Underwear

[jinx]

Hi everyone, I'm a first-post newbie!

I'm also a 59 year old male who is just starting to get into cycling (and loving it). I'm a little over-weight but I've spent some time making my saddle/seat/bike reasonably comfortable. I'm getting into light-touring with the hope of long-distance touring in the future.

What I need to know, (seriously) what do you recommend as the best material for 'touring' underwear? Is there a particular brand you favor? Is there any kind of lotion, powder, salve you might also recommend for a sore old tushy?

While riding, my attire is street-clothes, T-shirt, jeans, etc. After a week of 25 mile days I'm getting tender and sore. I'd like to travel further but I need some help solving my sore-butt problem.

 

[Sailariel]

Jinx, My recommendation would be to get cycling shorts with the chamois padding. With those one does not wear underwear. Bag balm or specific creams "Butt Butter" are available at your local bike shop. Biking jerseys are also highly recommended because they are designed specifically to wick off perspiration--they can also be purchased in very bright colours which will greatly enhance your safety on the road. Being seen is critical. Bike clothing is designed to minimize saddle soreness and maximize comfort.

[valygrl]

You can also get special bike underwear with the pad built in, that you can put under regular street clothes if you can't bear to wear lycra bike shorts.  

That said, commando lycra is the most comfortable.

[TwoWheeledExplorer]

Another option would be mountain-biker style baggy shorts with a spandex/lycra liner, which is what I wear. Basically they look like regular shorts (you can even get them with cargo pockets) so you can wear them in public places like resturants and not look like some guy in tight nylon shorts with no underwear on.

(You still should not wear underwear under them. It chafes.)

Ride safe,
Hans

St. Brendan's Spoke Bicycle Travel Club
www.stbrendans-spoke.org

[ptaylor]

As much as I respect Hans, and his excellent posts, I can not recommend baggy shorts: too much cloth between my bike seat and my u-know-what. The baggy shorts have an extra layer, and personally, I would prefer to eliminate the extra layer.

I think it's different strokes for different folks. Try'em - see if you like'em. There is nothing better than experience.

Paul

[Dan_E_Boye]

I ride a 'bent so the underwear situation is different, but one note about butt butter.  When I was in Yellowstone there was a wedgie rider a few campsites over.  He used butt butter and had a pair of his shorts hung up to dry.  A bear was wandering around and became interested in his shorts.  It tore into them a little.  Lucky for him he was not in them at the time.  We figured it must have been the scent in the shorts from the butter.

[jinx]

Thanks everyone for the prompt responses.

I will try most, if not all, your suggestions. Though, for right now, I would like to work around using street-clothes.

There's one common theme in all your posts; I see no recommendation of cotton. My intuition tells me cotton is a great absorbing material. But maybe absorbtion is not what I want.

Maybe by retaining moisture and being a natural fiber cotton makes for a better bacterial growth medium than man-made materials. Possibly?

I've been using cotton underwear with mostly cotton-content jeans.

You have a great site and forum, thanks again for the good advice.

[ptaylor]

Jinx.

You are quite correct about the cotton; it is a moisture absorber. I use street clothes, including cotton underwear for commuting and errands. But if I'm going more than about 20 miles, I always use bike shorts. All bike shorts made within the past 25 years use moisture wicking synthetics.

Paul

[Dan_E_Boye]

If you're using street clothes then I suggest Under Armor underwear.  I used to use cotton compression shorts made by Bike athletic company.  They are very comfortable but they wear out quickly.  Under Armor lasts longer, is lightweight, and has 3 different lengths for the inseam.  They're a little pricey but I like them very much.  They are mostly polyester.  

[biker_james]

Another option is to get plain (as in un-padded) spandex shorts to wear under your street clothes. Running stores or REI etc. should sell them. I would want to lose the jeans, and go for something lighter and made for outdoor activities-outdoor shops sell a variety of pants out of synthetic materials for hiking that can work well for riding. When touring we will often ride with our hiking pants over our bike shorts on cold days. I think on warm days you will find riding with any pants to be too warm.
Bike shorts are only scary till you try them, by the way. I think a lot of us had issues with spandex when we started riding, but discovered that there is a reason to wear it-it works well for the job. That said, there are people touring all over in "normal clothing" so it can work, just stay away from cotton.

[TwoWheeledExplorer]

Cotton kills! (Okay, maybe that is more for winter and wet seasons.)

Look at the construction of your jeans. See that big lump where the seams come together in the crotch? That is what is chafing. I know a lot of the old BikeCentennial folks did the ride in cut-off jeans and t-shirts, but then again, who didn't do things differently 30 years ago? I know the concept of bike shorts is a bit different to our American minds, (Try selling a Chief Park Ranger on the idea that we need to get each bike patrol ranger his/her own shorts because they wear them "comando".) but once you use them, particularly on long rides, you won't go back.

Ride safe,
Hans

PS Thanks for the props, Paul, but I still prefer the baggy look.

St. Brendan's Spoke Bicycle Travel Club
www.stbrendans-spoke.org

[Bigwavedave]

Jinx,I am 58 and 40 pounds overweight and I say swallow your inhibitions and get some bicycling shorts. Comfort trumps all. I do not care if anybody thinks I look silly. They make jersies in triple x sizes and shorts, too. Back in 1982 I was touring from San Francisco to LA; a man and his 15-year-old boy were doing their first tour and by the time they hit Big Sur their fannies were on fire. I cajoled them into the nearest bike shop. They reluctantly bought some shorts. The boy was initially embarrased about not wearing underwear, but it was comfortable bicycling after that. They thanked me effusively, I might add. If you already have blisters, I recommend applying any brand of triple-antibiotic ointment. See you on down the road.  

[jnorth]

andiamos!
regards-janet

[DaveB]

There is no substitute for proper bicycling shorts. They are a serious piece of athletic wear designed for a specific purpose.  They are not a fashion statement.

Riding in jeans or street shorts is really self-flagellation.

If you are embarrassed to go into stores or restaurants wearing them, carry a pair of light nylon or thin cotton street shorts to put on over them when you get off the bike and pack them away when you get back on.

[pmspirito]

I ride a recumbent wearing cargo shorts. I wear Duofold, 88% polyester-Hydroduct, 12% Elanstae-Lycra briefs. I purchase them thru Campmore.  These are soooooo comfy.

best wishes from the back of the pack,  Peter & Judy Spirito