embarassing question

[morsecode]

So I was reading this article on "The Quest for the Perfect Saddle"
http://proshop2.trainright.com/oln/d...articleID=1693

And I saw this: "Underwear should not be worn beneath cycling shorts, as it causes chafing."

This is inconcievable to me... am I just being stubborn? it is really important not to wear underwear?

[OK, I'm a newbie. I have some lovely Pearl Izumi shorts, very comfy. I haven't had any chafing problems. My saddle problems really just boil down to numbness]

[Brandy]

I can't imagine wearing underwear with my shorts!

[DeniseGoldberg]

This is inconcievable to me... am I just being stubborn? it is really important not to wear underwear?

You should do what feels right to you - but frankly, I can't imagine wearing underwear with my bike shorts. They are designed to be worn without underwear, and they are very comfortable that way. And yes, I do wash my shorts after every use - but I'd do that with or without underwear.

There are some gals here who are more comfortable wearing underwear with their shorts, but I suspect that most of us don't.

--- Denise

[im4smiley]

nope...no undies under my shorts!

[Kitsune06]

Me- no undies under my shorts. I did this for a little while until my 'lines' were noticed and I was corrected. Much more comfortable.
DPITA- At my suggestion put on my shorts and stood there in abject horror, looked at me and said "But... they feel like diapers!"
No shorts for DPITA...

[KnottedYet]

No undies, and very happy about it! So comfy!

(and in lycra my butt looks much better *without* the undie lines!)

If you just don't want to go out in one layer of fabric, try wearing your shorts as though they were underwear (like boxer-briefs) and put capris or baggy shorts on over them.

One of my favorite things to wear on my bike is my Terry Commuter Skort. It's bike shorts with a wrap skirt over them. Nobody gets to see anything I don't feel like showing, and I'm very comfy on the bike. (no undies)

Edit: in fact, that's it in my avatar picture! http://www.terrybicycles.com/product...arel&sc=Skorts

[Quillfred]

Me- no undies under my shorts. I did this for a little while until my 'lines' were noticed and I was corrected. Much more comfortable.
DPITA- At my suggestion put on my shorts and stood there in abject horror, looked at me and said "But... they feel like diapers!"
No shorts for DPITA...

They don't earn the title DPITA easily.

Quillfred - no u's

[Tuckervill]

Edit: in fact, that's it in my avatar picture! http://www.terrybicycles.com/product...arel&sc=Skorts

But oh how I hate those colors. Why can't they have black? Or Navy or some other solid but flattering color?

Karen

edit: my bad...they do have solid colors--just not on that original link.. :::slinking away::::

[Grog]

No undies.

Make a "search" in the forum for the words "underwear" or "commando" to unearth about 1000 posts on this subject.

[tulip]

No undies!

Cycling shorts do NOTHING for panty lines!

[DebW]

Anybody else here old enough to remember when the "chamois" in bike shorts was really a chamois (i.e. an animal hide)? After the shorts were washed and dried, the chamois was stiff as a board. Before you wore them, you had to scrub it back and forth in your hands until it softened up. And the shorts were generally wool. I never had wool shorts (always wished I had a pair) because knit fabrics were just coming in and the shop owner's wife made the shorts we sold from knit fabric and leather chamois. Unfortunately, the chamois shrunk and the knit didn't, making for uncomfortable folds in the wrong places.

[Deb76]

No undies. When I first got cycling shorts I also felt a little weird about not wearing underwear underneath them but after riding 45 miles I figured out why everyone kept telling me to not wear undies. The underwear seams kept rubbing and actually created a bruised/red area. Cycling shorts are definately not meant to have undies worn underneath them.

[tulip]

Anybody else here old enough to remember when the "chamois" in bike shorts was really a chamois (i.e. an animal hide)? After the shorts were washed and dried, the chamois was stiff as a board. Before you wore them, you had to scrub it back and forth in your hands until it softened up. And the shorts were generally wool. I never had wool shorts (always wished I had a pair) because knit fabrics were just coming in and the shop owner's wife made the shorts we sold from knit fabric and leather chamois. Unfortunately, the chamois shrunk and the knit didn't, making for uncomfortable folds in the wrong places.

Oh yeah! I rode across France when I was 15 in those! That's what chamois cream was for back then--to soften the chamois. Sometimes the Good Old Days were not really all the great!

[Cassandra_Cain]

So I feel obligated to provide a different opinion here. I wear undies under my cycling shorts. Ack, blasphemy, outrage, scandalous!

I've tried with and without underwear and finally settled on using undies.

I think it is personal preferrence, but I would at least suggest you try it both ways. See what you are comfortable with and then go with that. I would let your comfort dictate the choice and not conventional wisdom.

[eclectic]

So I was reading this article on "The Quest for the Perfect Saddle"
http://proshop2.trainright.com/oln/d...articleID=1693

And I saw this: "Underwear should not be worn beneath cycling shorts, as it causes chafing."

This is inconcievable to me... am I just being stubborn? it is really important not to wear underwear?

[OK, I'm a newbie. I have some lovely Pearl Izumi shorts, very comfy. I haven't had any chafing problems. My saddle problems really just boil down to numbness]

I too was a hold out, bought my first pair of shorts 4 summers ago. Finally went commando a month ago

First was wearing Victoria Secret French cut, then tried a thong (that lasted 3 rides)

Finally took the plunge and went commando.

WOW wish I hadn't waited so long

GO FOR IT ! ! !