Finally i’ve aquired some cycling shorts, after reading here about how much they help with comfort.
first I was given a pair of ‘bib’ type ones i.e. shorts with shoulder straps; preliminary experiments have been quite positve.
Then today I went down to ‘Decathalon’ and bought a pair of their very budget shorts (£7.95)- non bib types which I’ve yet to try out.
My questions are: -
Washing. Are they supposed to be washed after every ride? and, presumably this needn’t be a full on washing machine job- will a wipe with a soapy cloth on the crotch pad suffice?
Are bib types more effective? At first I though it was a bit inconvenient to have the straps, but they do seem to make for a better fit than just the shorts.
I haven’t tried bib shorts but know a few people who like them. Seems like it would be more of a pain to answer the call of nature out on the ride though.
As for washing, like any other clothes you wash them when they need washing. If you do a big ride on a hot day, that usually means the shorts need washing after the ride. If you’re just commuting to work or going on a ride where you don’t sweat that much, it’s probably fine to not wash them every time.
numero uno: I’ve been washing mine the same as (and along with) all my other clothes. I dont treat them in any special way. You might wanna take them outa the drier a little early though since they dry fast.
It might not be the best for the shorts, but im not a big fan of nut sweat.
2). Ive only ever used the shorts (no bib). I have no complaints.
Let us know which version you like better once youve tried the shorts. I dont know anyone that uses the bib but im always open to new things.
Oh, one other thing - I never put bike shorts in the drier - always dry in the air. Actually we hardly ever use the drier since we have the nice dry California air… I think not using the drier makes clothes, especially lycra bike shorts, last longer. But I don’t have any hard evidence to back that up.
Yes. They should be as close to sterile as possible when you put them on. Saddle sores are a real pain in the a**!
You might also want to try some sort of anti-chafing cream on your body contact zones, too. With the new techno-padded shorts I find that body-glide works pretty well for me. (Eons ago the chamoix pads were really made of chamoix hides and there was such a thing as Chamoix cream - basically a grease - that you would rub into the leather to soften it and make it glide a bit easier on the skin.) There are bike-short specific lubes that are sold but IMHO they are too thin and don’t work. Body-glide is about the consistency of bees wax.
Post-ride cleansing is also important for preventing saddle sores. If you can’t get to a shower for a real cleanup then alcohol swabs work. Make sure you’ve still got your helmet on if you go the alcohol route, though, or else clean up where there is a very high ceiling. No sense in adding a fresh headwound to the symphony of pain from the alcohol.
As for washing the shorts I just throw them in the machine and air dry them. I think it makes the lycra last longer. I have enough shorts to last for a week so they don’t get worn all that often. A quality pair ($100+) lasts me a couple of years. Cheaper ones ($30-$50) I find uncomfortable so they only last a couple of rides before I get fed up and toss them.
They don’t have a waistband so many people find them to be more comfortable. I prefer them.
I am sooo glad i am a trials rider and don’t have to worry about all the cream stuff. I wear some paded ones for muni and non paded ones for trials.Depending on the ride i wash my shorts or not but aleast every other ride even if i have not sweat much in either ride
Ben
onewheeldave wrote:
> 1. Washing. Are they supposed to be washed after every ride? and,
> presumably this needn’t be a full on washing machine job- will a wipe
> with a soapy cloth on the crotch pad suffice?
They need to be washed after every ride. Perhaps you need more pairs.
I own about a dozen pairs and I do a washload once a week.
For the first few years I used to handwash them, as the instructions on
my first couple of pairs said that I should. Then I got bored with that
and started chucking them in the washing machine at 30C. Then someone
pointed out that the Lycra gets heated to 40C or more every time it’s in
contact with your skin as you’re riding, so washing at that temperature
shouldn’t be a problem. I now wash them at 40C, on a gentle setting.
> 2. Are bib types more effective? At first I though it was a bit
> inconvenient to have the straps, but they do seem to make for a better
> fit than just the shorts.
I generally find non-bib shorts better for unicycling. Bibs will hold
your genitals in the ideal position for longer before things start to
slip and you have to readjust yourself, but once you have to make that
readjustment it’s much easier to do it without bibs. To adjust myself
while wearing bib shorts I have to dismount.
YMMV.
–
Danny Colyer (the UK company has been laughed out of my reply address)
<URL:http://www.speedy5.freeserve.co.uk/danny/>
“He who dares not offend cannot be honest.” - Thomas Paine
Does anyone have any good suggestions as to how to keep said naughty bits in place? I switched to briefs from boxers for riding but alas, there was squashing today, and much pain…
evil-nick wrote:
> Does anyone have any good suggestions as to how to keep said naughty
> bits in place? I switched to briefs from boxers for riding but alas,
> there was squashing today, and much pain…
I find it best to ride with everything pointing up, held in place by
skintight Lycra shorts. There will inevitably be some slippage over
time, particularly if I’m mounting and dismounting a lot, but frankly
I’m not shy about readjusting myself.
–
Danny Colyer (the UK company has been laughed out of my reply address)
<URL:http://www.speedy5.freeserve.co.uk/danny/>
“He who dares not offend cannot be honest.” - Thomas Paine
I’m new to uni but I’ve been riding road bikes for years. I prefer the non-bib type and I wash no less often than every other time. Every time if I’m sweating heavily. Machine wash, air dry. I own 4 regular and 1 bib so I don’t have to do the wash daily. IMHO don’t use any ‘lube.’ I’ve spent 8 hours in the saddle with good shorts and never had a problem with chafing.
There are a couple of real, discernible advantages to bib shorts. First, the waistband doesn’t roll over. This is not much advantage, though, if you are really thin. Second, for winter riding, having two or even three tight waist bands or cords is extremely uncomfortable, even prohibitive. This is the case for me doing MUni in the winter with bike shorts, long tights, and Azonic cargo shorts. By using bib shorts and suspenders for the tights, the only clamping waistband is the Azonics, which is broad and comfortable.
