Knicks, for look or comfort?
- peter
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Knicks, for look or comfort?
Postby peter » Sat Jan 26, 2008 7:17 pm
- europa
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Postby europa » Sat Jan 26, 2008 7:57 pm
You don't have to buy lycra nicks. The mtb crowd sell 'shy shorts' which are tough shorts with the padding built in. You wear them like the nicks but you don't look like a fashion tragic Needless to say, I wear shy shorts when I'm wearing padding
A general rule of thumb is that if you're riding for under an hour, you don't 'need' them, but once your rides start going beyond half an hour, they're a good idea and once you're going over the hour, they're a very good idea.
I did 60km on my Bontrager with jeans and normal undies one day. My next move was to buy the Brooks
Richard
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- Bnej
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Re: Knicks, for look or comfort?
Postby Bnej » Sat Jan 26, 2008 8:43 pm
It can't be for looks.peter wrote:I was going to get one, but thought that it looks weird on a hybrid rider. Is it really comfy? Any particular brand/price range?
I spent a good six months wearing trackpants when riding. It's not ideal, especially in hot weather or if you're working hard. Sweat gets into the seams and can really rub you the wrong way.
Shy shorts or other baggy cycling shorts are great if you want the comfort but want them to look like street clothes. I have some Netti Shy Shorts and they are okay.
But good lycra knicks are unbeatable for comfort. I have some relatively expensive Pearl Izumi shorts which fit great and are comfortable for hour after hour, but even basic nix for $40 or so are a good idea for long rides.
They feel funny at first because of the chamois pad, but after a few rides you won't want to go back!
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Re: Knicks, for look or comfort?
Postby Aushiker » Sat Jan 26, 2008 8:51 pm
I agree but I only wear mine on short trips, e.g., shopping. Find them too hot otherwise. Good nicks are the way to go in my view.Bnej wrote:.
Shy shorts or other baggy cycling shorts are great if you want the comfort but want them to look like street clothes. I have some Netti Shy Shorts and they are okay.
Andrew
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Postby ningnangnong » Sat Jan 26, 2008 10:10 pm
All i wear is some shorts and a t-shirt.
- 20 inch wheels
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Cycling undies
Postby 20 inch wheels » Sat Jan 26, 2008 10:27 pm
Nicks I prefer but I have a pair of cycling undies with a chamois that I sometimes use with a a pair of regular shorts.
Shy shorts are commonly sold for mountain biking but watch the professionals. They wear nicks.
- mikesbytes
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Postby mikesbytes » Sat Jan 26, 2008 10:51 pm
In a nutshell they move the friction point from your bum to the bottom of the shorts.
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Postby Kalgrm » Sun Jan 27, 2008 12:30 am
Nah, get them - you need them if you ride a bike. If you're too shy right now, get them anyway and wear normal cargo shorts over the top of them.
The main reasons for getting lycra knicks are comfort and reduced wind resistance. Shorts flap around in the wind and slow you down.
Cheers,
Graeme
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Music was better when ugly people were allowed to make it ....
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Postby Kalgrm » Sun Jan 27, 2008 1:00 am
However, the knicks still need to fit snugly. "Shy shorts" or even normal shorts open up like a falling parachute, trapping both wind and flying insects (with or without stings ....), none of which are desirable outcomes.
Cheers,
Graeme
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Music was better when ugly people were allowed to make it ....
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Postby kukamunga » Sun Jan 27, 2008 8:47 am
Leg-gripper elastic around inside bottom edge of knicks helps prevent some 'less-anatomically correct' cheaper knicks from bunching up around your groin causing discomfort. I have spent $40 on cheap Fluid (Anaconda) knicks that I cannot wear because of this.
My favorite knicks are a $20 pair (yes, $20..... not $200 - you can spend that much on knicks if you really want to! ) of black 'Crane' cycling knicks I picked up as a weekly special at Aldi Foodstores 6 months ago. These feature 6-panel flat seams, gripper-elastic, reasonable chamois, waist drawcord, and light, stretchy, breathable material which makes for a great under-knick, something you'd easily pay $50+ for at a bike shop. I am keeping an eagle eye out for them to show up again!
My care tips for lycra knicks: wash after every ride to avoid bacterial build up in chamois which can lead to saddle sores. I wash mine in the shower after short rides, otherwise a delicate wash in a front loader washer with Eucalyptus wool wash. Avoid long exposure to sunlight whilst drip-drying - UV can break lycra down over time.
For regular, longer hours in the saddle, specialist chamois creams (Assos?), or something like 'Bepanthen' (a nappy-rash type cream) on your chamois (and/ or butt ) can increase comfort and decrease bacteria.
Too much information? Ok... I'll stop now
PS: Wearing conventional 'briefs'/ undies under bike knicks totally negates the effect of wearing bike knicks. I can't understand why people do it.
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Postby europa » Sun Jan 27, 2008 11:09 am
At those distances, you need to do something, either nicks or a Brooks (and many wear nicks with them too, it's probably only lunatic leather arsed old gits like me that don't). Apart from the discomfort on a single ride, you can also create all sorts of sores and wounds and problems and if you keep riding on them, you'll only make them worse. It's just not worth it.peter wrote:Looks like I definitely need a pair. Just did 60km this morning, my backside is sore as.
Don't go cheap on your first set. Buy a good set and look after them. There have been quite a few reports on cheapies here on the forum, and while some work and some don't, few last very long. I think this is one area where it pays to buy a really good set to start with, get to know what it's like to own and use nicks, then experiment with the cheaper offerings as you discover you need more than one pair. The expensive nicks will always have a use (for the long rides if nothing else) and the good quality stuff lasts pretty well.
Richard
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Postby winona_rider » Sun Jan 27, 2008 11:15 am
do they stop the lycra slipping down or do they just keep everything tight?
- europa
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Postby europa » Sun Jan 27, 2008 11:18 am
People who've actually used them need to reply to this, but seeing there aren't many people around, I'll give you something to keep you going.winona_rider wrote:what's the advantage of bib nicks - apart from looking like borat?
do they stop the lycra slipping down or do they just keep everything tight?
I suspect it's a comfort thing - they can't roll down (which shorts only do on me) and there are probably other comfort issues such as not having elastic around the waist.
Richard
Postby Funkymonk » Sun Jan 27, 2008 11:33 am
Ifind them to be 100% better than tradional knicks ,but thats me and it suits me .
I find with my saddle [ Selle SMP Carbon] that the knicks alone are ok ,but the bibnic's have it all over them in the not needing adjustments in the pull up department in the crutch .
The majority of knicks out there if ind very restictive in the thy area as they rely on grip alone .
as everyone's bodies are different ,and riding styles out there ... it is an individual thing
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Postby winona_rider » Sun Jan 27, 2008 12:19 pm
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Postby Andrew Grace » Sun Jan 27, 2008 4:13 pm
I'll never go back to std knicks, there so much more comfortable.
As said above they don't cut into your waist and they stay in the right place.
The only reason I bought them was because I asked a mate about them and he said thats all he'll wear now, and I'm converted too.
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Postby toolonglegs » Sun Jan 27, 2008 6:25 pm
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