cycling shorts

[stevehants]

new to tour cycling and i ve read that you should nt wear underwear with cycling shorts, opionions from experienced tourers please.thanks in advance

 

[SimonC]

Definitely no underwear.

 

[ChrisKH]

Not a tourer but I wouldn't wear them if I was. But it does depend what shorts you are wearing. Some come unpadded for use with padded underwear, in which case I probably would. But for standard cycling shorts with a built in seat pad, then no.

 

[gaz]

deff not. any material will ride up and give you a good chaffing

 

[ChrisKH]

Plus now I think about it, if you're travelling light, far easier to take two-three pairs of shorts rather than shorts plus underwear. Cycle shorts dry quite quickly as well when washed in the shower, for example.

 

[Paul Narramore]

If you are comfortable with underpants then wear them. I do, I've had no problems but then again, I'm also new so probably don't know what I'm talking about. In short, like most things in life, try it and if you like it, do it.

 

[Bill Gates]

They should be worn without underwear and used only once before washing.

 

[Paul Narramore]

Ye're but, no but, ye're but, no but........see post#6. "If you are comfortable......" Until the day arrives when I AM uncomfortable, I'm not going commando, alright?

 

[lukesdad]

No No No !!!!

 

[Auntie Helen]

As a laydee I have to wear underwear, even if the cycling shorts/longs have a pad, as it just ain't right otherwise... but I'm on a recumbent so I imagine the movement of the material is different.

 

[fido]

I'm alright up to about 15 miles in undies. Less so on particularly warm days. And this would be whilst wearing 'normal' shorts not cylcing shorts so what I think is largely irrelevant.

 

[bonj2]

As a laydee I have to wear underwear, even if the cycling shorts/longs have a pad, as it just ain't right otherwise... but I'm on a recumbent so I imagine the movement of the material is different.

if you've got a recumbent why have you got cycling shorts with a pad? you can get them wiithout you know.
I know i find driving in cycling shorts with a pad fairly uncomfy so i would imagine riding a recumbent in them would be fairly annoying too.
Try non-pad ones.

 

[Auntie Helen]

It's because I'm a cheapskate, bonj, and buy 'em from Lidl or Aldi on their special bike days and they usually have pads then. I sometimes buy the running stuff without pads too. But I have to say that the pad serves another use; on a recumbent you're facing dead into wind with your ladies' bits and it can get a bit draughty; the pad works as a bit more windproofing...

 

[Cubist]

Think this one through logically.

Staying dry: Most modern cycling shorts have a coolmax pad. It's designed to wick moisture away from the body. It works because when you sweat it actively makes the moisture come away from your skin, so your skin stays dry. Because it is a manmade wicking fibre, it does not absorb the moisture, so it stays relatively dry. If you then put a layer of cotton underwear between the pad and your skin, any moisture is absorbed by the cotton fibres, and stays there, to be transmitted back onto your skin. Wearing cotton underwear between pad and skin therefore defeats the object of the wicking properties of the pad.

Chafing/pressure/soreness. The pad is soft, held in place from all directions, moulds to your body/undercarriage, and takes the brunt of the movement between saddle surface and undercarriage. If you add another layer between the two, it shifts and gathers, leading to chafing and sores.

Hygiene/Odour. Sorry all, but modern coolmax pads are often anti-bacterial. They are constructed using silver, which itself had medically proven antibacterial properties. Body odour occurs when perspiration is eaten by bacteria, and the by-product of their feast is a smelly concoction of gases. If the bacteria are discouraged from feasting on perspiration by the coolmax properties, it stands to reason that the odour will be lessened. If you then wear an absorbent layer between the pad and sweat glands, it creates a reservoir of sweat, the bacteria attack it happily, and odour results.

Creams and ointments. I am a big bloke and sweat a lot when I exercise. If however I shower before I ride, and smear sudocrem on my undercarriage, it has two effects. Firstly it stops chafing, as the skin is lubricated. Secondly, the zinc oxide in the cream has a anti-perspirant effect. If I then wear a good quality pair of shorts, with a coolmax silver pad next to my skin, I can honestly say that no matter how hard I ride, the pad remains fresh (ish)

 

[andrew-the-tortoise]

M & S y-fronts under padded shorts for me, but it's only commuting so only an hour or so each way in saddle.

It can get a bit breezy downstairs without them!

In winter, wearing another pair of shorts over thermal bib tights is quite comfortable and warm.