rekmeyata

At least with snakes they swim on the surface, but crocs, I watched a real life film once of a croc that was hiding underwater and a Gazelle came along to drink from the water where the croc was hiding, and the Gazelle looked nervous and ready to bolt at a split of a second, and suddenly that croc exploded out of the water, the Gazelle leaped away but the croc grabbed in mid flight and killed it. I don't think I would swim in any water that had the possibility of Crocodiles or Alligators in it, call me chicken but I'm not going to become a chicken dinner!! This is why I don't eat Alligator when in Florida because I figure I should eat them before they eat me!!!

Machka 

I was told that the crocs stayed on the ocean side of the road and didn't go into the little ponds and lakes on the other side of the road. But I wondered about that. Really? The croc reaches the road and says to itself, "Oops, I'd better turn around."

With a whole lot of hesitation I swam in one pond (and there was a snake or something in there ... others saw it, fortunately I didn't). But a few days later, I read in the news that a boy had been taken by a croc in a pond on the other side of the road right near where we started the Queensland portion of the trip.

Turns out crocs do cross the road!

I prefered swimming in the ocean ... in designated areas. Those areas usually had rinsing showers so I would swim, then rinse the salt out of my shorts and off me.

Machka 

Then you can easily rinse your cycling shorts in the sink or tub. Or if it is a one-nighter, just air them out overnight.

Leebo

I would recommend the REI or Patagonia for poly pro knit boxers. Also merino wool too.

Leebo

I use a 2.5 gallon zip lock bag to wash and rinse. Get some Dr Broners or other type natural soap, wash and rinse. Just don't put the soapy water back in the pond or river. I use the rear rack to dry them in the sun and wind.

Booger1

I cut mine up into tiny pieces and sprinkle them around my tent at night.....No animal in their right mind would cross that.

indyfabz

Another possibility is to use them as emergency coffee filters.

rekmeyata

The wild life film I saw of that croc had a camera they stuck on the dude for at least a year and they followed it with the gps that was in the camera, the croc left an area where there was a lake due to too much competition for food and as a young croc it couldn't fight off the older ones yet, so it walked on dry land for miles during a drought period and eventually found an isolated pond where there was no other croc competition for food, it was there he got that Gazille. I saw that film sometime ago, I can't recall if the croc was salt water or not but since it started it's young life on a river and traveled to a pond I doubt it was a saltwater species; I also don't recall how far it walked but the narrator was concerned that the croc was going to run out of energy and die before it would reach water and find food.

As vicious and strong as crocs and alligators are the Python can kill one; see: Of course that is a small alligator. As a side weird note there is film proof of an 30 pound Otter killing a 5 foot Alligator in Florida; see: How a River Otter Can Bag an Alligator for Lunch

Machka 

I was swimming in the ocean shortly after the photo below was taken ... wearing my cycling shorts and a sleeveless jersey.

Squeezebox

Wet or even damp cotton can cause a lot of chaffing, also taking days to dry. Hikers generally wear nothing cotton, well maybe to bed. So check out hiking pants, tops, liner socks, etc. Any of your chaffing areas will be much happier.

point 2 - Any time I'm on the bike path or such, and see anyone wearing underwear under their shorts, seems mostly middle aged women. I want to explain to them the error of their ways. But as a male there is no way I'ld tell a women why she should take off her underwear.

indyfabz

You must not be able to offer good reasons. Worked like a charm for me last weekend.

DropBarFan

Thanks. I like the merino socks. For me, padded cycling shorts have been unpredictable, sometimes comfy but if padding doesn't fit right can be downright painful. To me it's more logical for tourists to have the saddle (and/or susp seatpost) to do the cushioning vs a stiff sponge stuck in one's crotch. I preferred the old chamois-style non-padded shorts.

Papa Tom

From the OP:

OK, I took the advice posted here and just got back from a 36-mile ride with no (cotton)underwear beneath my padded bike undies. You guys were trying to kill me, right? I gotta tell you, that was the most uncomfortable ride I have taken since I used to ride in cut-off jeans 15 years ago, and now my upper thighs are beet red from chafing.

Never gonna do THAT again!

rekmeyata

Well that tells me one thing, your shorts either do not fit properly and or are low end shorts, because for normal people if they were to ride with underwear on the chafing problem would be there. You need to talk to your LBS and see what they recommend because I can guarantee you that less than 1 percent of people that ride bikes will wear underwear.

Machka 

+1

Something is wrong with the shorts then.

Papa Tom

Nah...They've always worked just fine with cotton underwear beneath them. I'm going to go with there's something wrong with my ass.

DropBarFan

By "padded bike undies" do you mean like Andiamo padded underwear or reg padded bike shorts (worn on outside)?

If clothes one has used work fine then why switch? OTOH I agree w/other posters that trying diff bike shorts could help. I read some models are noted for thinner padding that some find more comfortable than thick pads.

saddlesores

unless you're a street thug, your underpants shouldn't be
slothing around your upper thighs!

what shorts are you wearing? regular padding cycling
lycra? unpadded jogging lycra? baggy mtb shorts?
or just plain old short pants?

i hope they're not denim! denim could kill you if it rains.

if lycra shorts, try pulling them up a bit, or twisting the
legs forwards or backawards so the part covering your
upper thighs doesn't move as you pedal.

Papa Tom

Thanks for all the suggestions, but I am going back to wearing cotton undies beneath my padded undies. It worked fine for 15 years.

Happy Feet

That cotton's gonna kill you. Ask the ultra light guys over at white blaze, they know what they are talking about.

I had a friend who hiked most of the West Coast trail in the nude. Just sayin. It's an option.

Papa Tom

I'm done with this discussion, which was never intended to be a commando vs non-commando debate. I am going to keep wearing my cotton undies and when they get too worn out, I will throw them away in some hotel. That's all, folks. (Imagine big tongue fart now.)

Happy Feet

If I had a nickel for every time I've heard that

Thanks for a great thread.

Papa Tom

Thanks for a great closing line!

rekmeyata

Wait, you can't go, not without first showing us a picture, with sound, of you sticking your tongue out and making the farting sound.