Beware the (latest) ALDI Cycling Shorts

[Graham]

I wore these about three times, from new, without washing them . . . which is completely normal for me.

After the third ride I noticed that there was a pronounced and painful rash on my skin at the point-of-contact under the sit bones.

This unusual episode caused me to read the label rather more carefully.

The DOLOMITI seat pad " . . contains BIOCIDES. Active ingredient ZINC PYRITIONE."

This reminded me of the reports about chinese manufactured furniture which burned and blistered the new owners - a few years ago now.

Anyhow it looks like I'm going to have to be rather cautious with these latest [Aldi] lycra shorts.

EDIT : Correction I bought these at Aldi NOT Lidl.

[Psamathe]

...
This reminded me of the reports about chinese manufactured furniture which burned and blistered the new owners - a few years ago now.
...

And when they started putting melamine in dog food - which "distorted" the protein level tests ... and killed dogs.
And they they started doing the same with baby milk - which had the same tragic effect
And then they started recalling toothpaste that had been shipped to the west ('cos it tested positive for diethylene glycol a component of anti-freeze).

What a world we live in.

Ian

[Audax67]

It does say "contains biocides", and we're biological after all...

[Spinners]

Interesting basic info

http://www.hse.gov.uk/biocides/basics.htm

[Psamathe]

It does say "contains biocides", and we're biological after all...

It's one of those weird things - how different substances affect different species. I always think that when penicillin was "discovered" it was a good job they didn't test it on hamsters or we may not have antibiotics today (hamsters die if given penicillin so try initial tests on a hamster and it's unlikely to every get tested further let alone given to a human).

Ian

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
So Im lucky that I don't normally go commando but I have at one time.
As like most I wear them new then wash and I don't normally wash until I have worn they three days running.
That's short rides not all day.

[mercalia]

It does say "contains biocides", and we're biological after all...

sponsored by the motor car industry I think to kill off those pesky cyclists who should not be on the road?

[Ray]

I wore mine once before washing, and have since washed them after each ride, as I always do. No nasty skin reaction to the pad, nor to the silicone(?) leg grippers, which have caused red patches with other shorts.

I should perhaps add that I never use detergent, preferring 'eco' wash balls (I got the latest one from 'Lakeland') and have had no problems over many years.

[Tangled Metal]

I once used an insect repellent (contained in a sun cream factor 20 SPF with an ultra rating for the other UV type) from nikwax called nosquitostop or something similar. It caused a series of swellings all over the skin. At first I thought it was insect bites (got me worried I had an infestation of bed bugs or fleas or something nasty), so I used more of the repellent (this time the pure stuff not the stuff in the sun cream). It got worse so I used more. I took cold showers which seemed to ease the itchiness and discomfort then put more on. After a 4 day cycle or spiral down to a full body wide series of little swellings (some got big enough to only just be covered by a hand) I suddenly had a realization the repellent was causing it. I stopped using it and took another cold shower. I also went to the doctors who said just use anti-histamines (2 one a day 10mg loratidine tablets, i.e. double dose split by 12 hours). After 2 weeks these went. Came back 4 months later but I sorted it the same way.

It was Urticaria or hives caused by the repellent I think, unproven. However I have noticed nikwax no longer makes repellents these days. I only mentioned this because there are probably many cases of a responsible retailer/manufacturer releasing stuff that harms and is later recalled or just dropped without a fuss.

As far as biocides go there are probably a few that is being used without issue. Isn't the silver in sports underwear to prevent pong a type of biocide? No issue with that and IIRC copper has been developed too along similar lines. Perhaps they picked the wrong treatment or there was a reaction during manufacturing that changed the formulation slightly, i don't know but perhaps report to aldi and get your money back. At least Aldi seems to recall stuff and at the very least seem to be a decent retailer for returning stuff. I've seen a lot of stuff like George Foreman grills being returned after use without any issues for the customer. Kind of impressed me with their service. Plus one of the few retailers I have seen to place product recall notices prominently in the window or on the doors where you go in.

I hope you can return it at least and get over the rash. I find germalene to be very good at numbing itchy rashes from a bad reaction to something. Washing powder for clothes is something that gets me so I keep a tube of it in stock just in case.