- As former professional cyclists, we've probably spent
more time wearing lycra than bears thinking about.
- Yup, and although the tight cycling shorts
and the tight jersey and all the other tight cycling kit
might be appropriate for longer training rides,
sometimes lycra is just not the answer.
- No, not for city cycling.
You might be cruising gently, you might not be traveling
far, or, perhaps more to the point,
you might have to look half-decent
when you get to your destination,
and actually not have anywhere to get changed.
- So let's go and take a look at some of the clothing
options available to you for city cycling.
(upbeat techno music)
- Cycling is a great way to get around a city.
It's often faster than driving,
you take up less space on the road,
and of course it doesn't pollute at all.
Cycling is more flexible than public transport,
and it's healthier, because it's exercise,
and we could all use a little more of that, couldn't we?
- When cycling in a city,
some of us might not want to look like a pro.
We might not want to walk around the supermarket
wearing lycra on the way home.
In fact, most of us probably just want to get to our
destinations feeling comfortable, relaxed, and safe.
- Now if you're just cruising to work
on a city bike then you're not training,
and if you're doing it to save time,
then you don't want to have to have a shower
and get changed when you get to work.
You need to be able to transition seamlessly from bike
to office and back to bike again.
So you want your outfit to be functional, and durable,
but also aesthetic.
Now safety has got to be the most important thing because
cities are full of motor vehicles as well as people,
and interactions with cars can be scary
and even downright dangerous for cyclists.
Now luckily not often, but it is one of the most cited
reasons why people don't want to cycle in the city,
because they're scared of the cars.
So be seen to be safe.
So you can either do that with lights,
or you can go for bright reflective colors in your clothing.
For example, fluro socks, fluro overshoes, fluro gilet.
Bright colors are more easily seen and research shows
that the best place to put bright colors, reflective things,
and light to be seen is on moving parts of your body.
For example, knees and ankles.
- Shoes.
Now, if you wanna use clip-in pedals,
you want to look for mountain bike varieties.
So you have to wear mountain bike shoes then,
meaning that you can get off and walk
with your bike should you need to.
However, if you're using normal pedals like these,
well you can go wild.
The only thing that you might want to bear in mind
is that open toes, so sandals or flip flops,
can be a little bit risky.
If you're unlucky enough to take a tumble
or even if you stay on your bike and just scuff your toes,
if you actually get grazed feet, well it's really painful,
not to mention quite frustrating waiting them to heal up
so you can actually wear your normal shoes again.
Well all that said, many of us take that risk.
- And then there's durability.
Don't wear your best frock or your best suit,
especially not if it's made of a fragile fabric.
Also, probably best to avoid anything
that needs to be hand washed, as you're just going
to be creating a huge amount of work for yourself.
And finally, white clothing.
I just really wouldn't do it, because the streets
and the bikes, they get pretty grubby,
and if you're close to them all the time,
it's not long until your white clothes end up that way too.
Comfort.
Even cycling gently means that you're gonna be
sat on your bum and pedaling.
So, clothes that are too tight or too baggy,
too hot or too cold,
well they're just not gonna be ideal, are they?
So we have some top tips for you.
- Your trousers should be loose enough or stretchy enough
to allow you to actual pedal in comfort,
and most importantly perhaps, swing your leg over the bike.
And then, the only other thing to bear in mind
is your right trouser leg.
Now you either use a clip to keep it tight,
or you roll it up, meaning that you don't
get it in the way of your chain.
Although in this case of course, in the absence of a chain,
I don't need to worry about it.
- Shorts are the perfect solution in my opinion,
whether you go for the lycra option or baggies.
Basically, there's always room to move,
they preserve your modesty,
and they don't get caught in the drive chain.
Surprisingly, the right kind of skirt can be
an excellent outfit for cycling.
Short or tight skirts maybe not,
because they are uncomfy and revealing.
But a wider skirt can allow loads of room for pedaling,
and actually what you can do is tuck the back hem
up into the front waistband to preserve your dignity.
True Scotsmen, please also take note.
For a really really long flowing skirt,
you should definitely tuck it up out of the way
because it could be dangerous if you catch it
in the back wheel or the brakes.
- Next stop is your underwear.
It's obviously quite an important subject,
as it is the layer of clothing
that's right next to your skin,
so you want to find something that's comfortable,
it doesn't crumple up, or chafe.
And one top tip is you can even get underwear
that has built in chamois,
much like your normal cycling shorts.
So if that's the sort of thing that appeals to you,
why don't you check those out.
- When you're cycling, you're out in the elements,
and that's one of the great things about it.
But it also presents challenges.
It's important to adapt your clothing appropriately.
- Yeah in hot weather, it's best just to wear a t-shirt
and swap into your office shirt or blouse
when you get there.
It's almost impossible to avoid sweating when it's hot,
and you're likely to crumple your clothing
underneath your backpack.
So save them until you get to work.
- Yup, and when it comes to cold weather, well,
there are some great cycling jackets out there that are both
quite stylish and also wind and water resistant.
Ugh, rain is the bane of every city commuter.
Now weighing up all the options,
possibly the best thing to go for is full length
waterproof trousers to protect yourself.
Alternatively you can just accept that
your legs and feet are gonna get soaked,
and just take some spare trousers and shoes for the office.
Now on your upper half, cycling waterproof these days can be
very sleek and aesthetic, or you could go for the poncho,
which is maybe not such a good look,
but it does protect more of you from the water.
(dramatic instrumental music)
A special note to gentlemen here.
Please please wear your trouser waistband high,
or use a belt, because otherwise
you might end up with a builder's bum,
and honestly nobody wants to see that.
Sorry.
- No you're not. - No, they don't.
- Oh, sorry about that, sorry.
- A special note to the ladies as well.
You might want to consider a high necked t-shirt or top,
because some people do want to see that
and you might be fine showing it off,
but it is a risk for wasps and bees.
And believe me, speaking from experience,
that is not a fun encounter.
Well let's hope that this video helps you to feel
comfortable but also cool when riding in the city,
whether you're a cyclist who never stops being a cyclist,
even off the bike, or someone who rides a bike
but does not want to look like a cyclist.
- Comfortable and cool.
Okay now if you would like to watch another video
about city cycling here on GCN,
there's one that you can click through just down there,
where we give you our top tips.
Make sure you check it out.