outfitting yourself

Now that you have the right bike, and the right equipment, it’s time to talk about how you need to be outfitted. For short commutes, all you really need is a helmet. And you DO need a helmet. All helmets sold in this country should conform to ANSI and Snell safety standards. They cost anywhere from $30.00 to $200.00. The main thing is fit. Get one that fits you comfortably and wear it properly. I see a lot of people wearing their helmet way back on their head. It’s not a hat, it’s there for protection and exposing your forehead will minimize its protection. After fit, ventilation and weight are considerations.

Cycling Helmet

There are two basic approaches to your "commute wear." One, you ride to work in your work clothes. That is a what I did when my commute was two miles. Two, ride to work in cycling clothes and change at work. That is what I do now with my ten-mile commute. Depending on the terrain, you can usually ride 5 miles or more without the need to shower before work. I could even ride to work in work clothes on my ten mile commute at a leisurely pace. We will discuss showering and/or changing at work on the Hygiene at Work page.

gear for commuting in work clothes

Pant leg strap. A Velcro strap that keeps your pant leg out of the chain and sprocket. Getting your pant leg caught in your chain can lead to a loss of control. Not the most fashionable item, but beats tucking your pant leg into your sock.

Lightweight jacket. Cycling jackets can get a bit pricey, but a running jacket works just as well. Even on seasonable days, it can feel uncomfortably cool riding a bike.

Rain gear. While you might not choose to ride on rainy days, you might not have a choice. Some sort of basic rain gear is not a bad idea to have around.

Pant Leg Strap		Lightweight Jacket		Rain Jacket

Gloves. Cycling gloves are not a necessity, but can save wear and tear on the hands. For cold weather you are probably going to want a pair of full-finger, insulated cycling gloves. In milder climates, like where I live, glove-liners are an option. Glove-liners are lightweight gloves that fit under or over your cycling gloves.

Cycling Gloves		Thermal Cycling Gloves		Glove-liners

Cycling Glasses. Besides acting as sunglasses, sport or cycling glasses protect your eyes from debris and from excessive tearing from the wind. If you wear contacts, cycling glasses can help prevent them from drying out while riding. Many sporting-goods stores carry inexpensive sport glasses. You can also pay a few hundred dollars for high-end cycling glasses. Some glasses come with an optical insert for prescription lenses. These can be used with or without the optical insert. Very convenient for those of us who wear glasses.

Cycling Glasses		Glasses w/ Prescription Insert

Padded Cycling Briefs. For a little more comfort while you ride, you might consider padded briefs. They are basically boxer briefs with a cycling chamois insert. You can wear them under your work clothes and then change into your regular underwear when you get to work. Available for both men and women.

Men's Padded Briefs		Women's Padded Briefs

gear for commuting in cycling clothes

If you are buying cycling gear for the first time, there are only a few must-have items. There are a lot of nice-to-haves. We will focus on the basics. One of the benefits of cycling clothing is its ability to 'wick" away sweat. The modern synthetics draw moisture off the body to the outer side of the fabric so it evaporates quickly. A cotton tee shirt will absorb the sweat and hold the moisture. Once you have felt the difference, you won't go back to cotton tee shirts for cycling.

Padded Shorts. A must for cycling long distances. They are usually made of Lycra or a similar synthetic material and have a padded "chamois" in the crotch. There are two basic styles. Shorts, which are just what they sound like, and bib shorts, which have lightweight shoulder-straps to keep them up. They run anywhere from $40.00 to $150.00 dollars.

Cycling Shorts		Bib Shorts

Cycling Jersey. Usually a pullover shirt with a zipped neck. Short or long sleeves. Everything from neutral colors to full-blown multi-hued team jerseys. Personally, I collect beer jerseys.

Simple Long Sleeve Jersey		Team Jersey		Favorite Beer Jersey

Cycling Socks. Here again, wicking fabric is key. The cotton/poly socks you bought in a 12-pack at Costco are going to soak up sweat. Cycling socks breath and keep your feet drier. And they last longer than those socks in the 12-pack. Everything from plain white, to multi-hued craziness. Have a little fun with them.

Cycling Socks - Mild		Cycling Socks - Wild

Cycling Shoes. Modern cycling shoes have cleats attached to the bottoms where they snap into special pedals. This increases your pedaling efficiency and power considerably. Most are made of vented material with very ridgid soles. They are not comfortable to walk in. Since they are ridged, fit is really important. They aren't going to "stretch" like your tennis shoes. If they don't fit when you buy them, they never will. There are also comfort cycling shoes that are more like tennis shoes with recessed cleats for easier walking. Shoes start at around $90.00 and go as high as nearly $300.00.

Road Shoes		Comfort Shoes

Jacket, gloves, and glasses. Already mentioned above.