Casual clothing...

[Holdsworth]

As the title says I am looking at various items of casual (i.e. not lycra) clothing for cycling in. I admit to having a rather big problem with sweat, I sweat a lot even in the depths of winter and I am doing absolutely jack all. When exercising though the problem is 10x worse, even on short, gentle trips to town I come home bathed in sweat and smelling awful.

Therefore for my new commute to the railway station (2.5 miles or so) and 1/2 mile ride at the other end, I will require a new set of clothes to ride in. I never seem to have the odour problem with lycra and the wicking abilities keep me much more comfortable, it is only when riding in cotton or other fabrics that I stink the place out. I have been looking in millets and seen what are described as "technical t-shirts" that claim to have a close fit and wicking properties, much like my regular cycle jersey.

See here

Would something like that be suitable for cycling in for someone like me? I tried this afternoon on a trip into town to wear a cycle jersey underneath my t-shirt, it worked rather well apart from the collar of the jersey sticking out. No smell reported a any sweat wicked away.

I am also looking for something for suitable in the trouser department. I currently wear a pair of jeans but have found these far from ideal, too tight in places, crap in the rain and chafe a bit on the thighs. I have seen some recommendations for Craghopper Kiwi trousers in particular and they appear to suit me perfectly. I would like some opinions on these for cycling and also whether or not go for the pairs that have the zip off lower section to transform them into shorts. The regular ones are £25 ATM in my local millets and the zip-off ones are a tenner more.

Thanks in advance,

Tom.

 

[al-fresco]

Well, obviously the shirt works! A high wicking fabric makes a huge difference to cycling and exercising. (They're making some from bamboo now which they claim is naturally anti-bacterial and so reduces the whiff too.) IMO the problem with that particular shirt is the high neck, that's OK for a few miles on the flat but once you hit the hills it feels very restrictive - a cycling T shirt usually has a nice long zip that you can put down when you start gasping for air.

As for trousers I used to cycle in Rohan Bags and they were fine except they needed cycle clips which kept slipping. (So Craghoppers would probably be fine for short distances.) In the end I bought a cheap pair of Aldi cycling trousers for winter and a couple of pairs of Endura Zyme baggy shorts for the rest of the year. The shorts - which look like cotton even though they're really nylon - are so comfortable on and off a bike that double up for gardening and walking.

 

[yashicamat]

I use a regatta shirt that looks like a normal button-up shirt (casual style of course), but it's actually a nylon-polyester blend and proves excellent for cycling (especially when touring). When touring, it also dries when pegged out over the rack in no time after washing it.

 

[funnymummy]

I've just been to Millets this morn, I bought a couple of those Tshirts, but obvioulsy not tried them out yet.
I also have the Craghopper trousers (zip off) & the Regatta shirts - The latter i've had for years & used on many tours, I tend to get a bit sweaty too when riding a fully loaded bike & pulling 8stone of child & trailer behind me, and they are ideal clothes as wash really esay & dry pretty quick

 

[Holdsworth]

Thanks for the suggestions people.

I don't suppose you have a link to that particular short Rob, it sounds like it might suit my needs?

Still looking intently at those Craghoppers, the zip-off ones may turn out to be more flexible depending on the weather.

All I know now is that wearing any kind of cotton shirt next to my skin is a recipe for failure. I stupidly tried again wearing a t-shirt yesterday and just going to town I have a proverbial waterfall running down my back! I have no idea what to wear in this weather where it is cool/windy as jumpers too just don't help and leaving me wet and uncomfortable, plus regular jackets, waterproof or not, are boil in the bag.

 

[GrasB]

I'd look at hiking clothing, it tends to be on the more casual side & also designed to wick well & dry quickly.

 

[marshmella]

As the title says I am looking at various items of casual (i.e. not lycra) clothing for cycling in. I admit to having a rather big problem with sweat, I sweat a lot even in the depths of winter and I am doing absolutely jack all. When exercising though the problem is 10x worse, even on short, gentle trips to town I come home bathed in sweat and smelling awful.

Therefore for my new commute to the railway station (2.5 miles or so) and 1/2 mile ride at the other end, I will require a new set of clothes to ride in. I never seem to have the odour problem with lycra and the wicking abilities keep me much more comfortable, it is only when riding in cotton or other fabrics that I stink the place out. I have been looking in millets and seen what are described as "technical t-shirts" that claim to have a close fit and wicking properties, much like my regular cycle jersey.

See here

Would something like that be suitable for cycling in for someone like me? I tried this afternoon on a trip into town to wear a cycle jersey underneath my t-shirt, it worked rather well apart from the collar of the jersey sticking out. No smell reported a any sweat wicked away.

I am also looking for something for suitable in the trouser department. I currently wear a pair of jeans but have found these far from ideal, too tight in places, crap in the rain and chafe a bit on the thighs. I have seen some recommendations for Craghopper Kiwi trousers in particular and they appear to suit me perfectly. I would like some opinions on these for cycling and also whether or not go for the pairs that have the zip off lower section to transform them into shorts. The regular ones are £25 ATM in my local millets and the zip-off ones are a tenner more.

Thanks in advance,

Tom.

Hi, someone on here suggested a brand of t shirt called 'More Mile'. I bought 3 from TK MAXX and they have been really good, though not cycling specific.