ligero50

I just want to know if using a mtb/baggy shorts over lycra/bib shorts will negate the function of lycra/ bib shorts. What I mean about function is protecting your butt and groin.

azesty

Nope. I have done both, lycra without overshorts in Tasmania for two years, and with overshorts in China for 3 years. I find no difference in wear and tear on the nether regions.

I have seen only a couple of Chinese in just lycra in a few years, I stick out enough already without everybody wanting to get a look at my fun bits

z

ligero50

Thanks ! im a newbie in biking and the ERectile disfunction issue is keeping me from biking . I been biking with normal shorts and briefs I felt some numbness under that area with some of my rides.

fastbartender

Shoot, I don't want none of that erectile disfunction business either. Is that the reason people use compression shorts? I assumed it was for chafing, moisture wicking, aerodynamics and what have you. I guess I just thought that ED stuff was from cutting off blood flow to the prostate because of pressure on the taint....how do shorts help with this?

ligero50

because I think lycra/bib shorts keep your private parts steady unlike loose underwears . And think also that the pads help to minimize the pressure. Im not here to sell or promote some stuff.. The numbness that I felt during my ride is pretty scary and to tell you the truth my erection has been affected. I justhope itstemporary

azesty

Seat angle and design have more to do with pressure than padded shorts.

You need a saddle that will support your sit bones, not a soft squishy thing. When you sit on a soft seat, your sit bones sink down into it, and the padding in the middle of the seat is free to squash you where you dont want it to.


For me, a Brooks B17 works perfectly.

YKMMV

z

AdamDZ

As others pointed out: if you feel numbness in that area you should make sure that your position on the bike and on the saddle is proper, and that you have the right saddle. Padding itself won't help you all that much if your position is bad. I also like lycra shorts to keep my parts in place but that in itself doesn't prevent the perineum pressure issues: check your position, but a better saddle might be in order.

As far as position goes: your weight should be supported by your sitbones, not your soft parts, and you may consider sitting more upright too to avoid squeezing your goodies.

I used to experience numbness with some saddles on longer rides. I finally standardised on higher end WTB mountain saddles that have a deep channel and padded nose. I also started riding with Brooks Imperial, the one with a cutout and it works great too on long rides. And I often ride with no padding or very thin chamois (triathlon shorts).

BTW, this is a rather serious issue, and you should really research your options and do this right if you want to enjoy cycling.

AdamDZ

It's the perineum pressure, or squeezing your goodies for too long, that causes issues with blood flow and numbness, shorts have little to do with that, it's the saddle and position that are critical. Compression is for muscle fatigue and it won't help you with those kinds of issues. Chaffing and moisture wicking are also important for comfort, but they don't help with this as well.

I commute 18 miles every day and then do long rides on weekends, and I have no problems with numbness and my functions seem normal for a guy my age.

ligero50

I have 2 bikes 1 is an entrylevel mtb canondale with a standard saddle and a 2nd hand brompton with brooks saddle. The rides that I did have numbness is on my MTB when climbing and Wearing normal shorts and brief . I havent used my brompton since I just bought it.

AdamDZ

Normal pants, shorts, etc., have a seam right in the middle which can scratch your skin but they won't add to the pressure problem much. Perhaps it be helpful if you posted a picture of your bike and the saddle.

Besides the numbness, do you experience any other discomfort: pain in knees, back, neck, arms, forearms, palms, etc?

AlmostGreenGuy

I agree completely. Get your bike fit right, and get the right saddle, and you're good to go.

I'm one of those people who has all sorts of numb sausage issues when cycling. I went through about 10 different saddles, and just couldn't shake the numbness problems. I made small changes to the fit of the bike, and the saddle position, which helped greatly, but never entirely alleviated the issue. I tried using wider saddles, which also helped, but I still had nagging numbness problems. I tried thicker and thinner chamois, and the thicker ones only worsened the problem.

Then I bought a Brooks B68 saddle for my hardtail mountain bike, and for the first time in my adult life, there was not even a hint of numbness. I even did centuries on the B68 last year. No numbness whatsoever. I recently bought a Brooks B17 for my Salsa Vaya, and have ridden it quite a bit lately. Again, no numbness problems with the Brooks saddle.

Don't waste tons of money on shorts and foam filled saddles. Get a Brooks saddle, mount it, and have somebody help you get the saddle and your handle bars positioned correctly.

And too be honest, when using a Brooks saddle, I don't even need to wear cycling shorts. Sports underwear and the shorts of my choosing are just fine. Foam saddles have this domino effect of causing you to purchase more and more cycling gear to elleviate the issues caused by the foam saddle. Stop the madness!!! Get off the foam saddle train!!!!

ligero50

A little discomfort on my palms but I think this is because of my cheap gloves.

I'll take a picture of my bike and saddle tomorrow . It is already late here .

AlmostGreenGuy

If your palms hurt a bit also, you may need to move the saddle closer to the handle bars, or the bars closer to the saddle. You could be leaning over and reaching too far to reach the bars. If you have to reach too far, much of your weight is put on your hands. Your crotch will also make more contact with the seat, instead of your seat bones taking your weight.

AdamDZ

Exactly! Position and weight distribution.

I use Ergon grips and I can ride without gloves at all. Gloves, like shorts, are the last thing I'd suspect for causing problems.

Yeah, all the foam padding is mostly marketing. I use lightly padded or padded gloves, just like shorts/tights, mainly for sweat wicking, not for padding. Too much padding actually makes things worse for me, not to mention heat accumulation in warn weather.

fietsbob

Being Seen riding in the Lycra stuff when the Viagra kicks in, can be a problem ..

HardyWeinberg

Shorts don't help with that; the ED comes from suboptimal weight distribution (the only medical verifications of it afaik are from bike cops toting 80# of gear on their upper bodies and sitting bolt upright w/ all their weight right on that seat).

AdamDZ

Yeah, when all your blood flows down there and your brain wants the blood back, you may black out!

Medic Zero

No, I actually wear either a pair of cut off scrub pants* or jean shorts over my bib shorts everyday. I'm modest and like pockets and so always have a pair of shorts over my bibs. Only problems I've had was on a 80 mile ride a rivet in the front of the jean shorts rubbed a spot on my hip bone raw.

* I work in nursing and have a variety of scrubs. I've found scrubs to be very quick drying and my commute seems to almost always be in a light rain, often followed by my sitting in a classroom. When ordering scrub pants I just ordered an extra set of black ones with cargo pockets and cut them off a little below the knee, rolled them up and hand hemmed them, I think I spent about $20 on them, incl shipping since they were on sale. If you didn't care about cargo pockets and color you could pick some up for almost nothing at a thrift store, or as little as $6 plus shipping for a pair of bottoms on sale.

ligero50

I know this is silly but do you undress your bib short when you go to work?

azesty

I have an apartment at work that I dont live in. I keep all my work clothes there, there is a washing machine, shower etc, and I have my afternoon nap there too.

So, yes, I do change. I put my bike clothes over 3 chairs (winter at the moment) and let them dry all day. Change back into them and ride home.

z

thenomad

just be sure to put the shorts on in the right order and youll be fine