lycra cycling shorts on tour

Cycle-touring, Expeditions, Adventures, Major cycle routes NOT LeJoG (see other special board)
22camels
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lycra cycling shorts on tour

Post by 22camels »

I am trying to decide on a saddle for touring, and have come across a school of thought that you need to wear padded lycra cycling shorts for comfort for long distance cycling. I am concerned about the practicality of this - fine so you have two pairs, wear each for 1-2 days, wash the other, swap them round, so you are always wearing a reasonably clean pair, obviously you probably want more civilised attire over the top, like normal shorts. Well I just got back from a week long tour, where I tried this, and it already seemed impractical enough, yes the sun was out and I could dry the one I'd washed as I was riding, but it was a faff, and I could imagine it becoming more so on a long tour, when you might eventually have to replace them (and they are not so cheap), and different types of shorts might be better for different climates etc.

Now there are some saddles I have happily ridden long distances without a padded lycra layer, like the Brooks, although they might be marginally more comfortable with one. There are others like the Selle SMP dynamic one I tried recently, that felt like a knife edge if you took the lycra off, but was pretty comfortable with the lycra on (though still a bit too hard) and I actually prefer it to the Brooks in other ways. I can imagine a more padded version of the Selle SMP range may well work for me, but only if I wear lycra shorts.

When choosing a saddle, should I assume I will always be wearing appropriate padded lycra cycling shorts when touring, or pick one that will be fine without the lycra too?
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Vantage
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Re: lycra cycling shorts on tour

Post by Vantage »

The saddle you choose should be comfortable no matter what you wear.
I could ride my former saddle for x miles in comfort wearing either Lycra or cotton or denim or anything else really.
Colin531 has an interesting thread in the Tearoom section regarding this same topic.
There are days when I swear I'd be lost without my new bib shorts and others when I wonder why I even bother. One upside I guess is that when Lycra gets soaked in the rain, it doesn't flap around in the wind like my cotton shorts and does dry quicker.
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22camels
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Re: lycra cycling shorts on tour

Post by 22camels »

I see, thanks, should have done a search first. That thread has some good points. (for anyone's reference it's here viewtopic.php?f=15&t=96164&hilit=lycra)
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meic
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Re: lycra cycling shorts on tour

Post by meic »

I am trying to decide on a saddle for touring, and have come across a school of thought that you need to wear padded lycra cycling shorts for comfort for long distance cycling


Hmm I wonder what qualifies as long distance? I just did a thousand miles in France with ordinary underwear and that was on my worst saddle (a Brooks instrument of torture). There were the odd moments when I felt discomfort but I notice no improvement on the other rare occasions that I wear the pair of tights with padding.

I dont normally wear padding and I do like to think of myself as a long distance rider (though I know many ride much further and most of them wear padding).
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Tacascarow
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Re: lycra cycling shorts on tour

Post by Tacascarow »

It has always struck me as funny (& I speak from a point of ignorance so please forgive me) why it's better to have a firm saddle & wear padding, rather than 'tother way round?
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Vantage
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Re: lycra cycling shorts on tour

Post by Vantage »

The padding on shorts generally tends to be quite thin and usually made from leather chamois or some sort of micro-fleece material which when having pressure on it, doesn't bunch up.
On a saddle, it's commonly a layer of foam or gel under the saddle surface and can move around when there's pressure on it. Think of when you sit on a cushion, it squishes in the middle and the material gets moved to the sides of where you're sitting. When that happens on a saddle, it can cause chaffing which causes blisters and sores and other horrible stuff.
There's probably other reasons too, but I think that's the main one.
Bill


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foxyrider
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Re: lycra cycling shorts on tour

Post by foxyrider »

I sometimes get chafing even with padded shorts so going without is a definate no-no! On tour i generally take bib shorts for long day comfort, lycra shorts for hot days and baggies with a seperate padded liner for more casual days and sightseeing.

Personal hygiene is a key element after a sweaty day riding - first thing i do at any overnight (after putting up the tent!) is head to the showers where clothing can be rinsed out too. I generally find kit will dry overnight but if not there are nearly always facilities at the campsites i use although in a decade of serious touring i've never had to resort to driers.
Convention? what's that then?
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22camels
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Re: lycra cycling shorts on tour

Post by 22camels »

I guess it's manageable if you are staying at campsites/hotels/hostels. I've been having a go at wild camping for a while, and thinking of doing more, it's more of a challenge then.
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TrevA
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Re: lycra cycling shorts on tour

Post by TrevA »

Not done a camping moving on tour but staying at B&B s it's not a problem. Wash your Lycra shorts in the evening, wrap them in a towel and roll it up tight to get the water out, then hang them up to dry and they are usually bone dry by next morning. I have a pair of MTB shorts that I can wear over the top for sightseeing.
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andrewjoseph
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Re: lycra cycling shorts on tour

Post by andrewjoseph »

take two pair of shorts, wash the pair you've ridden in every night, clean pair next day. you should always the have a clean dry pair to put on.
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simonhill
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Re: lycra cycling shorts on tour

Post by simonhill »

The first thing is do you want/need to wear Lycra shorts. You seem undecided. If the answer is yes then....

I always wear a pair of very thin underpants under my Lycra. This means that I only have to wash the shorts about every 3 or 4 days. I know many like no underwear, but for me this is a clean and comfortable method. Might be something to think about if you choose to wear Lycra.

Beware drying Lycra in a tumble dryer, not recommended or so the label says.
22camels
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Re: lycra cycling shorts on tour

Post by 22camels »

I am undecided. They are said to make saddles more comfortable, which also mostly matches my experience, though I know I could happily ride on some saddles without them. I just got back from a little trip where I was trialling a new saddle and I got a second pair of proper padded ones to make wearing it in easier (I had already been using some thinly padded tri shorts on occasions). It's a good job I did cos it would have been a real pain without. Although this saddle was not quite for me, I now can imagine there being some saddles which I could get on with but only with proper shorts, not without. I am wondering if it would be a liability to maintain the cleanliness of both shorts and self, which is said to be essential for comfort, when wild camping for several consecutive days. Good tip about the thin underwear, I've been trying that as well.
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Farawayvisions
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Re: lycra cycling shorts on tour

Post by Farawayvisions »

I used to use padded shorts, now I've dumped the sweaty things and touring is much easier. Forget the padded shorts and wear merino wool underwear. Your crotch will thank you. Less to carry, less to wash and less to dry.
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Re: lycra cycling shorts on tour

Post by PH »

andrewjoseph wrote:take two pair of shorts, wash the pair you've ridden in every night, clean pair next day. you should always the have a clean dry pair to put on.


Clean pair to put on yes, but dry?
I've toured many times when a pair of padded shorts can't be dried in a day. for less volume/weight I can carry an extra pair of non padded shorts and know they dry much quicker.
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Sweep
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Re: lycra cycling shorts on tour

Post by Sweep »

I use padded shorts way less than i used to.

Hava taken to wearing aldi's synthetic underpants.

They cost £4 or £5 for two pairs i think.

Dry in no time.
Sweep
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