Getting undesirable skin issues due to wearing them. I wash em every ride and get out if them ASAP but nooo.

maybe it’s because I’m buying cheap ones!

Me: Stretchy synthetic boxers under baggies. Exfoliate? Moisturise?

Used them a couple of times, can’t see the point tbh- just adds an extra thing to soak up moisture and chafe. Might be good if you have a bad saddle I guess?

Try using a chamois creme on them. This should allow the pad to slide over the skin and if you use something like Assos creme it has a mild disinfectant action.
Also what are you washing them in. Some people get a reaction from the chemicals in modern detergents, try some soap flakes or non bio powder/liquid and rinse them thoroughly afterwards.

As above – use chamois cream and wash with mild detergent – I use woollen liquid on mine usually, or fairy non bio when out of that.

chamois butt’r is a good alternative to assos.

Might be good if you have a bad saddle I guess?

Yes – all those pro cyclists have bad saddles. 😕

I get an issue with certain washing powders. End up sticking with non bio mostly. Also getting all the grit out helps too after really grim rides I used to hide down or rinse everything in the sink. Bit of washing machine preservation there too.

Silly question but you’re not wearing pants with them are you?

(Surprising number of people do and it’s not a good plan!)

What’s the problem with wearing pants under them? I normally wear tight fitting boxers under mine, try to avoid baggy ones as they tend to scrunch up. Admittedly I’ve only recently started wearing Lycra having been a DH rider for many years! Maybe I’ll start to see a problem when I start putting more miles in.

bio/non-bio washing power? you may be reacting to residue

All that effort to retried of seems and cotton and you throw some boxers on….

Get rid the lycra are pants it’s not lime you share them with your mate’s. You don’t share lycra do you?

What’s the problem with wearing pants under them?

The seams can dig in and chafe causing

undesirable skin issues

What’s the problem with wearing pants under them?

Try it without and then you’ll see. Boxers/pants get soggy with sweat/rain, chafe and generally get very uncomfortable very quickly…

Lycra shorts (assuming they have a chamois) are very much designed to be next to the skin.

All that effort to retried of seems and cotton and you throw some boxers on…. Get rid the lycra are pants it’s not lime you share them with your mate’s. You don’t share lycra do you?

Professor Stanley Unwin to the forum…

All that effort to retried of seems and cotton and you throw some boxers on….

Get rid the lycra are pants it’s not lime you share them with your mate’s. You don’t share lycra do you?

*checks watch*

Must be drinking time in Oz.

Still, wouldn’t have happened if he had been using an Apple device.

Never use – or needed – padded shorts on mtb.

You may already do this, but I wear padded roadie shorts or 3/4’s under my baggies, I find they are much more comfortable/better quality/less likely to move out of place than the padded inners you get with baggies.

Added bonus is the baggies protect your liners from thorns and crashes, and when you get back to the car you can remove the muddy baggies and drive home without using a towel or the footwell mats to protect your seats!

And the usual rules of a 30/40 degree wash, a small amount of non-bio and no fabric condition when they are washed, and deffo no boxers needed, they just soak up the sweat and keep your backside damp.

Can’t imagine wearing anything else to ride a bike as they are v well designed forthe purpose. But agree thatthedesign does NOT include wearing anything underneath. IMO cheap lycras are a false economy as they often have poor (ie painful) seams and don’t last.

Nike was the worst seams I have had in past 3years. More miles next. DHB and spesh much better.

Do they fit you properly?

I had one pair that were slightly too big and kind of bunched up and rubbed.

mooman
Never use – or needed – padded shorts on mtb.

+1

Discussions like this are why I like recumbents 😉

I never bother with padded shorts or anything, usually ride in normal (non-bike) trousers or shorts. Even on a MTB. But I don’t really do big epics any more…

Only if I’m doing a long ride because boxers can chafe after a while! Most of my rides are under 25 miles though so I don’t feel I need them.

I’ve stopped using them for my regular rides – just too much of a faff to either wash them regularly enough to be hygenic or buy enough of them to not have to.

They’re still in my drawer and I imagine I might use them for 3+ hour rides but for anything less I don’t really notice a difference once on the bike.

FWIW I use Endura and they are fine, never had any issues with them.

Washing something in 30 degrees that you wear in direct contact with your crotch and are very likely to sweat in? I’d rather throw them out after a month, which luckily isn’t necessary since they can take 60 degrees just fine.

Yep called on the typo it’s drinking time here in oz but was battling the cast the right hand that is causing plenty of typo’s.

Always wear then, never wear boxers underneath. I really don’t see why you wouldn’t as they improve comfort so much. I even wear then in short, urban rides.

I just wear non-padded lycra thingies from SportsDirect or somewhere these I think: http://www.sportsdirect.com/mens/nike-pro-core-short-420062?colcode=42006203

I found I was getting nasty sweat rash with padded shorts. I didn’t need the padding and everything was just getting too hot down there ;o)

Non padded (with a bit of chamois cream for longer rides) works fine for me – keeps everything in place but doesn’t get too hot and, being synthetic, doesn’t hold the moisture like cotton boxers…

Always wear bibshorts on anything over a few miles!

If you’re getting sweat rash from wearing padded shorts then that would possibly call your own personal hygiene into question. Never had a problem with them, but then I do always go for the very best I can afford and wash them after every ride (get two pairs if you ride regularly). Plus I keep the old undercarriage absolutely spotless at all times.

Don’t use vaseline to relieve chafing BTW – because it’s petroleum based it will dry out the skin, causing dermatitis and make things worse. Lanolin is by far the best for this sort of thing.

I also always wear bib shorts for riding. I own loads though. I agree about cheap ones being worse than nothing though. Might depend what type of riding you are doing. Push up roll down as opposed to 50miles over the moor?

Lanolin is by far the best for this sort of thing.

Or proper chamois cream, Assos is good. I rarely bother unless its a proper epic ride.

TooTall – Member

Yes – all those pro cyclists have bad saddles.

Do they choose lovely comfy sensible saddles? Or do they choose the most lightweight, aero thing that their sponsor sells? I use saddles that fit my arris well, and they’re comfortable.

Truth is, what the pros do doesn’t really have much relevance to what we do, most of the time.

TBH I suspect if you ask a lot of cyclists, they wear chamois because that’s what cyclists do, and they use the saddles they use because they came on the bike or because it reviewed well.

Washing something in 30 degrees that you wear in direct contact with your crotch and are very likely to sweat in? I’d rather throw them out after a month, which luckily isn’t necessary since they can take 60 degrees just fine.

I’m not sure I’d take washing advice from somebody who considers it too much faff to wash their shorts regularly.

Then again, I see all this advice for using non-bio washing liquid with them – non-bio is what we use for normal clothes. Shorts (merino tops etc.) get washed in liquid soap flakes – and they come out lovely and clean from a 30 degree wash with those, without any issues with chemical residue.

Do they choose lovely comfy sensible saddles? Or do they choose the most lightweight, aero thing that their sponsor sells?

Oh I’m sure pro cyclists use whatever saddle they’re told to – I doubt they worry about how comfortable they are.

I suspect if you ask a lot of cyclists, they wear chamois because that’s what cyclists do, and they use the saddles they use because they came on the bike or because it reviewed well.

Well clearly I can’t speak for all cyclists, but I’ve done quite a bit of riding without a chamois – in fact I’ve also done a lot of riding with minimal chamois in duathlon style shorts. I certainly know what I’d choose to wear when going for a bike ride – in fact I have sometimes chosen to wear bike shorts in events involving some running despite them being less comfortable for running in. Oh, and the saddles I use (on my bikes*) are what I’ve picked because I find them comfortable.

* the ones on my unis are mostly what they came with – finding a comfortable saddle for one of those is an ongoing issue.

Do they choose lovely comfy sensible saddles? Or do they choose the most lightweight, aero thing that their sponsor sells? I use saddles that fit my arris well, and they’re comfortable.

Not so sure, certain saddles are much more prolific, and with the weight limit very few use the super light ones (SLR, Toupe etc).

speedos

Do they choose lovely comfy sensible saddles? Or do they choose the most lightweight, aero thing that their sponsor sells?

Or perhaps they combine the best the saddle offers with the best the shorts offer and come up with something that works?

Given your lack of use of them with your plush saddles, perhaps you might want to just accept that lots of people find they work for them?

When it comes to detergent i would always use liquid as the powder can leave a small amount of residue in the weave. This will act as a fine sand paper against your more sensitive regions and some folks are more sensitive than others. If you still find your having a problem then a little white vinegar in on the rinse cycle will break down the detergent removing it from the material. These are the rules i use when cleaning my microfiber cloths for my valeting business.

TooTall – Member

Given your lack of use of them with your plush saddles

Eh, I use Charge Knives on all my bikes, nothing remotely plush about that. Padding doesn’t make saddles comfy, fit does.

When was the last time you seriously tried riding without chamois? That is to say, a number of rides, tweaking your setup, making sure your saddle and your kit works for you, etc?

In summer I just wear thin Lycra briefs under light baggies to avoid overheating. But currently I’m wearing the padded Lycra undershorts or padded 3/4 bib tights if colder, with water proof/resistant baggies over the top.

Padded dhb 3/4 Roubiax big tights under baggies at the moment. Chilly out!

In the summer I just wear the dhb padded boxers under baggies. The dhb stuff has a good pad for the price.

Yes I have ridden without but my arse was sore by the ride home and proper sore for the ride the following day.
Decent saddle too (Specialized BG Sport) that is a good fit (seatpins supported nicely).