Undergarment for comfort in heat

[blackyam]

Hi, everyone. In the summer here, the temp hovers in the high 90s F and ventures into the 100s. I wear jeans under my Roadcrafter, and I don't like the way my jeans stick to my legs when I get sweaty. Now I'm considering wearing an undergarment like LD Comfort. My questions are,

 

1) Do you think wearing an undergarment like LD Comfort would help?

 

2) If it would help, would it be better to wear the shorts or the tights?

 

3) Do you recommend LD Comfort or some other product, or do you have a different solution?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

---John.

[Jake]

You are on the right track for comfort, particularly if you are looking to have a material wick perspiration away from your skin, but I think it is important to think about your needs.

 

"Cotton Kills" is an overused expression, but still valid in that if one's goal is to keep sweat off of skin cotton is a poor choice. Sometimes though, if you are getting great ventilation (not likely in a Roadcrafter) cotton can retain some perspiration which aids in evaporative cooling.

 

The big upside to the product you are looking at is comfort. Likely no seams in the wrong places, lighter, and will slide around without bunching, reducing friction and therefore less/no chafing.

 

Here is a nice bit of information to learn about the relative merits of different fabrics, accepting that this is not motorcycle centric.

 

Roadcrafter + 100 degrees = sweat no matter what you are wearing. So, stay hydrated to stay upright.

[JerryMather]

I highly recommend VnmSports Gear to wear under your Roadcrafter. It's made by a motorcycle racer to be used under a leather race suit but works well as a undergarment when your doing any type of riding. I personally know a bunch of road, street and off road racers that use this one.

 

It's a small company that was started by an ex military vet turned racer using the field knowledge gained in both fields.

 

Being a small company they will work with you to make sure you get what you need.

[Guest Kakugo]

I've tried another brand made with Dryarn, a fabric supposed to give LD a run for its money.

 

Does it work? No. Old fashioned Lycra-based sports undergarments are cheaper and more comfortable in the heat. Those are available from any store carrying Adidas, Asics etc. I personally prefer short tights and sleeves, but that is subjective.

 

What does work, and really well, is a cooling vest. I have this particular model and it's a true marvel.

Trust me, you won't sweat, period, and I've tested it in temperatures up to 38°C. My riding buddies arrived at our destination soaking wet while I was as dry and cool as I could be.

They thought I was crazy when I stopped at roadside fountain to soak my vest but then eyed me with envy...

 

[blackyam]

Jake, Jerry, and David,

 

Thanks for your replies. Good tips, all, and much appreciated.

 

Additional info: I wear jeans because I doff my Roadcrafter when I arrive. (I don't think I should walk about in underwear.) Thus, I'm looking for something to wear under my jeans that would help keep my jeans from sticking to my legs. (I don't mind a sweaty shirt much.)

 

Still wondering if under shorts or under tights (below the knee) would be better.

 

I may stop by an REI to see what they have to offer, but I think I'm leaning toward LD Comfort because that's what I've heard mentioned most. (Maybe it's their frequent advertising.) I checked the link to VnmSports Gear, but that site is not yet functional. I haven't felt a need for a cooling vest yet, but maybe I don't know what I'm missing.

 

Thanks again for all your tips. Keep 'em coming. ;-)

 

---John.

[JerryMather]

I know more than a couple guys that ride with just cargo shorts and a tee shirt under their Roadcrafter during the summer months and they live in the desert areas of Nevada & Arizona.

Your protect is the Roadcrafter so you don't need anything more under it but for your comfort.

[marcopolo]

I've been using LD Comfort shorts for a number of years now and have been happy with them. That doesn't necessarily me they'll work for you, of course.

[LBump]

I haven't felt a need for a cooling vest yet, but maybe I don't know what I'm missing.

 

Thanks again for all your tips. Keep 'em coming. ;-)

 

---John.

 

Cooling vests in hotter dry environs, like desert crossing and hot plains, are the way to go.

Keep the core cooler and stay hydrated sipping on a Camelbak with some electrolytes.

You'll be able to ride further and more comfortable with less fatigue.

[Selden]

I use a wicking T-shirt, and a bandana tied around my neck, which I fill with crushed ice about once an hour.

[walton66]

Everyone has a strategy, I developed mine after becoming dehydrated and crashing out on an RS in the early 90s. I wear either ld comfort or other similar shorts under a pair of cargo shorts under my stitch along with a long sleeve coolmax type jersey here in Florida. This seems to work pretty well. I also use a cool vest sometimes but only if I going to be motoring at a good pace out of traffic. This is because of the humidity here. I open the pit and back vents and wear gloves that will fit inside the sleeve openings. This lets the air flow up and out. And, as others have said drink a lot. When I stop for a drink or fuel, I sit and enjoy the water. I also try to stick with salads for meals when riding in the heat. They contain an amazing amount of water.

[Chris K]

After a recommendation by 2 friends, I bought a pair of LD Comfort shorts for a 2 day blast from Atlanta to Denver followed by a week riding around Colorado. With their money back guarantee I figured I was just getting them on loan until I finished my trip. But by the time I reached Kansas City I knew I was out the $50. An incredible product that I won't take a trip without.

[Danny caddyshack Noonan]

Cotton + Heat + Sweat = Suck

 

Synthetic underwear, shorts or pants and workout or polo shirt. If you have Motoport gear, don't bother with a cooling vest....too much armor to make it work for me. Douse with water, every 10 minutes when above 100F, wherever the wind has access to maintain core temp. Microfiber towel on the neck kept wet to keep brain bloodflow cool.

[DiggerJim]

I'm an LD Comfort (shorts not tights) wearer under my one-piece Roadcrafter.

 

As for cooling vests, etc. - match the advise you get & the advisor's location with where you ride. Cooling vests that rely on evaporative cooling work very well in the dry southwest, not so well in the humid northeast.

 

[racer7]

If its really hot or humid sticking LDs under jeans under a Roadcrafter is not going to help much. Better to lose the jeans for some synthetic shorts or use notihng but the LD and add the other layer when you stop and shed the Roadcrafter (yes, I've got a Roadcrafter1 piece and LD shorts)

 

Wet vests work where humidity is low but not in the SE by comparison to SW. To e, they're mostloy overpriced for what little they do where I live in NC. I use a Veskimo- that really works.

 

The LD has a very poor fly design which assumes your penis originates a couple inches below your navel. It is no better than having shorts with no fly at all.

 

I've used other non-cotton items intended to do the same as LD. From my perspective they're all pretty similar in what they do.

 

 

[walton66]

When I lived in Dallas, each September a couple of us would dash to New Mexico for the Sipapu rally, a really top notch event BTW, at each gas stop I would buy a bag of ice and fill the pockets on my stitch . This really inconvenient action would keep us cool for an hour or so hut really helped the ride across Texas be comfortable but I was a lot younger then. It's so much more humid here in FL but I'm riding up to the Pensacola area in a couple weeks and might try it again if it gets too hot.

[blackyam]

Hi, all. Thanks for the many more tips and comments.

 

I've always used a long sleeve shirt and long pants (usually jeans) under my Roadcrafter, even in the heat of summer, because I'd heard that doing so would protect against melting plastic in the event of a get off. That's why I haven't used short pants under my Roadcrafter, e.g.

 

Thanks for sharing your experiences. I will consider the options.

 

---John.

[Jeff in VA]

I use Under Armour compression shorts. They are comfortable and don't cost a fortune. I tried cotton options and they were horrible.

[walton66]

That's a great idea Jeff. I wanted another pair of shorts but was balking at the LDC price. I have a UA shirt that I like a lot. Don't know why I did not think of them for shorts.

[Glenn Reed]

I did the UA thing as well. Just make sure they are the ones with the really flat seams across your bottom, so the seams don't end up causing hotspots. I wore mine on the ride down to START, 630 miles in ten hours, no issues whatsoever.

[tallman]

Still use bicycle shorts.

Nice gell chamois, if it works for those bicycle seats...

and of course, anti MB

[greiffster]

Still use bicycle shorts.

Nice gell chamois, if it works for those bicycle seats...

and of course, anti MB

 

 

+1. Bicycle shorts work great. Cotton is your enemy.

[Bologna]

LD Comfort !

 

[JR356]

Get rid of the jeans!

I see you are in Northern Cali,I'm central Cali,so our riding conditions are similar.

 

REI has their house brand as well as other name brand lightweight hiking,etc. long pants that vent really well.Wear those over LD Comfort shorts or longs.

 

I was unimpressed with UA gear,the pants waist seam unraveled in a short time on my set.This was a few years ago,may be better now,but I moved on to LD Comfort and have not regretted it one bit.

 

JR356

[DiggerJim]

Just make sure they are the ones with the really flat seams across your bottom, so the seams don't end up causing hotspots.

I may have an insensitive butt, but I've never noticed (pre-LD Comfort) that problem. After all the pants/shorts I'm wearing over the underwear (sometimes) and the Roadcrafter have a bunch of seams in the butt area. Would seem that if a seam would bother my butt there are plenty in play besides the underwear ones.

[mjac]

It really depends (no pun intended) on how far, long, or multiple days you ride.

Me, LD Comfort, top and bottom, long or short depending on the weather plus a head cover.

Beaded seat pads are another consideration, however I have only used them on certain bikes and the RT is not one of them.

[MontanaMark]

Nike dri-fit works for me. Compression shirt & shorts keep me dry and comfy under Tourmaster mesh gear.

 

I keep a camelback bladder in my tank bag with the tube tucked along the side of the bag. This way, I can stay hydrated underway.

 

I used to ride my bicycle to work wearing bike shorts with my dockers and shoes in a backpack. Just slip into the restroon at work and change...

 

Cheers,

Mark

[DaveinNCMn]

After reading some good reports on the forums, I saw a good deal on a couple pair of the LDs and ordered them.

 

Tried them once. I found them to be very uncomfortable and did not noticeably aid in cooling in any way. The next day I packaged them up, rode to the nearest Post Office and mailed them back.

 

 

[Guest Kakugo]

Related topic.

 

Yesterday I went to the closest shopping mall to get another set of Asics Lycra-based undergarments. Extremely happy with the one I already have and would love to get another one.

Much to my dismay, it seems Asics doesn't sell these items here anymore. So I popped into another brand store at the same mall... and then another, and another.

 

I went to all the mall's brand shops (Asics, Adidas, Nike, Puma and Reebok) and none of them had these items on sale anymore. Extremely disappointed... now I'll have to turn to my best friend, eBay!

[Scubadvr]

Big fan of bicycle shorts. You can wear them under your jeans, and like the LD shorts, don't have seams in the wrong spots. They are cheaper than the LD stuff, too, and have a little extra padding. I wear them like underwear, under jeans or shorts, with overpants.

[azpilot06]

Not as much garment-related, but useful in summer heat:

 

Beadriders. They work. After having a few mid-summer rides in Phoenix, after which I looked like I was seriously incontinent, I put Beadriders on the RT and LT. HUGE difference.

 

400,000 cabbies can't be wrong

[EffBee]

Hi, everyone. In the summer here, the temp hovers in the high 90s F and ventures into the 100s. I wear jeans under my Roadcrafter, and I don't like the way my jeans stick to my legs when I get sweaty. Now I'm considering wearing an undergarment like LD Comfort. My questions are,

 

1) Do you think wearing an undergarment like LD Comfort would help?

 

2) If it would help, would it be better to wear the shorts or the tights?

 

3) Do you recommend LD Comfort or some other product, or do you have a different solution?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

---John.

 

I have LD's and for me they work in keeping me cool. However, as with any compression fit, they limit my bladder comfort. Normally, in jeans and a RoadCrafter, I can go two tankfuls, while consuming a 70-oz camelback of water, before I need a break to "change my oil." With compression shorts, I gotta stop every 150-180 miles. Now, that's just me, and my priorities may be different than yours. I don't like to stop. Not even to eat, and I'm VERY grocery friendly.

 

For cooling comfort, just about every brand out there will work. Mario at LD is a friend of the long-distance community and very committed to our comfort. So if you decide to go with this type of product, his stuff is very good and has a lot of testimonials behind it. But for long-distance riding, staying cooler vs. staying on the bike, putting on the miles works better for me. YMMV.

[RTinNC]

I've been using LD Comfort shorts for a number of years now and have been happy with them. That doesn't necessarily me they'll work for you, of course.

 

+1 ... found LD's about 8 years ago and love them! Have tried bike shorts but like the LD's better. YMMV

[areyouolsen]

Jake, Jerry, and David,

 

Thanks for your replies. Good tips, all, and much appreciated.

 

Additional info: I wear jeans because I doff my Roadcrafter when I arrive. (I don't think I should walk about in underwear.) Thus, I'm looking for something to wear under my jeans that would help keep my jeans from sticking to my legs. (I don't mind a sweaty shirt much.)

 

Still wondering if under shorts or under tights (below the knee) would be better.

 

I may stop by an REI to see what they have to offer, but I think I'm leaning toward LD Comfort because that's what I've heard mentioned most. (Maybe it's their frequent advertising.) I checked the link to VnmSports Gear, but that site is not yet functional. I haven't felt a need for a cooling vest yet, but maybe I don't know what I'm missing.

 

Thanks again for all your tips. Keep 'em coming. ;-)

 

---John.

 

I ride with just Under Armour compression shorts under my gear and throw a pair of workout shorts (with pockets - not really all that great for working out with, but they're great for walking around) and flip-flops in my top-case. When I wanna walk around, I doff my gear and air out my feet, as well. The shorts & flip-flops don't take up much space at all & I can fit my gear in my cases. Again, just a suggestion, but after living in NV, NM and SoCal for the past 8 years, it's how I survive in the summertime.