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FAQ: "Is it true that I shouldn't wear
underwear under my bike shorts?" Dear fellow ECCC members, Over the course of this season, which has featured some fantastic racing and well constructed courses, it has come to my attention that some racers may be taking needless risks when competing. I speak here not of bike handling or improper verbal conduct, but of an issue regarding the health of one's body. It appears that many racers are wearing underwear under their cycling shorts... After speaking in earnest with our conference director, I thought I would make clear why one ought not to insert undies under one's chamois. 1. Hygiene: Perhaps one of the glories of the modern bike short is that one finds in them the anti-bacterial chamois insert. This pad breathes well and, according to manufacturers, kills germs. By inserting some cotton briefs, one creates a nasty, festering zone in which microbes and fungi love to grow. Even if one wears a thong, as displayed by one brave men's C rider from [an ECCC state school] today, the problem is not averted. 2. Comfort: A chamois is your friend - a buffer if you like. It adapts and conforms to one's anatomy in a most comfortable way. When one puts a barrier between one's skin and shorts, one is mocking the full comfort potential of one's chamois. Moreover, without undies, one can use the assortment of balms, ointments and salves which can further prevent saddle sores. Furthermore, as those who raced in the rain on Saturday may have noticed, wet undies under one's shorts quickly become like fine-grit sandpaper. 3. Style: While the sex-appeal of the thong or bikini briefs may appeal to some, I think most would agree a butt covered only in 100% spandex is much more attractive. With the prevalence new "across-the-butt" patches with team logos and sponsors, it would be a shame to distort the full effect. While this list could go on to include tales of time trials lost by un-aerodynamic skin suits lumpy with undies, I will end here. If others feel there is more to add or subtract, please feel free to respond. I write only in the hopes to make others rejoice in the thrill of the chamois and rid themselves of the excessive burden of their jockeys. Thanks for the fun season and I look forward to seeing you all, unfettered by briefs, thongs and other undergarments, at Easterns. Regards, |