Cycling UK Forum

Since I did my first solo bike tour over 68 years ago I must have ridden almost half a million miles. I know for sure in the last 17 years I have done 180,000+ yet less than 200 have been done in padded underwear or shorts. 200 miles that were uncomfortable and created soreness. That is the reason I can only wonder why others would waste money on expensive shorts and tubs of various creams when none are necessary.

Quote from the Rivendell Bike Company website:
“I’ll go out on a limb and say that any ride that requires, or actually genuinely benefits from a padded, anatomical, high-tech, microbial synthetic chamois slathered in crotch cream is a ride I don’t want to do. Wearing shorts like that on a non-epic ride works—people do it, people like it, and no harm’s done; but it’s kind of a weird-looking, expensive overkill.” https://www.rivbike.com/kb_results.asp?ID=74

That is the reason I can only wonder why others would waste money on expensive shorts and tubs of various creams when none are necessary.

Well lucky you. But we are all different physically and some of us, who have also been touring most of our lives, have worked out what works for them. I don't have the arrogance to decry others solutions to various problems. I don't subscibe to a lot of this "I'm so hard I don't need any of this modern stuff". If I have a problem and somebody else is prepared to share their experience in order to alleviate my symptons, I welcome their response.

bigjim wrote:Well lucky you. But we are all different physically and some of us, who have also been touring most of our lives, have worked out what works for them. I don't have the arrogance to decry others solutions to various problems. I don't subscibe to a lot of this "I'm so hard I don't need any of this modern stuff". If I have a problem and somebody else is prepared to share their experience in order to alleviate my symptons, I welcome their response.

Like you say we have all worked out what works for us. As for your other comments; I can assure you no one I know experiments with clothing, saddles and riding positions, more than me. Hence my large collection of clothing, saddles and other accessories. Also rather than being hard, I like to find the most comfortable and least problematic ride for my backside. So far I have found none better than my current method.

anniesboy wrote:I have found these to be good with no seams in the important area.
Very useful when on holiday when daily washing shorts is not always practical.

http://www.marksandspencer.com/2-pack-m ... /p22360710

I had a look at this while out Christmas shopping. They have seams crossing in a + between the legs and a seam up the front centre (two places I don't want chafing!) and seem rather short in the leg, so seem likely to ride up and chafe where back of thigh meets bottom of buttock. Where do you think is the important area?

ArMoRothair wrote:If this is your preferred attire, surely the simplest solution is buy underwear without a crotch seam; many on the market like this including the Marks & Sparks pair I'm wearing now.

Which style? I'm rather bored of fondling underpants.

Vorpal wrote:If I wear normal underpants on my road bike, no matter what I wear over them, it begins chafing within a mile or two. I can manage up to about 3 or 4 miles, if I have to. ... There's nothing wrong with my saddle.

Well, it sounds rather like there is, but we're all different and you know yourself best.

I'm usually OK up to 30 miles in plain clothes. I've a couple of styles supposedly seamless underwear (one cycling-specific, one general athletic) and event they have a join in an inverted U shape slightly back of centre as you look down into them - in other words, ideal to mess up the meeting of thigh and buttock, too. Is there a reason it's impossible to make truly seamless underpants by weaving a sort of U shaped tube and then opening the bend of the U and edging it with a waistband? Is anyone doing it?

By varying style from day to day, the seams keep moving around and it rarely causes trouble, but I'm still looking for something which is truly comfortable for 50-100 mile days.

Then there's cycling shorts. Apart from the lycra-sensitivity problem, there's usually a seam around the edge of the pad - most often they rub something at the front, which is far far worse than rubbing at the back! :blush: I guess either I'm odd-shaped or they're really designed for some sort of racing posture which I don't use.

mjr wrote:Which style? I'm rather bored of fondling underpants.

Just step across the aisle then into ladies lingerie and feel re-invigorated .


I once worked with some people at a jacquard loom company( from small tie weaving machines up to 25ft high gantry types ). They could weave an airbag seamlessly..... thats quite an achievement when you think of its shape. We must have the technology to achieve the holy grail of cycling underpants that many seem to require? With advances in 3D printing you could have something easily seamless but very stiif! . I must be quite fortunate being comfy with padded shorts, not 100% perfect by any means but definitely better than normal pants.

I'm rather bored of fondling underpants.

My wife does not believe this. She says men seem to fondle theirs every few minutes.

PH wrote:I know we're all different but if I couldn't ride 10 miles in any clothing I'd be looking to change my saddle rather than my underwear.

+1 if I'm riding up to 70 miles a day, every day, over, say a 10 day period I actually like alternating between padded and just my bog standard shorts. Did I say I was a fan of Brooks new Cambium saddles? [emoji7]

so.... elastic bands on my pants chafe when I ride a variety of different saddles and bikes, all of which are fine if I wear no elastic, yet there must be soemthing wrong with my saddle.

Vorpal wrote:so.... elastic bands on my pants chafe when I ride a variety of different saddles and bikes, all of which are fine if I wear no elastic, yet there must be soemthing wrong with my saddle.

No - within 4 miles sounds rather extreme, but as I wrote, you know yours best.

I'm beginning to think the great naked bike ride may benefit us all...b

Heltor Chasca wrote:I'm beginning to think the great naked bike ride may benefit us all...b

karlt wrote:Was it Armstrong and Miller's Flanders and Swann takeoff that had that song "You know that bit of skin between your [round dangly things] and your anus?"?

Indeed it was https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-0kQj7yw0Mo
I believe the correct term for this part of the anatomy is your taint...because it taint your b*** or your a***

On a more useful note I find underarmor boxers are very comfy.

On a lady I thought it was technically called Biffins Bridge .

I believe this can be referenced in Rogers Profanisaurus a must have item on everyones bookshelf.

Didn't think Flanders and Swan would write sordid lyrics.... I think the reporter on BBC news Stephanie Flanders( business/finance ) is Mr Flanders daughter, correct me if wrong.

You're wrong: she's left the BBC

You're right crikey she left in 2013. She must do occasional reports as i've seen her talking finance, she was on this week i think recently. But she is mr flanders daughter, and has a baritone voice .