Going commando

[PamNY]

I've been birdwatching at 5 degree windchill, so I finally layered one thing too many under my bike shorts (honest, it worked fine for a while).

Having felt so yucky last ride, I took advantage of today's warmth to try bike shorts with no undies. Damn, I felt great. I really thought being a casual biker with no great love for laundry I wouldn't need to do this. And prior to the multiple layering I wasn't truly uncomfortable. However, I've now decided it might be worth buying the extra bike shorts and doing the extra laundry.

Serious bikers know all about this; I'm mentioning it for the benefit of people like me who thought "Do WHAT?" about biking with nothing under the shorts. It really is worth a try.

[zoom-zoom]

I don't even run with undies...undies are not meant for repetitive movement. Undies chafe...bad. It took getting used to wearing running tights and compression shorts sans-panties, but now I would never go back. It's sure nice not to have bloody welts on my behind. I wouldn't think of cycling with undies. The chamois is meant to take the place of panties--no seams on tender tissue.

[Crankin]

I have always gone commando when wearing work out clothes; even back in the eighties when tights and leotards were the fashion of the day. Who needs an extra layer of material rubbing you raw where you are already sensitive?
But then, I have to come to find out that my standards of modesty are much less than a lot of other women. I have a friend who won't even shave her legs in the shower, with her DH in view. "It's too personal," in her words. Oy!

[OakLeaf]

Yep, what they said. Whatever you wear on a bicycle, you're sitting directly on, moving your legs back and forth. Seams, cotton, excess fabric are NOT your friends.

But I do have a couple of pairs of running shorts and yoga pants that just don't work without underwear, and for those, the Ibex briefs (http://www.teamestrogen.com/prodIB_242_1.html) (ooh! new colors!) are amazing.

[nscrbug]

I am in total agreement with everyone. No undies under ANY workout apparel. Been doing it that way for 20+ years. What I do instead is...for my gym workouts - I wear a pair of compression shorts (like Under Armour, Nike, or Moving Comfort) as my next-to-skin layer, then over that I wear a pair of fitted workout capris or pants. The compression shorts replace my undies and also keeps my thighs from over-jiggling. :D

On the bike...it's simply just cycling shorts or knickers...unless it's cold, then I'll add tights over them.

[Bike Chick]

Me too! No underwear under bike or running shorts and it's one of the first things I remove when I get home for the evening. Ahhhhhh.

Can I share a funny story about underwear and sports? You do wear underwear under golf shorts but they do, however, bunch up the crack when you swing the club. Several of the ladies I golfed had discovered that if you wear thong panties, they are already there so you don't have to worry about digging it back out.

Well...........I decided to give their suggestion a try when DH and I were on a golf vacation in Florida. The last day of the trip we were going to play a final 18 holes then start our trip home. This is the day I wore my new thong panties. The darned things cut me in two and twisted around my middle the whole round. I wasn't convinced this was any benefit. After we packed up our clubs, we drove a couple hours before stopping for gas and a potty break. When I dropped my shorts in the bathroom, I saw that I had been wearing them wrong all day! I had my put my right leg through the waist and the crotch was across my left hip bone! Who can tell with them anyway??? I laughed out loud in the bathroom and when I shared it with DH, we laughed all the way home. That was 10 years ago and I've never worn another pair of them since.

[PamNY]

The thong story is the best. Good thing I never tried a thong, because I would totally do that.

Oddly, what started me on the no-underwear journey was my hipbones. The elastic part of one layer or another was smashing up against them in a most undesirable way.

[Crankin]

Never had any trouble with thongs and they are the only kind of underwear I can stand now. If it wasn't for the little shred of modesty I have, this old lady would totally get rid of underwear!

[annielynn]

When I dropped my shorts in the bathroom, I saw that I had been wearing them wrong all day! I had my put my right leg through the waist and the crotch was across my left hip bone! Who can tell with them anyway??? I laughed out loud in the bathroom and when I shared it with DH, we laughed all the way home. That was 10 years ago and I've never worn another pair of them since.

That is the story yet!

I have to agree with everyone on this thread. I go commando under my workout clothes. It is more comfy for me. I never thought that I would be comfortable going without panties but it took that first time riding for me to get over that fear.

Funny story, two weekend ago DH and I took my nephew out for a bike ride. He has just started cycling. He is wearing a pair of my DH cycling chamois. About 11 miles into the ride he was complaining that his "boys parts" were going to sleep. We stopped on the side of the road so that he could "move the furniture." Come to find out that the silly boy was wearing BOXER SHORTS under his spandex. No wonder he was having issues. ;) He has since been TAUGHT.