The Lounge of Terrestrial Wheelmen

[George]

I scoffed at cyclists in those tight black britches for a long time.

Then I bought some when I became a regular 10+ mile per day bicycle commuter. I make no claims that these are the best or anything, but they're perfectly adequate and happen to be the ones I have: http://www.performancebike.com/webap...47_-1___000000

I don't bother when I'm just riding around with my kids or running (oops, riding) to a nearby store or something, but for anything, say five miles or more, I wouldn't go without them.

I think the wicking sweat function is just as important as the padding. They'll keep you cooler and drier than wearing regular underwear under street clothes, jeans, cargo shorts, etc. Beware if riding trails with trees branches and such. They are thin and tear easily. Sometimes I wear cargo shorts over them if I need to carry pockets full of stuff, and I have one pair with a small hole on an outside seam that I will only wear under other shorts for that reason.

I have seen the padded underwear (like the REI briefs mentioned above) but they seem to cost nearly as much as regular cycling shorts, or at least the relatively inexpensive ones I linked above. I figure you can wear cycling shorts alone or as underwear, effectively, so why limit yourself to underwear-only for nearly the same cost?

In warm weather, I also wear inexpensive, bright-colored wicking tee shirts from places like Wal-Mart and Target. Example: http://www.hanes.com/shop/hanes/men/...170621180107:s

[Phil_SS]

How firm is your saddle?

Honestly, I don't know. As in I don't have a huge point of reference. My BMX bike just has plastic seat. The bike I am riding is, after looking at Trek's site, an older version of the Trek 820. And the seat is a Bontrager SSR.

So it feels pretty hard, but obviously it is not as hard as my BMX or as soft as my parent's bikes that have the big floofy cushion seats.

Thinking about it now, maybe it is the shorts I was wearing.

[George]

If you are going to be riding a lot, proper fit is important, including the saddle.

Specialized dealers (and probably others) will measure your sit bones for free. They have a device you sit on in the riding position. When you get up, your sit bones leave impressions that they measure so you can choose an appropriate saddle.

[Tom Servo]

Yep, the Trek guys at my local shop had a similar thing. Turns out for a long time I was using too narrow of a saddle.

I thought it was a little inappropriate that they then tried to sell me a jersey that said "Wide Load" on it afterwards, though.

[FaultyMario]

I don't know how expensive a professional fitment is up there in Geeteefekistan or if it's woth it to the miles you're doing but that should be up in the priorities. if that's not an option for whatever reason, read up on saddle positioning, as you want to contact the support "bubbles" of the saddle to fit against your bones. Remember that your sacrum is never to wiggle or rock when you're pedaling, it should stay in place.

Under no circumstances should you be exerting any pressure to the tissues near your taint. That is a proven cause of ED.

[Blerpa]

I use these, usually under normal cargo shorts. Mind, if you use these cycling tight pants you must not wear underpants under or you would risk to irritate your genitals, internal tights and buttocks.
And yes, they are padded.
Unfortunately my saddle is pretty normal and it does not have the prostrate relieving hole in the middle.

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[Tom Servo]

That is a good point Blerpa brings up. If you've got the shorts with a chamois, you should never wear anything under them. They're designed to basically have no seams anywhere that might be unpleasant, and putting something between them and you defeats the porpoise.

[George]

Putting something between them and you also makes for more items to wash if you end up somewhere like this...

(may cause vertigo, spasms, nausea, the heebie-jeebies, the the hippy hippy shakes, and an uncontrollable desire to attempt same except on rear wheel only)

Spoiler:

[Blerpa]

I suffer from vertigo, and I'm having spasms looking at that.

[George]

Hidden to prevent that happening again!