Lycra shorts

doublem_1

I am new to cycling having only gotten my road bike today. However, a few days ago my lycra shorts arrived and I have tried them on a few times but cant seem to shake the look and feel that I am incontinent hah!! The padding looks weird, I'm sure it'll be fine once I'm on the bike though. Did anyone else feel the same?

Also, does cyclists wear boxer shorts under their lycra? And t-shirt under their jersey?

Gizmodo

No, no and no. Padded shorts are designed to wear directly against the skin, wearing underwear just adds seams that will rub and chafe. In the winter you will need to wear layers under your cycling jersey - tshirts are ok but base layers like Marino wool are better for cold weather.

Ec0

My family have made a few comments that I sometimes look as if I've had a bit of an accident when I have mine on

They're designed to be used without underwear. I've had mine on both with and without and to be honest I find they're a lot more comfortable without, plus the lycra does a better job of keeping your skin dry and comfortable without.

And a breeze on the town halls is quite nice a couple hours in on a warm day

simon_masterson

Gizmodo wrote:

No, no and no. Padded shorts are designed to wear directly against the skin, wearing underwear just adds seams that will rub and chafe. In the winter you will need to wear layers under your cycling jersey - tshirts are ok but base layers like Marino wool are better for cold weather.

That.

I have to agree on t-shirts. At one point (during much of which time I also only had a summer jersey; I used a pair of tubular bandages as makeshift arm warmers!) I would wear 6 of them under my jersey for my chilly commute. Aside from the fact that the smell was horrendous and my wife would complain bitterly, the fact that cotton just doesn't wick meant that I was hardly better off, if at all. When I received my splendid Polaris winter jersey that Christmas, which is wonderfully toasty warm, I eventually switched to just my two jerseys. I was better off for it. I don't care about wearing shorts whatever the weather either.

I daresay that merino layers work very well though. I've thought about getting a cheap merino jersey (eg. On One/PX) more than once, as it would be versatile as a base or mid layer as well as solo.

CiB

The coldest I've ever been on a bike was my first sportiv, did the first 30 miles to the first food stop wearing proper Lycra but with a cotton tee-shirt underneath to 'keep warm' early on. It was drenched less than half way there and 15 miles with a soaking wet tee shirt not wicking anything away is not a good place to be. Lesson learnt.

Lycra shorts should always be commando. Apart from family feeling the need to make witty comments, it's an absolute fact that when you're out on the road no-one will even notice.

Swos

Buy some bib shorts and then you can wander around the house pretending you are a wrestler

doublem_1

To be honest I have tried them on again and they don't look as bad as I thought. Still anxious to wear them out though. How do people get on if they cycle somewhere and stop for a pint or food etc?

MattC59

doublem_1 wrote:

To be honest I have tried them on again and they don't look as bad as I thought. Still anxious to wear them out though. How do people get on if they cycle somewhere and stop for a pint or food etc?

Wear them with pride !!!!
No one will look twice when you're on the bike, if you stop for a pint, or a coffee, people might look, but they'll be in awe of your massive quads and tight glutes.

Just don't go shopping in them ! Mrs C keeps asking me to stop at the local Co-op on my way home. Not a f*cking chance !!!

doublem_1

MattC59 wrote:

doublem_1 wrote:

To be honest I have tried them on again and they don't look as bad as I thought. Still anxious to wear them out though. How do people get on if they cycle somewhere and stop for a pint or food etc?

Wear them with pride !!!!
No one will look twice when you're on the bike, if you stop for a pint, or a coffee, people might look, but they'll be in awe of your massive quads and tight glutes.

Just don't go shopping in them ! Mrs C keeps asking me to stop at the local Co-op on my way home. Not a f*cking chance !!!

Thanks for the advice! I'd muster stopping for a coffee but not shopping, especially near the frozen isle

DefyGravity

Swos wrote:

Buy some bib shorts and then you can wander around the house pretending you are a wrestler

The ladies in my office love the sight of my corpulent frame squeezed into some bibs when I get in all sweaty in the morning!

Laird_Attwood

Swos wrote:

Buy some bib shorts and then you can wander around the house pretending you are a wrestler

exactly what I did this morning, 2year old daughter didn't stand a chance

did a good job of holding my gut in as well.

Paul E

I don't care, they can look if they want to, I'm confident enough now not to give a toss :-)

doublem_1

What with the bike seat having next to no comfort I think I will fall in love with the shorts when I first use them!

slowbike

MattC59 wrote:

doublem_1 wrote:

To be honest I have tried them on again and they don't look as bad as I thought. Still anxious to wear them out though. How do people get on if they cycle somewhere and stop for a pint or food etc?

Wear them with pride !!!!
No one will look twice when you're on the bike, if you stop for a pint, or a coffee, people might look, but they'll be in awe of your massive quads and tight glutes.

Just don't go shopping in them ! Mrs C keeps asking me to stop at the local Co-op on my way home. Not a f*cking chance !!!

Chicken !! It's easy to go shopping in Lycra - if you've got a backpack to carry stuff it's more obvious too. Never had an issue - but that's not surprising