Our rule is helmet on before mounting the bike, never off before dismounting.
Riding Clothes - In Praise of Clown Suits
- Thread starter Alaskan
- Start date
PedalUma
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Petaluma, CA
I have plenty of clothing that is practical for ridding including day-glow gloves and helmets. For me, I draw the line at people dressing for race day when they are not in a race. Also, some people just do not belong in Lycra. Just saying. It is also about the destination. Are you going to the grocery store?
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
I am perfectly aware that even a very short ride without the helmet will end up with a crash. Because of no helmet.
In my very first days of e-biking, I managed to forget taking the helmet with me. As you might expect, I experienced a very bad crash on that specific ride. When I started seeing again, I could see a concrete pole just centimeters to my forehead...
No helmetless ride for me anymore!
The very nature of an accident is it occurs when you haven't expected that.
In my very first days of e-biking, I managed to forget taking the helmet with me. As you might expect, I experienced a very bad crash on that specific ride. When I started seeing again, I could see a concrete pole just centimeters to my forehead...
No helmetless ride for me anymore!
The very nature of an accident is it occurs when you haven't expected that.
pmcdonald
Well-Known Member
Another great and constructive discussion! Could I get some advice from the brains trust? What's the best way to deal with saddle sores?
Currently running a Brooks B17 in regular width - I really should have gotten a narrow based on my sit bone width but that was before I had comprehension of such things. It's been great but the sores creep in every so often. I commute an hour a day in business atire, jeans and dress shirt. I have a liner but usually save it for mtbing when I know I'll be in the saddle for 2-3 hours. Time to invest in a narrower saddle or more padded undies?
Currently running a Brooks B17 in regular width - I really should have gotten a narrow based on my sit bone width but that was before I had comprehension of such things. It's been great but the sores creep in every so often. I commute an hour a day in business atire, jeans and dress shirt. I have a liner but usually save it for mtbing when I know I'll be in the saddle for 2-3 hours. Time to invest in a narrower saddle or more padded undies?
Its a tough question and one that pops up a lot here. Everybody is different. But I would say jeans with the seams etc might not be the best to ride everyday. You don't need to go full bib shorts but maybe experiment with different trousers or look up bike specific street wear, companies like Chrome do cycling jeans for instance. With saddles maybe check your bike position; general rule of thumb is the more aggressive position - leaning forward - the narrower the saddle as less weight is on the saddle and the bones are leaning forward. The more upright position, where more of your weight rests on your seat bones, the wider the saddle. After that there are a zillion saddles of all shapes and sizes and just as many opinions. The Brooks saddles are renowned for comfort by long distance tourers but some people don't get on with them.
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
Make your riding position more forward if possible...
Jason Knight
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Keene, NH
I'd say it depends on your stance. If you're leaning into it, go narrower. If you're riding upright, go wider just as @Rás Cnoic said.
Padding is important, be it on you or on the seat should make no difference despite the wild claims to the contrary, though the point many have made about wicking away sweat is important. That's good reasoning for wearing a "nappy".
Irritation and rash-type breakouts are far more common when you get wet. Just look at riding in the rain and the problems that can arise there. As much as I love riding in the rain when it's 90+ degrees out, I always find my skin breaking out badly afterwards.
It's also why getting your butt up off the seat to let things air out doesn't hurt either. Despite the wild unfounded gibberish claims the upright position "doesn't let you do that". Or joe forbid just stop and walk around mid-ride for a couple minutes. Whenever I'm going more than ten miles, I pre-plan places to stop just to get up off the saddle for a while. Biggest mistake I see people do is not plan ahead on just stopping for a minute or two to air out your backside, stretch the legs a different orientation, double check the bike hardware, and hydrate / carb up. This "Oh I need to press on, I'll drink while moving and have a gel" thing is fine if you're in a professional road race. If it's your daily commute or riding for fun, just plan for a little self care along the way and enjoy the scenery at your stops.
Though I need to quit stopping at BK or Five Guys every time I go for a ride. It's starting to hurt my wallet and my gut. McDonald's "Big Breakfast" probably being my greatest sin.
I hear you on basically just wearing street clothes. My weight fluctuates so much now week to week I'm stuck wearing elastic waistband clothing, sweat pants when out riding in 50F degree nights and normal shorts during the 90F degree days. Describing my local weather the past two weeks... Of course so much of the "clown clothes" stuff becomes inapplicable once temps drop below 40F.
What's the joke? 40 degrees in New Hampshire? Shorts and T-shirt weather!
Though I find I break out and have more skin problems with wearing spandex/lyrca (same thing, I've had some bike "experts" claim they're not... morons). I've tried it a couple times and ... no, just no. A nice soft cotton or wool that can breathe and/or absorb? Far superior. It's why on top of "bike pants" and the "full suit" looking silly -- and I wouldn't subject people to the horror of seeing my crippy ass in that stuff -- it also seems to be the opposite of good clothing for when you're sweating buckets. I'm not allergic to most synthetics though, so I'm wondering if there's something in the mix I do react badly to.
But what do I know? I think silk is the most disgusting feeling material in existence. Like just... NASTY!
I have found wearing tighty-whiteys instead of boxers helps a lot. I don't understand all these crazy synthetics when perfectly good soft comfy cotton is available. Don't even get me started on the "Absorbant" synthetics used in various padding that smell like rotting flesh before you even use them. But to be fair, a lot of popular foods smell that way to me, like avocado. Smells like cadaverine.
Though on an e-bike even flat out hammering max assist, I find I don't sweat much if at all compared to normal biking. That's been far less of a worry since I got my Aventure compared to when I was on my old 3 speed. Even on 90F+ degree days I'm just not dripping wet like I used to get. Though that makes sense since I'm hitting higher speeds in a more comfortable cadence at far less effort. In assist 3 doing 18-20 I'm putting in about as much effort as 1st on my 3 speed at 3mph, but having that nice 18-20mph wind blowing over me keeping me cool and dry.
Funny since I'm usually miserable even just sitting still at anything over 65F.... which is apparently related to my non-24 and reverse seasonal affective disorders. That seems to be something else getting out there and going farther on the e-bike has helped with, I'm feeling miserable in the heat a lot less. Usually on a 70-something sunny day when someone says "great weather" I have to choke back the urge to strangle them.
--edit-- went back and added a bunch of "F" in there for our friends across the pond who think "eye cans haz tehn fingars" isn't a ridiculously arbitrary and scientifically hostile means of creating a mathematical system.
Jason Knight
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Keene, NH
I wish we could convince more people wearing the cycling apparel of that, instead of them going full Karen screaming at people to "get off the paths!" even when they're the ones going faster.
It's almost like they don't want to share the paths with anyone but their own little clique like a bunch of high school bullies.
See how e-bikes biggest demographic seems to be the 50 and up crowd. And probably a contributor to the "disgust" that seems commonplace amongst "cyclists" towards e-bikes and those who ride them.
How dare we -- for so little "effort" -- be able to go as far on the same trails! It's the same sociopathic dirtbaggery as "I suffered and struggled, so everyone else should have to as well" that's holding back social progress.
And I suspect is the core of why we have so many anti-throttle "OMG it's doing more than 20" fools and tools out there.
Have a think about where you are getting them and it might help you understand why.- not all saddle sores are created equal
eg -
in creases - think sweat / friction / hairs slicing through skin, then moisture loving bugs having a party
pressure points - think adjusting seat angle / height to spread or change the load. Even allowing a few seconds off the seat every few minutes will help get circulation / slow them down
rub points - sometimes the opposite.
jabberwocky
Well-Known Member
Is that attitude really that common? I ride with the local gravel group on my ebike occasionally and they've generally been welcoming (I ride with them on my non-electric as well, so they do know me). I also ride my eMTB with some of the local groups and almost everyone has been cool with it. You get the occasional sneer or head shake, but I'm not losing sleep over it.
If I'm riding with a mixed group, I try and avoid dusting everyone on every climb. I just adjust assist until I'm hanging with the pack and getting a good workout and ride. A few times the gravel group has pushed me to attack a climb just to see what the ebike can do and I'm happy to oblige, but its not something I go out of my way to do.
I'm sure the hardcore roadie groups aren't as into the idea, but honestly those groups are unwelcoming in general and have been since before ebikes were a thing. Some of it is elitism, some of it is just that riding at speed in a pack takes a lot of knowledge and skill and someone who doesn't know what they are doing can be dangerous, so you gotta prove you aren't an idiot and know what you're doing before groups really warm up to you. Saying that, I live on a road that is a popular opener for the big roadie rides on weekends so I see them ride by as they had out of town, and over the past few years I'm seeing increasing amounts of creos and e-domains mixed in, so inroads are being made even there.
jabberwocky
Well-Known Member
Jeans (and presumably cotton underwear?) are definitely going to cause chafing if you pedal in them for long. I'm guessing you are just running into that limit. Cotton sucks for cycling, it absorbs sweat like a sponge and chafes like crazy. Jeans generally have seams in all the wrong places. The Brooks are hard saddles too, so any seams are getting compressed and worked around the skin.
If you want to stick with the Brooks, I'd look for a liner you can wear like underwear all day (bike shorts with a thin chamois; look at triathlon shorts, they are generally designed to be run in so the chamois is a lot more minimal than normal bike shorts). At least get something between those jeans and the saddle. Or just run normal bike shorts under and change into your normal underoos when you get to work. I might try a different saddle than the Brooks too; I have a B17 on my touring bike and its comfortable enough, but its not what I'd choose for an hour ride in street clothes. Try something with a traditional shape but more padding to let those jean seams sink in a bit instead of just being ground against the skin.
Solarcabin
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
Agree, and unfortunately there are more than a few on EBR that seem to think if you ride over 20mph or even touch a throttle you are a criminal. They are every bit as bad as the karens on pedal bikes calling ebikers cheaters and in my opinion a lot worse.
Yesterday I was riding my usual 10 miles to the store for a few supplies and come up on a couple of young guys on their racing pedal bikes all decked out in their fancy lycra emblazoned with racing numbers and brands. They were riding some expensive bikes.
I followed along behind them in PAS 2 for awhile as I didn't want to embarrass them but then we hit the steep hill and they were barely pulling 5 mph on my speedo and I don't go that slow so I kicked it up to PAS 3 and passed them like they were sitting still and wished them a great day.
They just looked at me with their mouths hanging open. I don't have anything against pedal bikes and rode mt bike all through college but at nearly 60 with no ligament in my knee watching them struggle up that hill I was sure glad to own an ebike.
Jason Knight
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Keene, NH
Could be a regional thing, but something you said...
In the 12+ years I've been riding a bicycle in my area, I've only ever come upon one "group" of riders and that was this time last year. They were from out of state, and were struggling up a hill. I politely asked to pass, powered up past them, got some "damn I wish I had one of those", and rode on. Seemed nice enough folk, which was a change from what I'm used to encountering geared up the way they were.
We don't have groups here near as I can tell, certainly not that I've encountered. It's rare to even see a pair of riders that aren't a couple.
What we do have an abundance of is guys on non-motorized road bikes barreling along at 25+ not giving a s*it about anyone or anything in their way. And to be frank, they're as big a bunch of jackasses as the coal rolling pickup truck drivers with the gun rack their underage girlfriend can hold onto as they shtup in the parking lot before she's dropped off to pledge to Kappa Kappa spank-me.
As a friend said, "Jason, you paint pretty pictures with words."
It's part of why the people kvetching about 20mph and throttles pisses me off, because e-bike riders seem to be older more conscientious than these 20 and 30-something pricks in their glorified 1980's ladies athletic wear, $20 more in gear away from wearing leg warmers, giving cyclists a bad rep with the locals.
It's kind of a local joke, you see spandex, you see a {string of expletives omitted}. Just like other penis extensions like oversized gas guzzling pickups or walking around Walmart with an AR... just the polar opposite in terms of societal norms.
Whilst we have plenty of normal every day people out for a solo or couple's excursion, who are plenty friendly and reasonable. People who will stop, shoot the s*it, ask questions about my ride (it does stand out)... but nothing i would call a "group".
It's just the more "bike specific gear" they're wearing or the fancier their bikes are from a "competitive" standpoint, the bigger a turd of a person they seem to be. I'm sure somewhere in the world riders decked out such are completely decent people. I just happen to not live there.
Didn't stop me from stopping to help one such rider who wrapped his tricked-out ultra-light 700C ground carver around a tree because he hit a patch of sand. And since I'm on an e-bike, I pack a full medical kit in my front bag. Second time in a month and a half I've come across riders in distress.
That must be nice. Around here it feels like there's a bit of "every man for himself". If there are local riding groups, I've never seen them on the major trails. And since I put three to five hours a day in on those trails (two batteries, two trips out) no, you'd think I'd come across them eventually.
I'm struggling to find just one other biker who fits my rotating time schedule, just because riding off 15-20 miles into the woods isn't safe alone at 3AM. Doesn't stop me...
The only group I know of is the local family health clinic's one, and they are all have so many problems they give up after a mile. To them the distance between the clinic and my street is a "giant trip"... when it's 1.6 miles each way. I'm still warming up even on my regular bike, they're ready to turn around... :/
Jason Knight
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Keene, NH
Much less molds and fungus. Any good tolnaftate spray not just after, but also before a ride can help keep those--oft airborne--critters from festering. Staph alone is airborne around us all the time, don't give it a chance.
Though it's funny how "Jock itch' and 'Athletes foot" are actually both the same spray with the same active ingredient in the same concentration despite one being magically cheaper.
Makes you wonder what those jocks are doing with their socks. Drop your socks and grab your...
jabberwocky
Well-Known Member
I suppose. There are some over-competitive dicks in the roadie scene around here but most are fine. The hardcore groups can be pretty insular, but having known people who are in that category, its somewhat understandable. I will say that the true roadies are openly contemptuous of the idiots racing down the local paths. They are mostly referred to as cat6 racers (the joke being that the lowest category in a road race is cat5, so the idiots on the paths are below even the newbies in cat5).
I've had good and bad experiences with various groups over the years. Northern Virginia has a huge riding scene so theres tons of groups out there for various disciplines. The local gravel riding group (loosely affiliated with one of the shops here in town) is really chill. I mostly ride the slow pace group on my non electric, but occasionally bring the ebike out and ride with the mid-pace group and nobody has really cared beyond a few "is that a motor?" comments. People can be weird about their gatekeeping.
I will say (and I genuinely don't say this as a dig), you seem pretty wound up. I know some people can be infuriating, but I cycle to relax so I try not to let stuff bug me when I'm on the bike. Its a good mentality to work towards. There will always be people who think you're doing something "wrong". If it works for you, who cares what those people think?
Solarcabin
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
My riding clothes are usually what ever I am wearing for the day and weather.
In summer that is usually shorts and a tshirt but I also ride in winter when I may pull on my insulated bibs, put on my balaclava and and ride on the snow packed roads.
Winter riding on a sunny day is a blast if you have the right Ebike and the Ariel X lets me ride anytime of year in any weather.
These are the trails I ride all the time and in winter they are snow packed and in summer deep sand.
In summer that is usually shorts and a tshirt but I also ride in winter when I may pull on my insulated bibs, put on my balaclava and and ride on the snow packed roads.
Winter riding on a sunny day is a blast if you have the right Ebike and the Ariel X lets me ride anytime of year in any weather.
These are the trails I ride all the time and in winter they are snow packed and in summer deep sand.
Alaskan
Well-Known Member
I typically tide three times per week with a group of retired roadies ages from early sixties to early eighties. Our rides are typicall 35-45 miles. The guys are all long term road riders and typically ride in a pace line, swapping out the lead, occasionally separating out into fast and slow groups with pre-designated gathering points.
When I first encountered the group gathering at a local cafe for a ride some looked down their noses at me riding a Riese & Muller Delight (full suspension ebike) and one even spat out "cheater" at me. I smiled and said, "you've got that right, I'm cheating the grim reaper." The following week I showed up at the same time and asked if I could join them. Most just said okay but some were clearly not enthusiastic. I rode toward the back of the group and one guy came up along side and explained how riding in a pace line works. I just kept practicing riding at a very steady cadence and pace. A few rides later, we were riding along a country road, turned the corner smack into about a 25 mph headwind. Everyone started griping and I pulled ahead into the lead, kept my pace at a rate all could stay with and pulled the group through the wind till the end of the ride. After that I had proven my skills and was in. At 72 I am smack in the middle of the group demographic.
A year later I walked into the local electric bike shop and that guy who call me "cheater" was there picking up his now Haibike electric. I said, what you are coming over to the dark side? He said he had developed atrial fibrillation and an ebike was the only way he could ride and keep control of his heart rate below what the doctor recommended.
Three years later, there are four Turbo Creos in the group and two other ebikes in the group and the rest freely admit that there is an ebike in their future.
The guys have all become good friends who have been very supportive and encouraging as I have gone through my ups and downs with cancer. Their encouragement and kind wishes have meant a great deal to me. When I am benched and unable to ride, I try to meet up with the group at the end of their rides at the gathering cafe where we have lunch and beers after each ride. They go out of their way to provide encouragement when I am obviously weak and off my bike.
Oh, we have no uniform or club garb. Just a rag tag bunch of vintage guys, wearing assorted vintage bike clothing, some riding vintage bikes others on the latest and greatest.
As a result of regularly riding decent distances with these guys, I have come to appreciate the practical value of padded riding tights and a snug fitting zip front jersey with three deep pockets in back. When I ride shorter round town distances doing errands, going to the hardware store or a medical appointment, I normally ride my bike but wear whatever I am wearing with no padding. I save the fast wicking, form fitting, padded stuff for when it is needed...on long, high energy rides that would otherwise be far less comfortable in street clothes.
When I first encountered the group gathering at a local cafe for a ride some looked down their noses at me riding a Riese & Muller Delight (full suspension ebike) and one even spat out "cheater" at me. I smiled and said, "you've got that right, I'm cheating the grim reaper." The following week I showed up at the same time and asked if I could join them. Most just said okay but some were clearly not enthusiastic. I rode toward the back of the group and one guy came up along side and explained how riding in a pace line works. I just kept practicing riding at a very steady cadence and pace. A few rides later, we were riding along a country road, turned the corner smack into about a 25 mph headwind. Everyone started griping and I pulled ahead into the lead, kept my pace at a rate all could stay with and pulled the group through the wind till the end of the ride. After that I had proven my skills and was in. At 72 I am smack in the middle of the group demographic.
A year later I walked into the local electric bike shop and that guy who call me "cheater" was there picking up his now Haibike electric. I said, what you are coming over to the dark side? He said he had developed atrial fibrillation and an ebike was the only way he could ride and keep control of his heart rate below what the doctor recommended.
Three years later, there are four Turbo Creos in the group and two other ebikes in the group and the rest freely admit that there is an ebike in their future.
The guys have all become good friends who have been very supportive and encouraging as I have gone through my ups and downs with cancer. Their encouragement and kind wishes have meant a great deal to me. When I am benched and unable to ride, I try to meet up with the group at the end of their rides at the gathering cafe where we have lunch and beers after each ride. They go out of their way to provide encouragement when I am obviously weak and off my bike.
Oh, we have no uniform or club garb. Just a rag tag bunch of vintage guys, wearing assorted vintage bike clothing, some riding vintage bikes others on the latest and greatest.
As a result of regularly riding decent distances with these guys, I have come to appreciate the practical value of padded riding tights and a snug fitting zip front jersey with three deep pockets in back. When I ride shorter round town distances doing errands, going to the hardware store or a medical appointment, I normally ride my bike but wear whatever I am wearing with no padding. I save the fast wicking, form fitting, padded stuff for when it is needed...on long, high energy rides that would otherwise be far less comfortable in street clothes.
Djangodog
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Claremont, NH
Very nice. I hope that you are doing well and riding for many years to come. I enjoy your pictures and stories. That stuff is my favorite part of the forum.
mschwett
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
i'm closing in on 10,000 miles this year and last, and i think i've had two snide comments about e-bikes. none too horrible, just a little annoying. i think one was "turn that thing off!!" and the other was "you're too young for an e-bike." one guy jokingly asked if i wanted to "motor pace him" on the flats. 10,000 miles - around 600 hours in the saddle - in what may the roadie and MTB capital of the western hemisphere, and no seriously rude or snide comments from a roadie or MTB bro. yes, there's occasionally friction on very crowded paths, particularly with MTBs, inexperienced tourists, and inattentive pedestrians. i really wonder what's wrong with the places where all the e-bike riders here that have such big chips on their shoulders ride. is everyone a dirtbag or something!?!?
i also seriously wonder if roadies elsewhere are all just dickheads or something, because the vast majority out here (and i mean 99%+) are totally fine other than occasionally riding two or three abreast when they really shouldn't, IMO. never once seen a dude in a superhero suit blow into an old lady or kid, or me, or, well, anyone or anything. i did see one guy crash hard in a pack, but that's once in 10,000 miles and he hit a small pothole unprepared. one guy yelled at me at the bridge to "watch my line" when in my opinion i was just fine, on my half of the path, but that's about the extent of the roadie hostility i've experienced.
it seriously makes me wonder if people are just jealous of those in better shape or with more money to spend on bikes or something. or roadies are just assholes outside of the west coast? or because i ride 90% of the time on roads with bike lanes or shoulders and not MUPs?
