[shadesofgray]

Comfort in tights for men? (physical comfort)

I just started Mountain biking this summer after not having done any biking at all for many years. Apparently I'm in a lot worse shape than I thought I was. Anyway, I have decided to dedicate myself to some winter riding. Since I really hate doing anything during the winter I've been searching the forum for what I should be wearing for cold weather riding. From what I've read so far, most people wear some form of tights, so I have been thinking about getting some. However, I am a little concerned about comfort. I bought a pair of Underarmor Heat shorts during the summer and they were the most uncomfortable things I have ever worn. I just can't stand having my...uh....boys bunched up like that.I need something that has a little space in that area for comfort. I don't see how men can wear stuff like that, but I guess everyone is different. I couldn't walk around the house in them, so there's no way I could bike in them. Are all tights like that or are other tights different. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

(Edited forr clarification: When I say uncomfortable I mean in a painful way)

 

[jabpn]

well

Sounds like you got something that was way to small. My "boys" don't feel squished in anyway when I'm wearing tights. Keep in mind though that tights don't have very good wet weather protection when coupled with cold temps. I personally like to wear a nylon wind pant over my tights when the weather is wet/snowy so I don't FREEEEEZZZZZZZEEEE!

 

[shadesofgray]

Actually I'm pretty sure that I got extra large in the underarmor shorts to make sure they weren't too tight. They are still skin tight and very clingy. It could be that the underarmor shorts fit differently, or maybe I'm a little more sensitive to being squished.

As far as freezing, someone had recommended the Pearl Izumi AmFIB tights. They are wind and water proof and good for winter riding, but from what I've been reading here they can be a little too warm at times. I may go with a different tight with a wind/water proof pant over them.

 

[shiggy]

Shorts are suppose to fit snug to hold your "boys" out of the way and in place. Nothing worse than coming down hard on the saddle and crushing "the boys" between saddle and body.

 

[shadesofgray]

See, that's the thing, those shorts didn't hold them out of the way. More like up and forward. Not only were they uncomfortable, but I felt very vulnerable. It was like they were designed unisex without taking male anatomy in mind, though they were labeled as men's. It may be that they are just designed badly and not representative of most tights. Plus, I'm sure some brands may fit/feel better than others. That's why I'm asking.

 

[shiggy]

See, that's the thing, those shorts didn't hold them out of the way. More like up and forward. Not only were they uncomfortable, but I felt very vulnerable. It was like they were designed unisex without taking male anatomy in mind, though they were labeled as men's. It may be that they are just designed badly and not representative of most tights. Plus, I'm sure some brands may fit/feel better than others. That's why I'm asking.

Nope. That is the way they work, and they work very well. Up and forward is out of the way. Where else are they going to go?

 

[iliveonnitro]

Nope. That is the way they work, and they work very well. Up and forward is out of the way. Where else are they going to go?

Down and back. Duh!

 

[Bikinfoolferlife]

Shadesofgray has shadesofgay going on...

 

[shadesofgray]

Nope. That is the way they work, and they work very well. Up and forward is out of the way. Where else are they going to go?

Not for me, I guess. I wear briefs with mtb shorts and I haven't really had a problem. Everything is tucked in/up pretty well. If that's the way all tights fit that's not going to work for me. I'm glad I asked before ordering anything. Thanks for your responses.

 

[shadesofgray]

???

Shadesofgray has shadesofgay going on...

Huh? Because I find tights to be physically uncomfortable to wear? You must be really bored.

 

[Bikinfoolferlife]

Of course I'm bored. Why else would I bother responding to a doofus who wears briefs under his cycling shorts? Or buys armored underwear? Or thinks his boys are endangered by tights?

 

[shiggy]

Not for me, I guess. I wear briefs with mtb shorts and I haven't really had a problem. Everything is tucked in/up pretty well. If that's the way all tights fit that's not going to work for me. I'm glad I asked before ordering anything. Thanks for your responses.

No wonder you are feeling restricted.
Cycling shorts are designed to be worn without underwear. Briefs under lycra is binding and causes chafing.
Go commando, man, go commando!

 

[shadesofgray]

Of course I'm bored. Why else would I bother responding to a doofus who wears briefs under his cycling shorts? Or buys armored underwear? Or thinks his boys are endangered by tights?

LOL Maybe think before you write. The mtb shorts I bought are baggy, and the liner is fairly loose and doesn't have enough support in that area, so briefs underneath works fine. Underarmor is a brand name. They are not armored underwear. They are very thin and designed for wicking. Since you don't know this, then you really can't comment on how they fit, or how uncomfortable they are, can you? Btw when I say uncomfortable I mean in a painful way not a "feels wierd" way. And yes, I think the way those fit does increase the danger of damage. Less from below maybe, but more from the front. I can't say why they are uncomfortable for me and not for you other than people are built differently.

As I said in my first post, I am new to riding. I am completely unfamiliar with tights. I posted here to get information. I was hoping that the problem was only with the Underarmor brand and not tights in general. I thought that maybe people would respond with brands they found to be comfortable. You could have posted something constructive, or offered some advice, but you chose to go another route.

I have read comments in older posts about people prefering the fit of one brand over another. For example Cannondale over Pearl Izumi. I thought that maybe there would be something that was a better fit for me. From the responses so far, all brands fit like Underarmor, so I am out of luck. I'll have to find another option.

 

[shadesofgray]

No wonder you are feeling restricted.
Cycling shorts are designed to be worn without underwear. Briefs under lycra is binding and causes chafing.
Go commando, man, go commando!

Sorry for the confusion. I wore briefs under the mtb shorts because the liner was very loose fitting (except around my legs). I have no discomfort with these. I did not wear briefs under the Underarmor shorts. Those were the problem. I can see where there would be a problem wearing briefs under tights.

 

[carl1266]

My tights and shorts are slightly tighter than briefs. If you are experiencing pain something is wrong. Either the tights are bad or you are placing your "boys" wrong.

As for winter clothing. The best thing you can do is a) layering and b) try to keep the wind out. You want to be warm but you shouldn't sweat.

 

[jrm]

Ive found..

My tights and shorts are slightly tighter than briefs. If you are experiencing pain something is wrong. Either the tights are bad or you are placing your "boys" wrong.

As for winter clothing. The best thing you can do is a) layering and b) try to keep the wind out. You want to be warm but you shouldn't sweat.

pearl izumi Tri shorts under my shorts (shells) and tights works well. The reduced size of the chamois in the tri shorts means everything doesnt bunch up and allows more breathing..

 

[hardtail05]

I can’t believe I’m answering this post …
I'm guessing that the issue is caused by the fact that the Under Armour shorts DON'T have a chamios? My solution would be to wear bike shorts under tights (no underwear). Position your “boys” however you want (your on your own, here), then they should stay in place, then put on your tights and go. I don’t think I would wear tights with nothing underneath. Bike shorts seem to hold everything in place, so I don’t like the idea of cycling tights with Chamois in them. The shorts also give another layer of compression/warmth. Same reason I don’t like leg warmers, since I want my shorts to have that extra layer of clothing on top of them when it’s cold. If you go this route, you don’t have to worry about getting cycling-specific tights, which will also save you money. I don’t think Under Armour is cycling-specific, so they might not be a good choice for your first layer (shorts or tights) anyway, since you want chamois against your skin where you sit on the seat. As far as certain brands; I’ve actually had good luck with all that I’ve tried, including Performance, even though they are very inexpensive. As far as baggies go, they don’t seem as functional at all to me, although they might hold up in a crash better. Baggies seem to cater to people’s sense of modesty, but they are not as functional. That’s personal choice, obviously.

 

[Nat]

See, that's the thing, those shorts didn't hold them out of the way. More like up and forward.

You could cut out a hole in front of the shorts so that your junk sticks out the front...

Can you handle riding without a chamois? On shorter rides, say under 90 minutes, I can bear it. I have a pair of fleece pants (not tights) that sometimes I wear under shell pants in the winter. The fleece offers just enough padding against the saddle.

 

[Big K]

Cannondale

I have had great luck with Cannondale's "innershort" (essentially underwear with a chamois) and their tights. Their midweight tights are the typical tight-fitting look with a decent amount of lining (good from about 30 degrees up into the 50's). I wear their Chrono heavier weight tights below 30 and have worn them as low as 12 below without getting cold legs. The nice thing about the heavier weight tights (Cannondale and Pearl) is that they are looser fitting, (usually with a Gore front to stop wind).. I find that this helps give a little bit more insulation on the bone-chilling days and, worse case, allows for some kind of thin layer underneath. It's also nice to have a little more flexibility (from the looser fit) because everything seems to tighten up as it gets colder.

 

[shadesofgray]

I can't believe I'm answering this post …
I'm guessing that the issue is caused by the fact that the Under Armour shorts DON'T have a chamios? My solution would be to wear bike shorts under tights (no underwear). Position your "boys" however you want (your on your own, here), then they should stay in place, then put on your tights and go. I don't think I would wear tights with nothing underneath. Bike shorts seem to hold everything in place, so I don't like the idea of cycling tights with Chamois in them. The shorts also give another layer of compression/warmth. Same reason I don't like leg warmers, since I want my shorts to have that extra layer of clothing on top of them when it's cold. If you go this route, you don't have to worry about getting cycling-specific tights, which will also save you money. I don't think Under Armour is cycling-specific, so they might not be a good choice for your first layer (shorts or tights) anyway, since you want chamois against your skin where you sit on the seat. As far as certain brands; I've actually had good luck with all that I've tried, including Performance, even though they are very inexpensive.

Thanks for responding. I really didn't expect this to become a big deal, but I needed to ask before spending a lot of money on something I couldn't wear. You are right about the Under Armor. They are not cycling specific and do not have a chamois. That could be a factor and I was actually hoping that was the problem. A decent cycling short with a good chamois could make a difference.