This article is aimed at users who are new to cycling, whether it is mountain biking, road cycling, or gravel. They often have doubts about gear and equipment, and may not have considered this point: should I forgo underwear—boxers or panties—when cycling? The answer is, as always, IT DEPENDS.
Obviously, for urban cycling, which only involves getting around the city or town to do any other activity, we can perfectly well wear underwear. These are short trips, less than half an hour, and since we need clothing suitable for the activity we'll do after cycling (work, shopping, etc.), we usually wear regular street clothes, without needing to put on bib shorts or a jersey. In this case, underwear is not a problem at all. Things change when we talk about sports cycling. We spend more time pedaling, superior an hour in all cases, and sweating is common. Therefore, underwear should stay in the closet, and we should use bib shorts, with their corresponding chamois, to avoid pain and chafing. Wearing bib shorts without underwear underneath makes sense for several reasons:
- It is an elastic garment that adapts to our legs and provides the freedom of movement needed to pedal and move comfortably on the bike. This prevents chafing and irritation.
- It comes with a chamois that, in addition to offering an elastic base to sit on, eliminates sweat thanks to its breathability.
It should be noted that chamois pads have small differences between men's and women's models, so when purchasing bib shorts, it's important to make sure which type and model is best for you.
- It has no seams in the crotch area. This area is usually made from a single piece, and although the chamois is sewn in, those seams are not a problem as they are internal and in areas where there is no risk of chafing.
Wearing underwear and bib shorts together is a big problem on longer rides compared to short city or town trips, because it hinders sweat evaporation and increases the risk of chafing. If we wear underwear between the bib shorts and the skin, we lose the fit that the bib shorts provide, and so, beyond the issues of sweating and chafing, we won't feel the comfort that comes only from wearing bib shorts directly on the skin.
Avoid hygiene problems
The chamois pads of cycling shorts are made with special materials that facilitate breathability. And thanks to antibacterial treatments, we also avoid irritation problems, since sweat moisture is greatly reduced. Such moisture could generate fungi and bacteria that ultimately lead to chafing and injuries in areas of the body that, being really delicate, would force us to stop our activity for a few days. Bad odors should also be noted. The problem with the lack of breathability in underwear is the material these garments are made of: cotton. This material absorbs moisture instead of wicking it away.
Additionally, to maintain good hygiene and extend the useful life of our garments, it is also necessary to know how to wash the cycling shorts and jerseys we use on our rides.
Instead of underwear, the ideal is to have good cycling shorts with a chamois pad, as they are designed to offer protection and comfort on long rides. If you need more information on how to choose the best chamois pad for your shorts, we recommend reading our post on Tips for choosing a good chamois pad for your shorts.
If the professionals don't use it...
There is another reason why it is not recommended to wear underwear under your cycling shorts. And it's as simple as the fact that professionals don't wear it. Many times, it's enough to look at the competition to copy behaviors. If the professionals do something, it's not out of whim or because their sponsors force them to (or at least not always), but for their own convenience. If they don't wear underwear, neither should we.
Using shorts as a substitute for cycling shorts
Many times, putting on cycling shorts makes us self-conscious due to not having a good figure, because we have a few extra kilos, and we feel a bit embarrassed about wearing tight clothing. This shouldn't be a problem, as there are very affordable models of cycling pants with an inner chamois pad, which replace the shorts-underwear combination that some beginner cyclists might be using. In these cases, the chamois pad fits close to the skin and the shorts help conceal our insecurities. If this is your case, don't worry. By putting in the miles on your bike, you'll achieve a model figure and be able to show off your thighs with shorts that fit your size, and thus enjoy cycling 100%.