Over the past decade, cycling has enjoyed something of a renaissance. In 2017, there were 4.5 million more cyclists on American roads than in 2014. Meanwhile, in London, cycling journeys grew by five per cent in 2018 alone. But thanks to the pandemic, 2020 has seen an upward spike in the demand for bicycles that’s in line with the Tour de France’s steepest ascents – 1.3 million bikes were reportedly sold in Britain during the Covid-19 lockdown, the equivalent of an extra five per cent of the population on two wheels in a few short (OK, they felt longer) months.

A neat way of avoiding the Tube, it’s worth noting that cycling is also a form of exercise that could bring your usual smart-casual commuter wardrobe into question. However, before diving feet first into Lycra lederhosen, consider your goals. If simply getting from A to B is more important than setting Strava PBs, your outfit may require only minor tweaks.

“Whatever floats your boat, but a pair of bib shorts would sink mine,” says designer Mr Oliver Spencer. “If you’re into competitive riding with your club at the weekend, then I totally get it. But if you’re slipping into what is essentially a sporty mankini for the commute to work, then I can’t help you.

“I’m strictly a town commuter. I ride my Brompton bike everywhere. It’s by far the best way to get around. I don’t have the time or the inclination to strip into Lycra every time I hop on two wheels. I stick to casualwear that will transition well from the saddle to my office.”

With this in mind, here are three civilian cycling looks, recommended by three cycling experts.

As adaptable as the foldaway bike it is named after, Oliver Spencer’s Brompton jacket combines the smartness of a blazer with the technical shell and reflective details of cycling gear. “I designed it to bridge the gap between casual riding kit and performance clothing,” says Mr Spencer. “Hence the ‘action back’ system and the ability to wear it off the shoulders or in its own small courier bag.”

While Mr Spencer admits you could wear it with a cycling jersey and cleats (“It’s an eye-catching look”), he thinks it lends itself to other elements of your everyday wardrobe. “This summer, I’m leaning on seersucker shirts a lot,” he says. “The dimpled cotton fabric makes a hell of a difference in keeping you cool. Similarly, I found linen does an excellent job in the trouser stakes, since it’s lightweight and very comfortable to ride in.”

Once you’re a bit more confident on your wheels and you’re riding regularly, you might find yourself turning to core cycling brands. (Rapha, Café du Cycliste and Pas Normal Studios are good names to know.) But that doesn’t necessarily mean straying too far from your ordinary, if no doubt considered, attire. “Rocking up to the pub in your Lycra is not the look most of us are going for,” says Mr Rob Obeng-Manu, product manager at Rapha. “Fortunately, a few brands have developed clothing that is equally at home in the office or on the bike. Rapha’s City Collection is a perfect example of this.”

“Today, we are able to produce technical fabrics with a different aesthetic,” says Mr Remi Clermont, founder and director of Café du Cycliste. “Visually, the frontier between fashion fabrics and technical fabrics is less and less defined, which opens the possibility of producing cycling products that could be mixed with smarter clothes.”

Clothing aside, you’re going to find yourself with a shopping list of other bits of kit. “For me, there are six essential items every cyclist needs,” says Mr Obeng-Manu. “A good multitool, tyre levers, inner tube, pump, portable lock and a set of lights. They should have you covered for almost all eventualities and are all small enough to be carried on your person.” If not, it pays to carry a bag with separate compartments for stowing cycling gear.

Just as the world has moved on, the nature of work itself has changed. Even before Zoom conference calls became the norm, meetings were increasingly taking place beyond the boardroom. “Living in Nice and working in the cycling industry, many of my meetings are done on a bike overlooking the Mediterranean, undoubtedly the best environment to discuss any topic, especially serious ones,” says Mr Clermont. “That is in cycling kit, of course.”

The open road is fast becoming the new golf course, where deals are made, so maybe it pays to dress the part. And here, we’ll accept that bib shorts have got your back (not to mention other bits). However, we’ll stop short of Mr Clermont’s dedication to the look. “A few years back, my father and I went on a long cycle ride, finishing at my grandmother’s birthday, held at a Michelin-star restaurant in Provence,” he says. “After a quick shower, I realised that I had forgotten my trousers. So, I sat down to dinner wearing a pair of black cycling tights with my white shirt and a blazer.” Proof that it can be done, if not that it should be.

The person featured in this story is not associated with and does not endorse MR PORTER or the products shown