Lycra vs Wool

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
Slowtwitch
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Lycra vs Wool

Post by Slowtwitch »

Since I can remember (about 25 years in cycling terms) I've been a huge fan of Lycra. The thicker the better. I used to ride it summer and winter. Then I tried a Merino wool long sleeve Jersey. I'm almost a convert, they are brilliant! Anyone else with similar experiences?
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geomannie
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Re: Lycra vs Wool

Post by geomannie »

I wear nothing else, winter & summer. Just more layers in winter.
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Paulatic
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Re: Lycra vs Wool

Post by Paulatic »

Holds both hands up :D
I also spend the whole year in merino/ cashmere/lambswool. I sleep in merino too. Dilling & Findra are brands I’ll buy new if on offer everything else is from a charity shop.
Still wear lycra shorts though I’ve not found a comfy or hard wearing alternative.
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Bmblbzzz
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Re: Lycra vs Wool

Post by Bmblbzzz »

Both are good materials in the right garment.
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geomannie
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Re: Lycra vs Wool

Post by geomannie »

Paulatic wrote: 15 Nov 2021, 9:01pm Holds both hands up :D
I also spend the whole year in merino/ cashmere/lambswool. I sleep in merino too. Dilling & Findra are brands I’ll buy new if on offer everything else is from a charity shop.
Still wear lycra shorts though I’ve not found a comfy or hard wearing alternative.
Findra is lovely stuff but dead expensive. I have only splashed out one garment but I love it to bits.

Look here for Xmas https://findraclothing.com/
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Paulatic
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Re: Lycra vs Wool

Post by Paulatic »

geomannie wrote: 15 Nov 2021, 9:20pm [

Findra is lovely stuff but dead expensive. I have only splashed out one garment but I love it to bits.

Look here for Xmas https://findraclothing.com/
Certainly is. I’ve two tops in constant use and still as good as the day I bought them from EBay. There is a seller on EBay who used to sell seconds I can’t see a fault. He’s a saved search for me but there has been nothing for over two years.
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Sidlaws
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Re: Lycra vs Wool

Post by Sidlaws »

[/quote]
geomannie wrote: 15 Nov 2021, 9:20pm Findra is lovely stuff but dead expensive. I have only splashed out one garment but I love it to bits.

Look here for Xmas https://findraclothing.com/
Bngg3r! -- that's just cost me £125 :oops:
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geomannie
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Re: Lycra vs Wool

Post by geomannie »

Sidlaws wrote: 15 Nov 2021, 10:25pm
geomannie wrote: 15 Nov 2021, 9:20pm Findra is lovely stuff but dead expensive. I have only splashed out one garment but I love it to bits.

Look here for Xmas https://findraclothing.com/
Bngg3r! -- that's just cost me £125 :oops:
[/quote]

You won't regret it!
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mattsccm
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Re: Lycra vs Wool

Post by mattsccm »

One snag with wool is that it tends to hold moisture if next to the body. If you are soaking then stop moving you can get very cold. As someone who is as sweaty as a very sweaty thing on a hot day in a very hot place I notice these things. I do like close fitting wool over a thin vest such as Lifa Wear. Seems to suck the moisture away. If less active wool is fine.
Bamboo on the other hand is dire. Even all those free socks that Bam keep sending me are only any good if some one else is washing and drying them.
gcogger
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Re: Lycra vs Wool

Post by gcogger »

mattsccm wrote: 16 Nov 2021, 8:55am One snag with wool is that it tends to hold moisture if next to the body. If you are soaking then stop moving you can get very cold. As someone who is as sweaty as a very sweaty thing on a hot day in a very hot place I notice these things. I do like close fitting wool over a thin vest such as Lifa Wear. Seems to suck the moisture away. If less active wool is fine.
Bamboo on the other hand is dire. Even all those free socks that Bam keep sending me are only any good if some one else is washing and drying them.
Yes, I sweat a lot too and can't wear merino next to the skin if active (at least not on the torso). It's good over a synthetic base layer - I reckon it would work well over one of my Brynje 'string vests', but haven't tried it yet.
audaxjk
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Re: Lycra vs Wool

Post by audaxjk »

Icebreaker make nice quality merino clothes. I found them to be more comfy & less itchy than the budget merino from places like Lidl, Decathlon etc. For me it was worth paying a bit extra.

I’d never heard of Diliing or Findra until reading this thread, will bear them in mind for the future purchases.
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Sweep
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Re: Lycra vs Wool

Post by Sweep »

gcogger wrote: 16 Nov 2021, 9:08am
Yes, I sweat a lot too and can't wear merino next to the skin if active (at least not on the torso). It's good over a synthetic base layer - I reckon it would work well over one of my Brynje 'string vests', but haven't tried it yet.
I've done that in exceptionally cold weather - it works very well and of course isn't bulky.
There are some pricey garments which take a similar approach, combining synthetic and merino layers in a single garment, but I prefer to use layering - more adaptable and cheaper - and Brynje stuff is of course near indestructible. So a big B synthetic string and an aldi Merino is ideal for me.
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David2504
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Re: Lycra vs Wool

Post by David2504 »

gcogger wrote: 16 Nov 2021, 9:08am
mattsccm wrote: 16 Nov 2021, 8:55am One snag with wool is that it tends to hold moisture if next to the body. If you are soaking then stop moving you can get very cold. As someone who is as sweaty as a very sweaty thing on a hot day in a very hot place I notice these things. I do like close fitting wool over a thin vest such as Lifa Wear. Seems to suck the moisture away. If less active wool is fine.
Bamboo on the other hand is dire. Even all those free socks that Bam keep sending me are only any good if some one else is washing and drying them.
Yes, I sweat a lot too and can't wear merino next to the skin if active (at least not on the torso). It's good over a synthetic base layer - I reckon it would work well over one of my Brynje 'string vests', but haven't tried it yet.
I find merino not so good in high sweat situations. Tend to wear it in cooler conditions and man made lightweight breathable tops in height of summer
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andrew_s
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Re: Lycra vs Wool

Post by andrew_s »

Wool absorbs moisture into the inside of the fibre, and provided that it's still doing so, feels and insulates the same as a dry garment.
It's when the fibres have absorbed all they can hold that the problems arise, as the excess water starts filling the gaps between the fibres, the same as any other fabric, with insulation going down and the garment feeling damp or wet.

For those suggesting merino over Brynje mesh, Brynje supply just such a garment
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pjclinch
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Re: Lycra vs Wool

Post by pjclinch »

As well as various merino tops I have a Himalayan yak wool top and neck tube from Kora that is very good. Difficult to objectively compare materials on a personal basis, but they have all sorts of interesting lab work suggesting it's warmer at the weight etc. (not necessarily a good thing if a thin merino top is already a bit warm!)
Certainly no regrets about adding it to the base layer collection, and the cut and construction work well for me. Not cheap though!

There are days when I don't bother with layering, and just use a Buffalo (a day like today an Active Lite or Teclite shirt, if it's really cold a Special Six) and I find just that is more comfortable. The liner is the wicking layer and I just find the whole thing more comfortable than several layers of whatever material. Too hot for seriously high output stuff (something like the S6 note that "replaces up to 4 layers" means a minimum of 2 pretty warm ones) and not very aero, but on its day I find it the most comfortable thing.

In summer where it'll often be down to just the base layer I find various synthetics nicer than the wool, but I suspect a lot of that is the particular cut of the garment as much as the material. Something with a bit (just a little bit, but not skin-hugging) of space inside works nicer on hot days, I find.

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