that wicking material...
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that wicking material...
am i the only one that this happens to?
when I wear the wicking material, i start sweating before i even start moving. doesn't feel right.
also, what's up with my compression shorts??? on my commute today (the first time I've worn such a thing (x-mart brand)), i felt like i was signalling 'left-turn' during the entire commute. had to manually adjust a few times. annoying!
when I wear the wicking material, i start sweating before i even start moving. doesn't feel right.
also, what's up with my compression shorts??? on my commute today (the first time I've worn such a thing (x-mart brand)), i felt like i was signalling 'left-turn' during the entire commute. had to manually adjust a few times. annoying!
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Superfine merino wool is the new high tech wicking fabric. Sheep have been using it for many years with success and they never sweat when cycling.
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I wear a nike dri-fit shirt as my base layer in winter. It takes 15 minutes of riding before I start sweating.
Your compression shorts issue would probably be improved with a nicer set of shorts. This should fit better.
My sugoi cycling shorts keep everything in their proper place. My performance shorts do not. To celebrate a promotion I will be replacing the performance shorts in a week or two.
Your compression shorts issue would probably be improved with a nicer set of shorts. This should fit better.
My sugoi cycling shorts keep everything in their proper place. My performance shorts do not. To celebrate a promotion I will be replacing the performance shorts in a week or two.
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I've been reluctant to try cycling garb for exactly this reason.
Whenever I wear ordinary clothing that's not 100% cotton, I sweat inside it, even when sitting quietly in a cool, dry, air-conditioned room. It's like being wrapped in Saran Wrap or a Hefty trash bag something, and I'm sweating even before I'm done getting dressed. I've tried all the synthetics in all sorts of mixtures and combinations, with the same result. I always go back to cotton.
I've experimented with cycling in wicking synthetics using several of the sweat management headbands and skullcaps with exactly the same result. My head begins sweating before I have my helmet on, and I'm dripping after less than a mile.
I've not purchased any of the fabulously expensive cycling jerseys or shorts. Instead, I wear t-shirts and jeans or cargo shorts (but they're hard to find in all cotton.) In the upper 80s and muggy, I'm dry until about a mile from work, or in a longer, harder, recreational/training ride, about ten miles. And most of that is because I wear a backpack in both situations. Yes, once I start sweating, the cotton stays wetter, longer, but I'd change out of cycling garb too at my destination, so what's the difference?
Cycling in cotton is a huge fashion faux pas, but I've resigned myself to the fact that in order to be comfortable, I'll have to take the disapproving stares.
Whenever I wear ordinary clothing that's not 100% cotton, I sweat inside it, even when sitting quietly in a cool, dry, air-conditioned room. It's like being wrapped in Saran Wrap or a Hefty trash bag something, and I'm sweating even before I'm done getting dressed. I've tried all the synthetics in all sorts of mixtures and combinations, with the same result. I always go back to cotton.
I've experimented with cycling in wicking synthetics using several of the sweat management headbands and skullcaps with exactly the same result. My head begins sweating before I have my helmet on, and I'm dripping after less than a mile.
I've not purchased any of the fabulously expensive cycling jerseys or shorts. Instead, I wear t-shirts and jeans or cargo shorts (but they're hard to find in all cotton.) In the upper 80s and muggy, I'm dry until about a mile from work, or in a longer, harder, recreational/training ride, about ten miles. And most of that is because I wear a backpack in both situations. Yes, once I start sweating, the cotton stays wetter, longer, but I'd change out of cycling garb too at my destination, so what's the difference?
Cycling in cotton is a huge fashion faux pas, but I've resigned myself to the fact that in order to be comfortable, I'll have to take the disapproving stares.
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Originally Posted by kcmrl
when I wear the wicking material, i start sweating before i even start moving.
Originally Posted by kcmrl
what's up with my compression shorts??? on my commute today (the first time I've worn such a thing (x-mart brand)), i felt like i was signalling 'left-turn' during the entire commute. had to manually adjust a few times. annoying!
I wear regular cycling clothes for commuting. Winter weight bibs and jersey in the cool months, summer weight in the warmer months.
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Originally Posted by RonH
Are you wearing winter weight clothes? Summer weight jerseys and shorts are lighter/thinner.
WTF are compression shorts? Doesn't sound like anything made specifically for cycling.
I wear regular cycling clothes for commuting. Winter weight bibs and jersey in the cool months, summer weight in the warmer months.
I wear regular cycling clothes for commuting. Winter weight bibs and jersey in the cool months, summer weight in the warmer months.
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Compression shorts are just skin tight shorts, they're not cycling specific (I wear them for rugby). Like oboe said, cycling shorts are also compression shorts, but typically not as tight since the purpose of wearing them is different. If someone rides in regular compression shorts though, they'd have to have an ass of steel.. boxer briefs are more padded!
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Originally Posted by rknj
If someone rides in regular compression shorts though, they'd have to have an ass of steel.
Ooh, I think I pulled up behind her at a traffic light last week! Serious hard-body on a cruiser wearing some spandex daydream hotpants...Michelangelo's polished marble had nothing on this girl.
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I wear Under Armor boxer briefs on my commute, not as tight as their compression shorts, but same chafe protection.
When it's cold I wear Under Armor sleeveless compression t-shirt under my regular shirt.
When it's cold I wear Under Armor sleeveless compression t-shirt under my regular shirt.
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Originally Posted by RonH
Are you wearing winter weight clothes?
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My observation: wicking and other synthetics work when they are close to your body, as in a jersey or a tight shirt. They don't work so well when they are loose, as in a regular T-shirt. In order to wick, the sweat needs to be in contact with the fabric, which needs to be in constant contact with your skin.
Which is unfortunate, because otherwise I really like my AlertShirt T's. And, you know, tight clothing makes me self-conscious of areas that are not quite up to polished-marble standards.
Which is unfortunate, because otherwise I really like my AlertShirt T's. And, you know, tight clothing makes me self-conscious of areas that are not quite up to polished-marble standards.
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In all my years of cycling - and I date from the wool cycling short days - I have never had this problem. Weird. I use Giordana cycling shorts (same cut as the tdf riders use - it is what the Waterloo Cycling Club shorts are...) and with these, I never have to "adjust the plumbing" as they fit so well. As well, they are cool in any temp and the only time I sweat in them is if I am actually riding and working at it - riding in cotton, I am drenched in minutes... If I am in my winterweight stuff, I boil almost immediately though since all the materials, synthetic or not, have a high insulation factor. This is a good thing, as the clothing breathes VERY well when in motion, and insulates when soaking wet, which cotton does not. My cycling jacket is ancient - and made of wool with nylon shell pieces on the front only for wind blockage. I will only replace it when it finally dies since I have not seen one in about 20 years like it. If I do ever see one, I will buy it immediately since that material combination is supurb for cold weather riding and wool is amazing when soaking wet - warm, dries fast, and breathes perfectly.
Aren't different body chemistries great ? ;p
Aren't different body chemistries great ? ;p
#13
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I don't think any fabric will reduce sweating. Fast drying is really what wicking is all about, once you get past the hype. They absorb sweat on the skin side, the sweat soaks through to the outside like cotton, but dries much more quickly than cotton. The evaporation produces a cooling effect, much as it would on bare skin.
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Originally Posted by rknj
If someone rides in regular compression shorts though, they'd have to have an ass of steel.. boxer briefs are more padded!
I'm happy riding padfree.
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If someone rides in regular compression shorts though, they'd have to have an ass of steel.
I cut the padding out because it was more uncomfortable riding with a diaper than having an uncusioned taint.
I used to wear cotton, but after geting caught in a thunderstorm under a bridge I noticed that my nylon shirt dried and my cotton shorts didn't. Also they fold more compact so it's easier to stash some spares around. However, if I don't rinse them out in water after a ride, they will reek.
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Originally Posted by feethanddooth
i just sweat and love it.
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I wear under armor shirts for my commute (less expensive than jerseys). I've noticed a big difference in comfort between bike clothing that wicks the sweat vs cotton.
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Originally Posted by Mariner Fan
I wear under armor shirts for my commute (less expensive than jerseys). I've noticed a big difference in comfort between bike clothing that wicks the sweat vs cotton.
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Originally Posted by kcmrl
But does it make you sweat even when you're not moving?
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I wear the UnderArmour sleeveless or DuoFold (ultra thin) long sleeve shirts. Even when it's 50F, I arrive sopping wet
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Originally Posted by bbonnn
Which is unfortunate, because otherwise I really like my AlertShirt T's. And, you know, tight clothing makes me self-conscious of areas that are not quite up to polished-marble standards.
And I know sweat ... any kind of exertion and I sweat like an ice cube in a blast furnace. My shirts will be SOAKED after I do anything significant outside.
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I'm wondering
Whether the wicking stuff looses capability after a year or two?
Whether you sweat the same no matter what...??
Whether the wicking stuff looses capability after a year or two?
Whether you sweat the same no matter what...??
Last edited by vrkelley; 06-23-06 at 01:42 PM.
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I have some wicking thermals from snowboarding that are probably going on 6 or 8 years now, haven't noticed any difference between them and new ones. As long as they're clean they should wick fine, though eventually odors will accumulate like all synthetics and they'll have to get the boot.