25 mile test ride, no padded shorts or creams.

[GuyBoden]

I'm just experimenting with riding without padded shorts and creams, like I did in my old riding days. After a short ride of 25 miles, I didn't feel any chaffing or soreness, but my testicles were not as constrained as in padded shorts. I didn't ride my usual 50-70 miles, it was just a test, but I might do a longer ride.

I'm using my very comfy leather Lycett saddle.

 

[Cycleops]

Never used any padded shorts and have no probs. That saddle looks like a Brooks.

 

[vickster]

I'm just experimenting with riding without padded shorts and creams, like I did in my old riding days. After a short ride of 25 miles, I didn't feel any chaffing or soreness, but my testicles were not as constrained as in padded shorts.

View attachment 348544

Were you riding naked...chapeau as it's nippy out today!

 

[S-Express]

Tonight I'm going to sleep on a bed of nails, just to remind myself what a stupid idea it is....

 

[S-Express]

I'm using my very comfy leather Lycett saddle.

That saddle looks like a Brooks.

 

[mjr]

If you want more bundled division down there, products are available, such as "Obviously" boxers.

The key thing is to avoid seams where you sit, IMO. After that, next most important are underpants legs that don't go baggy if you actually use your legs, as you don't want the pedaling action to let anything escape and then garrote it.

 

[mjr]

Tonight I'm going to sleep on a bed of nails, just to remind myself what a stupid idea it is....

That's the spirit that keeps too many people being squashed and sawn by sweaty padded infection incubators

 

[jefmcg]

People see cyclists wearing high viz and helmets and gradually come to the conclusion that cycling must be very dangerous as you have to wear special safety equipment.

People see cyclists wearing special and generally ugly clothes and assume cycling must be terribly uncomfortable. I think it will help cycling spread to the non-enthusiasts if they see more cyclists dressing for their destination than their journey.

I wouldn't spend a day at a museum in cycling kit, and I don't want the palaver of bringing a change of clothes with me. So I happily cycle the 10 miles there (and later back home again) in jeans, without any ill effects (except roll up the right leg as my jeans are boot cut and my road bike has no guards, if I don't take the folder).


Edit: one ill-effect. My jeans wear out on the inner thigh.

 

[GuyBoden]

If you want more bundled division down there, products are available, such as "Obviously" boxers.

The key thing is to avoid seams where you sit, IMO. After that, next most important are underpants legs that don't go baggy if you actually use your legs, as you don't want the pedaling action to let anything escape and then garrote it.

Thanks for the advice, I'll be going out for a ride later in seamless boxers and see if they provide more support for the testicles without chaffing.

That saddle looks like a Brooks.

 

[si_c]

Edit: one ill-effect. My jeans wear out on the inner thigh.

I do my 13mi each way commute in jeans, largely because I like jeans, and I've ridden much further in them, never as yet worn padded shorts when out on the bike. If you treat it as primarily a means of transport then you don't need special clothes.

As you say though the jeans do wear in an unfortunate way, I tried to mitigate this by buying several pairs of jeans and alternating use. This week three of them have worn out, two of them whilst on the way *to* work.

 

[numbnuts]

I did the naked bike ride ..............once

 

[GuyBoden]

Tommy Godwin, 75,065 miles in a year (1939), in silk underwear.

http://www.tommygodwin.com/the-challenge/

"Tommy also didn’t have the benefit that professional riders have today with regards to clothing, accessories and personal maintenance. Endless days in the saddle were taking their toll and Tommy suffered from saddle soreness. After limited success using ointment to relieve his suffering, on the advice of a female cyclist he donned a pair of ladies silk undies and greatly improved his discomfort!"

 

[mjr]

"Tommy also didn’t have the benefit that professional riders have today with regards to clothing, accessories and personal maintenance. Endless days in the saddle were taking their toll and Tommy suffered from saddle soreness. After limited success using ointment to relieve his suffering, on the advice of a female cyclist he donned a pair of ladies silk undies and greatly improved his discomfort!"

That'll be the clothing "benefit" that still sees professional riders have to quit races due to saddle sores? Things have moved on a long way with saddles, but there's still a heck of a lot of people who think thick padding is a panacea as long as it's not on the saddle and there doesn't seem to have been comparable progress in the approach to clothing: synthetics have mostly replaced wool and chamois but the basic design would still be recognisable to a 1950s competitive cyclist and possibly earlier.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

After a short ride of 25 miles, I didn't feel any chaffing or soreness, but my testicles were not as constrained as in padded shorts.

Can't comment about the testicles, 'cause I haven't got any but personally I find the correct saddle for your bum is the key.
Can't abide padded shorts myself, used to wear them only on rough terrain, nowadays I just use a bike with fatter tyres for that and keep wearing normal leggings.

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Another one here who's never worn padded shorts, I normally wear either Altura tights or running shorts with bamboo under shorts.