Lycra Dichotomy ??

[eTim]

What can I do, I have a long commute and long leisure rides, so far I have resisted the Lycra route, but this hot weather means that the saddle/arse interface requires more cosseting than usual. There are benefits to Lycra apart from comfort with less wind resistance increasing efficiency.

The trouble is that I don't want to become a 'Lycra' I like to wear casual clothing, normal sports shorts and T-shirts, no helmet. I don't want to conform to the cycling convention and take on the car hating snobbery and cycling elitist attitude, but the benefits of Lycra outweigh the image, I will have to conform.

Can anyone suggest an alternative clothing range with equal benefits that won't label me as a Lycra, are there any closet Lycra's on electric bikes? Sorry chaps it seems that I will be joining the 'brigade' soon.

 

[Phil the drill]

Sorry Tim, but you are right, there is no sensible alternative.
All I can say is that once you get over the self-concious bit of actually wearing it for the first time, and feeling a complete t*t, you will soon find that it is far and away the most comfortable way to ride a bike. I wear it on my road bike bike mainly, but I do often use it on my Wisper if I'm going any distance, or the weather too bad (or good ).
Don't worry though, it won't turn you into a car hating, hypocritical eco-freak. You'll have to make a seperate effort to do that !
Phil

 

[andrewgardner]

Get some Endura singletrack shorts. Knee lenght baggy shorts teflon coated.
Plenty of pockets for phone ect, not too baggy just a top speck MB short.

 

[eTim]

Get some Endura singletrack shorts. Knee lenght baggy shorts teflon coated.
Plenty of pockets for phone ect, not too baggy just a top speck MB short.

I've seen those, they weigh a ton and have enough material to set sail, never mind the £50+ cost and I may not be a fashion victim but surely the road bike police will have a field day if they see me wearing MTB gear on a road bike !!

Ideally, I would like 'normal' sports shorts, mid thigh length, slightly baggy with comfy chamios, that cost around £20, similar to the shorts I use now but enhanced.

Thanks Phil, at least I won't be the only one having sleepless nights over the thought of having to show my 'wares' in tight Lycra, once I saw a bloke in a cycle shop with white lycra and I almost threw up, best go for dark colours eh?

 

[Bob_about]

What can I do, I have a long commute and long leisure rides, so far I have resisted the Lycra route, but this hot weather means that the saddle/arse interface requires more cosseting than usual. There are benefits to Lycra apart from comfort with less wind resistance increasing efficiency.

Hi there,

As the weather got warmer and I still wanted to put a fair bit of effort in I had similar "interface" problems with my cotton boxers and "normal" sports shorts.

I have since started wearing Helly Henson "Helly Dry" boxers which wick well and avoid the wet cotton rag around your privates scenario which started the interface issue, and then added some cheap Karrimor padded cycling shorts on top (from Sports Direct). The padding helps, the man made fibre also wicks moisture away, and the less shiny black colour means "contours" are not too obvious.

I`ve managed to wear them for my commute include walking in and out of the office along with the daily throng without too many wolf whistles or comments. I do however top it all with a dayglo yellow tee shirt (Nike Lite), so possibly people are blinded by that and miss the shorts!

So, not necesarily a member of the Lycra brigade, but I`ve found there is some benifit in wicking and padding - my "interface" is much better as a result!

All the best

Bob_about

 

[eTim]

Hi there,

As the weather got warmer and I still wanted to put a fair bit of effort in I had similar "interface" problems with my cotton boxers and "normal" sports shorts.

I have since started wearing Helly Henson "Helly Dry" boxers which wick well and avoid the wet cotton rag around your privates scenario which started the interface issue, and then added some cheap Karrimor padded cycling shorts on top (from Sports Direct). The padding helps, the man made fibre also wicks moisture away, and the less shiny black colour means "contours" are not too obvious.

I`ve managed to wear them for my commute include walking in and out of the office along with the daily throng without too many wolf whistles or comments. I do however top it all with a dayglo yellow tee shirt (Nike Lite), so possibly people are blinded by that and miss the shorts!

So, not necesarily a member of the Lycra brigade, but I`ve found there is some benifit in wicking and padding - my "interface" is much better as a result!

All the best

Bob_about

Bob, thanks for the lead, at £20 the Karrimor shorts are in the right price range. I wear the thinnest Merino for underwear which seems to be pretty good at moisture control, in the winter I just wear thicker Merino. Also the Merino can be worn for 2 or 3 rides before they need changing, unlike the Helly's

 

[Bob_about]

Mmmmm Merino

I think the Karrimor shorts were a tenner on half price offer in the store (with the padded leggings at 12.99) which I was happy to pay.

Been looking at Merino undies, but not bought them yet. Currently all my cycling gear needs a wash each day!

The stuff from these guys seems very good - saw it the other weekend in a shop in Broadway, but its not Sports Direct prices!!

All the best

Bob_about

 

[Mussels]

Ideally, I would like 'normal' sports shorts, mid thigh length, slightly baggy with comfy chamios, that cost around £20, similar to the shorts I use now but enhanced.

That's just what I picked up in Halfords a few weeks back and they've worked very well for a few hundred hot miles. I think the price was right as well but the styling left a little to be desired, they look like a fooball referee's shorts.

 

[allen-uk]

the benefits of Lycra...., I will have to conform.

Remind me, what ARE the benefits of Lycra. I thought things like wind-resistance and the like were really only for bums-in-the-air heads-down cyclists trying to go REALLY quickly - does this apply to electric cyclists too? Surely not.

(The nearest I come to convention in these terms is an Altura bright yellow jacket, which this morning proved itself totally waterproof, and the bright yellow makes me feel safe(r)).


A

 

[andrewgardner]

I have Altuta under shorts which I wear under my baggy shorts, they have a sewn in pad. But don't think I will buying any more, the pad seems to get lumpy after about twenty washes. It's like riding withe a handfull of acorns down your undies.

 

[allen-uk]

Ooh err missus.

 

[garrence]

Remind me, what ARE the benefits of Lycra. I thought things like wind-resistance and the like were really only for bums-in-the-air heads-down cyclists trying to go REALLY quickly - does this apply to electric cyclists too?

Wind resistance is a fringe benefit. The main purpose is comfort. The padding means you can go a lot further before your bum aches. The fact they stay in one place means you don't get sores from the constant brushing of material against you. A good pair will wick moisture away to minimise betty swollocks. And they're fine in the rain too - the seat pad stays dry, they just feel like wearing a pair of swim trunks and are quite comfy, they dry out quickly.

I got a pair of Castelli bib shorts from Probikekit and they are fantastically comfy.

I tried the bibs in Decathlon but they were total rubbish. The material was so thin that my hairs all poked through and the padding was very poor and looked itchy. Dunno about their undershorts.

 

[andrewgardner]

The material was so thin that my hairs all poked through and the padding .

Too much info, I'm having my supper.

 

[allen-uk]

Wind resistance is a fringe benefit. The main purpose is comfort. The padding means you can go a lot further before your bum aches.

And there was me thinking Lycra was just that shiney stuff that bum-in-the-air cyclists wore, but it turns out to be some sort of bum (etc. ahem) padding.

Thought occurs: can't you wear the bum (etc. ahem) padding UNDERNEATH proper clothes, so that no-one would know what you get up to in private?

A

 

[Mussels]

And there was me thinking Lycra was just that shiney stuff that bum-in-the-air cyclists wore, but it turns out to be some sort of bum (etc. ahem) padding.

Thought occurs: can't you wear the bum (etc. ahem) padding UNDERNEATH proper clothes, so that no-one would know what you get up to in private?

A

You can but you'll lose the ventilation benefits, not a problem if you are taking it easy.