Any reason NOT to tour in roadie kit?
#26
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Sounds expensive but really functional. I had an old wool army surplus pullover--basically a double-weight long-sleeved wool T-shirt--and I would buy another in a heartbeat. As you say, even works as rain gear.
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Depends upon your perspective. T shirt was $35, shorts $75, old sweaters can be bought cheap on e-Bay. The retro cycling jerseys are about $120. All of this is a fraction of my Assos stuff. I'd call it cheap.
#28
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Harder to Pee behind a roadside tree, wearing bibs , & No need for the Nascar like Ad festooned Pro replica Jersey
But other than that why Not? Just bring a second pair of shorts/bibs, so you have a Clean Pair in the Morning.
But other than that why Not? Just bring a second pair of shorts/bibs, so you have a Clean Pair in the Morning.
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Just keep in mind that there are some people who think that you will not be a real touring cyclist unless you have duct tape holding your 30 y.o. panniers together and are wearing a Bell V-I Pro helmet from the 70s, plain, cotton t-shirt, baggy shorts and white, cotton tube socks. These same people believe that a having long beard and eating peanut butter and bananas is mandatory if you want to be the real McCoy. Anything else and you are nothing but a member of the establishment whose mind is controlled by your marketing puppet masters.
I've got the beard, banana, bell helmet, duct tape and like peanut butter. 2015 - 1988... same helmet.
Last edited by Happy Feet; 11-04-15 at 09:50 AM.
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It's all I take with me. I don't take any street clothes with me at all. When I go in anywhere I go in wearing cycling clothes, jersey, shorts and cycling shoes, including cleats. If no one likes, tough crap! I keep the comfort up, by keeping the weight on the bike down. There's no reason to take along any street clothes. I will fess I did take a tshirt with me and did end up buy a pair of lightweight, unpadded cycling shorts at Walmart or wherever during the trip to put on when I would go into the laundrymat since I would normally drop off the clothes and head out to grab groceries or whatever while the clothes were washing. The only time I ever wore the other stuff was while doing laundry.
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Reasons not to:
Wicking t shirts are lighter, pack smaller, dry faster and are more versatile for off the bike around town type stuff.
i find that I don't generally need the venting of a zipper or the pockets. I have plenty of storage on my bike. Jerseys are great when I'm on a go fast ride, but don't really make sense for touring.
I do wear mountain bike shorts and shoes. Zoic shorts and pearl Izumi or shimano shoes are favorites of mine, along with Patagonia and smart wool t shirts.
Wicking t shirts are lighter, pack smaller, dry faster and are more versatile for off the bike around town type stuff.
i find that I don't generally need the venting of a zipper or the pockets. I have plenty of storage on my bike. Jerseys are great when I'm on a go fast ride, but don't really make sense for touring.
I do wear mountain bike shorts and shoes. Zoic shorts and pearl Izumi or shimano shoes are favorites of mine, along with Patagonia and smart wool t shirts.
Last edited by psy; 11-04-15 at 11:15 AM.
#32
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Reasons not to:
Wicking t shirts are lighter, pack smaller, dry faster and are more versatile for off the bike around town type stuff.
i find that I don't generally need the venting of a zipper or the pockets. I have plenty of storage on my bike. Jerseys are great when I'm on a go fast ride, but don't really make sense for touring.
I do wear mountain bike shorts and shoes. Zoic shorts and pearl Izumi or shimano shoes are favorites of mine, along with Patagonia and smart wool t shirts.
Wicking t shirts are lighter, pack smaller, dry faster and are more versatile for off the bike around town type stuff.
i find that I don't generally need the venting of a zipper or the pockets. I have plenty of storage on my bike. Jerseys are great when I'm on a go fast ride, but don't really make sense for touring.
I do wear mountain bike shorts and shoes. Zoic shorts and pearl Izumi or shimano shoes are favorites of mine, along with Patagonia and smart wool t shirts.
The mountain bike shorts are kind of nice because they double as street clothes.
#33
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Reasons not to:
Wicking t shirts are lighter, pack smaller, dry faster and are more versatile for off the bike around town type stuff.
i find that I don't generally need the venting of a zipper or the pockets. I have plenty of storage on my bike. Jerseys are great when I'm on a go fast ride, but don't really make sense for touring.
I do wear mountain bike shorts and shoes. Zoic shorts and pearl Izumi or shimano shoes are favorites of mine, along with Patagonia and smart wool t shirts.
Wicking t shirts are lighter, pack smaller, dry faster and are more versatile for off the bike around town type stuff.
i find that I don't generally need the venting of a zipper or the pockets. I have plenty of storage on my bike. Jerseys are great when I'm on a go fast ride, but don't really make sense for touring.
I do wear mountain bike shorts and shoes. Zoic shorts and pearl Izumi or shimano shoes are favorites of mine, along with Patagonia and smart wool t shirts.
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#34
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They are better ( to me) for the reasons I stated above, weight, pack size and versatility. Others, such as yourself, may feel the pockets and zippers and looking like a biker all the time are a good trade offs, I personally don't.
A light weight Patagonia t shirt keeps me nice and cool and when I'm wearing a jersey on tour the only thing the pockets ever end up holding is trash. Plus it looks "better" off the bike.
All my clothes look pretty normal off the bike, but are also extremely comfortable on it.
*Im in no way "anti-jersey", I own many, I just feel like they are designed for bikes with little to no storage, and my touring bike has plenty.
A light weight Patagonia t shirt keeps me nice and cool and when I'm wearing a jersey on tour the only thing the pockets ever end up holding is trash. Plus it looks "better" off the bike.
All my clothes look pretty normal off the bike, but are also extremely comfortable on it.
*Im in no way "anti-jersey", I own many, I just feel like they are designed for bikes with little to no storage, and my touring bike has plenty.
Last edited by psy; 11-04-15 at 11:52 AM.
#35
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Cycling jerseys and tech t-shirts are a wash---neither one packs noticeably smaller or works noticeably differently. In fact, I got some t-shirts from Nashbar made out of exactly the same material as their jerseys, with a zip-up pocket on the back---look like t-shirts, work like jerseys. I like them because I hate to leave my essentials anywhere but on my person--I can lose everything--bike, bags--but I have never lost myself, so I always have my wallet and keys.
Personal choice, nothing more or less.
As for what "looks better"---I am so handsome I look good no matter what I wear. Seriously, everyone thinks something else looks "better" and no one much agrees with anyone else. In any crowd looking at you no one will agree on what you should wear ... and after 20 seconds, they are all lost in their smartphones and have forgotten about you anyway. They don't care, why should I?
Personal choice, nothing more or less.
As for what "looks better"---I am so handsome I look good no matter what I wear. Seriously, everyone thinks something else looks "better" and no one much agrees with anyone else. In any crowd looking at you no one will agree on what you should wear ... and after 20 seconds, they are all lost in their smartphones and have forgotten about you anyway. They don't care, why should I?
#36
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It's all I take with me. I don't take any street clothes with me at all. When I go in anywhere I go in wearing cycling clothes, jersey, shorts and cycling shoes, including cleats. If no one likes, tough crap! I keep the comfort up, by keeping the weight on the bike down. There's no reason to take along any street clothes. I will fess I did take a tshirt with me and did end up buy a pair of lightweight, unpadded cycling shorts at Walmart or wherever during the trip to put on when I would go into the laundrymat since I would normally drop off the clothes and head out to grab groceries or whatever while the clothes were washing. The only time I ever wore the other stuff was while doing laundry.
#37
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Cycling jerseys and tech t-shirts are a wash---neither one packs noticeably smaller or works noticeably differently. In fact, I got some t-shirts from Nashbar made out of exactly the same material as their jerseys, with a zip-up pocket on the back---look like t-shirts, work like jerseys. I like them because I hate to leave my essentials anywhere but on my person--I can lose everything--bike, bags--but I have never lost myself, so I always have my wallet and keys.
Personal choice, nothing more or less.
As for what "looks better"---I am so handsome I look good no matter what I wear. Seriously, everyone thinks something else looks "better" and no one much agrees with anyone else. In any crowd looking at you no one will agree on what you should wear ... and after 20 seconds, they are all lost in their smartphones and have forgotten about you anyway. They don't care, why should I?
Personal choice, nothing more or less.
As for what "looks better"---I am so handsome I look good no matter what I wear. Seriously, everyone thinks something else looks "better" and no one much agrees with anyone else. In any crowd looking at you no one will agree on what you should wear ... and after 20 seconds, they are all lost in their smartphones and have forgotten about you anyway. They don't care, why should I?
The pack and weight differences though small, are there. i think I save about 150 grams or so by going t shirts vs jerseys (I usually carry three). Not huge, but still.
Bottom line is, overall your right, these are MY personal preferences and that is all.
#38
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I mean I already have the jerseys and bib shorts. I've already ridden in them for over 4,300 miles this year including much further distances in a day than I'll do on this tour.
Weather permitting, is there any reason not to wear the same cycling clothing on a 4-day, self-supported ~250 mile tour on a loaded touring bike?
Weather permitting, is there any reason not to wear the same cycling clothing on a 4-day, self-supported ~250 mile tour on a loaded touring bike?
No reason at all why you can't just take cycling clothes, though I would add the proviso that you might need cooler weather clothing depending on where you are going, and time of year. Altitude can make things much colder, as can rain etc. But I was on a summer ride across the USA, hot most of the time, so it was pretty ok to just have a wool top, tights and rain jacket.
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Change when you decide it's time. I go a few days on a pair of shorts/jersey. Saddle sores?? I only pack one pair too. Not sure why you need spares for rain. If they're wet when I camp I'll sleep with them and they're OK in the morning. Maybe not "dry" but good enough.
#40
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More than one Pair washed along with your skin, to knock back the Bacteria that lay on your skin
and can Make those puss filled carbuncles .
and can Make those puss filled carbuncles .
#41
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I prefer to make sure my jersey is visually striking. Some roadie kits are dark, some are bright. I prefer to be visible.
People's skin sensitivity varies. I'm one of those who needs to get out of the shorts and clean down there as soon as possible, and wear clean shorts every day. Saddle sores are no fun, and they've ended some people's tours. Ergo, I take off-bike clothes.
But on the bike? For hours of daily cycling, I can think of no reason to wear anything less than bike shorts. When you go into a store, diner, etc., look people in the eye. They'll look back.
People's skin sensitivity varies. I'm one of those who needs to get out of the shorts and clean down there as soon as possible, and wear clean shorts every day. Saddle sores are no fun, and they've ended some people's tours. Ergo, I take off-bike clothes.
But on the bike? For hours of daily cycling, I can think of no reason to wear anything less than bike shorts. When you go into a store, diner, etc., look people in the eye. They'll look back.
#42
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- Getting out of my bike shorts and airing out down there once in camp for the evening and overnight. I take a pair of running shorts for that purpose (Nike DriFit, 5" inseam, about 4 oz.)
- Application of zinc oxide diaper cream worn over night works wonders and I use it at the first sign of chafing. Any irritation is gone in the morning.
I typically only take one pair of bike shorts and they sometimes go a few days without washing. I don't find that to be a problem. BTW, when it comes to killing anything that might be growing in the chamois turning them inside out and laying them out in the sun for an hour is probably as effective as laundering wrt killing anything that grows there.
#43
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#45
~>~
If not changing into dry kit when rain abates or sleeping in the day's moist stinking riding clothes instead of cleaning up and donning camp attire is your idea of "good enough" it falls far short of mine.
As always, suit yourself.
-Bandera
#46
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That is what we call a classy co-worker! Only a certain few can go out and get a tuxedo t-shirt, a very rare, elite breed of only the top echelons of society ; )
#47
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In re OP I think racing clothes are a good choice for touring esp if one is already used to certain brands/models. Using new clothing on long rides can prove painful. Personally I usually prefer non-clingy shorts w/pockets but race-type shorts have the absolute edge for comfort.
#48
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They simply take up too much room in the panniers compared to 5 pairs of clean underwear and normal shorts.
There can be many days between towns and opportunities to wash here abouts and i like clean underwear everyday.
I take nylon or wool shirts but rarely cotton and then only in summer.
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I mean I already have the jerseys and bib shorts. I've already ridden in them for over 4,300 miles this year including much further distances in a day than I'll do on this tour.
Weather permitting, is there any reason not to wear the same cycling clothing on a 4-day, self-supported ~250 mile tour on a loaded touring bike?
Weather permitting, is there any reason not to wear the same cycling clothing on a 4-day, self-supported ~250 mile tour on a loaded touring bike?
#50
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It's all I take with me. I don't take any street clothes with me at all. When I go in anywhere I go in wearing cycling clothes, jersey, shorts and cycling shoes, including cleats. If no one likes, tough crap! I keep the comfort up, by keeping the weight on the bike down. There's no reason to take along any street clothes. I will fess I did take a tshirt with me and did end up buy a pair of lightweight, unpadded cycling shorts at Walmart or wherever during the trip to put on when I would go into the laundrymat since I would normally drop off the clothes and head out to grab groceries or whatever while the clothes were washing. The only time I ever wore the other stuff was while doing laundry.
My last tour I brought a dri fit T and basketball shorts to sleep in. Ended up mailing them back home because I just didn't need them.
For this reason I don't take cycle shorts with me on tour.
They simply take up too much room in the panniers compared to 5 pairs of clean underwear and normal shorts.
There can be many days between towns and opportunities to wash here abouts and i like clean underwear everyday.
I take nylon or wool shirts but rarely cotton and then only in summer.
They simply take up too much room in the panniers compared to 5 pairs of clean underwear and normal shorts.
There can be many days between towns and opportunities to wash here abouts and i like clean underwear everyday.
I take nylon or wool shirts but rarely cotton and then only in summer.
Sink / water fountain / spigot + liquid soap = clean cycling shorts. No reason to bring more than 2 pairs IMO.
Last edited by Buffalo Buff; 11-05-15 at 04:01 AM.