This morning's commute and other commuting stories

Yeah, my cutoff is about five miles. For a while I rode fifteen miles a day in jeans & a jumper & it wasn't very fun - clothes wore out very quickly & I couldn't go for a faster ride if I wanted. Now seven miles a day & wearing civvies is fine.

I do go for lycra if it's raining though, & as a consequence spend more time getting changed than actually cycling. Yesterday I planned ahead for the weather & wore PJs WFH!

For me, about 7k is the point where I start to think about lycra. Actually, I'd probably wear normal clothes on the bottom, and a lycra / sports top, I've done that before quite successfully.

But I also usually cycle rather quickly.

Sweat buckets and do about 24miles a day including over Crystal Palace - lycra for me.

Used to have a 16 mile roundtrip, the lycra got out.

Now with 7 miles I use a sportstop/jersey, but wear work trousers etc.

Interesting topic, this. 23-25 mile round trip for me and I'm in the lycra. Anything over 10 miles in a stretch and it seems worth it to me. Plus I ride a cambium which would trash my trousers after a month of commuting.

You don't need to justify Lyrca, it's lovely stuff. Hater's gonna hate. Just dgaf.

I think it's more a case of justifying the need to carry your work clothes in the bag, probably take a shower etc. If I could change from lycra to work clothes or the other way around at Superman speed, I'd only ever cycle in lycra. It's purpose-made for cycling, it's objectively superior to normal clothing.

I’d rather be a bit stinky than budgie-smuggle.

Also slow. Slow is starting to really make me happy. It used to make me sad, feeling old/unfit etc. Now I’m finding I want to stop to admire/experience things, chat, be nosey, go an abnormal route sometimes. This last one is a real challenge for me as I’m such a habitual creature (see drug & alcohol dependecies). Also sometimes breaking the talismanic attachment to things like gloves or a certain coat seems hard but I think worth it.

In other news, I’m REALLY fucked off at the road closure & temp light on Bow St. See above not wanting to change routes.

I did 7 miles each way in work clothes for a couple of years no problem. In summer it reaches 30 degrees on Central Line anyway so it's cooler on the bike, but then I moved to an office with awesome showers that had body jets so I'd turn them all on and pretend I was on a submarine that was hit by a torpedo.

Anyone cycle along CS2 here as part of their commute? I've noticed a pattern now with a female cyclist who dresses up in what I can only describe as an ocean survival drysuit every time there's a hint of rain. Must be sweating buckets in that thing.

The first time I met one of my best friends she had just decided to go back to cycling and was wearing what she's been wearing on the moped--a full yellow oilskin suit and an open moped helmet with goggles. She's always very happy to be reminded of this. :)

I’d rather be a bit stinky than budgie-smuggle.

Well, we clearly differ there. I have no problem with functional sportswear, be it bib shorts or unisuits in rowing, and I think other people can deal with it too. On the other hand, I don't really want to impose my smell on others.

Fucking skintight anything is for pratts.

You're allowed to have that opinion, but you're also objectively wrong.

My commute is like 6km and I full lycra everyday coz I smash it like a fucking beast...

I think you need to go and purchase some salt, then sprinkle pinches liberally.

Are we seriously going to discuss the benefits of specialised sports clothing?

Maybe we should also discuss the benefits of using a round wheel over a square one?

When I see an abandoned chain (gear, not lock) on the ground, I always wonder 'did they not even think it might be fixable at the friendly LBS, or did they just think, well that's fucked, better scoot home like I'm Baron Karl von Drais (and not bother binning said chain)'

yeah but riding your bike to school and back isn't exactly sportsing.

lolz

Think @salmonchild was implying take me and my trolling with a pinch. Which I thought you already had, to be frank.

That depends how far and fast you go. And it doesn't change the fact that specialised clothing is still superior, because it was specifically made to suit the activity of riding a bike.

I mean, I'm also not the one who cares how people dress. Wear chinos, a shirt and sandals, I've done that before and had a great time.

I was just suggesting you not take Skully's comment so seriously.

Maybe you could fuck off and find another forum?

^^ ok cool let us know how that works out for you okay?

Wow.

How about you fuck off and find another forum?

Jesus fucking Christ.