When you think of cycling, you could be forgiven for picturing hardcore lycra-clad athletes bent over their handle bars.

But getting from A to B on a bike doesn't have to involve sweat and racing gear, or even a change of clothes.

In a trend sometimes referred to as 'style over speed', men and women are choosing to ride in their own way, at their own pace and in their everyday outfits.

If you like the sound of that, these three stylish riders might be the inspiration you need.

'It's just the way I want to ride'

ABC Radio Brisbane afternoons host Kat Feeney enjoys a leisurely 20-minute bike ride to and from work without compromising on style.

Her Dutch commuter bicycle accommodates her love of dresses and heels, with its upright position, big step-through and chain guards.

Wheel and chain guards protect Kat's dress. ( ABC Life: Jess Hinchcliffe )

"It's just the way I want to ride," she says.

"When it comes to bike riding there is this expectation of 'you should ride a bike like this'.

"I came to realise that wasn't right for me, I wanted to ride a bicycle my way and that included riding in the clothes I wanted to wear and travelling at the pace I wanted to travel at."

Despite living in hot and humid Brisbane, Kat minimises sweating by taking it easy.

"The pace I'm going at, you'd work up the same amount of sweat walking from the bus stop."

Cycling is Kat's main means of transportation as well as exercise, and a chance to "chill out and have a moment" to herself.

She adds a kiddie seat to the back of her bike when she wants to ride with her toddler.

It helps that she lives at the beginning of a bikeway — the kind of infrastructure many non-cyclists say would give them better access to riding.

If you live further out of town, consider your public transport options to get you and your bike closer for pedalling in.

Do you have tips for making your cycling commute stylish and fuss-free? Tell us in the comments.

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 1 minute 45 seconds 1 m 45 s Cycling in a busy city or town can be stressful. Avid cyclist Julia Earley shares her top tips for safe and fun cycling. (ABC Life: Matt Garrow) ( By Matt Garrow )

'I'm overtaken by joggers and that's OK'

Tae Baker takes her bike on public transport if the weather is bad. ( Supplied: Tae Baker )

Tae Baker from West End in Brisbane rides 13 kilometres to and from work each day and avoids unpredictable weather changes by hopping on transport where she can.

Quick tips Use chain guards to protect clothing

Use chain guards to protect clothing Use a rack, basket or pannier to carry stuff

Use a rack, basket or pannier to carry stuff Keep dry shampoo handy to help with hat hair

Keep dry shampoo handy to help with hat hair Wear loose, breathable clothing on hot days

Wear loose, breathable clothing on hot days Take a spare shirt if you’re worried

Take a spare shirt if you’re worried Little shorts under a skirt can make you feel more comfortable

Little shorts under a skirt can make you feel more comfortable Pedal slow to minimise sweating

Pedal slow to minimise sweating Take the long way around if you’re nervous about safety in some parts

Take the long way around if you’re nervous about safety in some parts Ride early if you can, before the weather heats up

Ride early if you can, before the weather heats up Don’t care about what other people think!

In Brisbane, bikes are permitted on ferries at any time and trains outside peak times — without any extra charge.

Those rules vary state to state. For example, in NSW you can travel on most public transport with a bike — including Sydney trains — or book in advance for regional trains and coaches.

To combat hot weather, Tae opts for loose, breathable clothing and keeps dry shampoo handy to help with hat hair.

"You don't have to go buy bicycle shorts either — I rode in little athletic shorts under skirts for years just to stop the odd flip up, but these things happen," she says.

Tae loves the experience of bike riding, saying it's a chance to take in the scenery.

"I have multi-million-dollar views, the same people say hello to me every day, the flowers change all the time along the bike path."

She says the key to overcoming perceived barriers around riding is realising many "normal" people are already doing it.

"People think you need to have all this gear — it's really just about doing whatever you like on your bike.

"What makes me happy is riding my bike not very fast. I've been overtaken by joggers [and] that's OK."

Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume. Watch Duration: 3 minutes 41 seconds 3 m 41 s Bike mechanic Vince Attree compares four popular styles of bike to help you make the best choice. ( ABC Life: Matt Garrow )

'Australia needs to change its perception'

Manning Thomson has been riding bikes all his life and hopes to ingrain the same habit in his kids.

He has a racing bike for sport (that, along with his lycra, gets less use these days) and a commuter model for everyday use.

Don't be afraid to wear dress shoes and jeans on your bike. A basket on the back makes commuting easier too. ( Unsplash: Soroush Karimi )

"I have a rack on the front I can put my bag on, and a rack on the back I can attach a child seat to for my daughter when I do the day-care run twice a week," he says.

"It's just fun, it's interactive, you see more of the city and get to know people."

Manning is an engineer so doesn't need to wear a suit for work. Instead he rides in chinos and a T-shirt, with a change of shirt in his bag.

"If I ride the racing bike in I save four minutes, but then I find myself all hot and sweaty and I need to change and shower.

"So, if I slow down and take a scenic route, I don't get as hot and sweaty.

Commuter cycling in Australia Improvements in commuter cycling rates across Australia over the past decade have been low, sitting at just 2.5 per cent of commuters on average. In some top cycling suburbs like Fitzroy in Victoria (15 per cent) and West End in Brisbane (8 per cent), it's higher. Cycling participation as a whole is generally higher in regional areas than in metropolitan, but it's more often for sport and recreation than transport.

"I think Australia needs to change its perception a little bit that you must shower and change at end of a bike ride."

As well as more connective infrastructure, Manning believes end-of-trip facilities would encourage more people to ride.

"Even just … at my local shops — the bike parking is not very practical."

His tip for those who might be nervous about riding on the road is to take the footpath.

Many people don't realise riding on the footpath in Queensland is legal, but that varies state to state so it's best to check your local rules.