What to wear under shorts/pants?
#1
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What to wear under shorts/pants?
Would like to wear comfortable shorts or pants for casual riding.
Care to share your experiences and recommend jockstraps/athletic supporters designed for cycling?
Any alternatives to jockstraps?
Care to share your experiences and recommend jockstraps/athletic supporters designed for cycling?
Any alternatives to jockstraps?
#2
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They do make cycling specific underwear (complete w/chamois), also known as liner shorts. Here is what turned up after plugging "cycling underwear" into the search function on REI's website- https://www.rei.com/search?query=cycling+underwear
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I recommend some kind of cycling-specific short. I have had good results wearing normal bike shorts under clothing, and believe that the underwear versions would work well too. One thing I wouldn't recommend would be something with straps, which is what the athletic supporter-type things I've had in the past had. I'd strongly prefer something that was smooth and even.
If you don't want something padded, there are compression shorts, I think designed to go under other sports wear, that would work quite nicely. These would keep the guys out of the way, be smooth with minimal seams or other things to create friction, and would wick away sweat and not become soggy. I've worn similar for running, though I prefer padded shorts for riding. https://www.amazon.com/Champion-Compr.../dp/B00AKSCK2I
If you don't want something padded, there are compression shorts, I think designed to go under other sports wear, that would work quite nicely. These would keep the guys out of the way, be smooth with minimal seams or other things to create friction, and would wick away sweat and not become soggy. I've worn similar for running, though I prefer padded shorts for riding. https://www.amazon.com/Champion-Compr.../dp/B00AKSCK2I
#4
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I wear bike shorts while biking but if I am going somewhere (my daughter's middle school events) then I put a pair of nicer shorts in the bag on my rack. That's good for biking somewhere and then putting them on but not for frequent stops that you are concerned about.
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Well I learned something today.
I read the OP and thought, "Jockstrap? That's crazy; they're no good for cycling in." But then I thought maybe jockstraps today aren't what jockstraps used to be back in junior high, so I checked the web and lo, the jockstrap was actually first designed for cyclists, back in 1874!
Pretty cool, but I still don't think I'd like to ride in one; chamois padded shorts are better overall, but the right boxer briefs (i.e. flat seamed, with single crotch panel) seem fine for my short, casual rides around town in street clothes.
I read the OP and thought, "Jockstrap? That's crazy; they're no good for cycling in." But then I thought maybe jockstraps today aren't what jockstraps used to be back in junior high, so I checked the web and lo, the jockstrap was actually first designed for cyclists, back in 1874!
Pretty cool, but I still don't think I'd like to ride in one; chamois padded shorts are better overall, but the right boxer briefs (i.e. flat seamed, with single crotch panel) seem fine for my short, casual rides around town in street clothes.
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Doesn't matter that much to me.
I prefer brooks saddles on my commuter bikes and pedicab. No padding, no chafing.
Minimal/sport brief underwear w/o seams in the sit area.
Anything works for me, almost.
Running shorts, swim suits, casual shorts. Don't like denim jeans, at all.
I spend lots of time in the saddle.
28+ hours this past weekend, alone, w/ lots of rain.
I prefer brooks saddles on my commuter bikes and pedicab. No padding, no chafing.
Minimal/sport brief underwear w/o seams in the sit area.
Anything works for me, almost.
Running shorts, swim suits, casual shorts. Don't like denim jeans, at all.
I spend lots of time in the saddle.
28+ hours this past weekend, alone, w/ lots of rain.
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For long rides I will wear bike shorts with padding. For normal commuting days and pretty much any other day I have been wearing Adidas climate cool boxers. But any athletic underwear that is polyester blend, wicks moisture and has anit microbe and anti odor treatment works for me to stay more comfortable
#8
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just cycling from 1 place to another in town I wear sweatpants that dont bind , and the regular
Y front Briefs .. occasionally have to stand up and sit down again to reposition things ,
but it's no big deal ..
were I setting off to ride all day I might get the proper, Bike shorts out of the drawer.
Y front Briefs .. occasionally have to stand up and sit down again to reposition things ,
but it's no big deal ..
were I setting off to ride all day I might get the proper, Bike shorts out of the drawer.
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I recommend cycling undershorts which have a nice padded area and good support to protect the boys, then put on your favorite mountain biking shorts or any casual shorts over that. Perfect.
#11
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Can you imagine the clamor to fund a project for the entire product?
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I wear Aerotech bib shorts with a pair of more or less regular* shorts over that for modesty and pockets. When it is cold, I have a pair of wool tights on over the bibs, but under the street clothes shorts. The wool is actually really soft Merino wool.
* More less = I was partial to a pair of loose fitting, board-short length black denim shorts until they finally succumbed to years of riding. After that I tried wearing a pair of cut-off (and hemmed) black scrub pants with cargo pockets. These worked pretty great for months, as even soaked, no one could tell they were wet and being scrubs they dried really fast. Since they were black and had cargo pockets, they didn't look like scrubs either. Unfortunately, the crotch isn't up to the constant wear and tear of cycling. I'm back to something similar to what I started out with, a canvas-y tough fabric short that is loose fitting and has cargo pockets. Couldn't find them in board short length though.
The Aerotech bibs are excellent. Mine have held up fantastically to a tremendous amount of use. After a minute or two in them, I usually forget I'm wearing them, which is saying something, as you'd think they'd be kind of constricting. Very well made, and a reasonable price when you consider how long they last and how much team kit charges for something similar.
I wear Aerotech bib shorts with a pair of more or less regular* shorts over that for modesty and pockets. When it is cold, I have a pair of wool tights on over the bibs, but under the street clothes shorts. The wool is actually really soft Merino wool.
* More less = I was partial to a pair of loose fitting, board-short length black denim shorts until they finally succumbed to years of riding. After that I tried wearing a pair of cut-off (and hemmed) black scrub pants with cargo pockets. These worked pretty great for months, as even soaked, no one could tell they were wet and being scrubs they dried really fast. Since they were black and had cargo pockets, they didn't look like scrubs either. Unfortunately, the crotch isn't up to the constant wear and tear of cycling. I'm back to something similar to what I started out with, a canvas-y tough fabric short that is loose fitting and has cargo pockets. Couldn't find them in board short length though.
The Aerotech bibs are excellent. Mine have held up fantastically to a tremendous amount of use. After a minute or two in them, I usually forget I'm wearing them, which is saying something, as you'd think they'd be kind of constricting. Very well made, and a reasonable price when you consider how long they last and how much team kit charges for something similar.
#13
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For my daily 25 mile commute, I've found the following trunks * to be the most comfortable underwear for someone my size (270 lbs).
On longer trips, I've bought a pair of cycling shorts which really help with the long stretches of time on the saddle.
*
On longer trips, I've bought a pair of cycling shorts which really help with the long stretches of time on the saddle.
*

#14
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I almost always wear cycle shorts anymore, but when wearing the cargo shorts, the tighty whitey's I wear every day work. But then I never do more than five miles or so in that mode.
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#16
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i used to wear bontrager padded liners under my shorts. i gave up on them though becuase my boys dont like to be so constricted. are all liners/bike shorts like this?
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The UnderArmor compression shorts are pretty nice. Wicking and enough support to keep thing where they belong. Also elastic enough that they stay close and keep skin on skin contact from happening. They are thinner than they appear in most of the pictures on line. I use them when my MTB liners are in the wash or when I don't want to walk around with a diaper in my pants all day.
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I use a Brooks saddle, so I save the cycling shorts for longer rides. For shorter rides, the Champion cotton-free stuff from Target works very well.



#19
The Left Coast, USA
When I'm not in a bib or cycling shorts I'll ride with liners and running shorts, but those liners tend to get hot, stay hot. 20 miles or less just some form fitting athletic underwear is good enough, (like above). But I picked up a couple true briefs on ebay with just a minimal friction pad, they are pretty awesome for anything but a genuinely long ride and they feel entirely natural under pants or shorts. Best of both worlds if you aren't wearing true bike shorts.
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How far are you riding? I just wear normal underwear (which is boxer briefs for me).
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I have a couple pair of those. It might be time for replacement, in which case I'll buy them one size smaller because they do stretch while being worn. Gotta keep things in place, you know.
#23
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Mt bike riding shorts, cool and comfortable.
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I used to wear mine all the time until I raised my saddle enough so I needed to get off of it when stopping. When getting back on, I kept having the back of my baggy shorts stuck at the front of the saddle.
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