Cycling shorts, commando or underwear? shave? wax??

Ok, so I've got to ask the awkward question as things 'down there' have been getting a little uncomfortable. :o
I've heard that men go commando with cycling shorts, a particular line from a cycling magazine in regards to underwear was "consider the swamp that is your crotch"; gross.
I've never had a problem with it being sweaty and gross like that article described - so, why go commando? Had anyone noticed a difference? Recommend one way of the other?
And also, does anyone have anything to say on shaving or waxing the area?? I've been getting some discomfort from hairs being pulled. Shaving has made things a little tender and the skin is sore after riding...
I usually ride about 200km /week and after a long ride (100km) I've been known to walk a bit funny...
Any solutions to my embarrassing problem would be much appreciated! (I can't exactly ask anyone from my bike club b/c they're all men!)

Going commando isn't usually about sweat - it's most often about preventing more pressure points (elastic on underwear under compressive cycling shorts usually creates pressure points).

As for hair management.. I try not to shave the same day I ride. Unlike you, I do sweat, and sweat + freshly shaved skin = nightmare for me. I imagine the same would go for freshly waxed skin, but I haven't done that for a few years. I never let my pubic hair get very long, though, so I have never had experience with hair pulling..

If you search the forums, you'll find a lot of threads on these same subjects!

Cycling shorts are meant to be worn commando. Underwear can cause chafing, even if it doesn't have seams.

Hair removal leaves most women susceptible to ingrown hairs and infections. I usually keep the hair trimmed to 1/2" or so to avoid pulling and tangling.

Make sure your saddle is a good fit (there are several threads here on saddle fitting), but if you're still experiencing chafing, many if not most people use a lubricant like Body Glide, shea butter, or other chamois creams for longer rides.

Welcome to TE. :)

Go commando, the undies will cause chafing and possibly infection, holding moisture in. I shave, but don't do it the day before a ride, give yourself time for the skin to recover, use a lotion or Prep H after shaving, keeps the skin soft.

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Originally Posted by Muirenn

Use Prep H?

Really?

Wow. The things I learn at Team Estrogen! :cool:

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Aw, heck, my ex husband told me that in his serious alcoholic days he used Prep H under his eyes to reduce swelling. :eek:

I have a body builder friend that uses Prep H just before exhibition - all over to smooth out cellulite and other bulges.

A few years back when I got a tattoo, I was told to use Prep H on it to accelerate the healing process. I guess it's useful in bringing down swelling in all applications. ;)

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Originally Posted by OakLeaf

Aw, heck, my ex husband told me that in his serious alcoholic days he used Prep H under his eyes to reduce swelling. :eek:

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Don't beauty pageant chicks do the same thing? Maybe I should try it for the permanent bags under my eyes.

Anyway, I use cortisone cream if I get irritation from shaving. I can shave the day before a ride but not the day of. Before and during long rides I use chamois butt'r.

Prep H will also heal dry, itchy, cracked hands. I slather it on before bedtime, wear gloves, and voila--healed skin in the morning. An old country nurse gave me this tip.

There are tons of great recent (less than 2 years old) threads here to be found on shaving, chamois creams, commando, rashes, saddle sores, shorts, undies etc....try the 'search forums' function and be amazed! ;)

Prep H is wonderful. I'm having it in my coffee right now! :rolleyes: ;)

professional driver, closed course, do not attempt this at home, just kidding, really.

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Originally Posted by Trek420

Prep H is wonderful. I'm having it in my coffee right now! :rolleyes: ;)

professional driver, closed course, do not attempt this at home, just kidding, really.

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You are enjoying prepH in your coffee ;) and I'm cleaning up my desk from my spilled coffee... reading some TE posts while drinking in front of the computer is definitely a very dangerous activity... :D

relly ladies, where were the SPLORF warnings on all the Preparation H stuff.?

Go commando, shave your bikini line on the inner groin or wait until you get older and start losing it, Use a chamois butter, get out of the shorts as soon as you get off the bike, wash or shower each time you wear the shorts, wash your shorts after each ride, air dry them to keep the chamoin soft and don't forget to use sunscreen- I wonder how preparation H works as a base coat?

Hmm I never worry about the timing of a shave and when I am going to ride. It's like a non-issue for me. Same thing with creams lotions etc. Non issue here.

Commando always.

I trim instead of shaving and I never have to time it out. I keep things really short. No creams/butter. Never tried them, never had a need.

I was thinking about making a comment about this actually! I was sick for a while and didn't ride my bike for a week and a half and didn;t trim down there. I definitely noticed pulling on the hairs. I just borrow my bf's hair trimmer and get the hair shorter and it reduces a lot of the pulling.

I agree about the shaving and waxing down there on same day as riding, definitely a no no. I have very sensitive skin so always have irritation after those things.

However, there's a place here that uses a type of wax what doesn't require paper strips to take it off. It's a lot nicer than the wax-paper combo. Once you get it done regularly the irritation goes down significantly. But, It's like $60 every three or 4 weeks and that's WAY to expensive for me right now.

Definitely go commando........panties will cause chafing.

I don't shave there on days I'm riding and don't landscape as narrow as I used to because of irritation from the bike shorts. I do, however, keep it trimmed very short.

I agree with Muirenn.....I am amazed by the things I learn here!

I go commando,trim,use butter on long rides,and get out my chamois ASAP after a ride. I was told to go commando so you don't get yeast/fungal infections as easily. I have a friend that got one and has had a hard time getting rid of it so I don't wear panties while ridin.

Commando. Trimmed but not shaved or waxed. I can't imagine having underwear rubbing against my sweaty but for hours. Same goes for running. Most running shorts (compression or not) are meant to be worn commando. I USED to run with underwear until I tried without. Haven't gone back....ever. I'd sooner run naked.

I wear plain panties, trim but don't shave, and always use a little cheap hypo-allergenic hand lotion. Longest rides- 50-70 miles. Hard leather Brooks saddle that fits me like a dream.

No problems at all with sweating, chafing, pressure points, yeast infections, or any other unpleasant fate that others seem to know with such certainty will result if one wears panties under bike shorts. :cool:

I feel compelled to post this every time this thread subject comes up, which is at least twice a year. What works or doesn't work for one person can't be stated as irrefutable fact for everyone else.
It's all easy enough to try out, so why not just try both ways and decide what works for you?

Commando and sugaring. I was dead set against both to begin with because its weird to go commando and well, if nature didn't want you to have hair THERE, it wouldn't grow it there in the first place, right? Well, turns out, its not so bad. In fact, it makes for quite a comfy ride. Bottomline, you won't know until you try it. And I prefer sugaring over waxing because it hurts MUCH less and the irritation goes away after a couple of hours and a cold shower.

Buttering...sugaring.... you guys might enjoy the 'kaiser roll thread'-
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=30478 lol!

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Originally Posted by JuneHawk

I USED to run with underwear until I tried without. Haven't gone back....ever. I'd sooner run naked.

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I have one pair of running shorts that has wide legs and no liner, and tends to ride up my crack if I don't wear underwear. For those, I wear the Ibex Balance brief. I also run in them in the winter, under thermal tights, which lets me wear the tights more than once between washings.

I wouldn't be able to ride in them, but they're great for running - no binding, no chafing, no riding up, no bunching up, and they wick wonderfully like all Ibex base layers and underlayers.

Wow, this has been really useful feedback - thank you all so much!!

Tried the chamois butter and NOT shaving same day before a ride and things are all clear and normal again *PHEW*
Attempted going commando...I just couldn't do it, I dunno, maybe I'll give it another go if things start to go awry again.
That tells me its not the saddle, which is good because I really like mine, got the Terry Dragonfly, sort of suiting b/c I call my bike "The Butterfly".... :D

So many uses for Prep-H - wow haha