Fashion related cycling questionnaire

My two penneth;

1. What is your favourite cycling brand? Why?
   I don't have one. I am yet to find one brand that ticks ALL the boxes.

2. What do you look for in your cycling clothing?
   Something durable. Won't go thin and full of holes at stress points (trousers/jeans in particular) and is a good looking piece of clothing. Something that doesn't look like cycling gear, but does the job and you can get straight off the bike and go into the pub without feeling like you're waving a massive "cycletwat" flag.

3. What is your favourite cycling accessory?
   Whatever it is that I have just bought. Previously my new helmet. Currently my new gloves.

4. If you could invent anything to make cycling everday easier, what would it be?
   A washing product that would easily get out all the road filth and grease that ends up on your clothes. I'm sick of having a stack of t-shirts and trousers that I just sacrifice to getting ruined.

5. What does cycling mean to you? Is it just travel? Or is it a fashion accessory?
   Cycling means a lot. To me it feel like the most natural way to get around, and in the effort to make cities more humane places to be I think cities founded on cycling would be a good start. As well as the usual environmental, economic and fitness issues. Plus, it's how I met WjPrincess - who is lovely.

1. What is your favourite cycling brand? Why?
   **rapha. quality, functionality, simplicity of design, generally discreet branding.
   that and the fact that i'm a sucker for their marketing style, the whole euro sophisticate espresso dudes riding the cols in their vintage sunnies. awesome.
   also the expense makes me feel smugly superior to those of my peers who can't afford it.
   
   

** 2. What do you look for in your cycling clothing?
quality, functionality, simplicity of design.

1. What is your favourite cycling accessory?
   **hats. have too many. **

2. If you could invent anything to make cycling everday easier, what would it be?
   **easier defeats the purpose of cycling. **

3. What does cycling mean to you? Is it just travel? Or is it a fashion accessory?
   **practical urban transport, but the clothing required to make cycling a viable option needn't be completly utilitarian. there's scope for frivolity.
   sport. it's not just an urban/fixed activity.
   when else does a guy get a chance to parade himself in skintight lycra.
   **

OOOoh, I love a questionnaire!

1. What is your favourite cycling brand? Why?
   Don't actually own any cycle-specific clothing as I don't like how it all looks so cycle-specific. I'm forever on the hunt for hidden gems, of regular street style clothing that holds up well to cycle abuse. Nike ACG is rather good - good price, the logos tend to be subtle, they have women-specific stuff that fits well, and they last long. I'd only buy Rapha in a massive sale. I like the look of what Charge are doing, but don't own any of their clothing range so can't really comment.

2. What do you look for in your cycling clothing?
   It needs to blend in with 'regular clothing', so that I can go about my normal business but also jump on my bike when I want to. I look for good value for money, breathable and bright (but non-fluorescent) colours for raincoats etc, so that I can be seen better.

3. What is your favourite cycling accessory?
   Any of my Eastpak backpacks, they have never let me down and are bright, affordable and collectable. Though I do get mistaken for a Youf quite a lot wearing one.

4. If you could invent anything to make cycling everday easier, what would it be?
   More breathable backpacks! Messengers are uncomfortable, so backpacks need to be less sweaty for one's back. Somebody do it, please.

5. What does cycling mean to you? Is it just travel? Or is it a fashion accessory?
   Friends, fun, frolics. Pimpin' rides. It brings people together, is a green way of travel and helps me de-stress. If I don't ride my bike everyday I see RED

1. What is your favourite cycling brand? Why?
   
   

Rapha, but damn, it's expensive. Howies is good too. Not that I can bring myself to pay full price for either. Swrve is good too - how come no one has mentioned their shorts or jackets yet?

1. What do you look for in your cycling clothing?
   
   

The unique blend of form and function... nah, just something that looks good, isn't made of polyester (although some things can be) and which works.

Not breaking the bank over the lifetime of the product too... i.e. it can be pricey if it's going to last. I'm still using a Rapha jersey I bought four years ago in the sample sale, and it still looks pretty much brand new.

1. What is your favourite cycling accessory?
   
   

Pac hip pouch. Not for cycling, but because it was awesome at Glastonbury as a stash-everything-in-pouch. Cycling wise, probably the Crank Bros. Joplin seatpost I bought for my mountain bike.

1. If you could invent anything to make cycling everday easier, what would it be?
   
   

Can I un-invent cars?

1. What does cycling mean to you? Is it just travel? Or is it a fashion accessory?
   
   

It's primarily transport (on-road cycling).

1. What is your favourite cycling brand? Why?
   
   

Nalini, it fits and is in budget.

1. What do you look for in your cycling clothing?
   Quality, performance & price

2. What is your favourite cycling accessory?
   Arm/Knee warmers

3. If you could invent anything to make cycling everday easier, what would it be?
   Its easy enough now.

4. What does cycling mean to you? Is it just travel? Or is it a fashion accessory?
   It's fun.

1. What is your favourite cycling brand? Why?
   Altura for reasonable quality and fit at accesible prices. Foska for getting well away from the stereotypical black, flouro and bold colours that most other manufacturers think are the only ones out there. Sugoi and similar for pushing technical limits.

2. What do you look for in your cycling clothing?
   Comfort, practicality, quick drying, sealable pockets.

3. What is your favourite cycling accessory?
   Crochetback cycling gloves, with relly good padding on the palms.

4. If you could invent anything to make cycling everday easier, what would it be?
   A faired recumbent e-trike, but that's more about my desires to see a move towards micro-commuting. Clothingwise I would expand on the idea of Rainlegs.

5. What does cycling mean to you? Is it just travel? Or is it a fashion accessory?
   Cycling is transport, a means of getting around easily, a form of recreation, a commitment to the environment, a closer enjoyment of the environment, freedom from the contraints of congestion and the limitations of the road network.

Once again a person looking at cycling fashion is IMO asking the wrong questions. We have tones of cycling fashion already. If you're trying to come up with cycling fashion then give up, it's probably already been done. On the otherhand, if you're looking to create fashion for cyclsits then stop, take all of the answers to the above questions and place them up on a big board for reference. Take a look from time to time. If you're matching those answers or answering those questions then you know you're going down the wrong route.
Now think about button down collars, ties, massive metal studs on skater's belts. Think about thumb loops on the strappy sleeves of a woman's top designed for a nightclub, a faux buckle on a pair of slingbacks, a zip along the thigh of a pair of skinny jeans whose sole purpose is to open and close and maybe expose a bit of flesh. All these things and many more features that are or have at one time been fashionable are fall all intents and purposes useless. Stop trying to make us look cool or sporty or outdoorsy or whatever preconception you might have about cyclists, give us indulgence, a bit of frivolity, even some plainness would be nice. You don't need to make us look like cyclists, two wheels and a frame between our legs will do that for us. So long as what you give us is functionally effective on a bicycle then go wild and design fashion. Think of some basic articles for cycling clothing that can be adapted to the whims of fashion, be it stripes, or patterns or whatever the new black is these days.

As for me, I want shoes with a retention strap and spd plates that haven't been designe to look sporty. I want socks that cover my ankles but don't have big bright/flouro/reflective things on them. I want a pair of trousers with an articulated knee and an ankle strap so I don't have to tuck into my socks or wear a clip and a bit of generousity around the thighs. I want a Tshirt that's cutt like a plain cotton T and as soft but quick drying etc. I want a comfy top that doesn't end three or four inches above my wrist when I'm stretched out on the drops because the headwind is a beast today. Give me a jacket that breathes a lot, has pit zips, a back pocket and all the other features of a cycling jacket but is subtle in it's appearance. I've gt the cycling gear that I need, I need something else. I need something allows me to be the other things that I am when I'm off the bike, a foodie at the gastropub, a reader at the book signing, an audiophile at the music recital and so on. Half the time I'm happy o look like a cyclist, the rest of the time I want to blend into the crowd, be something else, to be the other me and have a bit of style when I'm doing it.

i'll play.

1. What is your favourite cycling brand? Why?
   Probably Swrve. Because it'd functional, pretty good value for money and looks understated and not overtly "roadie".

2. What do you look for in your cycling clothing?
   Functional, understated and long lasting.

3. What is your favourite cycling accessory?
   Aside from the essential shoes and gloves + showerproof in the bag, probably padded shorts for anything over a handful of miles.

4. If you could invent anything to make cycling everday easier, what would it be?
   a tiny invisible and silent battery powered motor in my seat tube allowing me to undertake seemingly impossible feats of acceleration.

5. What does cycling mean to you? Is it just travel? Or is it a fashion accessory? Primarily travel, secondarily relaxation and leisure and more recently, via the forum, a social experience. Excericise comes a distant fourth. Fashion is relevant only in that i'd like to minimise the extent to which i look like a dick while engaging in motivations one to four.

Nice Seldom Killer, nice (seriously - I'm not taking the piss)

are you in advertising by any chance? Sounds like an ad for Guiness or somethin (if Guiness were a cycle brand). Love it.

No, I've just been to enough cycle events with fashion shows that were big flops because innovations in cycle clothing didn't look any different. (16 section padding and supreme breathability don't really work to a mass audience who can't see it).

I'm also tired of looking like a fat bastard sporto wannabe when I'm visiting the bookshop.

Perhaps I should be in advertising.

Thanks for all the info, i honestly just wanted more knowledge on the cycling scene. Im not about to create a huge fashion show on fashion based cycling clothing. Im actually just looking for what cyclists need in their clothing to perform, but not look like someone in spandex. Im sure most people can understand that? Thanks for all the answers, they're great, 'object' - i have sent these questions to blogs, other forums etc etc... im trying to get an overview of the whole scene...Thanks again

Terri

Terri, over here we call it Lycra and it is the most wonderfully comfortable and practical material for cycling in.

Terri, over here we call it Lycra and it is the most wonderfully comfortable and practical material for cycling in.

and also rocking out in.

Haha sorry :S Well as i said, im just trying to gain more knowledge, and all these answers have helped me so much... im not trying to change cyclists clothing, but for those that, like 'the seldom killer' said want to get off their bike and not look like a cyclist for their other duties sometimes, i think there should be 'everyday' clothing with cycling components?

Anyway, i dont want to offend anyone. Just simply want some knowledge on this area and as i have found, the variety of people that cycle.

Thankyou

x