So here is the million dollar question… What do you wear under the bike shorts?…
A HA I hear you echo…..well what do you wear? beside the Chamois Nadda….yup that is right no underwear allowed…..and the horror of squeezing your body into a pair of tight fitting yet huggable and flexible lycra!!..yet the more you cycle the less you will wear those big baggy t shirts to cover those cycling shorts!
SO here is the skinny on bike shorts
- A good pair of bike shorts will protect your privates….(your crotch) . They serve as a buffer between your privates and saddle…
- I cannot promise zero discomfort as there is always a little discomfort sitting on a saddle for hours on end.
- The chamois in the cycling shorts come in different thicknesses if you are a triathlete it is minimum padding as you wear them in the swim too…..
- The chamois protects your skin from the threading /seams of the shorts……wearing underwear would be uncomfortable and cause a few problems.
- Bike shorts must be washed ever time you wear them no matter if only an hour ..why? because you get bacterial build up on the chamois and yup you have to air out your crotch otherwise it could get funky down there….personal hygiene folks….
- Like every sport there is specialized clothing and bike shorts are specialized for cycling…..so no matter your shape or size there is a bike short to fit every type of gut from a 6 pack to a beer gut….after a few weeks you will think you are a European Pro just by looking the part.
- Know when to ditch them….as with everything they are not built to last……and when the Lycra starts wearing thin and you are not wearing under wear then things get interesting…..so always check they are not worn and see through!
- Just to confuse you if you do not like having the bike shorts as you do not like the restriction around your waist you can cycle in bibs…..but they make it difficult to use the bathroom
AND the final point is never wear new cycling shorts in a competition always break them in…
I know there will be more on the subject of bike shorts to saddle issues but for now it is BAREASSRIDING.
Ride safe ride smart.