...There is nothing inappropriate about riding a bicycle while wearing casual clothing, business attire, work clothing or gym clothes.

Scoo16

bulevardi

I take out my whip when it's not getting fast enough on my bike.

noglider 

I think it went very well. And I have an interview with another position on Thursday! Thank you for asking.

kevincgove

I commute about 6 miles each direction in my work clothes. I wear "business attire"...slacks, dress shirt and dress shoes. The climate and terrain is such that I don't perspire at a level that would require a change of clothes. In the winter, I'll add appropriate cold weather coat/gloves. And I generally don't ride in the rain intentionally but do bring rain coat/pants and rubber slipon covers for my shoes in case it does rain. Seems to work pretty well. I have saddle bags for my laptop and lunch etc.

mnsam

noglider 

I looked them up. They are now out of production.

acidfast7

You're quite knowledgeable, so I'm a little surprised. I assume these are the same or a revised version of the previously posted version. The ass reflector is a nice touch. The US-based version has all sizes, while the UK-site is sold out of the 34, which is a good sign.

https://arcteryx.com/gb/en/shop/mens/a2b-commuter-pant

Quite cheap too at £115 RRP.

oj.

Thanks all for taking the time to respond to this thread I have an updated thread here - https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting...l#post20781420

madpogue 

A hundred quid is "cheap"??!? I doubt I've spent that much on clothes in the last five years! But I'm a cheap bah-stidge who shops at thrift stores. That much money would buy a lot of Goodwill cargo slacks and leg bands....

acidfast7

A set of trousers usually floats around £100; but sometimes sales happen, so for anything technical £100 is a great price. Anything less and you wouldn't be considered professional for any type of indoor/office work in most of Western Europe. You'd be made redundant in any large city for dressing like you're suggesting.