Cycling clothing - John C. Kirk

12:40 am - Cycling clothing

I've been cycling to work since last October, and my views on appropriate clothing have shifted a bit during that time. Initially, I'd just wear my normal work clothes (with high-vis waistcoat and helmet), but I'm now wearing a T-shirt for cycling and carrying my work shirt in the pannier, then changing when I arrive. That's partly because I seem to be sweating a lot more now; this is probably a combination of the weather, cycling further, and pedalling faster.

I'm now wondering about the lower half. When I use machines at the gym, I wear lycra cycle shorts: they're more comfortable, and a bit more absorbant. I'd be happy to wear them if I was cycling the whole way to work; I could either carry trousers with me, or keep them in a locker at the office. However, the problem is that I go part of the way by train; it's not so much that I'd feel self-conscious, but I don't want to offend any of the other passengers. One option would be to get "baggies", but I'd prefer not to buy any extra clothing at the moment, particularly since I'm hoping to slim down a bit (i.e. they'd become too big for me). Another option would be to put an extra layer on top (e.g. tracksuit trousers), but that would probably make me sweat even more.

So, what do the rest of you think?