Knicks, for look or comfort?

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peter
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Knicks, for look or comfort?

Postby peter » Sat Jan 26, 2008 7:17 pm

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?

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europa
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Postby europa » Sat Jan 26, 2008 7:57 pm

They definitely help the comfort if you're using a non-compliant saddle, which is basically anything other than a Brooks and a lot of people use them on the Brooks too.

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 :oops: Needless to say, I wear shy shorts when I'm wearing padding :roll:

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 :wink:

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Postby sogood » Sat Jan 26, 2008 8:27 pm

BTW, when you wear knicks, don't wear undies at the same time. Raw is the way to use them... For good reasons.
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Postby stryker84 » Sat Jan 26, 2008 8:41 pm

sogood wrote:Raw is the way to use them... For good reasons.
You wear them raw so you don't go raw, if you get my drift.

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Re: Knicks, for look or comfort?

Postby Bnej » Sat Jan 26, 2008 8:43 pm

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?
It can't be for looks. ;)

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

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.
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.

Andrew

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Postby Funkymonk » Sat Jan 26, 2008 9:02 pm

For great product and wear-ability i use and recommend
Cannibal bullet proof

for sheer comfort and blood flow
Santini bibnic's gel inserts

HTH

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Postby ningnangnong » Sat Jan 26, 2008 10:10 pm

Geez, ease up fella's.

All i wear is some shorts and a t-shirt. :D

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Cycling undies

Postby 20 inch wheels » Sat Jan 26, 2008 10:27 pm

I tries shy shorts and they didn't work for me. Too heavy and hot and the inners are sewn to the outers for no good reason I can tell other than so they can be sold together.

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.
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Postby mikesbytes » Sat Jan 26, 2008 10:51 pm

There are different solutions for different people. Some don't seem to need them, some are fine with the cheap ones and some need the expensive ones.

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

I wear them for the looks: they are so sexy and really add to my street cred when I'm on my 'bent. They feel so sleek too.






:shock:

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.

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Postby stryker84 » Sun Jan 27, 2008 12:33 am

There's a question, knicks on bents, how much does the chamois help, as I'm guessing they be designed with different pressure points in mind ?

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Postby Kalgrm » Sun Jan 27, 2008 1:00 am

The chamoise in knicks does three parts of F all when you ride a bent. There are no pressure points on my seat and I can quite happily use unpadded knicks (ie sport tights).

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.

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Postby kukamunga » Sun Jan 27, 2008 8:47 am

If you're 'shy', try and avoid knicks built in to over-shorts. Go for a good pair of under-knicks, and wear them under whatever you like (trackies, shorts, sarong, jodhpurs, kilt, plus-fours.... :wink: ) Check NZO for some quality underknicks and overshorts, and their unique 'Dobies.'

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! :shock: ) 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 :shock: ) can increase comfort and decrease bacteria.

Too much information? :roll: Ok... I'll stop now :wink:

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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peter
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Postby peter » Sun Jan 27, 2008 10:48 am

Looks like I definitely need a pair. Just did 60km this morning, my backside is sore as.

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Postby europa » Sun Jan 27, 2008 11:09 am

peter wrote:Looks like I definitely need a pair. Just did 60km this morning, my backside is sore as.
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.

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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winona_rider
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Postby winona_rider » Sun Jan 27, 2008 11:15 am

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?

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europa
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Postby europa » Sun Jan 27, 2008 11:18 am

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?
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.

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
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Postby Funkymonk » Sun Jan 27, 2008 11:33 am

bibnic's , held up by the singlet top stops them moving south on you holding them in the exact position for max comfort ,there is no elastic waist band to roll down , and dig in .Your not worried about adjstments whilst pedling .

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 kukamunga » Sun Jan 27, 2008 12:05 pm

Agree to the above (x 2). They can be a bit inconvenient though, for quick toilet stops! :lol:

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Postby winona_rider » Sun Jan 27, 2008 12:19 pm

yeah - i just have the nix shorts and i find that when i come outta the saddle (at lights or up hills and particularly when i'm getting off the bike) they get snagged on the front of the saddle. embarrassing. so yeah - think i'm gonna get me some bib nicks...

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Andrew Grace
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Postby Andrew Grace » Sun Jan 27, 2008 4:13 pm

I just bought a pair of bib knicks and used them for the first time yesterday.
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 challs » Sun Jan 27, 2008 5:52 pm

Since switching to bib knicks a few years ago, I'll never go back to normal knicks either.

Can I also put in a recommendation for chamois cream? Not everyone uses it, but most who do wouldn't ride without it either.

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nimm
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Postby nimm » Sun Jan 27, 2008 6:19 pm

My next nicks will be bibnicks, i'm sold :)
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Postby toolonglegs » Sun Jan 27, 2008 6:25 pm

If you get bib-n-brace get them with a low cut front...much easier to pee while rolling...or stopped as well :lol:

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