What do you all wear when you ride but to go somewhere, like the mall....?

I want to be wearing when I get there ???????? And, like, my helmet?

Like, I wear, like totally normal clothes and like, fully comfy shoes.

I didn't know there were so many valley girls in the commuting/touring forum. This is a question thats got to be on a lot of people's minds. I've found that under 12 mi, i' a-ok without a chamois... so i usually opt for regular clothes and my trust old pair of shoes that have been molded by my toe clips. if i had room in my budget for shants/ knickers/ manpris/ etc, i'd probably spring for them. Anyone have any affordable alternatives that still offer some extra comfort?

I wear regular shorts or sweats and a tee shirt and sneakers.

What do you all wear when you ride but to go somewhere, like the mall....?

Bowling shirts are great for days you don't want to wear a jersey. You can get them in 100% polyester (fast wicking and drying) and real bowling shirts are longer in the back than the front, just like a jersey. You can also still get pants clips to keep your pant leg out of the chain rings and front derailer.

So riding short distances without a chamois should be OK? What about those slip on saddle gel covers?

What do you all wear when you ride but to go somewhere, like the mall....?

I wear whatever I happen to be wearing. For rides where the round trip is less than 20 miles do you really need cycling clothes? My commute is 15 miles each way and I'll sometimes bring a spare shirt to change into, but I take it easy and don't really work up a sweat. I'm a big fan of convertible shorts/pants and seersucker and fight cotton shirts.

Flat pedals and street shoes, except when I'm using SPD sandals.

It's all good. Just ride.

...What about those slip on saddle gel covers?

I usually just pull a pair of walking shorts on over my cycling shorts and wear a poly t-shirt. All my cycling shoes are MTB style so walking in them is no problem.

The real deal of course is to lock up your bike very, very well (who cares how you are dressed).

You can buy padded cycling undershorts that you wear under regular shorts or pants. Not as comfortable as regular shorts but better than riding with tighty-whiteys. You also can buy mountainbiking shorts that look like regular hiking shorts. They have a padded liner just like regular hiking shorts, and some bikers prefer them over spandex.

So riding short distances without a chamois should be OK? What about those slip on saddle gel covers?

If you ride at all regularly, so your butt is accustomed to your saddle, a ride of half an hour or less should be no problem in any kind of pants -- jeans, khakis, even a suit. If you're in long pants you do need some way to keep your pants legs out of the chain. Those velcro straps work great, and I used to have some of the old spring trouser clips, but you can just tuck 'em into your socks in a pinch.

This question could only come up in the U.S. In European cities thousands of people get around on bikes wearing ordinary clothes, and nobody thinks twice about it. Bikes are transportation, not just expensive toys (NTTAWWT).

http://www.smile-europe.org/locxpdb/imgs/dk_copenhagen_bikes200000.jpg

What do you all wear when you ride but to go somewhere, like the mall....?With the pull of a string I transform from lycra skinsuit to Abercrombi & Fitch t-shirt and Gap blue jeans wearing Armani shades. :D

Seriously, like others have said, I put cycling shorts under some hiking looking shorts or wear black baggies, a techy t-shirt thingy from REI that has a collar and zipper in front, and I too wear mtb shoes that look more hiking oriented. Make sure your socks match your kit. Often times people overlook the socks, make sure you have ones with a beer mug on the side. I also like the skull and cross-bones one too :thumbsup:

You also can buy mountainbiking shorts that look like regular hiking shorts. They have a padded liner just like regular hiking shorts, and some bikers prefer them over spandex.I prefer the MTB shorts. I find they are less likely to cause a "scene" when I stop at places. And frankly I feel like I am being a better ambassador of cycling if I am seen riding in normal clothes. Most people think the spandex stuff looks ridiculous.

Seriously though, there is nothing wrong with riding in civilian clothes. I rode 30 miles to Brownsville (OR) last weekend in unpadded hiking shorts and a billowing cotton Hawaiian shirt. I was going to a family BBQ and that's what I wanted to be wearing once I arrived. You don't need to kit out in full Le Tour regalia every time you ride.

whatever i'm wearing, i.e. i don't change into cycling specific clothes. that would be stupid.

So riding short distances without a chamois should be OK? What about those slip on saddle gel covers?

I imagine it would be. Try it and see what your butt says. For short to mid-length rides I usually wear sports pants (no chamois) and use a Terry gel cover. It's nice because it's not over padded and has a cut-out. Most of the LBS gel covers turn your saddle into an easy chair which isn't always the best thing. On longer rides I usually use the Terry cover _and_ chamois lined cycling shorts. Since both cushions have the correct cutouts it doesn't put too much pressure anywhere.

Edit: I also tried to use a Mr. Flitie, but couldn't get it on over my saddle. You need a pretty narrow saddle for one of those to fit.

Thanks for the feedback everyone. My only bike is a race bike and the seat as we all know is pretty damn hard. I have only ever ridden in cycle shorts and a jersey so that's why I asked.

I suppose the seat could make a big difference. I do most of my plain-clothes riding on a wide Brooks B-17.

i do most of my plain clothes riding on this:

http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/607/batavusfq3.jpg