Cycling Shorts/Tights - Etiquette?

sdavies13

Ok I'll admit it, have just bought my first pairs of cycling shorts and cycling tights (both padded). Having finally made the whole cycle journey into work (GPS said 18 miles one way, despite Google saying 14 miles???) I was a bit sore afterwards...

Anyway what's the etiquette around cycling shorts/tights? Have never worn anything so tight before, having read forum postings about wearing underwear being a cardinal sin and based on past office conversations I'm guessing if I walk into the office in tights I will NEVER live it down (some of the guys in there I have worked with for a VERY long time!)

I'm tempted to wear shorts over the top of them, save my blushes, but what advice do people have to offer?

Idiophreak

Don't wear shorts, that's just weird and people will mock you for having something to hide.

Nobody gives a stuff...you're a cyclist, you're wearing cycling shorts...

liz545

No, you're not supposed to wear anything under padded shorts/tights, it'll chafe and cotton tends to absorb sweat which can be very uncomfortable. I've seen plenty of riders wearing shorts (mountain bike-style 'baggies') over the top of tights - if you feel self-conscious turning up at the office in tight lycra, there's nothing wrong with that! I tend to head straight for the changing rooms when I arrive so that I'm in 'normal clothes' when my colleagues see me, but if that isn't an option for you, wear whatever makes you comfortable.

Avoriaz

Just stick your bike pump down the front of your tights and walk proudly around.

Marco_Panettone

Walk in in tights. You will hear the end of it as it becomes 'normal'.

As others say - nothing UNDER either shorts or tights, but you can wear baggy stuff over the top if you wish. Each to their own - it will only effect you.

Idiophreak

If you do decide to go down the baggy route, why not just buy some padded MTB shorts. Not all padded shorts are lycra.

Johnmcl7

I wear a normal pair of shorts on top of padded shorts as that way I have free choice of the padded shorts and what I wear on top as I wasn't fussed about any of the MTB shorts I looked at.

John

morg_monster

So those of you who don't wear undies under bike shorts, do you wash them after every ride? If you commute long distances every day and rely on padded shorts, do you have a few pairs?

Got to be honest, when I used to work in london and commute by train I would always avoid sitting next to men who cycled to the station and were in their sweaty cycling tights, especially "Spiderman" who was always clad head to toe in red lycra including his impressive beer belly, and loved to spread his knees wide apart to try in vain to get some air to his spandex clad groin... But men in tights seem to be an increasing breed so you may not get the reaction you are dreading. On the other hand I don't see any problem with wearing a pair of "normal" shorts over some cycling shorts and would do it myself. Might look a bit odd over tights, though.

Cycrow

i wash my shorts after every ride, i have a few pairs, so i dont have to keep washing them every day.

Idiophreak

morg_monster wrote: »

So those of you who don't wear undies under bike shorts, do you wash them after every ride? If you commute long distances every day and rely on padded shorts, do you have a few pairs?

Yes, I wash and dry mine after every ride. Have 4 different padded pairs (1 trishorts, 2 shorts and 1 tights) that get alternated.

If there was a good reason (you were on a tour etc) you could probably get away with wearing them a couple of times as long as you dried them between times - but for a commute you want them to be as clean as possible, really.

WiggyDiggyPoo

I have two sets of MTB baggies I wear when riding. One has just a detachable pad, the other has a smaller pair of detachable tighter shorts inside the idea being after a ride you can remove the inner and wash that.

Another reason I prefer them over tighter shorts is they have more pockets than my tight ones.