You Don't Need Expensive Cycling Clothes to Ride A Bike 

A bit of a personal hack, I use old cycling jerseys while doing projects around the house. You can carry lots of tools (wire cutters, pliers etc) in the pockets and not need to use a tool bag

I rarely wear a shirt with a collar these days. My newest riding shirts are long sleeve sun shirts usually marketed for fishing or hiking. They are breathable and are made from wicking fabrics.

Decathlon Merino T-shirts. Look good enough for every day life. Dry quickly. Comfortable. Don't stink. Dirt cheap.

Definitely agree, wear what you want. Doesn't have to be "cycling clothing". One thing I do like about cycling specific clothing is that the backs tend to be extended for riding positions. But I don't wear tight fitting roadie gear from Rapha or Castelli. I'll wear a long sleeve, more loose fitting (MTB style) jersey from the Radavist, Cadence or something, even while riding gravel or on the road. I'm not trying to be "aero". A lightweight sun hoodie can be great in arid conditions. I ride in t-shirts and plaid shirts too.

Clothing industry has us convinced to buy specific kits for each of our activities. Unless you are looking for a competitive edge anything that protects you from the sun and breathes or insulates is all you need (unless there's a dress code at your golf course 🙂)

here in the Philippines a sun hoodie helps a lot where its hot and humid.

I started without special clothes, used my old running clothes. Worked fine BUT after getting (really affordable) bibs and jersey from decathlon, this was a gamechanger for me. It's just so much more comfortable when riding the bike. Won't go back. Also, really really happy with my SPD shoes & pedals that I got last year. After 1-2months on my gravel bike I changed my city/touring bike pedals also. But I really liked your take, will test this out sometime

Agree 100%. I bought 3 fly fishing shirts after watching one of your earlier videos on this topic. Two I found used on eBay, and one was a new clearance item on Columbia's website. I live in the tropics most of the time, and I found that the polyester and cotton shirt works best for the heat and humidity because it doesn't stick to my skin when saturated with sweat, while the nylon shirts do. So I wear those shirts when the weather is cooler. Although it took a bit of getting used to, now I feel long sleeve shirts are the best for overall use and protection from the sun. Love your channel.

I used to ride with button up long sleeve fishing shirts on my MTB. Padded liner and cargo hiking shorts. When my rides started going over 25 miles of dirt road I switch to my road gear. Cycling shorts and a not so snug jersey with sunsleeves. Mostly road now anyway.

As a Pacific Northwest commuter I dress for my destination, keep rain pants and a gortex jacket in my bag, and add waterproof boots and gloves in the winter. I keep a spare pair of work shoes at work for days when I need to wear rain boots for my commute.

Board shorts for the light weight, quick dry materials and fishing shirts for the previous in addition to sun protection.

Fishing shirts are a great idea! thanks! Also, I like to peruse the clearance items at REI and Nashbar. You can find good deals that way on stuff like MTB style shorts which also can be worn as everyday clothes.

Those UV sleeves are the best thing I have bought in a long time. They look stupid, but my arms really are the coolest part of my body now. They should make white morphsuits.

Glad you mentioned linen. They are what I wear most days in the summer too and I am more likely to go for rides when I don't have to change.

Riding the GDMBR last summer, I wanted to make sure I had significant sun coverage while riding up to 12 hours day in and day out. Bought a cheap polyester hoodie from Sierra and absolutely love it. I added an extra snap around the neck so i can have it come up to my hair line. Also moved to Endura Humvee 3/4 shorts which in my case go down to mid calf. Those paired with wool crew length socks leave maybe 3-4" of leg showing, not enough to require sunblock except once or twice when I felt like my calf was getting cooked. Also cycling cap under my helmet with brim backwards helping with neck exposure. With all this coverage, I only needed to apply sunscreen to my face and neck (Neutrogena Ultra Sheer FTW). I also felt cooler as IMO sun on exposed skin feels way hotter than wearing clothes that block it. I've since bought a pair of Wrangler Performance zip cargo pants ($27) and cut and hemmed them to be 3/4 length. They're great and I wear the Wranglers and hoodies around the house and outdoors since they're just normal clothes. I find it hard these days to wear tight chamois and cycling jerseys except on skinny tire rides.

I always found the top half easy to accommodate. It what you wear on the bottom half is the tricky one to get right particularly for cold wet weather

I wear soccer jerseys in the uk! Good technical fabric, evaoprative and breatheable, with good fit

My attire during early spring and fall is probably heretical. I’m Montana most of my rides start along a river, climb into mountains and then descend back to the valley. The base layer, be it merino wool or some high tech wicking stuff, would always be soaked at the top and I’d freeze my butt off during the descent. Finally I decided to wear absorbent cotton for the climb, which holds almost all the sweat, then change base layers at the top of the ride to merino wool for a dry and warm descent. Keeping warm on the way up generally is not a problem even in pretty cool temps. This obviously wouldn’t work on rolling terrain and multiple hills and it does require a pack for the extra base layer.

Ostroy has a resort line that is super thin and stretchy with some cool patterns in this style shirt

I got rid of my Look and SPD pedals and shoes and all my Lycra 25 years ago. Today, I wear Railrider shorts and pants and a variety of footwear and shirts- including my fishing shirts.

Shorts and sandals: Decathlon. The cheapest ones are also the best. No padded shorts. Flat pedals without clips. Shirts: I hate cotton T-shirts. Poly-cotton short sleeved shirts for coolness (qand pocket for phone). Decathlon merino t-shirts as another layer when it gets cold. Long sleeved merino if very cold. Rain: NZ Ground Effect Flash Gordon jacket with zip-out sleeves, and 3/4 rain pants.

I've started wearing my "Camisas de Aloha" on gravel rides now that we don't go to Hawaii for vacations anymore.

Performance Bike sold a 3-pocket cycling jersey with an Oxford Collar. I flip the collar up to keep the sun off.

I like fly fishing shirts for mountain biking. Columbia and Orvis shirts are not cheap, but they last forever and provide all those great benefits you talked about.

Most of my riding has been all kitted out, but I’d like to do more of it around town for various reasons, and these kinds of videos are awesome to help me figure out options that may be better on the bike than my civilian wardrobe.

I just wear whatever I would wear normally, e.g. off the bike. So it ends up being some sort of baggy shorts and a T-Shirt when it’s warm. When it gets colder, I sometimes turn to MTB pants regardless of whether I‘m actually on my MTB or on a Gravel Bike.

I wear super cheap very light weight baggy athletic shorts on top of decent chamois undershorts with good elastic leggings and a high waist band. Sometimes I wear an “under” bib sort layer with the chamois. I wear short sleeve cotton button up shirts on top - zero aero but cool. Giro shoes no laces, recommended by Russ. I look like I do when I go to the grocery store.

one of my common shirts for mt biking is my old REI Sahara long sleeve button ups. lightweight, and the old ones vent really well.

I wear YKYW jerseys, and amazon bib shorts. The YKYW jerseys are like $20 and are better quality than the Heavy Pedal stuff I bought.

I wear whatever I put on that day, bike is my transportation and does not dictate what i wear. I live in a very hot and dry place so most of my normal clothes are bought with heat in mind.

I’ve found snug fitting wool T-shirts to work in both hot and cold weather. I’ll sometimes wear white long sleeve Fishing T-shirt to protect from the sun

Awesome and I agree totally. What about shorts and pants, though? Bibs? Liners? Compression shorts? I like Costco shorts with a liner if planning a longer ride. Vuori t’s or the REI knockoffs are nice. A windbreaker I bought at Old Navy is always in my bar bag. Clearly I’m not a racer, though!

I have worn cargo bibs and Uniqlo DryEx active T shirts. Works great for me and like to see the reaction on my roadie friends faces

some good stuff to think about here.

Baleaf makes a sun hoodie with a builtin baclava. It's perfect for a long ride without cloud cover when i dont feel like putting on sunscreen.

Fishing shirts are a good idea. I would have never thought of it. Speaking of - I'm just recently trying to get into fishing, and I learned after buying some 2nd hand rods & reels off of Facebook that Shimano makes fishing equipment as well.

I would like to try long sleeve shirts in hot weather but my arms are long. So when riding the cuffs rise up past the wrist exposing skin and leaving bands. The sun sleeves look like potential ideas. Also what's with cycling gloves being cut short now. Even gloves for cold weather do not cover the wrist and sleeve area.

Personally, I absolutely agree with not wearing cycling clothing. The reason for this is that it is usually made of polyester, which is plastic. It stinks and it's bad for the environment. I rely on outdoor clothing from Fjällräven or Icebreaker, which are made of wool and are suitable for all weathers, even in very hot summers.

I guess parts of western Montana could be considered as "Pacific Northwest" and can be arid. But coastal Oregon, Washington State and British Columbia are quite humid. It's literally part of the largest temperate rain forest region on the planet.

T-shirt & rugby shorts in summer, hoody and flexible pants in winter.

Great advice. What about shorts? Didn’t you make a video on shopping at Target a few years ago? Thanks again for the great content.

When I ride gravel, if I’m by myself, I go shirtless ! I ride like I’m riding at the beach I do that too and I fix gear. Unless I’m gonna do a gravel race or event or ride with a group then I’ll kit up .

I get to love merino wool products. Great for keeping the casual look AND smell :)

I like Columbia Terminal Tackle shirts. Basically a long sleeve sun shirt they’re moisture wicking and UPF-50 rated.

I look for both long sleeve t shirts, club cut and mtb jerseys on ebay, worn wear, and poshmark. It helps to know your size in cycling gear. I size up as I like a loose fit.

I wear shorts - sometimes padded, sometimes not - and tech tees.

I think a guayabera may be the cargo pant of shirts. 😊

My sentiments exactly. I'm 53 and ride 200km a week wearing clothing that doesn't make other people at the Cafe stop feel icky lol

Pedal what you like. Wear what you like. Go whenever you like. Go whereever you like as long as you like. Don't let anyone tell you what to do.

I love my lycra, because it's the most comfortable for cycling. Stretchy, 'tight' clothing isn't really tight, because it moves with me and doesn't limit my body anywhere. I'd love some suggestions for decent cheap bibs and jerseys tho

I ride in the summer gear that I always wear, casual short pants (no lycra hell no) & a metal T-shirt, deathmetal, grindcore, drone, trash just about everything. Yes, I get frowned upon by the 'serious cyclists', but I'm there to remind them that the human spirit is still alive & isn't boxed in into landfill lycra riding corporate rolling billboard nonsense. Ps. I hope you're gonna do a reprint of The Supple Life frame stickers! Greetings from Hollandia

Decathlon Desert Long sleeved shirt for me (ligth, aireated, upf50) or the humble merino Tshirt with anti uv sleeves. Hiking short or pants with it.

Woolx polo style shirts are great on the bike.

For me personally, the Rapha mountain bike line is the most comfortable thing I’ve ever worn. It’s filthy expensive so I don’t have much of their stuff but it’s by far what I wear the most. For a cheaper alternative especially in summer I also found gym shorts and basketball jerseys extremely comfortable.

The banana shirt is the best ever! 😄

Great video Russ. Thanks for that. What do you suggest for winter/cold/wet weather? I find I usually tend towards wearing non cycling specific clothes in summer (tshirt and hiking shirt) but winter is more difficult and I usually revert to cycling apparel which layers well and keeps the rain out. I'm in Adelaide so Mediterranean climate.

Team Basketball Shorts and Fishing Shirts!

i use sale rack underarmour shirts from kohl's shorts? skate shorts by vans or volcom.

I often ride 1980’s steel I buy cheap off of CL. Coupled with outerwear from thrift stores I buy due to living in NW Washington with its rain propensity; I tend to look like one of the many drug dealers currently “experiencing homelessness “ and get the double look from local law enforcement & the good working people.

Good stuff! All about the fishing shirts.

My secret is short-shorts. Any short shorts will do but topo designs are really good. Now: the most important part...ditch your underwear. Every day is freeball Friday in this house and once you hit the big descent and the breeze hits you down there you will never go back to underwear.

💯💯💯TOTALLY AGREE! 💯💯💯

That was interesting. I'm planning to make my own linen pirate shirt. I was going to put rear pockets in but after your well made points about them lifting I won't bother with rear pockets. Just a few breast pockets. The Tecron looks an interesting product. I'd like to try a silk shirt too. Maybe raid the thrift shops.

For any "serious" cycling, i.e. when you have to cover either a significant distance and/or you want to exert yourself, fully cycling kit is the best choice (freshen up and change clothes at your destination, if necessary). I prefer woolen jerseys over plastic nowadays, even in summer (some merino jerseys are surprisingly light). For shorter, slower rides where you don't have the option to change clothes, i.e when riding to a restaurant etc, normal clothes *can* work. Make sure trouser legs are cut wide enough at the thighs and the waist does not cut into your belly (any serious cyclist would have a more or less aerodynamically optimised position, which will be very uncomfortable in, say, a jeans - at least if you are not TdF-emaciated skinny). Cargo shorts or cargo trousers usually work fine, especially if paired with a belt with "double-D-rings" instead of a belt buckle. BDUs also work, because the waist can be adjusted quickly (loosen before getting on the bike, pull tight once off the bike). If slightly more formal clothing is required, you'd need a fabric that has some stretch to it - unfortunately, I often find these to be not very breathable. If your trouser legs are wide at the ankle, stuff them into your socks during the ride (sort yourself when at your destination, or you'll look like a dork), or, much better, get some snap- on reflective strips. You do not want trouser legs caught in the chain.* In winter, wool shirts or pullovers are great, as they will help regulate temperature over a reasonably wide range (carry a lightweight rain jacket in some bike bag or pannier - by blocking rain or even just wind, it will greatly expand the tolerable temperature range downwards). In summer, loose-fitting linen is a godsend. Avoid synthetic materials like the plague. * I just had the heretical thought that knickerbockers with suspenders would solve both the trouser-in-chain problem and the issue of a trouser waist and/or a belt cutting into the stomach. So if you're a vintage menswear enthusiast... please try and report back.

Should have called this video "How To Dress Like a Dork On and Off The Bike"

Hey if I want to wear the bibs I got to wear the Jersey. I need them pockets man

Well, good luck with buying fly fishing shirts in european urban areas 😂 If you want to economize with sport clothing, you might look at stores like Decathlon or look in the Sale categories of online bike stores - thx to the change of seasons and collections, last year's cycling clothing is not expensive any more but often a bargain.

Russ, much appreciation for your last videos. But how about (I love me some tiny doses of whataboutism😂) shorts/pants? With inserts/bibs or not. Because of the recent heat wave, my bottom 3 letters are suffering, ruthlessly😮. Shirts will be ordered soon ;) Thanks for the tip!

I sport a partypace shirt bought at the path less pedaled store and MUSA shorts from Rivendell😅

For me it's a dri-fit shirt with lightweight jacket

Unfortunately I can only wear super breathable functional clothing when I'm out and about - any traditional kind of fabric just produces an ocean under my armpits. Wish it was different cause I would actually prefer a more casual style occasionally instead of always having to wear sports clothing.

preach! Also you don't have to go fast....

You didn't mention cotton as a bike shirt material. I have a couple of cotton bike jerseys (elastic waist, triple pockets in the back) that are fairly comfortable and are easier to wash/dry than the usual lycra. Also hopefully less micro-plastic creating.

I also skip cycling lycra from time to time because I get conscious of people staring at my crotch.

those are still expensive, i ride with my workout shirts which I get for 20 to 30$. I use mostly hybrid swim shorts. people are dumb if you buy a 200$ "jersey" to ride though, I don't even pay that for NFL jerseys. long sleeve cross country shirts are the same as the fishing stuff

Bro. Shirts are easy. It's low hanging fruit. Shorts are the hard part. Find me a pair of non-bib shorts that don't entirely eviscerate my underside into a tragedy of ASS SORES and you've got me sold. But my last couple years of consistent experimentation with non-cycling specific shorts has led to a path of ruination. And ASS SORES. I already hear that frantic typing: But bruh what about liners?? No. Liners don't seem to help. The bib seems to keep the chamois in place, while liners kinda move it around. Again, to reiterate, let me know if you have a non-bib short solution to ASS SORES and I'm in. Till then bibs work great with a sun hoody over it if you want to not look like a regarded *elite cyclist* while also not having ASS SORES.

How ‘bout GoFarph 😊

I don't understand the need to buy bike clothing. I think they want people to know they are bicyclers. Shorts and a t-shirt are fine for biking.

I still think PNS is a Portlandia sketch.

T-shirts...

what you aren't meant to just wear 2$ t shirt? i have been doing it all wrong. 😀

Don't have to wear bike clothes to ride a bike! Blasphemy! :)

Cycling clothes attract a lot of hate from the rest of society thanks to the wanabe Le Tour riders, so anything is better and safer than cycling gear.

I find cycling jerseys to be hot and clingy and, to me, not a fashion I like. I live in hot, humid Florida and my two hobbies are fishing and cycling, both of which I have done for over 60 years. Fishing shirts are also my choice for cycling. They are cooler to my skin and they dry faster. At my age (76) I’m not racing anyone, so I don’t care if they flap a bit. That just helps with cooling. I enjoy your channel and also subscribe to the sub 16mph party pace😎

Wrangler western wear shirts. Light, cheap, great sun protection, and you look cool! 😜

Thanks for the feature! We're stoked to hear that you like the Shindig Shirt and are honored to be in good company with Pamera. Breathability in humid conditions is a big focus as we continue to improve our fabric blends. Stay Rowdee and Kkeep the Party Pace!

Yes! Fishing shirts FTW! Me and most of my riding friends have been using then for a while. The best for super hot weather!

Yay! A bike influencer finally mentioned sun sleeves! They are awesome…if you find ones that don’t stretch out. Outdoor Research are pretty good

I have worn Linen for years for biking and also for teaching physical education. Sitting at my computer on a 110F day, I'm wearing a long sleeve white linen shirt. Don't iron them, the wrinkles are what makes them cool. I also like fly fishing shirts they provide a lot of ventilation and easy to wash and dry quick on a tour. I go for long sleeve shirt instead of sunscreen. I like the casual look of blending in, as opposed to the Lycra Lunatics pretending to be racers. One of the advantages of fishing shirts is that the sleeves roll up nicely. A company called 32 Degrees makes a pull over Tee in long and short sleeve with micro holes They are comfortable on a hot day and allow for good evaporation and very light weight. Pared with their boxer briefs make for comfortable skivvies at home or in the tent or on the bike instead of a clammy chamois. Good boxer briefs are just like a high-class hotel. They have a great ball room. One of the advantages of casual linen shirts are by wearing them untucked it adds to the cool affect by evaporation. When riding on a hot, humid day I wear a white linen shirt, one size large than I wear for city casual living. The oversized shirt is roomy, with the sleeves buttoned I have sun protection and great ventilation. No sweaty shirt stuck to my back. The sweat evaporates creating a cool environment against my body. I like Hawaiian shirts they are so comfortable. I only wear short sleeve shirt after sunset. My skin has been seriously damaged by several lifetimes in the outdoors.

You know what's also an excellent $0-budget alternative? *(Any of) Your existing gym clothes!* If you don't particularly care for aero, but still want some degree of breathability/moisture-wicking, your old workout shirts/shorts/leggings will fit this bill perfectly. Have any old golf shirts (particularly anything claiming moisture wicking/breathability)? Congratulations, you also have cycling shirts (with the added bonus of a collar for your neck.

Trift-store silk shirsts from the 80's. Best patterns and keep the sun and mosquitoes in check.

I like to wear golf clothes. They're athletic, sweat wicking, and they look casual. They have an affordable line of golf shorts and shirts at Target.

Soma fog cutter in the background! Been wanting to see some coverage on that frame set for a while!

I wear shorts and a tee shirt. I ride bicycles. I am not a "Cyclist". I don't ride for speed or a rush. I like to see the forest and the trees.

Here in Australia, The merino pull-over from Aldi is my favourite for winter. The basic polyester T from Kmart is my go-to for summer. These are great for bikepacking trips. Full lycra doesn't really work any better on the bike and you just look downright weird at dinner time.

Great tips! I love my REI Sahara series tops and bottoms. Quick-dry, wicking, comfortable, works great regardless where you layer. I have a tendency to wear all year in Seattle. It's nice for our cool wet winters as well as warm dry summers. Compared to some bigger name brands, relatively inexpensive yet durable and long lasting.

+1 to all this! I got a fly fishing shirt at a thrift store to experiment because of one of your older videos, and it works great. It doesn’t look so fly, and works only just as well as my natural fabric shirts, so I don’t tend to use it terribly often, but it does work well! When it comes to an engineered fabric, I also agree with the lyocell family being great in the heat. Men’s fashion has shifted so far into casual territory that it’s generally easy and affordable to find silk or silk-linen blend shirts on ebay- I’m all in on linen, and recently linen-silk for anything in the heat, including biking and hiking. I do like the designs of that flower-print shirt, though!

Just tried a set of sun sleeves today (95 degree no clouds) and they are awesome! I usually would wear sunscreen. My arms felt very cool and did not feel like they were baking late in the ride. Super cheap for a 4 pack from Amazon. Thanks for sharing!

It really depends on your body type and how strong you push on the bike. I tried fishing shirts but it will only really work if I ride slowly/easy in the city, which is difficult to do since I live in a very hilly city where you always end up having to push a bit. To me they're just too thick/not breathable for my type of riding, unless I do very short rides. My go to for casual rides is merino tees, some blends are very thin/lightweight (not the blends for winter for instance), or lyocell shirts since it's also thin. But for long rides in very humid and scorching hot weather nothing beats lycra imo. I don't care about watts or if it's aero, but from my experience it's the coolest/quick drying fabric you can get (no need to get PNS or rapha expensive stuff though).

My constant fun riding my local dirt road is ripping past punters in 1k kits while wearing a t shirt and cargo shorts.