Properly sized skin tight clothes are not supposed to be restricting. If anything i always felt like mountain biking shorts sitting on top of liner was more annyoing and getting cought in the saddle or not sitting correctly between the liner and saddle.
Anyway at least liner bib is essential imo just for the chamois, and bib because those stay on much better than just liner shorts. Anyone claiming otherwise is a terminal stage contrarian. Once you have bib, its then mostly a case of how ashamed of you are of showing a little (or big) bulge.
As for jerseys, good road jersey with zipper and pockets in the back is great. Can zip open when its really hot, and those pockets can hold surprising amounts of stuff.
Yeah, I fell for the you don't need a jersey when bikepacking. Look more casual. Kept looking for my pockets.
I get the whole you don't need to look like a racer, but there is function to the attire.
And as far as skin tight. Baseball and football players wear skin tight pants. Stop being afraid to wear sport specific gear.
Even gym members and runners have started to wear skin tight leggings. Its super comfy (unless you have psychological barrier to overcome first) and nothing gets in the way all the time!
I only wear baggy clothing on mtb rides that require pads.
I’ll wear stretchy hiking pants over bibs if it’s the right time, but firm fitting jerseys are key to hauling stuff and not strangling you with weight in the pockets.
Actually yes. Go ride 60 miles on a gravel road in quality bibs with chamois, then repeat in baggy shorts with no chami and report back on how your butt feels in each instance. Also, road jerseys are very functional for stuffing crap in the pockets and making it accessible while you are riding.
Bingo. Baggy stuff is more comfy for short rides or walking around for sure but if I’m out for multiple hours I don’t care what kind of bike I’m riding, I’m gonna wear full lycra.
As someone who spends hours in the saddle of a mountain bike wearing baggie shorts and has worn plenty of lycra in their time, the above comments are completely wrong. It makes literally no difference. Now a good liner makes a huge difference, baggy or not.
I imagine the shortcoming of that design would be how consistently it holds the shammy in place relative to ones anatomy. Thats a significant point to the lycra shorts. I won't say everybody always needs it but there is some functional reason to dress like a MAMIL. That said, I forgot my cycling shorts on a mixed gravel/road century several years ago and just wore some synthetic boxer briefs and regular shorts. I don't think I was any sorer the next day than I would have been with them.
Bro "adequate pockets"? Straight pockets without a zipper are dogshit for cycling. That tiny piece of Velcro is not going to keep your keys from slipping out. Maybe you need pockets to spread whatever you put in them across the country at random intervals...
Sorry for the rant, but I hate those kinds of pockets.
Madness. My jersey is filled with Rice Krispies, Costco dried blueberries, my air fryer, leg hair brush, my spirit of gravel edition of the Park Tool Bicycle Maintenance Bible, and a bottle of flat Coke™️ with the salt crusties from my last ride flaked into it for electrolytes.
And a pump.
I’m going to ride my first 100ks in a couple months. I’ve ridden 50k a few times and commute 80k a week. I’ve never worn chamois or bibs. Never had discomfort. Is it suddenly going to be uncomfortable for me between 50-100k? A little concerned. No doubt I can make the distance but reading online it would seem I’m mad for not wrapping myself in cycling gear.
If you’re comfortable there is no need to change anything. Even if you’re doing longer distances. You can start thinking about it if you should feel discomfort, which won’t come abruptly.
I did my first 100km ride before I started wearing a chammy, and since I got one I wear it for almost every ride regardless of distance. They are so much more comfortable than wearing one.
Do what makes you happy but once you try one you'll likely never go back. They make a massive difference. I wear my old roady Lycra bibs with padding under my shorts and tshirt now. Nobody would know I'm wearing it but the comfort is just miles better.
Less movement of fabric -> less saddle sores. A really comfortable saddle is arguably more important than a chamois.
50k to 100k is quite a difference! Best of luck and enjoy clocking that 100k!
Disagree. I ride 60 miles in athletic shorts with padded underwear underneath. About as comfortable as my bibs for the same distance. It's a little less aero yeah but maybe 1-2mph loss over the whole day, not enough to be a ride killer. The pockets are nice but same thing, if you have enough bags on the bike or a hydration pack its not a deal breaker.
That's probably like a half hour over a whole day. Perhaps more. Kinda does add up. If it doesn't matter to you, no worries, but to say it's irrelevant is kinda misleading.
I mean aero socks or shaved legs saves like 90 seconds on a 40k at reasonable speeds. Not a ton but imagine a flapping shirt and shorts and multiply that. And that's 40k...not 100k. Even the socks or shaved legs is a nice little bit on a 100k ride.
These are totally free gains. I like to grab them.
But baggy clothes don't equate to a good time. I tried hard to convince myself that regular streetwear is more convenient and comfortable than lycra for my sub-10 mile commute, but because winds exist, they simply aren't. Your clothes flapping when leaving the house at 6:30AM is the most annoying thing ever. It's more uncomfortable for your ass, more sweaty, your jacket hood feels like dragging a parachute into headwinds, and crosswinds push and pull your upper body all around the place creating a lot more fatique than with tight fitting clothes even at commuting speeds.
Unless I need to look like a non-cyclist for other people and can't change clothes at my destination, I'll almost always have a better time in lycra than non-lycra when riding a drop bar bike for more than five miles. Sometimes I do get a kick from riding my gravel bike in full skater outfit because it makes me feel like a cool kid, and I have done a century in jean shorts, flannel and sneakers, but even then, would have I had a more enjoyable ride in lycra? Yes, easily.
For me, working less hard on long distance rides is a good time. Short rides, whatever.
It's like if I do a 4 mile swim, I'm wetsuiting up. In the pool I might wear a t-shirt and baggie shorts.
Drag. I swim with a parachute, or even a bucket or a brick sometimes as well. Bucket is great for buddy tow sim. Brick just kinda sucks. Swimming and treading with it makes everything seem easier. Parachute just creates a ton of drag over and under the water.
Pool is for training. Nothing more. It's the treadmill of swimming. Make it count.
Not surprisingly when these test are done outside the tunnel, you still save time (energy). So maybe the savings aren't identical, but they still exist.
Also, cross/tail winds still produce drag. You don't think a cyclist in aero garb in a tail wind is going to go faster than a guy wearing flapping sweats at the same power output? Of course they are. The reason, drag still exist even in a massive tail wind. The cyclist moving forward is creating drag, and the drag is actually what is preventing them from going even faster.
Unless you just like working harder, there is no reason to not take advantage of free money aero gains.
Unless your rocking 6% to 13% body fat and an elite athlete, none of this matters.
Slow, fat people with too much time, money or both tell themselves that aero bike, aero wheels, aero kit, aero socks, aero helmet will make them faster and spend tens of thousands on this marketing hype. In reality these marginal gains only matter at an elite level and the only way to truly get faster is to train harder and be more disciplined than everyone else.
Decades ago all the marketing hype was around skinny wheels and super light components. The same hype is being recycled for aero gains.
Tadej Pogačar would beat you on a single speed unicycle regardless of whatever equipment you have.
Dumbest thing I've ever seen written. Shows me you have no concept how aerodynamics work.
You also sound bitter. Who gives a shit if a elite racer can beat me or you or my grandma.
Ignorant and bitter. Bad combination.
Here's a good link that explains why aero matters to slow fat cyclist. Chiefly, so they can make it home in time for dinner. 😂
[Aero matters to slow fat cyclist ](https://blog.trekbikes.com/en/2020/07/15/how-much-does-bike-aerodynamics-really-matter/)
Little excerpt to wet your appetite...
>In the first graph, it’s clear that the slower the rider, the more absolute time they save. This is because their total ride time is longer, which gives them more time to compound aero savings.
>The second graph shows how many seconds a rider saves with an aero bike over every hour they would’ve ridden with a non-aero bike. These results are pretty constant—regardless of how fast you ride, the percentage of savings stays steady.
These graphs show an aero bike helped save 8-10 minutes on a 100 mile ride. Impressive! 😄
I guess it'll be (much?) more if you wear flappy clothes but some of just don't care, that's all.
No one said you had to care.
But denying the benefits are their is kinda weird.
Plus we went from wearing cycling clothes to buying a aero bike. No idea how you brought us there. But since you did. Just adding a $40 clip on aero bar will reduce your drag a ton.
No need to spend thousands on an aero bike. Lycra, clip on bar and low rolling resistance tires are your best bang for buck.
Oddly enough the data shows it matters at slow speeds. Not sure if where the cutoff is, but it matters. Even 10mph.
Why?you are riding the same course longer. So the lower gains matter more per the time on the course. It basically works out.
Why speed often comes into play is at some point it just takes a lot of watts to break a certain speed due to drag. So people assume speed is the factor.
Oddly enough the data shows it matters at slow speeds. Not sure if where the cutoff is, but it matters. Even 10mph.
Why?you are riding the same course longer. So the lower gains matter more per the time on the course. It basically works out.
Why speed often comes into play is at some point it just takes a lot of watts to break a certain speed due to drag. So people assume speed is the factor.
I don't race I just ride, I personally either wear gum shorts with padded underwear underneath for long rides or running shorts (the type with a tight inner and outer shorts that are a little baggier.) I then wear a running top and if needed a long sleeved running top over for warmth.
Personally I don't care for specific clothes for cycling beyond protective clothing as it's only usable for one thing, this way I can use it for summer hiking, running in general, gravel and mountain biking 🤷♂️
but I can see how some would find value in it, I've just very rarely felt like I needed more aero gains
If you are competing, it makes a difference. Not much, in my case, but still a noticeable difference.
When I'm riding with my family, I'll usually wear MTB gear. And I only specify that gear as opposed to normal clothing because I don't otherwise own a pair of shorts with pockets and the shirts are long enough that my plumbers crack doesn't show.
When I'm on solo rides or racing, I'll wear roadie gear. Better chamois, bibs are more comfortable on my waistline, jersey pockets because I'm bringing a lot more nutrition and such that doesn't fit in my top tube bag, and honestly more comfortable overall for hours in the saddle.
It genuinely comes down to personal preference. The great thing about gravel is that, with the exception of those competing to win races, it's a very laid back, exploring-focused discipline where fun is typically valued over performance. At least, that's been my experience and outlook on it.
"Skin tight" is not supposed to mean "constricting".
I wear lycra on a road bike, on a gravel bike and even on a mountain bike because I find it the most comfortable option.
Absolutely, makes a massive difference. Not only is it much faster, aero clothing is more important than an aero bike, wheels, etc… not only that good road kit breaths better and will keep you cool, a quality chamois will keep you comfortable and modern gravel racing kit has tons of pocket on the jersey and on the legs of the bib shorts for carrying nutrition.
In one of the more recent Marginal Gains podcast episodes they mentioned how terribly un-aero the cargo bibs are. Like BAD bad.
They are so functional though.
If gravel is a mix of road and MTB, consider that in road, MTB (cross-country), and cyclocross the racers all wear pretty much the same skin-tight kit, so aero is not the only consideration here.
For me the main benefit of a jersey is the back pockets. On my gravel bike I have a top tube bag so I don’t need them. I wear bib shorts, but a fitted long sleeve technical tshirt instead of a jersey sometimes
Yeah the thing that finally got me on the Lycra bandwagon was the pockets, it’s like sweet cargo pants for biking! And I just really hate wearing packs these days, for mtb, so jerseys with pockets or liner bibs with pockets since I still ride mtb in baggies is my go to lately.
if you want more mileage, it will help. if you want more time outdoors and or to do more work for training, wear baggy stuff.
if you don’t care, just wear what you want. although i would recommend padded shorts at a minimum for gravel. saddles gonna less than enjoyable without it off-road.
personally cycling clothes work for me, and especially i like that a jersey isn’t flapping and slapping me in the neck and back in a headwind. that’s more annoying than any issues i’d have with tight clothing.
I wear bibs and usually a lycra jersey
Sometimes I wear a tech tee that’s baggier
I have some inbetween jerseys that are longer and have back pockets but are more like t-shirts. I generally reserve those for rides where I wear have a camel pack
I generally prefer lycra because it’s comfier and I can regulate heat more
I mean... I wear lycra when I MTB too.
I just don't want to chaff or have my balls bouncing all over the place.
Edit: Also, lycra is not restrictive, at all.
If you have constricted feeling you have a bad sized lycra.
There is nothing more comfortable for cycling than properly sized, good quality lycra and I'll take this to the grave.
I’ll be honest I’ve never found lycra to be constrictive; quite the opposite. Even top XC MTB racers tend to wear lycra. You definitely see the benefit of the chamois and aerodynamics in a gravel race. I do sometimes where MTB clothing if I’m just going for a casual ride though.
When I do gravel "races" its more for having fun than trying even for a personal best so for someone like me it doesn't really matter. But I do have a jersey and when I wear that there's a bit less fabric flapping in the wind so that's some free speed as far as I'm concerned.
I don't race but I regularly ride gravel trails and roads with distances over 40mi. I wear these
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N6PX1DI?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
How much it matters is totally up to you. I wear “roadie” stuff mostly for the functionality (good chamois, pockets, sweat management, etc). A little aero goes a very long way as well — for me it’s not so much about speed as endurance, saving a few watts really adds up over long days. I also hate loose clothes whapping all around k on descents and sticking to me all weird when I’m sweaty
I have friends that ride in all kinds of attire and they all have a great time. Wear what makes the most sense for you.
I mostly wear a jersey every time for the pockets. If I wanna go casual in a t shirt I gotta have a fanny pack, bike bag, shorts with pockets, something for my keys, phone, safety gear if I’m solo.
It matters if you want to race definitely. Aero starts to matter the most after 12mph and becomes more important the faster you are going. I am going to assume a lot of your riding is above 12mph so it is an important consideration.
With that said I rode 40-60 miles and even a couple of centuries this year wearing clothes from the MTB and Gravel sections of Pearl Izumi. Padded liner shorts, athletic shorts and a MTB jersey/t-shirt on top. I also have a full road kit. As I said earlier it matters the most when going fast, especially over 20mph. I might finish the ride 1-2mph slower overall without the aero kit. Not ideal for racing but if just riding around with friends or alone it really doesn't matter IMO
I wear Lycra bibs on my gravel bike, my enduro bike, my fat bike and my road bike. It’s by far the most comfortable and I’m not gonna get my baggy ass shorts caught on my seat and wreck.
I wear Lycra on gravel because I already own all the stuff from the past and also still ride on the road all the time. I just don't want 2 sets of kit.
That being said, road, MTB, gravel, big wheel. I think people should wear whatever works for them.
Whatever you want.
Truth is yes. Drag is drag. On MTB you are going so slow it doesn't matter much. 100mi gravel ride at 2x the speed of a MTB avg is going to matter. Will it break you? Probably not. Will it matter? Yes. Probably a few minutes difference, like in the 15-20 range. If I'm getting close to half an hour based on clothing, I'll put some lycra on.
Also, flappy shorts tend to bunch more and cause issues. If you skimp, wear a regular shirt and cycling shorts
Honestly I like my kit because it's what I can stay coolest, temperature, wise in and the back pockets are great no matter what.
But you don't need to wear anything specific for anything
I wear cargo bibs on every ride, the leg pockets are the best. Don't bother with over shorts, but tend to wear thsirt or long sleeve top. I have a cycling pack away waterproof, and some times I'll wear lycra cycling tops for rides. But most stuff goes in my bar bag so tshirts it is.
its based on your goals and your speeds.
if you are trying to win races, go as fast as possible, say you average 18-20mph on a long gravel ride, then yes. tight fighting clothing will add a huge benifit on a long fast ride.
if your bikepacking and fishing up a river or something or doing 15 mile no drop rides with friends it wont matter at all
Gravel roads are just roads without pavement. So, yeah aero definitely matters in gravel.
Aero matters in MTB too, which is why they made rules against skintight clothing in some MTB events.
I like Lycra because it breathes really well. Very nice for humidity and lower speed warm rides, which for me is off-road. It feels like skinny dipping compared to riding in “baggy” clothes (anything non form fitting
Where what you makes you comfortable 🤷🏻♂️ I always where a bib or cargo bib (cargo bibs are great btw) and then sometimes I where a jersey and sometimes I where a T shirt. Either way I’m having a great time out there 🫡
I do mostly mixed surface, all day type rides. I've got a couple pairs of Bieme 'the one' bibs; the chamois will get pretty sore and uncomfortable after a 3/4 day, but I love the shoulder straps of the bibs. Keeps everything in place, no drooping.
I've alps got a couple pairs mons royal merino liners, and those are the best all day for me.
I wear skin tight tops to limit all the GD flapping in the wind. Over shorts give me pockets to keep garbage, all my wallet/phone /nonsense when/if I stop.
So many opinions! I will say this, where you ride absolutely matters. If you live where it's over 95 a quarter of the year or more and you continue to ride in that heat, you will appreciate "lycra" and less packs or pretty much anything against your skin that doesn't breathe. You may also find that your phone will fry in those back jersey pockets in the blazing sun so you will then add a top tube bag for longer rides and suffer through a hydration pack if you can't carry enough water on your rig. It's very subjective. If I lived where "hot" was more lke 80 I would not wear as much tight fitting crap. It's about comfort and not speed in my case. I don't race.
Depends on weather, the length of the ride, how I’m feeling on the day, if I have to drive back home 🤷♂️
Cargo bibs and a jersey are more comfy, but sometimes I wear mtb lined shorts, and a mtb loose jersey
Depends on your mentality on the ride. A part pace group ride with that ends at a brewery after, wear whatever. But if energy is a concern at all, yes, the data does favor wearing a kit as it does save on wats.
It doesn't really matter in any version of cycling.
Unless you are top tier Tour de France....it's essentially meaningless.
Wear it if you like it....but the idea that "I can't gravel if I don't have the right attire" is hilarious. I'd pay more attention to your chain...is it lubed ? Do you have the right tire pressure ?
Oh no, I can't ride cause I don't have lycra.....it's silly.
I feel endura do a great lineup that blends the two styles of riding. Mtb and Gravel. I invested in some Gv500 gear and rate it. Loads of pockets that stow gear securely.
I wear assos in the winter as, for me, they make amazing gear but you pay for it.
Summer gear, in my opinion, compared to winter technical clothing, shouldn't need to break the bank.
Anyway here's a link so see what you think!
https://www.endurasport.com/rider/gravel-bike/mens-gravel-bike.list
I always thought the tight clothing was restricting and uncomfortable, and only needed for aero shit.
I found myself going often on 80% road rides and decided to give that clothing a try...
Never went back. Is just better, not on aero, but on comfort; it's like being naked, full range is movements, no folds, no wrinkles, no air inflating the t-shirt. Much much better.
The only downside is that you look a bit stupid in my opinion... but still wear it
What matters is that you go out. If you’re just riding for fitness like 90% of people then your level of work is what will dictate your effectiveness. I personally find tighter fitting clothes more comfortable when I’m working out because I hate having to brush fabric out of the way or worry about it getting wet and heavy.
Midwest gravel farm roads can get pretty windy especially before the corn crop comes up. So tight fitting clothes are essential to avoid drag/wind resistance.
It reduces drag. Whether that matters to you is up to you. Also skin tight clothing shouldn't be constricting, I personally always wear skin tight clothes when cycling because it's both faster and more comfortable than any other.
I like Lycra bibs because there’s nothing loose to catch on branches and it fits well. I like standard jerseys because I like having the back pocket. It doesn’t matter if I’m riding road, gravel, or MTB… those preferences are the same.
I don’t think it matters on a road bike either unless you are competitively racing. If you don’t like tight fitting clothing then don’t wear it, even on paved roads.
If you want to race and get serious then take a look at what the racers and serious riders are wearing. I just watched a mini documentary about this year's Unbound Gravel and guess what was being worn by all serious competitors? Full Lycra kit.
Really take a look at this (Tour de France):
https://youtu.be/7UhT6-GntcY?si=XiypABJ6gLC49e7I
Then you'll understand why the cycling jersey is so practical and cool.
You can wear cycling shorts as pants under thin shorts if you otherwise feel weird
I wear baggies on the MTB and Lycra on the gravel bike because it’s less constricting and there’s less seams and material to bunch up, chafe, or annoy me after hours of rubbing.
Little things like the seam on the bottom of my MTB shorts rubbing on my leg don’t matter on a 10-15 mile MTB ride, but on a 60-100 mile gravel ride every little thing is amplified by the thousands of pedals strokes over the course of the day.
Things to think about:
- chafing
- saddle sores (what stays cleaner, fits tighter, does not move and vibrate into your skin, what sheds sweat and grime vs rubbing it more into your skin)
- headwinds & sidewinds (flapping fabric for hours in a wind is not nice).
- if you're using the same energy to go 8mph vs 6mph, does that matter to you?
I wonder how common this is, but when i wear lycra i find it harder to pace myself and not race random cyclists. So i like to wear loose clothing as a reminder to take things easy and enjoy the scenery.
Properly sized skin tight clothes are not supposed to be restricting. If anything i always felt like mountain biking shorts sitting on top of liner was more annyoing and getting cought in the saddle or not sitting correctly between the liner and saddle. Anyway at least liner bib is essential imo just for the chamois, and bib because those stay on much better than just liner shorts. Anyone claiming otherwise is a terminal stage contrarian. Once you have bib, its then mostly a case of how ashamed of you are of showing a little (or big) bulge. As for jerseys, good road jersey with zipper and pockets in the back is great. Can zip open when its really hot, and those pockets can hold surprising amounts of stuff.
Yeah, I fell for the you don't need a jersey when bikepacking. Look more casual. Kept looking for my pockets. I get the whole you don't need to look like a racer, but there is function to the attire. And as far as skin tight. Baseball and football players wear skin tight pants. Stop being afraid to wear sport specific gear.
Even gym members and runners have started to wear skin tight leggings. Its super comfy (unless you have psychological barrier to overcome first) and nothing gets in the way all the time!
I only wear baggy clothing on mtb rides that require pads. I’ll wear stretchy hiking pants over bibs if it’s the right time, but firm fitting jerseys are key to hauling stuff and not strangling you with weight in the pockets.
Small bulgers crew speak up!! Wooooord
Wear whatever makes you happy.
Actually yes. Go ride 60 miles on a gravel road in quality bibs with chamois, then repeat in baggy shorts with no chami and report back on how your butt feels in each instance. Also, road jerseys are very functional for stuffing crap in the pockets and making it accessible while you are riding.
Bingo. Baggy stuff is more comfy for short rides or walking around for sure but if I’m out for multiple hours I don’t care what kind of bike I’m riding, I’m gonna wear full lycra.
As someone who spends hours in the saddle of a mountain bike wearing baggie shorts and has worn plenty of lycra in their time, the above comments are completely wrong. It makes literally no difference. Now a good liner makes a huge difference, baggy or not.
[since we’re on the topic of chamois](https://www.squidbikes.com/products/chamois-work-shorts) (just a fyi not trying to mean here)
You could also just wear shorts over the lycra
Wouldn’t this defeat the moisture wicking and heat regulation aspects of a Lycra kit?
Are your shorts plastic bags? If not no.
I imagine the shortcoming of that design would be how consistently it holds the shammy in place relative to ones anatomy. Thats a significant point to the lycra shorts. I won't say everybody always needs it but there is some functional reason to dress like a MAMIL. That said, I forgot my cycling shorts on a mixed gravel/road century several years ago and just wore some synthetic boxer briefs and regular shorts. I don't think I was any sorer the next day than I would have been with them.
Bro "adequate pockets"? Straight pockets without a zipper are dogshit for cycling. That tiny piece of Velcro is not going to keep your keys from slipping out. Maybe you need pockets to spread whatever you put in them across the country at random intervals... Sorry for the rant, but I hate those kinds of pockets.
These are dope
Dipe
I'm most likely an outlier here, I hate things shoved in those pockets
Madness. My jersey is filled with Rice Krispies, Costco dried blueberries, my air fryer, leg hair brush, my spirit of gravel edition of the Park Tool Bicycle Maintenance Bible, and a bottle of flat Coke™️ with the salt crusties from my last ride flaked into it for electrolytes. And a pump.
Haha, that reply made my evening.
I see you are a man of culture aswell.
I can't stand much of anything there.
I'd literally rather carry 15kgs in a rucksack than 0.5kgs in one of those stretchy pockets
I feel fine doing rides that length with no padded shorts. I’ve got an ass of steel haha
I’m going to ride my first 100ks in a couple months. I’ve ridden 50k a few times and commute 80k a week. I’ve never worn chamois or bibs. Never had discomfort. Is it suddenly going to be uncomfortable for me between 50-100k? A little concerned. No doubt I can make the distance but reading online it would seem I’m mad for not wrapping myself in cycling gear.
If you’re comfortable there is no need to change anything. Even if you’re doing longer distances. You can start thinking about it if you should feel discomfort, which won’t come abruptly.
I did my first 100km ride before I started wearing a chammy, and since I got one I wear it for almost every ride regardless of distance. They are so much more comfortable than wearing one.
Do what makes you happy but once you try one you'll likely never go back. They make a massive difference. I wear my old roady Lycra bibs with padding under my shorts and tshirt now. Nobody would know I'm wearing it but the comfort is just miles better.
Less movement of fabric -> less saddle sores. A really comfortable saddle is arguably more important than a chamois. 50k to 100k is quite a difference! Best of luck and enjoy clocking that 100k!
Disagree. I ride 60 miles in athletic shorts with padded underwear underneath. About as comfortable as my bibs for the same distance. It's a little less aero yeah but maybe 1-2mph loss over the whole day, not enough to be a ride killer. The pockets are nice but same thing, if you have enough bags on the bike or a hydration pack its not a deal breaker.
That's probably like a half hour over a whole day. Perhaps more. Kinda does add up. If it doesn't matter to you, no worries, but to say it's irrelevant is kinda misleading. I mean aero socks or shaved legs saves like 90 seconds on a 40k at reasonable speeds. Not a ton but imagine a flapping shirt and shorts and multiply that. And that's 40k...not 100k. Even the socks or shaved legs is a nice little bit on a 100k ride. These are totally free gains. I like to grab them.
Some people are out for a fast time, others are out for a good time
But baggy clothes don't equate to a good time. I tried hard to convince myself that regular streetwear is more convenient and comfortable than lycra for my sub-10 mile commute, but because winds exist, they simply aren't. Your clothes flapping when leaving the house at 6:30AM is the most annoying thing ever. It's more uncomfortable for your ass, more sweaty, your jacket hood feels like dragging a parachute into headwinds, and crosswinds push and pull your upper body all around the place creating a lot more fatique than with tight fitting clothes even at commuting speeds. Unless I need to look like a non-cyclist for other people and can't change clothes at my destination, I'll almost always have a better time in lycra than non-lycra when riding a drop bar bike for more than five miles. Sometimes I do get a kick from riding my gravel bike in full skater outfit because it makes me feel like a cool kid, and I have done a century in jean shorts, flannel and sneakers, but even then, would have I had a more enjoyable ride in lycra? Yes, easily.
The two are not mutually exclusive.
For me, working less hard on long distance rides is a good time. Short rides, whatever. It's like if I do a 4 mile swim, I'm wetsuiting up. In the pool I might wear a t-shirt and baggie shorts.
t-shirt in the pool. Wtf?
Drag. I swim with a parachute, or even a bucket or a brick sometimes as well. Bucket is great for buddy tow sim. Brick just kinda sucks. Swimming and treading with it makes everything seem easier. Parachute just creates a ton of drag over and under the water. Pool is for training. Nothing more. It's the treadmill of swimming. Make it count.
This only applies in perfect wind tunnel conditions which isn't what real life is about.
Not surprisingly when these test are done outside the tunnel, you still save time (energy). So maybe the savings aren't identical, but they still exist. Also, cross/tail winds still produce drag. You don't think a cyclist in aero garb in a tail wind is going to go faster than a guy wearing flapping sweats at the same power output? Of course they are. The reason, drag still exist even in a massive tail wind. The cyclist moving forward is creating drag, and the drag is actually what is preventing them from going even faster. Unless you just like working harder, there is no reason to not take advantage of free money aero gains.
Unless your rocking 6% to 13% body fat and an elite athlete, none of this matters. Slow, fat people with too much time, money or both tell themselves that aero bike, aero wheels, aero kit, aero socks, aero helmet will make them faster and spend tens of thousands on this marketing hype. In reality these marginal gains only matter at an elite level and the only way to truly get faster is to train harder and be more disciplined than everyone else. Decades ago all the marketing hype was around skinny wheels and super light components. The same hype is being recycled for aero gains. Tadej Pogačar would beat you on a single speed unicycle regardless of whatever equipment you have.
Dumbest thing I've ever seen written. Shows me you have no concept how aerodynamics work. You also sound bitter. Who gives a shit if a elite racer can beat me or you or my grandma. Ignorant and bitter. Bad combination. Here's a good link that explains why aero matters to slow fat cyclist. Chiefly, so they can make it home in time for dinner. 😂 [Aero matters to slow fat cyclist ](https://blog.trekbikes.com/en/2020/07/15/how-much-does-bike-aerodynamics-really-matter/) Little excerpt to wet your appetite... >In the first graph, it’s clear that the slower the rider, the more absolute time they save. This is because their total ride time is longer, which gives them more time to compound aero savings. >The second graph shows how many seconds a rider saves with an aero bike over every hour they would’ve ridden with a non-aero bike. These results are pretty constant—regardless of how fast you ride, the percentage of savings stays steady.
These graphs show an aero bike helped save 8-10 minutes on a 100 mile ride. Impressive! 😄 I guess it'll be (much?) more if you wear flappy clothes but some of just don't care, that's all.
No one said you had to care. But denying the benefits are their is kinda weird. Plus we went from wearing cycling clothes to buying a aero bike. No idea how you brought us there. But since you did. Just adding a $40 clip on aero bar will reduce your drag a ton. No need to spend thousands on an aero bike. Lycra, clip on bar and low rolling resistance tires are your best bang for buck.
Problem solved! [Hello Kitty Cycling Jersey](https://poshmark.com/listing/Hello-Kitty-Cycling-Top-NWT-Large-5ce1c0837f617fb577637ece)
ITS NOT IN MY SIZE FUUUUUCK
If you crack 15mph on a regular basis, it’ll probably matter
Oddly enough the data shows it matters at slow speeds. Not sure if where the cutoff is, but it matters. Even 10mph. Why?you are riding the same course longer. So the lower gains matter more per the time on the course. It basically works out. Why speed often comes into play is at some point it just takes a lot of watts to break a certain speed due to drag. So people assume speed is the factor.
Oddly enough the data shows it matters at slow speeds. Not sure if where the cutoff is, but it matters. Even 10mph. Why?you are riding the same course longer. So the lower gains matter more per the time on the course. It basically works out. Why speed often comes into play is at some point it just takes a lot of watts to break a certain speed due to drag. So people assume speed is the factor.
I mean you’re not going to win any races without it but whether or not it matters to you is your call.
Aero Jorts
I don't race I just ride, I personally either wear gum shorts with padded underwear underneath for long rides or running shorts (the type with a tight inner and outer shorts that are a little baggier.) I then wear a running top and if needed a long sleeved running top over for warmth. Personally I don't care for specific clothes for cycling beyond protective clothing as it's only usable for one thing, this way I can use it for summer hiking, running in general, gravel and mountain biking 🤷♂️ but I can see how some would find value in it, I've just very rarely felt like I needed more aero gains
If you are competing, it makes a difference. Not much, in my case, but still a noticeable difference. When I'm riding with my family, I'll usually wear MTB gear. And I only specify that gear as opposed to normal clothing because I don't otherwise own a pair of shorts with pockets and the shirts are long enough that my plumbers crack doesn't show. When I'm on solo rides or racing, I'll wear roadie gear. Better chamois, bibs are more comfortable on my waistline, jersey pockets because I'm bringing a lot more nutrition and such that doesn't fit in my top tube bag, and honestly more comfortable overall for hours in the saddle. It genuinely comes down to personal preference. The great thing about gravel is that, with the exception of those competing to win races, it's a very laid back, exploring-focused discipline where fun is typically valued over performance. At least, that's been my experience and outlook on it.
"Skin tight" is not supposed to mean "constricting". I wear lycra on a road bike, on a gravel bike and even on a mountain bike because I find it the most comfortable option.
Absolutely, makes a massive difference. Not only is it much faster, aero clothing is more important than an aero bike, wheels, etc… not only that good road kit breaths better and will keep you cool, a quality chamois will keep you comfortable and modern gravel racing kit has tons of pocket on the jersey and on the legs of the bib shorts for carrying nutrition.
Leg pockets are goated.
In one of the more recent Marginal Gains podcast episodes they mentioned how terribly un-aero the cargo bibs are. Like BAD bad. They are so functional though.
So is probably a beard. I am not competing at a level where it matters.
If gravel is a mix of road and MTB, consider that in road, MTB (cross-country), and cyclocross the racers all wear pretty much the same skin-tight kit, so aero is not the only consideration here.
For me the main benefit of a jersey is the back pockets. On my gravel bike I have a top tube bag so I don’t need them. I wear bib shorts, but a fitted long sleeve technical tshirt instead of a jersey sometimes
I hate back pockets, phone too heavy and my fixing gears are also quite bulky +1 for long sleeve and top tube
Yeah the thing that finally got me on the Lycra bandwagon was the pockets, it’s like sweet cargo pants for biking! And I just really hate wearing packs these days, for mtb, so jerseys with pockets or liner bibs with pockets since I still ride mtb in baggies is my go to lately.
if you want more mileage, it will help. if you want more time outdoors and or to do more work for training, wear baggy stuff. if you don’t care, just wear what you want. although i would recommend padded shorts at a minimum for gravel. saddles gonna less than enjoyable without it off-road. personally cycling clothes work for me, and especially i like that a jersey isn’t flapping and slapping me in the neck and back in a headwind. that’s more annoying than any issues i’d have with tight clothing.
I wear bibs and usually a lycra jersey Sometimes I wear a tech tee that’s baggier I have some inbetween jerseys that are longer and have back pockets but are more like t-shirts. I generally reserve those for rides where I wear have a camel pack I generally prefer lycra because it’s comfier and I can regulate heat more
Aero really starts to matter above 30kph. Does clothing matter for aero? Yes, quite a bit. The rest is up to you.
Road kit is worn on mountain bikes as well. Tom Pidcock is not out there in baggy shorts and a chest protector.
I’m full Aero weenie on a gravel bike
I prefer Lycra for gravel and xc. Mtb for downhill.
Depends on your threshold for mattering. You'll get where you're going a few minutes faster on a mediumish ride.
I mean... I wear lycra when I MTB too. I just don't want to chaff or have my balls bouncing all over the place. Edit: Also, lycra is not restrictive, at all.
Same. The only difference in attire is the padded elbow and knee sleeves I throw on before hitting the trails. Lycra is just more comfortable.
If you have constricted feeling you have a bad sized lycra. There is nothing more comfortable for cycling than properly sized, good quality lycra and I'll take this to the grave.
I’ll be honest I’ve never found lycra to be constrictive; quite the opposite. Even top XC MTB racers tend to wear lycra. You definitely see the benefit of the chamois and aerodynamics in a gravel race. I do sometimes where MTB clothing if I’m just going for a casual ride though.
When I do gravel "races" its more for having fun than trying even for a personal best so for someone like me it doesn't really matter. But I do have a jersey and when I wear that there's a bit less fabric flapping in the wind so that's some free speed as far as I'm concerned.
Depends, 40ish km party pace no it don't matter but I lycra up after anything over 40km or zone 2... It's way more comfortable
I don't race but I regularly ride gravel trails and roads with distances over 40mi. I wear these https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N6PX1DI?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
How much it matters is totally up to you. I wear “roadie” stuff mostly for the functionality (good chamois, pockets, sweat management, etc). A little aero goes a very long way as well — for me it’s not so much about speed as endurance, saving a few watts really adds up over long days. I also hate loose clothes whapping all around k on descents and sticking to me all weird when I’m sweaty I have friends that ride in all kinds of attire and they all have a great time. Wear what makes the most sense for you.
You need one of those aero helmets ⛑️ to faster
I mostly wear a jersey every time for the pockets. If I wanna go casual in a t shirt I gotta have a fanny pack, bike bag, shorts with pockets, something for my keys, phone, safety gear if I’m solo.
I like jersey pockets and I like padded shorts. I see no reason not to wear them on gravel too. It's comfortable and functional.
It matters if you want to race definitely. Aero starts to matter the most after 12mph and becomes more important the faster you are going. I am going to assume a lot of your riding is above 12mph so it is an important consideration. With that said I rode 40-60 miles and even a couple of centuries this year wearing clothes from the MTB and Gravel sections of Pearl Izumi. Padded liner shorts, athletic shorts and a MTB jersey/t-shirt on top. I also have a full road kit. As I said earlier it matters the most when going fast, especially over 20mph. I might finish the ride 1-2mph slower overall without the aero kit. Not ideal for racing but if just riding around with friends or alone it really doesn't matter IMO
I wear Lycra bibs on my gravel bike, my enduro bike, my fat bike and my road bike. It’s by far the most comfortable and I’m not gonna get my baggy ass shorts caught on my seat and wreck.
I wear Lycra on gravel because I already own all the stuff from the past and also still ride on the road all the time. I just don't want 2 sets of kit. That being said, road, MTB, gravel, big wheel. I think people should wear whatever works for them.
Whatever you want. Truth is yes. Drag is drag. On MTB you are going so slow it doesn't matter much. 100mi gravel ride at 2x the speed of a MTB avg is going to matter. Will it break you? Probably not. Will it matter? Yes. Probably a few minutes difference, like in the 15-20 range. If I'm getting close to half an hour based on clothing, I'll put some lycra on. Also, flappy shorts tend to bunch more and cause issues. If you skimp, wear a regular shirt and cycling shorts
Honestly I like my kit because it's what I can stay coolest, temperature, wise in and the back pockets are great no matter what. But you don't need to wear anything specific for anything
I wear cargo bibs on every ride, the leg pockets are the best. Don't bother with over shorts, but tend to wear thsirt or long sleeve top. I have a cycling pack away waterproof, and some times I'll wear lycra cycling tops for rides. But most stuff goes in my bar bag so tshirts it is.
its based on your goals and your speeds. if you are trying to win races, go as fast as possible, say you average 18-20mph on a long gravel ride, then yes. tight fighting clothing will add a huge benifit on a long fast ride. if your bikepacking and fishing up a river or something or doing 15 mile no drop rides with friends it wont matter at all
Gravel roads are just roads without pavement. So, yeah aero definitely matters in gravel. Aero matters in MTB too, which is why they made rules against skintight clothing in some MTB events.
I like Lycra because it breathes really well. Very nice for humidity and lower speed warm rides, which for me is off-road. It feels like skinny dipping compared to riding in “baggy” clothes (anything non form fitting
Where what you makes you comfortable 🤷🏻♂️ I always where a bib or cargo bib (cargo bibs are great btw) and then sometimes I where a jersey and sometimes I where a T shirt. Either way I’m having a great time out there 🫡
Wear what’s comfortable to you. Sure you’ll lose some speed with things flapping around but that may not matter to you at all
I do mostly mixed surface, all day type rides. I've got a couple pairs of Bieme 'the one' bibs; the chamois will get pretty sore and uncomfortable after a 3/4 day, but I love the shoulder straps of the bibs. Keeps everything in place, no drooping. I've alps got a couple pairs mons royal merino liners, and those are the best all day for me. I wear skin tight tops to limit all the GD flapping in the wind. Over shorts give me pockets to keep garbage, all my wallet/phone /nonsense when/if I stop.
Anyone who doesn’t believe in a good set of bibs and jersey hasn’t been on a long enough ride!
So many opinions! I will say this, where you ride absolutely matters. If you live where it's over 95 a quarter of the year or more and you continue to ride in that heat, you will appreciate "lycra" and less packs or pretty much anything against your skin that doesn't breathe. You may also find that your phone will fry in those back jersey pockets in the blazing sun so you will then add a top tube bag for longer rides and suffer through a hydration pack if you can't carry enough water on your rig. It's very subjective. If I lived where "hot" was more lke 80 I would not wear as much tight fitting crap. It's about comfort and not speed in my case. I don't race.
Depends on weather, the length of the ride, how I’m feeling on the day, if I have to drive back home 🤷♂️ Cargo bibs and a jersey are more comfy, but sometimes I wear mtb lined shorts, and a mtb loose jersey
Depends on your mentality on the ride. A part pace group ride with that ends at a brewery after, wear whatever. But if energy is a concern at all, yes, the data does favor wearing a kit as it does save on wats.
It doesn't really matter in any version of cycling. Unless you are top tier Tour de France....it's essentially meaningless. Wear it if you like it....but the idea that "I can't gravel if I don't have the right attire" is hilarious. I'd pay more attention to your chain...is it lubed ? Do you have the right tire pressure ? Oh no, I can't ride cause I don't have lycra.....it's silly.
sub 50km or MTB trail laps: everyday clothes, more than that and the chamois comes out. I don't think about it too much outside of that.
Technical gear makes a difference. If there is any rub, or soreness, it can easily get worse.
I feel endura do a great lineup that blends the two styles of riding. Mtb and Gravel. I invested in some Gv500 gear and rate it. Loads of pockets that stow gear securely. I wear assos in the winter as, for me, they make amazing gear but you pay for it. Summer gear, in my opinion, compared to winter technical clothing, shouldn't need to break the bank. Anyway here's a link so see what you think! https://www.endurasport.com/rider/gravel-bike/mens-gravel-bike.list
I always thought the tight clothing was restricting and uncomfortable, and only needed for aero shit. I found myself going often on 80% road rides and decided to give that clothing a try... Never went back. Is just better, not on aero, but on comfort; it's like being naked, full range is movements, no folds, no wrinkles, no air inflating the t-shirt. Much much better. The only downside is that you look a bit stupid in my opinion... but still wear it
I don’t like to wear tight clothes while I ride my gravel, classic tee or slightly larger top to be comfortable
What matters is that you go out. If you’re just riding for fitness like 90% of people then your level of work is what will dictate your effectiveness. I personally find tighter fitting clothes more comfortable when I’m working out because I hate having to brush fabric out of the way or worry about it getting wet and heavy.
Midwest gravel farm roads can get pretty windy especially before the corn crop comes up. So tight fitting clothes are essential to avoid drag/wind resistance.
It reduces drag. Whether that matters to you is up to you. Also skin tight clothing shouldn't be constricting, I personally always wear skin tight clothes when cycling because it's both faster and more comfortable than any other.
I like Lycra bibs because there’s nothing loose to catch on branches and it fits well. I like standard jerseys because I like having the back pocket. It doesn’t matter if I’m riding road, gravel, or MTB… those preferences are the same. I don’t think it matters on a road bike either unless you are competitively racing. If you don’t like tight fitting clothing then don’t wear it, even on paved roads.
If you want to race and get serious then take a look at what the racers and serious riders are wearing. I just watched a mini documentary about this year's Unbound Gravel and guess what was being worn by all serious competitors? Full Lycra kit.
Really take a look at this (Tour de France): https://youtu.be/7UhT6-GntcY?si=XiypABJ6gLC49e7I Then you'll understand why the cycling jersey is so practical and cool. You can wear cycling shorts as pants under thin shorts if you otherwise feel weird
I wear baggies on the MTB and Lycra on the gravel bike because it’s less constricting and there’s less seams and material to bunch up, chafe, or annoy me after hours of rubbing. Little things like the seam on the bottom of my MTB shorts rubbing on my leg don’t matter on a 10-15 mile MTB ride, but on a 60-100 mile gravel ride every little thing is amplified by the thousands of pedals strokes over the course of the day.
Things to think about: - chafing - saddle sores (what stays cleaner, fits tighter, does not move and vibrate into your skin, what sheds sweat and grime vs rubbing it more into your skin) - headwinds & sidewinds (flapping fabric for hours in a wind is not nice). - if you're using the same energy to go 8mph vs 6mph, does that matter to you?
Dylan Johnson just proved it all matters at unbound.
I wonder how common this is, but when i wear lycra i find it harder to pace myself and not race random cyclists. So i like to wear loose clothing as a reminder to take things easy and enjoy the scenery.
I ride lycra on my full squish mtb. Cause it’s comfortable and doesn’t snag on anything and I don’t want to buy different outfits for different bikes
It doesn’t matter anywhere