Saving Hawaii

Why does it kind of look like he's got a flintlock strapped to his chest?

Dirt Farmer

Ummm... I'm pretty sure this is a troll thread, LOL

TransitBiker

Hmmm, ride the way that works best for you, or worry what others think?







After all the facts charts & figures, the biggest part of riding is FUN!





- Andy

Worknomore

If you are that concerned about your appearance perhaps you would be happier commuting in a new 5.0 Mustang.

tsl

You're an adult on a bicyle.

Most people will think you got a DWI or you're homeless, or both.

Fred and hipster are both steps up from there.

laflavor

I did that today.

But only because I had to bring a Crock Pot full of chili to work, and it's tough to balance that on a bicycle. I know, I'm a wuss. I'm not entirely sure how much it helped with my appearance, though.

WestPablo

Well in order to keep up your upstanding image as cyclist with high standards, you should start by purchasing a proper single speed bicycle (without brakes) of hi-tensile quality. Next, roll up your right pant leg half way up your shin. Invest in a pair of mirrored sunglasses, obtain a black backpack, and place a bunch of decals on your bike, after you remove its logo.

Oh yeah!.... And chew a huge wad of bubble gum too!

tarwheel 

I bike commuted to college for 6 years wearing normal student clothes, but I only had to ride a few miles. Now that I commute to work a much longer distance (30+ miles round trip) through lots of traffic, I wear high-viz cycling clothes -- bib shorts, jerseys, the whole bit. It would be pointless and uncomfortable to commute to work wearing street clothes because I am drenched in sweat by the end of my ride. I take a shower at work and change into street clothes.

spivonious

Ha, that Fred description fits me to a T. Why is being practical looked down upon?

huizar

Well, without getting into the discussion of hipster vs fred, I also commute to college and work, about a 4-5 mile trip each way. When the weather's nice I wear shorts and a t-shirt, but I work in a lab so I need to have some pants to change into I get here. When it's a bit chillier I wear jeans and a sweater, or even a super-bright yellow jacket (Pearl Izumi) if it's dark or foggy out. I like the Levi's Commuter series of jeans and shorts for riding in. They look normal -- if you typically wear skinny jeans, that is. They're comfy, have a good amount of support so they won't tear up in the crotch like some of my other jeans did, and they have a bit of stretch to them. They also wick sweat away, so you won't show up to class with a soggy bottom. They're waterproof-ish before you wash them too, so they can handle a light rain. I usually wear a t-shirt and keep a long sleeve at work, and depending on the level of sweat, I either toss it on top or change.

Shoes are easy too, depending on the pedals you have. If you've got SPDs, you can look to DZR or Chrome for casual shoes with cleat compatibility that you can wear all day, and unless someone's looking at the bottom of your shoes, no one can tell they're bike shoes. If you have flat pedals of clips, you can wear any dang shoe you want. I like Adidas Sambas with my clips as they seem to have a fairly stiff sole good for pedaling, but I've been known to show up in my New Balances.

Hope that helps!

jrickards

I think of "Fred" in the context of a bike commuter as a "bike commuting nerd or geek" and by nerd or geek, I interpret that as an enthusiast, and I'm fine with that.

• I wear lycra shorts because they're comfortable
• I wear cycling shoes because of the greater efficiency of pedalling I achieve with them
• I wear a helmet cover on wet days to keep drier and keep rain out of my eyes (not perfect but it helps)
• I wear high-viz or at least brightly coloured jerseys/shirts/rainjacket to be seen by cars
• I have bright lights on my bike to be seen in traffic
• I wear a helmet to reduce the potential of brain damage should I fall hard
• I shave my legs to get in the mindset of biking, for commuting or pleasure
• I am proud to be a Fred! (just don't call me Fred, my name is Jules and I probably won't think you're talking to me)

MattFoley

I'm sure it plays out this way in your head, but here in reality 99.999999% of people probably aren't giving you a second thought.

huizar

Wait... rolling up your pantleg is also considered hipster? Do you suggest a trouser strap?

fietsbob

I'm a Guy I wear what works for me, It's a fishing Seaport town, the fisherfolk wear what suits the task at hand..

leicanthrope

Honestly, there might well be a certain benefit to looking a bit like a Fred or a hipster when commuting. At least in my area, a lot of the ire against cyclists is aimed at "those Tour de France wanna-be's who are getting in my way playing around when I'm trying to drive to work/school/etc". Oddly enough, simply putting a rear rack with a trunk bag on my commuter has helped reduce the amount of motorist stupidity I've been dealing with lately. Apparently that's enough to convince at least some of the local drivers that I'm carrying things from place to another, and thus a productive member of society that isn't immediately deserving of extermination for the mild five second inconveniences here and there.

patrickgm60

I'd be more concerned about the Fredliness of how I ride, rather than how I look. Running lights and stop signs when traffic is about, going upstream in the bike lane, shortcuts on sidewalks are not only unsightly, but set a poor example.

raqball

I see far more 'seasoned' cyclists doing these things than new riders..

alan s 

Probably true, given that more experienced riders are likely to know what is safe on a particular route or intersection vs. a newb who is taking it slow and easy. When you ride the same route day in and day out for a few years, it becomes somewhat predictable.

TransitBiker

Yea, as soon as i was out of the neighborhood streets on my new bike, people definitely acted differently vs my old cruiser. The bags may help, but they can also be easily plucked off, so i may only keep them on in familiar & secure areas where i know it wont be bothered. A big bonus is they are designed to go into the store with you as reusable shopping bags & are pretty light for their sturdy & substantial construction. I don't think they are even made anymore. I bought a time machine!!!

- Andy

halcyon100

[QUOTE=leicanthrope;16730000]Honestly, there might well be a certain benefit to looking a bit like a Fred or a hipster when commuting. At least in my area, a lot of the ire against cyclists is aimed at "those Tour de France wanna-be's who are getting in my way playing around when I'm trying to drive to work/school/etc".

I live in the bay area and this is so unfortunately true... If you are hauling too much stuff, you are likely to be considered homeless or an extreme hippie. If you are not hauling enough (e.g. just a saddle bag &/or stuff in your jersey pockets), then you are a "wannabe racer" using the taxpayer-funded roads for joyrides... This perception will be reinforced if you have logos on your jersey and especially so if there is a logo across the rear end of your shorts.

I pretty much look the same on a recreational ride vs. a commuter ride, but with one difference - a small backpack when commuting. I wear cycling clothes (without prominent logos). Occasionally, I take the backpack on recreational rides if they are long or involve a picnic lunch or something.

As I get older, I care less about what people think. But, I actually think that this issue is a big one in terms of getting younger people into cycling. I would have commuted by bike in high school if it was more socially accepted by other teens, but I was too self-conscious as a teen to have done it then. We have huge traffic problems at all the local schools, due to the insane number of parents dropping off their kids. I'm sure parents would appreciate the extra time if their kids biked to school and kids could benefit from regular exercise. We live in an area where there are lots of paths, safe routes to school programs, etc.

As an adult, I feel most self-conscious as I arrive and leave work. There is no one else in my entire building who bike commutes. We had a recent memo telling people not to come to work dressed casually, even if they are just coming in on an off day to catch up on paperwork. The message being - you should always look professional, even when you step in the door to work. No one has said anything to me yet, but I do feel self-conscious arriving in bike clothes. I purposely come in a back door and go straight to my office and change, but there is no getting around the fact that people around me consider my bike commuting to be something "unusual," that stands out against the grain of people arriving to work with a professional office appearance.

spare_wheel

I object to the term "seasoned". I prefer "experienced" or "real" cyclist.

350htrr

I agree about the 99.9% or so don't give me a second thought, as I don't care about them passing me either, but 1 or 2 out of the hundreds of bicyclists that pas me do care that they couldn't drop me if I decide to keep up for whatever reason... Remember I'm a Fred, and some of them blow by me like I didn't exist but 300 yards later they look back, and thus the game is on... And no I don't do it often, probably 3 times in 3 years.

no motor?

This. But then you'll be a Fred like the rest of us.

spare_wheel

since fred and hipster are not your style might i suggest retro-grouch, euro-utility, or mtb-bro.

ckaspar

My .02

When I started I didn't want to be that nerd riding around with "all that crap" on my bike. It was regular clothes and a backpack. After about a week of doing 10 miles in Dickies and a t-shirt I decided that more appropriate clothes were necessary (Begin Transformation...)

First night ride was lights
First rain was fenders
First backache from too much crap in the backpack was rack and bright yellow panniers

Now I am one of those guys with too much crap on my bike but each thing serves it purpose, that I did not see when I first started. The good part of my transition was that as I added more crap I realized that nobody cared that I had added stuff to my ride so the transition was "drama free". I never get crap from roadies or drivers or anyone.

Just ride man. Screw what everyone thinks. What should matter to you is getting what you need to where you are going in as safe a manner as possible. If that is bungee cording your school book to your chest then great. If it is your bike loaded up with everything that will fit on the bike then great too.