What to wear on a Brompton for commuting?

[User33236]

In the next few months my bike of choice for my commute to work will change from a road bike to a Brompton.

At the moment I'm a MAMIL on the commutes but feel I would look a bit of a prat riding a Brompton in lycra.

As I will be having a full change of clothing at work what do you people recommend for the cycle commute? They are a lot of brands that show up in a quick internet search but they all seem to be at the more expensive end on the market which begs the question; are they worth it or are there cheaper alternatives out there?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Lonestar]

A Brompton. (Just been out on mine to the dentist)

Wear what you want...Funny thing is I got tooted bt WVM and his mate twice (today)..Would guess he was taking the piss for some reason but he was behaving like a prat.I was wearing my Hi_Viz yellow top and cargo shorts...SPD's.

No other motorists tooted me...I was on the shared path between Whipps Cross and Green man.

 

[palinurus]

I used to use some trousers and shirts originally bought for walking (the sort of things you buy in outdoor shops), although that's because I had them anyway. If I wanted padding I had some really cheap shorts I'd wear underneath (got them for a fiver- still use them under my winter longs). In the summer I used some old padded MTB shorts. For shorter journeys I used whatever I was wearing at the time.

 

[Bimble]

I'd probably go with MTB baggies and T-Shirt / Jumper / Jacket combo depending on the weather. How long is the commute?

 

[Fab Foodie]

A Brompton. (Just been out on mine to the dentist)

Wear what you want...Funny thing is I got tooted bt WVM and his mate twice (today)..Would guess he was taking the piss for some reason but he was behaving like a prat.I was wearing my Hi_Viz yellow top and cargo shorts...SPD's.

No other motorists tooted me...I was on the shared path between Whipps Cross and Green man.

I'm out on mine now:

Mostly I'm wearing shorts, but wear what you like. Cheap walking trousers are fine, but anything goes on a Brompton :-)
Summer beach shorts, t-shirt, fleece, sneakers right now.

 

[LCpl Boiled Egg]

I guess it would depend on the length of your commute whether or not you wanted padded shorts but mine is ten minutes, train, then ten minutes again so I don't bother. So for me it's cargo shorts with old trainers and an old T-shirt on top. Depending on the weather I add an Endura jacket (with a hat and gloves kept in the back pockets) and Ron Hill Bikesters. In the front bag on the bike I pack a waterproof jacket and overtrousers which I hardly ever wear unless it's bucketing down. I then change to smart(er) clothes at work.

 

[derrick]

Full face helmet so no one would recognize me.

 

[mjr]

Mostly I'm wearing shorts, but wear what you like. Cheap walking trousers are fine, but anything goes on a Brompton :-)

^^^ This. Mine's a Dahon rather than a Brompton, but my most recent purchases have been some M+S regular chinos, some Craghoppers and some Rohan Strongholds and all are fine one it, with poundland slapwraps to keep the ankles off the chain/cranks.

 

[Markymark]

There's been a couple of threads recently about what to wear on certain bikes. Maybe we should compile a list? A couple to start with:

Mountain Bike: Your school uniform
Fixie: Bright flashing lights to warn people you are an adult who is incapable of mastering brakes or gears

 

[User33236]

Thanks all. Given me some ideas to think about and do a bit of online shopping later

PS don't know exact distance yet as not 100 % sure on where I will be living, but expect it to be between 5 and 7 miles.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Surely Rapha has a Brompton-optimised range?

 

[mythste]

Vulpine.

Semi serious.

 

[User33236]

Vulpine.

Semi serious.

I did see the Vulpine stuff at a show last year. It looks good but at a price. Might keep an eye out for a sale later in the year.

 

[User33236]

Surely Rapha has a Brompton-optimised range?

They have some urban kit I'm not a huge fan of the Rapha muted colours.

 

[mythste]

I did see the Vulpine stuff at a show last year. It looks good but at a price. Might keep an eye out for a sale later in the year.

Good point.

It's great quality gear but never buy it at full price, they have relatively frequent sales - in fact I think you've just missed a 40% off everything deal. Sorry!