bicyclists: does anyone else have this problem with lycra pants??

[280028]

i recently purchased a pair of lycra cycling pants to keep me warm in the winter, i wear them like thermal underwear.

they work fine, in that respect, but when i'm riding my bike, my junk is getting squooshed by the little pad they put in the seat while i'm pedaling. i feel like i'm pedaling with my balls. it really sucks.

i try to shift upward or to the side, but that either doesn't work or makes it worse. should i wear underwear with them? i typically go unfurnished everyday.

i'm just wondering if anyone else has had this problem with lycra bike pants, and what they did to help it.

 

[Hansalami]

You're not supposed to use underwear, the pad is there for comfort and sweat absorption.

You need to pull it all up and hope it stays there. Sitting on you penis and/or balls is very painfull. Get them out the way!

One trick I used is to wear a long enough t-shirt so you can tuck your balls etc. up in the shirt. It's a bit of a hassle, but in the end it works and things stay out the way most of the time.:smile:

 

[IronMonkey]

If you're wearing bike shorts which are made with 2 panels (e.g. one panel for the front and another for the back) they definitely don't fit as well as ones that use 4-8, from personal experience. They feel looser but are just as snug so you can give that a try if that's the case. Also seat pads on the shorts which are flat aren't as confy as those that are somewhat contoured or shaped.

You might also be able to adjust the fit of your bike to relieve some of the pressure.

If you put a ruler on top of the saddle it should be level to the ground, if it's tilted upwards in front you'll tend to put more weight on your balls. Also, when you ride do feel like you're having to stretch outwards or downwards? This can cause more pressure there because you tend to tilt your pelvis forwards in order to reach. If so you can try raising your handlebars or possibly adjusting your saddle forwards a bit.

Hope this helps!

 

[flnkdguy2]

I have always had the same problem, and then this fall I got one of these baggie things with a drawstring: Banana Peelz~ Mens Tanning Pouches and it made a huge difference. It provides enough support to keep the balls up and out of the way and also stops me from having to constantly reposition things or have issues with rubbing.

 

[PZAHLER]

I think that the problem is the saddle, maybe.
I always use my lycra pants and love compression that fit me.

 

[Stanmeister]

Sometimes the pads are too big. I have a pair of bike shorts that will do that to me. Make sure you purchase ones that are tight enough and don't have too big of a chamois (pad).

 

[sdbg]

Lycra shorts with pads are one of those things that save your crotch, but take some getting used to. I bought good quality bike shorts, but don't love the way they feel. I have an anatomically correct seat, and the padded shorts enable me to do 50 mile rides with a minimum of discomfort. I have to lift my penis and balls all the way up just before I sit on the seat. It ususally works okay other than the squished feeling that comes with the lycra.