The Short of It
Bibs or baggies? Chamois or ‘just me’? Choose wisely.
Comfort is queen when logging long hours in the saddle.
By Jen Luebke
The clock is counting down. I still need to fill my water bottles, pump my tires and find some ride snacks, and I’m still in my WFH wardrobe. How do I quickly choose my ride clothes when the plan calls for a cross between road riding and mountain biking? Some key questions to consider:
What snacks are you bringing? (Personally, this is high on my priority list.)
How long is your ride? (Is seat padding a must?)
What are your ride goals? (Is it a casual, social outing or a focused training session?)
What road surfaces are you riding? (Pristine gravel mostly roads or singletrack?)
Other important questions that might affect the pockets and/or bags you choose to bring:
What other containers do you have to carry things? Handlebar bag? Fanny pack? Hydration pack? Seat pack?
What bike tools do you need to bring?
How much water will you need? Is there a refill point on your ride or will you be super backwoods? (In that case, are you bringing a water filter?)
You might also relate to one of my common ride scenarios, where the ride-apparel choice is pretty clear.
Scenario A: I have the coolest 5-hour loop planned! It’s got a 30-mile gravel section in the middle, but the rest is pavement. In order to fit all the food I will need, I’m only packing space food (i.e. gels, bars, sports drink powder) because I don’t want any extra weight or bulk. Not only is my ride long, but my coach wants me to get in 90 minutes of tempo riding. What do I wear? All Spandies*! Tight fitting shorts plus a pocketed jersey is the way to go. I’ll throw a handlebar bag on my bike to stash extra clothes (who knows what can happen with the weather during a ride this long?) and the tools I might need. Food and phone go in my jersey pocket.
Scenario B: It’s a 90-minute gravel ride to the neighboring city bakery. Once there, we’re going to sit down, have a cup of coffee and a treat, then ride home. I’m pedaling with three friends but we aren’t exactly taking our time. I’ve got space food to get me there but my bakery treat fuels my return trip. What do I wear? I’m going to Mix It Up*! This means a comfy T-shirt and spandex shorts. I’ll definitely use my handlebar bag so I can bring back extra bakery goods.
Scenario C: I’m leaving the house to meet a friend to do a quick sunset spin. It will take us under an hour. It’s a gravel road that ends with a wide, flowy singletrack trail to a beautiful lookout. Maybe I can even fit a beer or sparkly water in my side pocket for the view stop. What’s my approach? Baggy As It Gets*! Loose shirt, baggy shorts, heck I might even just wear my sneakers on this little singletrack gravel cruise.
Jen on her beloved Bend trails.
Random “rules” (read: there are no rules, really) I tend to follow, adopted from experience:
I don’t mix pocketed jerseys with hydration packs; it’s just uncomfortable.
It’s okay to mix baggies with tighter-fitting shirts, like tank tops. This is my favorite version of Mixing It Up*.
My favorite way to plan for the day is to lay everything I need to bring on the ride on the floor so I can visualize how many pockets or handlebar bags I’m going to need for the day. If it’s a long desolate ride where it might rain, you need to have pockets to put some emergency tools and a spare jacket or a handlebar bag that can carry it all.
*My super scientific decision matrix:
Jen is a pro cyclist based out of Bend, Oregon, and rides for Team Twenty24. The team has a big Olympic focus, hence the name after the Olympic cycles, but has pivoted to add focus to racing e-sports and gravel. She also coaches cyclists and works for a few small businesses locally—MOBO Board and Grit Clinics. In her spare time, she’s playing with her dog, Waylon, drinking coffee, and enjoying being outside.
