lycra pants and underpants

brucebanner

Hi all, somewhat odd question; are you meant to wear underpants under lycra pants?

peejay78

no. never, not for any reason at all. totally no.

unless you want your gooch rubbed raw.

SLX01

I don't think its complusory to wear 'pants' with any type of clothing its down to the individual. I personally don't as there is less chance of chaffing but no doubt some people do.

peejay78

i've not yet met them.

it's like wearing pants under speedos. not that i wear speedos, but if i did (say if i was going to one of those french municipal swimming pools where budgie-smugglers are de-rigeur) then i wouldn't wear some briefs underneath.

Monkeypump

No, no, no.

Unless you are a fan of chafing and discomfort.

sparkman

Its not just about chaffing, some dont like a vpl (The Tarts)
So its commando, cus the other option (A thong) just doesnt bear thinking about.
Watch for sensible reasons for either way, not just the fashion statement crew.

peejay78

sensible reason:

wearing of pants under lycra will turn your lower scrotal region into raw steak.

softlad

most obvious reason:

padded lycra cycling shorts are designed to be worn next to the skin.

itchieritchie

Bruce, as you've gathered, the answer is an unequivocal no.

Aside from chafing, the reason lycra is worn is for the stretch factor and breathability. Underpants won't give you this. Especially if worn underneath, as with 2 layers there's obviously less breathability.

The other reason is that lycra wicks sweat away from your skin. For this process to be effective the lycra needs direct contact with your skin.

So underpants + lycra = a whole new world of ball sweat, megachafing (new word) and godawful restrictive tightness. I imagine.

Try it. You might like it..!! ;-)

anto164

Only reason you wear undies under lycra shorts - To see that they fit before buying, or that they do fit after getting them through the post.

Once you know they fit, never EVER wear undercrackers under them!

Cycling shorts tent to be anti bacterial, easy drying, and move with your skin, undies soak in sweat, harbour bacteria through a LOOOONG ride and tend not to move and cause chafing. GET THOSE UNDIES OFF!

sparkman

So there it is,
Go Commando. I wouldn't have it any other way, its just not right to have a vpl under your bike shorts, and the chaffing and hygene comments are indeed very valid..

anto164

and trust me, if it's hot, unzip your jersey all the way, and put a slight arc in your back for 10 seconds, a gap appears between your bibs and your stomach, instant cooling wang wind!

pdstsp

Not sure the expression "instant cooling wang wind" has ever made an appearance on the BBC weather bulletin, but its the best expression I've heard to describe the phenomenon.

squigs

pdstsp wrote:

Not sure the expression "instant cooling wang wind" has ever made an appearance on the BBC weather bulletin, but its the best expression I've heard to describe the phenomenon.

ICWW, I like it, must be a patent there?

f_rederik

anto164 wrote:

instant cooling wang wind!

+1

Quality!

louthepoo

it was a question i had myself when i started and only after riding with keks on and rubbing my balls raw did i 'go commando'. And i'm gonna have to try the ICWW manoeuvre to help the boys out on a long ride

Ben6899

Nothing should come between a man and his chamois.

keef66

Pedant alert:

Chafing has only one f. If you type chaffing I invariably misread it as chaffinch, which conjours up a mental image similar to the French municipal swimming pool / budgie smuggling reference above.

Thanks for your cooperation

Bunneh

Nothing better than knowing that if you split your lycra you're going to have your fruit and veg popping out!

Commando's awesome, it's kinda erotic too and with loads of women on horses stuff a sock down the front :P

Hooligan Bill

All I will say is I did it once on a 60 mile ride. Never again.

father_jack

Bunneh wrote:

Nothing better than knowing that if you split your lycra you're going to have your fruit and veg popping out!

Commando's awesome, it's kinda erotic too and with loads of women on horses stuff a sock down the front :P

Or a mini cocktail sausage ;-)

brin

anto164 wrote:

Only reason you wear undies under lycra shorts - To see that they fit before buying, or that they do fit after getting them through the post.

OOP'S, never thought of that :shock:

StillGoing

Did it once because the cheapo crap bib shorts I bought off e-bay were clearly transparent when worn and my other sets were in the wash and I didn't want to miss out on a ride. I decided it was better to throw away the cheapo shorts, buy some more and never ever consider wearing anything underneath again.

d70ar9

I completed LEJOG wearing underpants under my Lycra all the way and had not one bit of chaffing or soreness but then i was on a Brooks saddle...Maybe i was lucky or maybe it isn't as bad as many of you think. Also my lycra shorts were of the £10 cheap variety (perfect job)

ConsciousPilot

I wear mine on the outside!!! Wife says I look "super"

amaferanga

Proper under-shorts worn under lycra works fine. You might want to do this would be if you were doing a very long ride carrying minimal stuff where a couple of spare pairs of under-shorts are less bulky than spare bib shorts. I did this on PBP (1200km in 72 hours) and when I did LEJOG last year (1500km in 4 and 1/2 days). No chaffing whatsoever.

But you still get a VPL which isn't a good look....

thiscocks

I have always worn pants under lycra shorts. Cant stand the feeling of my loose bits being loose. Never been a problem for me. Do whatever is comfy for you.

fast as fupp

thiscocks wrote:

I have always worn pants under lycra shorts. Cant stand the feeling of my loose bits being loose. Never been a problem for me. Do whatever is comfy for you.

theres always one http://1000awesomethings.files.wordpres ... undies.jpg

anto164

thiscocks wrote:

I have always worn pants under lycra shorts. Cant stand the feeling of my loose bits being loose. Never been a problem for me. Do whatever is comfy for you.

Your nadgers aren't loose under lyrca! Well, not under mine :P They're supposed to be skintight!

streako

The only time I have worn a pair of undies is under MTB-style shorts. I have a pair with a silly in built liner which has a pi55 flap and can expose the little general. I had some HH wicking pants to wear under.
Proper Lycra shorts are far better though, with no undies.

Pross

Bunneh wrote:

Nothing better than knowing that if you split your lycra you're going to have your fruit and veg popping out!

Commando's awesome, it's kinda erotic too and with loads of women on horses stuff a sock down the front :P

I had this following a racing crash - had a trip in the ambulance with a female paramedic, fortunately I was in too much pain to be embarassed (and it was a warm day) and I didn't have to wait in the waiting room for treatment! Despite that I'd never consider riding with anything under my shorts, I've done some long hill walks in the past that have left me looking like a Japanese flag due to my pants so the thought of cycling any distance like it is beyond imagination!