Touring - Issues with silicone leg grippers on bike shorts?

On my recent three-week tour I brought 3 pairs of bike shorts. Two had elastic leg grippers. One had silicone. I developed a rash on the tops of my thighs, in the area where the grippers ride. I've never gotten a rash like this before, and the only thing different on this tour was the silicone grippers.

Has anyone else experienced anything similar? I like the shorts (one of Performance's more expensive house brands, though not the top-of-the-line - I think it was the Elite) and the rash didn't really hurt, but still - it makes me think I need to avoid silicone.

YES! My son had that problem and I thought it was just him. But then a few months ago when I flew back to the USA I bought some wool bike shorts with the silicone grippers - and ended up with the exact same rash my son did. My solution was to simply fold up the bottom so the gripper is on the outside. Fortunately, the shorts are long enough that I can do that easily. If yours aren't I don't have any suggestions.

nancy, my immediate reaction was "what's wrong with wool shorts without leg grippers?"

*sigh* this thread title showed up on the main BF index as "Issues with silicon leg". I was hoping for an inspirational one-legged cyclist story. LOL

NOthing wrong with wool shorts without grippers - but the grippers happened to be on there when I bought them...

roll the edge of your shorts over

elastic grip or silicone is designed so you can choose where you want your shorts

personally, I roll the edges over exposing the grip
I wear knee warmers pretty much year round... sunny Monterey
so when you roll over the edge of your shorts, you can slide the end of the leg on the knickers, or your leg

often times, I stash a packet of Gu, or a Hammer Flask, cell phone, glove liners, cash, etc..
in one of the legs of my shorts, from the bottom up
then; I typically run the grippy side down

i suppose that is a roadie practice

I just pull out the rubber threads from them.

Don't like the silicone grippers. I have only had one pair of shorts with them and will not knowingly buy another pair.

For most of my riding my shorts are loose, carhartts or some form of khaki. Long distance I prefer wool cycling shorts.

Aaron :)

Ha!I thought it was just me. I had it happen twice so far. I noticed this at the end of two brevets. In my case it was 2-3 blisters sightly apart on the right thigh. I was wearing Sugoi RS bib shorts, which has the silicone grips.

So it's not just me. I don't know about turning the grippers outward. My shorts kind of end up where they want to go (I pull them down when I get off the bike, but they always ride up again while I'm riding.)

Luckily I only bought one pair. I'll know better next time. I wonder if any of the shorts manufacturers and sellers read this forum?

One day on a hot touring day, I stopped to buy water to find that I'd lost all the skin at the back of my thigh under the silicone gripper. I still have the scar. Now I ride with the legs of my shorts flipped up a bit.