Male on deck!!!!



Andy Jennings

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Nov 3, 2016
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This is going to sound VERY suspect, but it's not. Honestly. I wouldn't lie. Really.

What underwear do you use for cycling?

Told you it would sound suspicious.

Background is probably a good idea.

My wife has started cycling for the first time, at least since childhood anyway, and has been fine with her choice of underwear up to about 30km or so. After that it is getting VERY uncomfortable at the seams and the elastic around the legs. She completed her first 70Km ride today and is now nursing chafing lines around the contact point of the seams etc. Unfortunately she is not a native English speaker and can't write English at all, hence the intrusion from this suspect male.

She is looking for more suitable clothing, but having trouble finding things to work so asked if I could find out here for her.

Any advice is very much appreciated by both of us.
 
All my padded bicycle shorts/tights/pants I wear directly against the skin.

The purpose of the pad isn't to soften the saddle, but to make sure there are no seams directly against the skin where the body contacts the saddle.

I have several sets of padded underwear which I use together with any unpadded pants I ride in.

If you don't like the spandex look there are baggy MTB shorts with pads.
Or get a set of padded underwear, look at the seams of any pants you want to ride in, try any that looks promising and see what happens.
 
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You don't wear underwear when using bicycling shorts. The chamois should be against the skin and the shorts should fit snugly so they move with her and not against her. This helps to prevent the chafing.
 
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3 out of 3 responses, which includes mine which means we have a winning vote on the advice; is that cycling shorts are not intended to be worn with underwear. You can wear underwear if you're only going for a very short ride, but on longer rides the seams of underwear or short that are not intended for cycling will rub against you and cause discomfort and eventually chaffing will occur and that can be very painful, even just a little chaffing could cause you to be off your bike for a week to heal properly.

Do make sure that after every ride you wash your cycling shorts as per the instructions on the garment. Failure to follow the instructions could result in bacteria buildup which could have a negative impact on you, and or destroy the padding prematurely. It's possible you could have different instructions on how to wash each garment, guess what that means? yup, separately washing the garments so that the instructions are followed.
 
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I have been advising my wife not to wear underwear, but being Thai she is stubborn about it as Thai's are naturally very shy people.

Thanks for the advice guys. She tells me she will go commando tomorrow. I have been since I started cycling again months ago.
 
Well..
If she tries baggy MTB shorts with the pad/liner, no one but her will know what's underneath. Might work for her.
Then there are items like these:http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/mobile/se/en/endura-womens-mesh-boxer-aw16/rp-prod59917
If you want to try some psychology - these are sold as underwear, so are meant to go straight on the skin.
And I haven't had any problems using the male fit equivalent of those under regular running or even dancing tights for riding.
As for modesty, as long as she sticks to black, no one will see any anatomical detail under regular riding conditions anyhow.
The most anyone is likely to see is the absence of panty lines.
What a person chooses to make with that insight says more about THEM than it says about the wearer of the clothes.
 
Oh she knows no one can see anything. It;s just the not wearing underwear in public bit. She has been for a ride commando now and says the difference in comfort is huge. She has gotten past the shyness now I am sure. Not being in pain has conquered that nicely. :)
 
Oh she knows no one can see anything. It;s just the not wearing underwear in public bit. She has been for a ride commando now and says the difference in comfort is huge. She has gotten past the shyness now I am sure. Not being in pain has conquered that nicely. :)
Good to hear she is enjoying her rides without all the chaffing now.
 
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My usual attire is the cycling shorts that is tight-fitting on the thighs and with padding at the bottom part. Of course, I have my panties on because that's the way I always do. If the cycling shorts is ill-fitting then I guess it will cause discomfort. And you should not be wearing a new attire when joining a long ride. Have a break-in of your new shorts and shirts at least once.
 
I didn't know you wore your underwear under your padded shorts, therein lies probably most of your problems with sores. If you notice the contruction of your underwear vs your padded shorts and your cycling shorts, you'll notice the lack of seams in the cycling stuff that runs under the butt and or divides up around the crotch like underwear does, those seams on your underwear are constantly rubbing away at your skin as you pedal thus causing the majority if not all the discomfort you're experiencing.

Padded shorts are designed to be worn without underwear, but obviously you need to wash & dry them, according to manufactures washing & drying instructions or you'll ruin the shorts especially the chamois, after every ride to keep bacteria at bay.

I strongly suggest you ditch the underwear when riding, if that doesn't work completely, but I have a feeling it will, but if not you DON'T go back to wearing underwear instead you try my earlier suggestions starting with the lowest costing variable and working your way up till you get relief.

There are some people, howbeit rare, that never fully get rid of sores, but I doubt your one of those people, you just need to take steps to stop it so it doesn't impede your cycling.