Whats so good about Lycra?
 

I've just recently got into Cycling a little - but mostly just commuting, I haven't done any long rides.
I don't and never have owned any Lycra cycling gear - I don't understand the purpose?

What does the Lycra / Spandex 'bicycle' tight stuff do for cycling comfort that say light cotton does not?

Whats this i hear about 'wicking'? drawing the sweat away or something?
or Chamois?

is it to avoid Chaffing? - and how does that happen?

is this related to leg shaving? - why do you need to shave your legs ride a bike?

I am not trolling - and I searched but most threads seem to presuppose that one already knows the benefits of lycra?

First, people tend to use "lycra" to talk about a range of synthetic, semi-elastic fabrics. Here are some of the advantages to "lycra" cycling gear.
-- Draws or wicks sweat away from your skin so it evaporates quicker. This keeps you cooler in hot weather, and warmer in cold weather. Breathability is another term.
-- Related to the first point, cycling fabrics also dry very quickly, which can be a real plus if you are a bike commuter. In warmer months, my cycling clothes are often quite wet or damp when I get to work. I hang them over my frame or other things in my office, and they're dry in an hour or so. Cotton might not be dry by the end of the day if it's really wet.
-- Elasticity. Because most cycling fabrics stretch a bit, you can wear them closer to your skin or more form fit. This helps with the wicking and the next point, aerodynamics.
-- Wind drag slows you down more than anything else in cycling, so anything that improves your aerodynamics will help you go faster with less effort. Try ride with a loose flappy jacket and then a more form-fit cycling jacket. The difference is remarkable and could easily result in a difference in a couple miles per hour in your pace.
-- Finally most synthetic cycling fabrics can be dyed or impregnated with just about any color or design, and the colors don't fade. This allows for some "creative" designs that you might find attractive, loud or ugly depending on your taste. More importantly, cycling clothes can me made in very bright colors and designs that make you more visible in traffic.

Some natural fabrics, such as wool, also have excellent characteristics for cycling clothes. I find that most wool makes me itchy, and it can be hard to fit because it shrinks a lot, so I don't use any wool jerseys, base layer, etc. However, I use wool socks in colder weather, and they can't be beat.

I just got back in to riding as well, back in March of this year, also mostly commuting. My first "cycling clothing" purchase was a pair of Pearl Izumi Attack cycling shorts at my LBS (the cheapest pair of cycling shorts in stock at $69.99...). When I was first starting out I would experience ass pain, even on short rides, and wearing those shorts under my work pants on the ride to work quickly solved my problem (I'm pretty sure the padding in the shorts was the cure). After a while I switched to the Andiamo padded cycling underwear, and wear those to work now.

I also bought a cheap jersey at Performance, and I have gone on one ride wearing the jersey and the Attack shorts and they felt great. The jersey has pockets on the back which come in handy...not gonna find those on a regular shirt. The jersey "wicks" the moisture away from my skin, instead of absorbing it and holding onto it like a cotton shirt. I definitely noticed the difference. If I was going on a long distance ride purely for pleasure, I would wear my shorts & jersey. Since my commute is short, I'd rather save some time and just wear my work clothes.

On longer rides (even long commutes) I can definitely see the utility of cycling specific clothing. For short commutes I think it's a waste of time to put on special clothes at home then change on arrival at work. Of course every riders definition of a short commute will vary.

What tarwheel says. Plus the lycra/spandex riding shorts won't ride up and bunch up like a pair of regular shorts. More comfort all around.

all the clothing advise above is good. I just wanted to say you don't have to shave your legs, mine are very hairy and still look good in spandex :lol:

I think the biggest advantage is that the elasticity and smoother surface prevent wrinkles that are a major cause of discomfort. In most other clothing, there is slack in the cloth that produces wrinkles under your butt whenever you shift your weight on the saddle. With lycra-type fabrics, the smoother surface slides over the saddle, and what would otherwise be excess fabric gets taken out by the elasticity. This works even if you wear the shorts under street clothes, because the street clothes fabric also tends to slide smoothly over the shorts. That's how most the "baggy" mountain bike shorts work, too.

The other big factor on longer rides is that the chamois pad absorbs moisture that would otherwise produce little bits of rash. Cotton, in particular, is horrible at moving moisture. (Which is the reason that sales of diaper rash products have plummeted since the advent of disposables.)

Cyclists are not the only athletes that wear lycra. Football players, swimmers and divers all wear lycra or lycra-like products when competing and most athletes use them when training. Look at the success of Under Armour Coldgear and Heatgear. Lycra and its clones have a definite advantage in athletic pursuits as enumerated above. It also allows complete and unrestricted movement.

Lycra does get a lot of negative press in BF for both reasonable and unreasonable reasons. In closing, I would take issue with Post #2 in that I wouldn't hang my lycra to dry in my office if I wanted to retain office cred, as that is repulsive.

I've been into cycling and bike commuting now for about 15 months. I'm pretty much a straight-up utility cyclist. I do not race. I don't "train". More than 85% of my miles are commuting or errands. In the nice cycling season, I have a wonderful 30-mile round trip commute on my road bike. The chamois is the only thing that is an absolute must for me on that route. The clipless pedals aren't a must, but they're much appreciated. Obviously, that requires cycling-specific shoes, but I use MTB shoes with recessed cleats that I can walk around in.

Now that it's getting cold and blustery? It's more like a 6-10 mile round-trip. I wear NO cycling-specific clothing except for my helmet this time of year. I have a wicking performance base layer that's definitely not cycling specific. No chamois. I wear it when it's below freezing. The rest of my apparel is mostly layered street clothes to keep me warm. My mountain bike has platform pedals, so I'm not even wearing bike shoes. Frankly, people mistake me for a bike-riding derelict bum this time of year.

Regardless, I haven't sipped the lycra kool-aid in its entirety. For rides under 5 miles each way, I see absolutely no point in cycling-specific clothing at all -- especially if it's not appropriate for your destination and you'd have to change. Too much work. Just ride in shorts or if it's chilly some regular pants (cargo pants or jeans are more rugged - khaki's will get torn up on the saddle after a few weeks).

Longer than 5 miles per sitting, I usually wear a chamois under whatever else I'm wearing. For temperatures above 90, I have a wicking t-shirt (meant for running, not an expensive jersey). Yes, it's lycra. Above 90, I actually NEED the wicking and cooling abilities of the fabric.

I guess it depends on your goals. I have 8 hours at the office, and I can take my nastiest, sweatiest cotton clothes and hang them up and have them be plenty dry for the ride home. If I have rain-soaked clothes, I wring them out in the bathroom sink, then fold them up on top of my computer monitor at work and they're not only totally dry, but nice and warm by quittin' time.

If you really care about running the time trial on your way to and from work, are constantly striving for a personal best, and won't be satisfied until you average 24 miles per hour, then every little bit helps. Full lycra kit. Shaved legs. 3-pound carbon bike. Go for it.

If you have trouble getting your clothes dry while you're at work, Lycra will probably dry a lot faster. Go for it.

If you really feel like wind and aerodynamic resistance is decreasing your enjoyment, lycra will make you more efficient. It's probably worth it. Go for it.

For a lot of us, the benefits of lycra aren't needed, and thus, it's not worth the cost. I have no problem at all averaging 17-20 miles per hour on my 30 mile round trip without lycra. My clothes dry quick enough, and I can't justify the cost of a full assortment of cycling shorts, bibs, jerseys, or any of that for my commute.

Just remember: Most cycling specific clothing is racing inspired. A lot of the benefits of lycra only manifest themselves once the rider is in pretty good shape and has broken through other bottlenecks. For a fat guy like me with a barn-door belly and sub-par endurance compared to racing cyclists, lycra would only be a racing-inspired cosmetic enhancement: like racing stripes, large exhaust pipe and team logos on a riced-out Honda Civic.

If you can afford it and need or want the benefits, then lycra is right for you. It's certainly not a necessity for everyone, though.

I still maintain that only women should be allowed to wear lycra.

I'd be fine with that. :p

My butt is more comfortable on the seat with a decent chamois.

I tried mountain shorts, or padded underwear, but neither fit as well as a "lycra" short. That said, I've found a significant difference between some low-end shorts and the higher end ones. Anyway, the point is that I wear what's the most comfortable for me.

Once you're wearing the shorts, wearing a similar top seems natural -- although I don't wear synthetic tops anymore. I wear some sort of wool top year-round. Either a wool cycling jersey in the summer, or a closer-fitting wool top (Ibex, icebreaker) when it's cooler. Again, this is a preference based on function, not appearance.

The "men shouldn't" comments always strike me as a little homophobic.

You're funny... Homophobia has nothing to do with it, if you knew me you'd know just how funny your comment was.

I was speaking from more of an aesthetic point of view, the female form is more pleasing to the eye and, as such, should be shown off more.

And I do mean form, not the stick figures the media wants you to think is the ideal.

Like most riders, I prefer soft curves to sharp corners. ;)

I'm a cyclist. What office cred am I losing. They already think I'm weird! Of course, I just place my jersey over my computer under my desk(I don't block any exhaust vents) and my shorts on my desk until they are dry. But like previously stated, it doesn't take long to dry out and I pack them away from sight. I get in at 6:45 and most other programmers get in at 8:45. My clothes are already packed by then.

Women only comments are homophobic. I will wear what feels good no matter what anyone else thinks. I love shocking people by wearing kilts in the winter(they will not allow them at work - homophobes!).

What's wrong with homophobia?

:lol:

Actually, I really don't care one way or the other, but there's really nothing attractive about a guy wearing lycra.

Hate the feel of baggies getting caught up on my saddle's horn. No other chamois seems to seat a butt as well as in lycra products. Every chamois on baggies I bought, just felt inferior. And the wicking factor. Plus I ride with a club. Great group of friends/ riders. Why would I want to be the lone ranger and not be a part of the group. On our larger Sunday rides, club gear can help keep you together, when a swarm of cyclists looks like a herd of cattle. Otherwise, We' d likely get lost in the crowd

Well, if they're not attractive in lycra, then they're probably not attractive in jeans and a t-shirt (or whatever else) either. As I walk around my office 95%, or more, of the men here aren't dressed in flattering clothes (including myself).

My point is that blanket statements like men don't look good in lycra doesn't mean much, since most of them don't look good in anything.

BTW the phobia comment wasn't necessarily directed at any one person, but I certainly don't detract the statement. A man walks in in lycra tights. If you look at his legs for more than 2 seconds your manhood comes into question. I'm observing, not judging.

Hell, I recently made a thread about feeling uncomfortable in the library in my tights, for no particular reason. It's the same reason the first purchase of lycra shorts is such a traumatic event for most men.

Talk about homophobia... gotta wonder about guys that defend a pair of tight shorts so vehemently.

Of course I'm joking but you just know there's at least one here that'll get their chamois in a wad over it.

response 16. Its an easy adjustment, should I go into a public building. Got panniers, take along a pair of nylon shorts and cover up after getting off the bike. While on the bike, lycra is so much more comfortable when on the bike for hours on end.

I know many women who like to watch football and for a number of them I suspect the actual game has little to do with it ;-)

When I was commuting a very short distance I wore regular clothes because they were comfortable enough for a short ride and it wasn't worth the bother of changing.

When I started commuting about 7 miles there was no way I could get to work in a timely fashion without being a sweaty mess. At the same time I was training for a triathlon so I started wearing tri-shorts. When the weather got cooler, I picked up a pair of thermal tights with a chamois. I don't own a cycling jersey or jacket since I have other clothes that are adequate if not ideal.

If during your commute you're going to be on a bike for a while, you'll probably want something with a pad and something that keeps seams away from areas that would be irritated by them. The aerodynamic benefits of tighter fitting clothes are noticeable to me, especially when it's windy.

In cooler weather it's also nice to not worry about rolling up my pants or strapping them down in some way to avoid them getting caught in my chain.

Hey, if you don't look good in cycling shorts, don't wear them. ;)

... Brad

You sure it's not just wanting to maintain a professional looking business environment around the office? I wear kilts, too, but even on our casual Friday it's not considered to be appropriate office attire although with my kilt and a company logo'd polo I'd still be better dressed than some of my co-workers.

At my office, it has to do with perception from our vendors. Could be the same at your office, unless someone just blatantly told you "don't wear your skirt to work anymore, queer."

:roflmao::roflmao::roflmao:

My 2 cents.

Comfort.

Prevents chafing. More aero. Keeps you from soaking your clothes in sweat.
Generally more comfortable

Chamois is the padding. It helps prevent chafing and has a few other benefits.
Wicking= you are less sweaty and your clothes as well.


I tend to pedal from 80-100 rpms. Imagine a strategically misplaced stitch and your leg brushing it 90 times a min for 2 hrs. The end result are saddle sores. The chamois generally is stitched such that this does not happen.


Absolutely nothing. No, you do not need to shave your legs to ride a bike.
I do because I like the look. Vanity is reason #1. The other reasons include cleaning road rash, and on and on.

The issue here is not so much "lycra" as it is avoiding cotton fiber.
Cotton fiber is bad for sweating in: the fibers absorb water and shrink, getting looser and also don't insulate as well (-this is why when you first put cotton socks on, they feel GREAT, but after a half-hour or so they don't feel the same). And then cotton takes a LONG time to dry again. ....With synthetic fibers, the fibers don't absorb moisture at all, so the fit never changes, and the clothing fabric dries much faster. Synthetic clothing will keep you warmer than cotton when it's cold and cooler than cotton when it's hot.

Concerning upright bicycle riding, I've never seen padded shorts made of anything except synthetic fiber. Shorts for upright bicycling tend to have padding sewn-in to them, for most humans it improves comfort drastically.

For colder-weather riding you can get extra-thick lycra tights, that insulate very well despite the fabric appearing rather thin. Often the entire front side of the pants is covered with a wind-blocking fabric, while the rear is much more open weave.

Also get yourself a pair or two of synthetic socks as well. Plain Throlo's can be had for as cheap as ~$5/pair online, if you order 6-packs. They last longer and feel better. DO NOT EVER buy the big fluffy "rag" socks, these are woven loose and fall apart very quickly, no matter what they're made of, they're not even worth stealing--only get the medium-to-thinner, tighter-weave ones. I don't own any cotton socks anymore, synthetics just plain feel better all day long.
--------
It's also fair to mention that wool fibers also do not absorb moisture, but I've not ever had good experiences with wool clothing.
~

aaaaggghhhhhh!
 

Unless you ride more than about 5-10 miles one way or ride in high temperatures you don't need specialized clothing. I ride all the time in cotton sweats and cotton underwear. I also ride in Levi jeans and work boots for up to about 5 miles.
If you want to look like a racing cyclist and fantasize about winning the TDF then shaving your legs and wearing "tight stretchy pants for fun" makes alot of sense.
I see no reason why most commuting cyclists need special clothing. A simple pair of wicking athletic shorts like Andiamos or generic non padded versions from Wal Mart work fine too. The padding is unnecessary if you use a real leather saddle (Brooks or Selle An Atomica). Leather breathes and besides the padding used in shorts today is not like it was originally......that was real leather too and the purpose was to be able to smear "chamious butter", bag balm or vasoline on to prevent saddle sores. The junk they pass off as a chamious is either cheap foam or some sort of numbness inducing gel.
If your leather saddle is firm and molded to your @$$ then you won't need special shorts for comfort unless you are riding over 50 miles. Even then they are supposed to be for rubbing stuff into to prevent saddle sores not for padding comfort.
I suppose with the cheap, junk, non breathing, plastic, foam and gel filled saddles they sell these days you need something to pad your backside so what do they do, they add more padding in the shorts........wrong.

Heres a simple solution, wear wicking underwear either wool or synthetic and whatever pants or shorts that don't have seams that rub you raw or get snagged in your chain. Wear wool socks and Merino wool shirts since they don't hold your stink like synthetics do. You can keep wearing them at work or change, it make no difference. Wool drys fast and regulates temperature well. If you live in a cold climate or where it rains, get some wool tights and some decent breathable rain gear. Wear whatever shoes the weather dictates that fit on your pedals and use platform pin pedals for that reason, then you won't have to carry extra shoes for work.

My bikes:
www.myspace.com/eccentriccyclistcharlie